Debates of Nov. 2nd, 2022

Health

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we hear the concerns from parents on the supply of children's pain and fever meds. As a parent, I can completely understand. That is why we are committed to ensuring all families have access to the essential medicines their children need. Health Canada has been in communication with manufacturers, pharmacists and provinces and territories to ensure mitigation measures are in place. Our main priority will always be the health and safety of Canadians, and all options are on the table.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we advised the Prime Minister of this situation one month ago, but the Prime Minister always has a ready-made excuse to justify his inability to take action. As a grandfather, I get upset thinking about young children who are ill.

One month ago, he asked Health Canada to do something so that mothers and fathers can access medication for their children, medication that children will want to take.

Why is the Prime Minister once again making excuses to avoid providing the medications that sick children need?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are all hearing the concerns of parents about the supply of children's pain and fever medication. We will continue to ensure that all families have access to the essential medications that their children need. We will deal with this shortage.

Health Canada is in communication with manufacturers, pharmacists and the provinces and territories to ensure mitigation measures are in place. Our main priority will always be the health and safety of Canadians. All options are on the table.

The Economy

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Liberals’ out-of-control spending makes life more expensive for all Canadians. Half cannot put aside savings. Home heating costs will double this winter. More Canadians already had to use food banks in one single month than ever before in Canadian history. For years, our new Conservative leader has warned that the NDP-Liberal costly coalition’s inflationary deficits would force Canadians to have to pay the bill.

Tomorrow, will the Prime Minister finally give Canadians a break and stop his tax hikes and reckless spending?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party has decided it needs to oppose supports for parents to send their kids to the dentist, and the Conservative Party has decided to oppose giving a $500 top-up to low-income renters across this country to help with the rising costs of everything.

We are facing global inflation, yes, but there are things we can do to make it easier for families, things like child care, which we are moving forward on despite Conservative opposition, things like the CCB, things like the GST credit and dental and rental, which they continue to oppose.

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Sustainable Finance Forum is on Parliament Hill this week. We will have over 60 speakers, and hundreds of participants will attend virtual sessions as well as events on climate finance and social finance. As we are all looking at ways to make the economy more sustainable, I would like to ask the Prime Minister about the progress our government is making to help Canadian businesses achieve both growth and sustainability.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the member for Whitby for the hard work he does, not just for his constituents but for all Canadians.

From climate change to inequality, the world is facing big challenges, but together we can drive investment to create jobs in a net-zero economy, build affordable housing and make sure everyone has a real and fair chance at success. As a government, we launched our first $5-billion green bond and released Canada's green bond framework. We also created the sustainable finance action council, and we will continue to build an economy that works for all Canadians.

Housing

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 87% of indigenous households in Canada live in urban, rural and northern regions outside their traditional territories. That is 87%. Despite this, the Liberals are only committing $300 million to address the urgent and imminent needs for urban, rural and indigenous community housing. This is so far nowhere near enough.

Will the Prime Minister commit to increasing the interim funding to a level that responds to the urgency and the desperate need the community has?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the housing challenges faced by Canadians right across the country are significant, but nowhere more significant than in vulnerable urban, indigenous, northern and remote areas. That is why we have put forward record amounts, a $300-million direct investment, to support and grow housing supply in those areas.

We know there will be more to do, but we need to make sure that we are delivering results for Canadians and that is exactly what we are focused on.

Oil and Gas Industry

[Mike Morrice, Green, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the midst of a climate emergency, oil and gas companies are sacrificing our kids' future for their corporate greed. In the past nine months, Imperial Oil made $6.2 billion in profit, almost four times more than last year.

We cannot expect the arsonists to put out this fire. On the eve of the 27th annual global climate negotiations, will the Prime Minister finally eliminate subsidies to oil and gas companies and replace them with a windfall tax on their excess profits?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, a number of years ago, Canada committed, alongside other like-minded nations, to eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. That is not good enough.

The climate emergency means we need to act faster and stronger. That is why we are pulling forward by two years, until 2023, the need to eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. We have already eliminated a significant number of them. We are going to continue to do it while ensuring that fossil fuel companies invest in decarbonization and in better jobs for everyone in the coming years.

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

I am afraid that is all the time we have for today.

We have two points of order, and we will start with the hon. member for Hamilton Centre.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations and if you seek it, I believe you will find consent for the following motion: That, this House (a) reject any intervention aimed at restricting the collective rights of workers to freely negotiate their working conditions; and (b) condemn the use of the notwithstanding clause to destroy collective bargaining rights by Conservative Premier Doug Ford and the Government of Ontario.

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Nay.

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

We do not have unanimous consent.

The hon. member for La Prairie.

Alleged Unparliamentary Language from a Member

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order regarding the member for Argenteuil—La Petite‑Nation, who just left.

While the leader of the Bloc Québécois was asking questions, the member for Argenteuil—La Petite‑Nation used unparliamentary language. He said, “Go home.”

I would first like to say that the leader was democratically elected by the people of Beloeil—Chambly, who chose him as their representative. That is what we call democracy. I would very much like the member to apologize for making those comments.

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

The member in question is not in the House. I cannot ask him.

We will check what was said, and I will come back to the House with an answer.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a number of us heard him. It is clear that those words came from him. I demand an apology.

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

I thank the member for bringing it to my attention.

The House resumed from November 1 consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—ArriveCAN Application Performance Audit

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

It being 3:22 p.m., pursuant to order made on Thursday, June 23, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of the member for Carleton relating to the business of supply.

Call in the members.

And the bells having rung:

The question is on the motion. May I dispense?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Speaker, Anthony Rota]

[Chair read text of motion to House]

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #207