Debates of Dec. 2nd, 2022

Gender-Based Violence

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Kanata—Carleton, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise to commend the incredible initiative of my Kanata—Carleton youth council, an inspiring group of 20 high school students who work to make a positive difference in our community. To commemorate the ongoing 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, these students are stepping up and taking action. Together, the youth council members are raising donations of toys, hygiene products, kitchen items and more, all of which will be donated to families fleeing domestic violence through our riding’s local community support centre. These items will make a real difference in the lives of families who are starting over.

My thanks to the Kanata—Carleton youth council for taking action, with a special thanks to Jacqueline, Dhanya, Kosar and Amelia for leading this initiative among their peers.

Housing

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Madam Speaker, I want to start by thanking all those helping with the warming centres across my riding. It is cold and snowy, and people need help. Housing is a human right, and Canada needs to start acting like it is. On November 25, a vital conversation on housing security was hosted by the Campbell River Community Foundation. I want to thank the co-sponsors: the Campbell River and district homelessness coalition, a coalition that brings stakeholders together to address homelessness; the City of Campbell River; Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel; Strathcona Regional District, BC Housing and CMHC.

People participated from many parts of my riding, and they all agreed that housing is a crisis everywhere. From Cortes to Port Hardy, to Gold River to Campbell River, to Powell River, every corner of our region is struggling. A clear challenge I heard was that small communities find the application processes leave them out, although their needs are so high.

Our innovative communities are doing so much, but Canada must finally step up to support housing in rural and remote communities. I am asking it to do so now.

Michelle Poteri

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my deepest condolences to Stuart Poteri and his family following the passing of his loving wife Michelle. Michelle was diagnosed with cancer last year and fought courageously each and every day with a smile. Her strength and perseverance, despite the difficult battle, inspired all those who knew her.

Last summer, I presented the Poteris with my Platinum Jubilee Community Hero Award in recognition of their decades of service to the much-loved Centennial Arena in Fairview. Since 2011, the Poteris ran the rink as a team with warmth, love and joy. Whenever anything needed to be done, Michelle lent a hand without hesitation. In fact, the arena was where they met in 1980 and eventually married in 1983.

This year, the Fairview family tree lighting will be held in Michelle's memory next weekend. It is a touching tribute to her memory and deep love. My sincere condolences to Stuart, his family and all those who loved Michelle.

Food Banks

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Madam Speaker, the Christmas season is upon us, but for some the prospects are not so merry. The impacts of inflation are affecting the ability of many Canadians to make ends meet, and it is not just about putting gifts under the tree; a record number of Canadians are having to make the choice between heating and eating.

In the midst of these challenges, local organizations that are there to help are also feeling the squeeze, from record usage as well as from many not being able to afford to be as generous this year as in years past. If folks have the ability to donate resources to a food bank or another local charity, I encourage them to please do so. There are a number of them across east-central Alberta, as well as thousands of great organizations across Canada, and even some very fitting ones here in our nation's capital.

When we give, we get much more in return. The story of the birth of Christ and the message of Christmas is one of giving, and I encourage everyone who can to make sure they give back. No one in a country as blessed and as prosperous as Canada should go hungry at Christmas.

Leadership and Community Service Award

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is a great pleasure for me to stand in the House today and pay special recognition to my long-time friend and supporter, Sam Primucci. While many Canadians know and love Sam for his successful business skills in the food industry and his Pizza Nova chain, I know him for his warm and giving spirit to others. For this reason he was granted a leadership and community service award at the recent Pentola d'Oro gala in Toronto, hosted by the Italian Chamber of Commerce.

I want to offer Sam and his wife Gemma my sincerest congratulations and thank him for his excellent work, not only in Humber River—Black Creek, but in all of Canada.

Canada Child Dental Benefit

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

Madam Speaker, oral health is absolutely essential. Tooth decay is the most common, yet preventable, childhood chronic disease, and it is one of the number one reasons kids miss school.

Fully one-third of Canadians are unable to visit the dentist, because it is expensive and they do not have insurance, so we introduced the interim Canada child dental benefit, and 500,000 children under 12 can now access the Canada dental benefit, ensuring that their smiles will get the care they need and deserve.

I have heard from a number of families in my riding who do not have insurance and are not eligible for provincial programs. Those kids will be able to get their teeth checked now, and that is so important. Families with kids under 12 who are uninsured for dental coverage and have an adjusted net annual income of under $90,000 can head to Canada.ca/dental for more information and to apply for the Canada dental benefit. Families can receive up to $650 this year and next year per kid under 12.

Huge thanks go out to dentists, dental hygienists and other dental health practitioners for helping to keep Canadian kids' smiles healthy and happy.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Madam Speaker, commercial fishers feel their livelihoods are threatened by the Liberal government. More and more fisheries are being subjected to the precautionary principle because of the lack of science, or science that has not kept up with the changing ecosystem. This has resulted in fisheries either being shut down or operating with quotas that do not reflect the abundance, as is the case with northern cod.

Last spring the minister stood in this House and told us that new vessels promised under the national shipbuilding strategy would be ready to complete cod surveys this fall. This is not the case. This aspect of scientific data will be missing for the third consecutive year and will not be available to be incorporated into this year's stock assessments.

As this year's northern cod stock assessments begin, I urge the minister to give more weight to the incredible catch rates experienced by fish harvesters, and to increase next year's quota accordingly. It is time for the government to respect what harvesters experience on the water and recognize them as an important part of the ocean ecosystem and the blue economy.

Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Madam Speaker, tomorrow we will mark an important milestone, with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the mine ban treaty, or, as we all know it, the Ottawa Convention.

In October 1996, then Canadian foreign minister, the indomitable Lloyd Axworthy, boldly challenged the international community to follow through with a global ban on landmines. The following year, on December 3, 1997, 122 countries signed this landmark agreement in Ottawa.

Since that historic event, Canada has become a recognized global leader in helping countries rid themselves of landmines, but the job is not done. Nearly 60 countries remain afflicted by these horrific weapons, which continue to maim and kill civilians, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities, women and girls.

As we mark this milestone for the Ottawa Convention, let us celebrate the achievements made thus far and recommit ourselves to working toward a world free of landmines and other unexploded ordnance.

Cost of Living

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Madam Speaker, everything feels broken in Canada because of the Liberals. The inflation and affordability crisis is causing stress to Canadian families, who, for the first time in their lives, are having to make difficult decisions as their household incomes are being eaten up by the cost of everything going up.

The cost of groceries is up, along with gas, home heating, housing, interest rates and food bank usage; they are all up. When we add the tripling of the carbon tax and other planned tax increases taking effect in January and April 2023, things are about to get worse.

It is no wonder Canadian families and businesses are at a breaking point, and one-time bribe payments by the Liberals will not solve what is quickly becoming a bigger crisis than it already is. The people I represent in Barrie—Innisfil and people across Canada are spending an extra $3,500 a year because of the self-inflicted Liberal inflation.

How did we, Canada, as a G7 country, get to a point where seniors, young people, families and businesses have been lied to and let down, with many losing their hopes, their dreams, their confidence and their dignity?

Democratic Institutions

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

Madam Speaker, let me tell you about a new series called “for my eyes only”, about a Prime Minister who refuses to act when a foreign country tries to influence elections in Canada.

Here is a summary. In the first episode, a newspaper reveals serious allegations that China's communist regime funded a clandestine network of 11 candidates in the 2019 election. The Prime Minister denies everything.

In the second episode, we learn that spies had infiltrated members' offices. The Prime Minister claims he was never informed of the illegal funding of election candidates.

In the third episode, the RCMP confirms that it is investigating multiple cases of foreign interference in the democratic process in Canada. The Prime Minister continues to look the other way and pretends that nothing happened.

In the fourth episode, in a dramatic turn of events, the national security agency tells a parliamentary committee that it had prepared not one, but several briefings for the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister insists that the information is for his eyes only and that Canadians do not need to know. This series will be continued in the next oral question period.

Will the Prime Minister finally come clean to Canadians?

Gender-Based Violence

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Madam Speaker, gender-based violence is one of the most widespread human rights violations of our time. When we look closely, we realize that this type of violence occurs all around us. We see it on television, in music and even in certain interactions among friends.

Gender-based violence is any violence, such as sexual assault, committed against an individual because of their gender. We are all responsible for helping to stop this type of violence.

Therefore, during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence campaign, I am inviting all Canadians to take this violence seriously, to learn to recognize it and to understand that people must have healthy and respectful relationships with one another, because everyone has the right to live their lives without violence.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Madam Speaker, Saturday, December 3 is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a day to mobilize support for their dignity, rights and well-being, and to promote an understanding of disability issues, and mobilize we must on Bill C-22.

In the 30 years since this day was proclaimed, the disability community have had to do much heavy lifting for their basic human rights. Successive Liberal and Conservative governments have not done enough to remove discriminatory barriers, allowing Canadians with disabilities to fall into poverty.

Canada aspires to be a world leader in the eradication of poverty, and the Canada disability benefit is our chance to make that a reality for persons with disabilities. This is an historic opportunity for the opposition parties to hold the government to account by amending and enacting Canada's first federal law to legislate people out of poverty with Bill C-22.

Tour de l’Abitibi

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Madam Speaker, the Tour de l’Abitibi, which goes back more than 50 years, has officially been inducted into the Cycling Canada Hall of Fame.

It is the only competition in the Union Cycliste Internationale's Junior Nations Cup circuit to be presented in the Americas. It is the only one of the eight competitions to be hosted outside of Europe. It is a recognized and coveted event around the world. At the same time, Le Tour de la relève welcomes young Quebec cyclists.

In all, 150 cyclists from 20 or so teams around the world come together to participate in the Tour de l’Abitibi in the hope of completing the seven stages in seven days. That is nearly 700 kilometres by bike, an unforgettable experience.

Mélanie Rocher, former colleague at the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue and current president of the Tour wisely said that the Tour de l’Abitibi helps shape cyclists and volunteers, and it forges regional vitality and pride.

Congratulations to the organizers and volunteers of the event. I wish the Tour de l'Abitibi another 50 years.

Addiction

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Madam Speaker, in December 2016, the Liberal government made amendments to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Six years later, it is clear that there is a devastating addiction crisis in our country and it is getting worse. Safe supply has not worked.

The Liberals' failed policies are worsening the situation. They need to bring forward a comprehensive recovery-oriented plan to tackle Canada's addiction crisis and give people control of their lives again.

We need to change to a recovery-oriented approach. This means prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery. In Alberta, by getting people into recovery, overdose deaths in the province have decreased by half. We need to meet people where they are at but not leave them there.

The Conservatives believe that given the opportunity and appropriate supports, Canadians suffering from addiction have the ability to recover.

Persons with Disabilities

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to mark the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Our government is proud to support this year’s theme: “Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world”.

Since 2015, we have taken bold action to advance the rights of persons with disabilities. We recently launched Canada’s first-ever disability inclusion action plan to remove barriers that persons with disabilities face and to build a more inclusive Canada. Also, with Bill C-22, the Canada disability benefit, we have the potential to lift hundreds of thousands of working-age persons with disabilities out of poverty.

In the spirit of “nothing without us”, we will continue working with the disability community on the design and delivery of these programs.

I encourage every member of the House to spend December 3 in celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Finance

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Madam Speaker, the Governor of the Bank of Canada has confirmed that if the Liberal deficit has been lower, inflation would have been lower today. The enormous deficit is going to cost each and every Canadian an extra $3,500, meaning less money for food, less money for gas and less money to heat their homes.

When will the Liberals understand that their failed policies and enormous deficits are causing continuous pain on Canadians?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Madam Speaker, I have said it before and I will say it again: We have the lowest deficit and the lowest debt among all countries in the G7.

However, of course, these are challenging times. We see that global inflation and global economic instability are affecting Canadians. That is why we have put forward a solid and responsible plan to help them.

This morning, as I do every morning and as members of the government do all of the time, I checked the numbers. The new labour force survey came out. Over 50,000 full-time jobs were created in November alone in this country, and wages have continued—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Calgary Forest Lawn.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Madam Speaker, the Liberals blame everyone else for their own inflationary problem. Even possible future Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney said that the problem was domestically created.

The member is proud that her government's spending sent 1.5 million Canadians to a food bank in a single month and that one in five Canadians have to skip lunch. How many more families have to go to food banks? How many more families have to skip meals before the Liberals finally get a grip, get their spending under control and axe their carbon tax?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Madam Speaker, I would like to correct the record. It is obvious to all Canadians that the world is going through a period of huge instability due to the war commenced by Russia and due to a global pandemic that we have just come out of. However, we are there for Canadians and continue to support them. We do not understand why the Conservatives are not. They voted against lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians on two separate occasions. It is this Liberal government that is there for Canadians, and Canadians know that.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Madam Speaker, again, it is clear from the member's answer that the government does not understand the pain it is causing Canadians.

Even the Governor of the Bank of Canada said that the inflation in Canada today is a homegrown problem. That means it is a Liberal-created issue. The government spent $110 billion before the pandemic started. It spent half a trillion dollars during the pandemic, 40% of which had nothing to do with COVID measures.

The government's reckless spending is costing Canadians more and more. There is less food, less gas and fewer groceries for Canadians. When will it stop?

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Treasury Board]

Madam Speaker, we on this side of the House, and I dare say most parliamentarians, understand how tough these times are for Canadians.

That is the reason why most parliamentarians have supported our great government programs, such as the Canada child benefit, the Canada dental benefit and the Canada workers benefit. They are there to help Canadians in these tough times. Unfortunately, the official opposition has chosen to vote, at every opportunity, against these important programs that come to the aid of Canadians.

Taxation

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

Madam Speaker, what is true is that, despite all of the Liberal government's announcements, we are getting more and more calls from people who are struggling to make ends meet. Most of them are middle-class workers or those working hard to join it. The announcements do nothing for them because they earn too much money.

They have not in any way been spared from inflation, the increased cost of living and skyrocketing interest rates. Will the Liberals finally understand that the best way to help everyone is to cancel the tax increase?

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Treasury Board]

Madam Speaker, for years, our government has been concerned about the plight of Canadians, workers and families. That is why we created the Canada child benefit. That is why we have the Canada workers benefit, which will really help those who are working hard and just need a bit of a hand up.

One thing is certain. In Canada, we now have a program to help people with child care, and the Conservatives voted against it. We cut costs in half—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. deputy House leader of the official opposition.