Debates of Feb. 1st, 2022

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Madam Speaker, to be honest, I am not surprised the member from across the way is asking for help, because the Liberals truly have no plan for how they are going to deal with the high cost of housing.

One of the biggest problems we have is foreign investment in our housing market. It is driving these prices up. There is no way the Liberals ever looked at trying to stifle that. Illegal people are using illegal money to launder money in Canada, and it is shameful that the Liberals have not taken a proper step in trying to address that.

To answer the member's question, absolutely we should chat afterward, and I will give him a proper plan on how to deal with the housing crisis.

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague talked a lot about things that were missing from the throne speech and things that were included in it. However, I want to ask him about the topics he avoided.

Will Canada be able to restore its international reputation on foreign policy? Canada has been known as a peacemaker and a deal broker. Now, it is irrelevant.

Could my colleague explain how he would restore Canada's reputation without turning the country into a virtual arms dealer?

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Madam Speaker, it is very true. The easy solution is that we need to get rid of the Liberals and elect the Conservatives. When Stephen Harper was the prime minister of Canada, we had a great reputation right across the world, but unfortunately, since then it has been on a steady decline. Many countries now take advantage of Canada. They have already started looking at why we should not be a part of the Five Eyes anymore. The G7 and G20 are already questioning whether Canada should be a part of them too.

The member is absolutely right. We are in trouble around the world. They are not looking at us seriously. The Liberals are not trying to make sure that Canada is a voice on the world stage.

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

Madam Speaker, I have some nice memories from when I worked in the private sector. I called on Edson and Hinton regularly and have been in a lot of their small businesses in my time.

I want to talk about salaries. Salaries must increase in Canada. I also want to talk about the importance of the care economy that has been highlighted during this pandemic, and the value of care work, which needs to be elevated and respected as much as society respects the resource economy.

I want to talk specifically about employment right now for people living with a disability. The employment rate for persons with a disability fell from 24.8% all the way down to 13% at one point during this pandemic. We need to protect the income of the most vulnerable workers.

Would the Conservatives support a guaranteed livable basic income for Canadians, starting with people with disabilities?

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Madam Speaker, that is a very good question, and I would love to chat with my colleague later and talk about my riding and her work there as well.

I think the biggest problem we are dealing with is the social system and how we help our people. The biggest problem I have seen over the years is that governments have always governed for four years and then planned for a total of eight. They govern for four, plan for four and operate for eight. Unfortunately, with our social program network, it takes at least 20 to 25 years before we actually see any outcomes, so short-term planning has always hurt everybody.

I think under the Liberal government we are no longer at four and four. I believe we are probably more at a year to two years, tops. One of the things we need to start looking at is our social issues and how we deal with them. I am sure Conservative people have always been concerned about that, and we will definitely take care of the Canadian public as best we can.

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Madam Speaker, I note that I will be splitting my time with my colleague from Hamilton Mountain.

It is nice to be back in the House in this new year, and I wish my colleagues from all sides a belated happy new year and the best to them and their families this year.

It is a pleasure to rise in the House this afternoon to speak again on behalf of the wonderful residents of my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge. These are residents who constantly engage me with their passionate and informed opinions, and for that I will always ensure that I continue to be their strong voice in this chamber and with our government.

I wish to send a quick hello back home to my family, especially to our little one of four months, Leia, who has brought so much joy to our family. She has truly captured our hearts and her smile brings light to my world at all times. I am very close to 50 years of age, and I never thought or dreamed that I would be blessed with a third child and now with three daughters. This divine intervention, as I refer to it with my friends, has humbled me and reminded me of the significance of the word “gratitude” and how much we are blessed with.

Coming back to our House of democracy here is always a privilege for all 338 parliamentarians. I will try not to repeat what many of my colleagues have commented regarding the protest we see outside, and I will say that the right to peaceful assembly and protest is sacred. However, what we saw and heard this weekend only makes me believe that we as parliamentarians, all 338, and 38 million Canadians must all redouble our efforts to pursue policies that ensure Canada is truly an inclusive country. We will always stand up for diversity and inclusion, and we will always condemn and push back on racism, hatred and discrimination in all its forms. That is who we are as a people. We are hard working, we sacrifice and we are passionate. We do what is right for our collective good. I fervently applaud all Canadians who have received their vaccination. I wish to thank the residents of the region of York, 90% of whom are now double-vaccinated.

We are all tired of the pandemic, but things are getting better. Kids are in school. Thankfully, two of my kids are in school, and I am pretty sure my wife is happy too. Sports activities will recommence in Ontario this weekend. Our economy has rebounded and is getting stronger, and vaccines are fuelling that. They are working, and with that we must be optimistic. I truly believe that brighter days are ahead for all Canadians. COVID has tested our mettle, but Canadians have risen to this challenge. We are resilient and, yes, we will exit stronger. The Speech from the Throne provides the pathway, and it is a moment in our nation's history that we must not lose sight of.

I do have some great news on the economy, and for those who know me after the six years I have been in the House, being elected three times, I am about the economy, I am about jobs and I am about creating better futures for young people and families from coast to coast to coast. It has been two years since our economy and the lives of all Canadians have been impacted by COVID-19. I am happy to report, via Statistics Canada this morning, on the Canadian economy as measured by employment levels, or jobs, and by output, or “gross domestic product”, the term used by economists. They are now both above their pre-pandemic levels. That speaks to the hard work, perseverance and grit, a word I love to use, of all our citizens. It also speaks to our government's unrelenting focus on having the backs of Canadian businesses, workers, families, seniors, students and all Canadians during the pandemic.

Our economy rebounded faster than many experts had predicted, and it did not happen by chance, coincidence or accident. Leadership was required, and the Prime Minister brought that leadership to Canadians, whether it was with the wage subsidy to ensure millions of workers remained attached to employers; the CEBA, which helped hundreds of thousands of businesses in every riding, all 338; the CERB; the benefits in place currently; or, of course, the procurement of vaccines that have saved lives and are allowing us to exit the pandemic. We were there for Canadians during the pandemic as they were there for their neighbours, friends and families.

I view the Speech from the Throne as continuing the work we began in the fall of 2015. With now three strong mandates from Canadians, we continue to build a strong middle class and support those working hard to join it.

With an economy that works for all Canadians through inclusive growth we have lifted hundreds of thousands of Canadians and hundreds of thousands of children all across this country out of poverty, created millions of jobs for Canadians and brought optimism to hard-working Canadian families that the future of our country is bright and remains bright. It is a throne speech that believes in and commits to a just and fair Canada, with not only a strong economy that attracts newcomers from all over the world, which we see on a daily basis, but one that strives to allow every single Canadian the opportunity to succeed.

My measure of success for our government is very simple. It is how we take care of our most vulnerable in our society, how we ensure they have an optimistic future for them and their families. We have an obligation as a blessed people, as God has truly blessed this country, and our government will remain centred on this obligation.

It is a throne speech that charts a path together on reconciliation and a solemn responsibility to respond to the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Only a whole-of-government approach and breaking down barriers will allow us to do the work that is necessary. We are making progress in this journey with first nations, and we know that it will be a long journey. I have read the throne speech several times and these words of the Governor General struck me as being very poignant and probably the most important in the throne speech itself.

She said, “There is hope in the every day. Reconciliation is not a single act, nor does it have an end date. It is a lifelong journey of healing, respect and understanding.” This journey will continue unabated.

As one of the 338 MPs elected to serve, the responsibility given to us is a special one, a unique one and one that carries for me a deep sense of responsibility. We are not surgeons. We are not carpenters. We are not labourers. My father was a roofer. I do not know how to build a roof, but I tried to help him sometimes. My mother was a fish filleter. My brother is a first responder, but we are parliamentarians. The responsibility we have is that each of us is a community leader. Each of us has been sent here by our communities to lead, debate the issues and ensure that the laws that we make for our country strive to make our country a more just, more inclusive and more equitable place.

We are Canadians and we need to ensure we leave a clean environment and a strong economy for all our children. We must confront the challenges that face not only our country but the world with optimism and a sense of purpose, much like the waves of newcomers who have come to Canada for generations and who helped build this country.

On climate change, the transition to a low-carbon economy and the opportunities economically will be and currently are enormous. Canada is there. We were there placing a price on pollution. We were there in bringing forth and passing the first-ever Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, and we were there globally, whether at COP25 or COP26, with our partners. Our ongoing investments in a green economy are creating jobs, wealth for Canadians and ensuring a clean and healthy environment for all Canadians.

We are there investing in public transit. A $3-billion fund will be in place annually for public transit for all municipalities, so that Canadians can get to work faster and get back home to see their kids after school. Why? It is because it is the right thing to do and that is how we build a truly inclusive country.

We will ensure that we cap and reduce oil and gas sector emissions through innovation and working together with industry. As an economist and someone who grew up on the west coast before I moved to Ontario, I truly know there are hundreds of thousands of Canadian workers connected to the energy industry and we must work with them. We must work with industry. It is a fact that we are prosperous because of the resources that have been in this country for hundreds of years, that we have utilized and that we continue to utilize, and we must continue to work with industry to transition.

I visited the Alberta industrial heartland a few years ago in my first term. I was there by myself touring some of the plants. I covered much of the sector during my private sector years, and I see the tens of billions of dollars of new investments that have been announced for Alberta, all net zero, all not producing GHGs. That is transition. That is innovation. We must continue down that path. It was also great to see, in the last 24 hours, in the city of Vaughan, in Canada, that for the first time Volkswagen exported some of its new SUVs.

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

Madam Speaker, I would just simply have this comment for the hon. member. There are many folks I have chatted with, some constituents who have travelled a long way to come to Ottawa. Some of them have never been to Ottawa and some have never been involved in a protest before. They are desperate to be heard. My simple request would be to listen to some of those who have, across the country, shared their frustrations with current government policies. I believe it is incumbent upon all of us to be willing to listen at a time when Canadians are very divided.

My question is specific to the energy sector. I know this member is, I think, quite aware of the realities that exist within our energy sector and the opportunity that is there. How can he reconcile that support with his government's and his Prime Minister's statements about how they plan to phase out the oil sands and phase out Canada's most prosperous industry?

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Battle River—Crowfoot for his question. I do enjoy listening to his speeches and comments regarding his constituency. My mandate here is to work together with all members on both sides of the aisle and listen to all Canadians. We must bring Canadians together. Over 90% of Canadians are vaccinated. We must listen to all Canadians.

With regard to the energy sector, our government purchased a pipeline. We are building that pipeline. We are ensuring our exports diversify from the United States. We are obviously heavily dependent on them. We know we have resources that are wanted. We know we have resources that are being utilized and will be used for many years to come. It is a fact. We need to make sure we put in place policies that encourage innovation within that sector to lower GHGs.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Madam Speaker, the government's only mention of climate change in the throne speech was a comment that Canada must move talk into action, which is a very vague commitment.

The government claims to want to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies, but since it did not define these subsidies, it could ultimately conceal them in the form of funding to make oil and gas less carbon intensive. The Liberal government claims to be combatting climate change but will instead subsidize Canada's oil and gas industry.

It is very clear to us. We must cap oil and gas production, not attempt to make fossil fuels less carbon intensive. There is no such thing as clean oil or coal.

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Madam Speaker, I will say the answer to climate change is lowering our greenhouse gas emissions. Today, I read a report that in Norway almost 90% of vehicle sales this past month were electric. We need to get to that in Canada. We need to put in place those policies that will lower GHG emissions, but we must also understand there are literally hundreds of thousands of Canadian workers who work in the energy sector and there is going to be a transition. We want to make sure we are there for them and their families. They are hard-working and we will be there to support them as we go through this transition in the years ahead.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Speaker, in my riding of Vancouver East, there are a great number of seniors who are absolutely desperate because their GIS is being cut or reduced. It is so confusing. One of my constituents has been referred by government agents to go to Service Canada to get a form to see if he could get his GIS restored, even though that process would not work for him. He is frustrated beyond measure and now he is faced with eviction.

The government has not addressed this issue, not with the fall economic statement, not at least until May. It does not help the problem. What suggestions does he have for seniors who are being evicted right now?

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Madam Speaker, we will be there for seniors day in and day out. I suggest that any parliamentarian that needs to raise specific issues for specific constituents bring them forward to the pertinent PS and minister.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, there have been discussions among the parties, and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.

I move that the House (a) acknowledge that the leader of the official opposition in the Senate expressed his strong concerns that a senator from the Conservative caucus was not appointed a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians; (b) regret the leader of the official opposition in the House proclaiming that members of the Conservative caucus would not sit on NSICOP; (c) recommend the appointment of Conservative Senator Fabian Manning to NSICOP; and (d) agree to work with the government to ensure that the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Act is swiftly and solely amended to allow for an additional member of the Senate to participate in the committee.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

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

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, that was an odd time to be putting forth a unanimous consent motion. Was he just trying to distract from the fact that he was the only person in the House to disagree with condemning a vote on blackface?

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

I am sorry, but the time for presenting unanimous consent motions is not stipulated anywhere in the Standing Orders. Anybody can present them at any time.

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Hamilton Mountain.

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is an honour to address this House in my introductory speech.

Today I am fiercely proud to speak to several elements in the Speech from the Throne that are particularly close to my heart: our government's plan to improve life for women and all Canadians by addressing the housing crisis and creating a national child care system, and our efforts to bolster our democracy and civic discourse by reforming the Broadcasting Act.

Before I discuss the throne speech, I would like to thank a few people who helped me get here. My son, Ty, has been with me every step of the journey, making the experience profoundly more meaningful. I could not have been here without him or my partner Michael, whose unwavering support made the campaign possible and made our family's transition to my new life as the member of Parliament for Hamilton Mountain as smooth as possible. My heartfelt thanks go to my campaign team and the many volunteers who showed up every day.

As the Governor General explained, we are here to honour the trust placed in us by our constituents by representing and serving them. I think the throne speech exemplifies this by its commitment to fairness for women and all Canadians.

The throne speech is good for women. It outlines our government's plan to take strong action to support Canadian women, and supporting women has always been a major priority for me. That is why I am delighted that our government has chosen to examine its policy and spending through a gender-based lens.

I have been volunteering with women-serving organizations since the early 1990s, starting with a year in Honduras in support of vulnerable women in Tegucigalpa and La Mosquitia and continuing in my years in Hamilton through community organizations like the YWCA. I have seen the life-changing impact of programs that support women, from helping women become financially independent to accessing services and supports to finding safe permanent housing for themselves and their children to finding affordable child care. These supports not only help women and their children; these supports also improve communities.

On the subject of women’s safety and security, indigenous women have suffered much in Canada, so I am pleased that our government will accelerate work with indigenous partners to address the national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women.

Investments in women are important, because the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for us. We need a just recovery, one in which everyone has a chance to succeed and realize their potential. That means an inclusive and equitable recovery. The Speech from the Throne supports this by highlighting our government’s two major priorities, housing and child care.

There is a housing crisis in Hamilton and across Canada. Far too many people have been forced out of their homes by dramatically rising rents and renovictions. Many women who were trapped at home with their abusers during the pandemic fled their violent situations, and shelters are operating at full capacity or over their capacity. That is why our government is moving forward with a 10-year national action plan on gender-based violence and will continue to support organizations like YWCA Hamilton and Good Shepherd, which are providing women with critical supports.

Every Canadian deserves safe, stable housing and access to social and health services. Our government believes this. That is why we have a national housing strategy, working with community partners like Good Shepherd to ensure more Hamiltonians experience the safety and dignity of a home, and can keep that home thanks to wraparound support services. This government is delivering on that commitment, as shown by the recent announcement by the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion of more than a hundred new supportive homes for marginalized people in Hamilton.

The national child care program introduced by this government is another reason I was inspired to run for office. In Hamilton Mountain, our government’s plan will save a typical family more than $11,000 a year in the first year. By 2026, families with infants will be saving almost $18,000 a year. Imagine the impact these savings will have on the quality of life for families in Hamilton and across Canada.

The early learning and child care plan will ease the financial burden on parents, create new jobs and allow parents, especially women, to re-enter the workforce. This plan will make life better for children, parents and ultimately our communities. Studies show that for every dollar invested in childhood education, the broader economy receives between $1.50 and $2.80 in return.

I had the chance to visit one of the non-profit Umbrella child care centres in my riding with the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and I have stayed in touch with executive director Darryl Hall. He says that hundreds of Hamilton families are on wait-lists for licensed, not-for-profit child care. Wait times range from two months to two years. He says that this wait absolutely affects a parent's ability to re-enter the workforce, and it also has a negative impact on child development. Darryl says, “Families are being forced into unlicensed and unregulated care for their children.” He says the Conservative plan for child care tax credits does nothing to address the staffing and infrastructure challenges.

This is especially important in Hamilton, where we have a larger percentage of children from marginalized communities compared to the rest of the province. In some parts of the city, more than 50% of kindergartners are considered vulnerable in terms of development or skills. A higher proportion of kids are from low-income families compared to the national average. Darryl says that these kids need access to a diverse and qualified system to support their unique needs. These kids cannot wait.

Our government has a plan for hundreds of thousands of new child care spaces that would ease that wait-list and a plan to increase the number of qualified staff, address low wages and stabilize the workforce.

As we move on to the recovery phase, our government will adapt support measures and programs to help small businesses keep their doors open.

Thanks to our emergency programs, employment levels have recovered and are now higher than they were before the pandemic. We will continue to ensure that Canadians have access to good jobs, that workers get decent wages, and that people can develop the skills they need to find and keep good jobs during the recovery, after the pandemic and beyond.

The government knows that the best way to grow our economy and make life more affordable is to end the threat of COVID‑19. We procured enough vaccines for every adult in Canada two months ahead of schedule, and we now have enough supply to vaccinate our children and provide boosters to all those who are eligible.

Finally, I would like to address another government priority that is close to my heart: reform of the obsolete 1991 Broadcasting Act.

For more than two decades, I had the privilege of engaging with people in Hamilton Mountain through my work as a journalist, first with the Hamilton Spectator and then with CHCH TV News. People in Hamilton and across Canada depend on local news to keep them informed about their community. It is a crucial part of our democracy, and working in journalism afforded me the privilege of learning about and hearing from communities and people across Hamilton and beyond.

Now I am here to give Hamilton Mountain a strong voice in this chamber and to be a steadfast voice for the value of local news in this country. As we heard in the throne speech, the government will ensure that web giants pay their fair share. We will level the playing field and protect Canadian culture and creativity.

This is the moment parliamentarians must work together to get big things done and shape a better future for coming generations. This is what I have heard from the people of Hamilton Mountain, and they are the reason I am here. This throne speech outlines our government's plan to support Canadians so that everyone can participate in shaping our better, fairer and more prosperous future.

Thank you.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Madam Speaker, Canada's Ethics Commissioner. Mario Dion. found that member's Prime Minister improperly influenced then-minister of justice and attorney general Jody Wilson-Raybould, disposed of her, then got rid of Dr. Philpott, and that is after he elbowed an opposition MP in the chest. We found out later that he groped a reporter.

As a defender of women, a promoter of women's rights, why was it that she joined that party with a Prime Minister notorious for his toxic masculinity?

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am so proud to be part of this Liberal team. It has had a 50% gender-diverse cabinet since it started six years ago and has maintained that proportion. We have a female Deputy Prime Minister and finance minister. We have a woman who is the head of defence. We have women in key positions in cabinet. That says for itself that this is a feminist government, a government that believes in women, a government that believes in things that support women, such as child care.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague on her remarkable maiden speech in the House. That is a milestone in the life of a member. I applaud her and also want to commend her on the quality of her French.

She spoke at length about women and housing. The two are interrelated. For example, every day a woman in Quebec knocks on the door of a shelter that helps women who are victims of domestic violence and is sent away because of a lack of resources.

Last week Scotiabank reported that Quebec was the worst country in the G7 for its average number of housing units per 1,000 inhabitants. We are at 424, and the average is 471. To get to 471, the G7 average, we would have to build 1.8 million housing units in Canada, which would be a huge job.

Will my colleague advocate within her party for massive investments in social housing in the coming years? We really need them.

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Madam Speaker, I will try to answer in French, but please excuse any errors I may make.

I love Quebec and have spent a lot of time there. However, I think the problems my colleague mentioned exist across the country. For example, I talked about the risk of homelessness in Hamilton. The minister recently promised $26.7 million to build over 100 housing units for people in Hamilton who are at risk of homelessness—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Another member has to have the opportunity to ask a question.

The hon. member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith.

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Madam Speaker, a top concern in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith that has been brought forward over and over has been the skyrocketing delays through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Delays have been so bad. They were bad before the pandemic, but they have become so much worse since then. Families have been forced apart for years, and IRCC is still years away from meeting the service standards.

Families have been telling me that they have been at their breaking points, forced to struggle alone. Does the member opposite agree that it is time to take real action to address the backlogs and help reunify the hundreds of families desperately waiting for help in Nanaimo—Ladysmith?

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Madam Speaker, I did hear our minister responsible speaking to these issues today. He spoke about how much he has been able to accomplish in terms of the immigration system and how many immigrants we have been able to bring to Canada despite the pandemic. We have obviously more to do always, but I think we have done a fair job.