Debates of Feb. 4th, 2022

Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am feeling microaggressions. I am having fingers pointed at me. I would ask the members opposite to be a little more civil.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

On a point of order, we have the member for Calgary Rocky Ridge.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am speaking to the same point of order.

Let us be serious here. The member for Timmins—James Bay heckled the member for Yorkton—Melville throughout her speech and heckled members on this side throughout the speech. Now he rises on a point of order to claim that he is a victim of some kind of—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I am hearing a lot of debate here, and I am not seeing a point of order.

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I just have to protect my reputation here. I see that the member fell apart on his point of order. It is hard to heckle someone when they are on TV. We can talk to a TV screen, but heckling is something that is done in the House.

I have such respect for you, Mr. Speaker, but I will not continue putting up with these kinds of shenanigans from the Conservatives.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

We are getting into a lot of debate here, and I would really like to get back to questions and comments.

I will entertain another one from the member for Battle River—Crowfoot.

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

Mr. Speaker, I believe that member was very close to the line of referring to someone's presence or absence in the House. I know that in this hybrid format, members, whether they are attending virtually or in person, are entitled to the same rights and privileges that each and every member of this House is given.

I would ask that that line be respected within this place.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I think we are all ready to move on. We were on questions and comments for the member for Yorkton—Melville.

The member for Battle River—Crowfoot.

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

Mr. Speaker, I do have a question. I appreciated the member for Yorkton—Melville's speech, as she brought up some important points.

We see in Bill C-8 a doubling down on the failed economic policies of a government that has led our economy into a challenging state between large inflation and economic metrics all over the map.

Could the member for Yorkton—Melville comment on that?

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, what we have here is a very good example of very poor mismanagement by the government. I know members of the government complain that we are in the same scenario as the rest of the world, but this country faced the same challenges back in 2008 and 2009 with a collapse of the world economy. Our country, under the leadership of the wonderful deceased Mr. Flaherty and the then prime minister Stephen Harper, led the world, and we were highly recognized for the way we handled the economy during that time.

The government is really impacting Canadians with all kinds of stress and duress with the way it is managing its finances.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I myself recognize and feel a lot of frustration with the ongoing public health orders, not because I think they should be lifted but because it has been tough on people. In the face of a crisis, sometimes we are called on to do hard things.

I support people's right to protest peacefully, but I have to note that the organizers of this event have an MOU, which they have been asking people to sign, that is about deposing a government in an undemocratic way. They are calling on a committee of their own selection to rule the country with the Senate and the Governor General, as if that is something that makes sense under our Constitution and considering good principles of democracy and government.

I have been a part of many protests. I have not seen the kinds of hate that we have seen, which is not to say that everyone who supports the cause supports those symbols, but there is a lot of it. There are a lot of people who have been accosted and harassed in the streets. Those are things that I absolutely do not support. I do not see the leaders of this protest denouncing in any way.

I have been part of protests where the leaders have told people to go home because of the activities that they are engaging in that are detracting—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Order. We will move on.

To answer the question quickly, the member for Yorkton—Melville.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I totally hear what the member is saying, and I appreciate him a great deal. What challenges that whole line of thought could be answered very easily if some time is taken to read the article “A night with the untouchables” and hear what is not being reported versus what is being reported in our news and from various sources. It gives a totally different perspective on this.

I agree with the member that this needs to be dealt with, but I want every member of Parliament in this House to have a true sense of who these people are. I would encourage them to do two things: read the article, “A night with the untouchables” by someone who lives downtown, and please go talk to some truckers.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be speaking for the first time at length in this 44th Parliament representing the citizens of Chatham-Kent—Leamington.

Before I go on to make some comments on this specific legislation, I want to congratulate two of those citizens, my parents, as today is their 61st wedding anniversary.

With respect to Bill C-8, it should come to no one's surprise that I will be opposing this legislation and these additional spending measures. Why? It is because they are adding more fuel to the inflationary fires. The recent report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer states that more stimulus spending will only stoke these inflationary fires, resulting in an inflation tax. Asked at the finance committee if government deficits contribute to inflation, the PBO stated very clearly that, yes, they can.

How much money are we talking about? Another $71.2 billion in spending is referenced in the economic and fiscal update, and since the beginning of this pandemic, the government has introduced $176 billion in new spending that is unrelated to responding to the pandemic. Our interest-bearing debt is approaching $1.4 trillion.

I will borrow some descriptions my colleague from Edmonton West used yesterday when he outlined what that means. We understand what $1 million looks like. It is a one and six zeroes, but $1.4 trillion is $140 million millions. Folks should think about that. Yesterday during question period, the finance minister stated that 8 out of 10 dollars spent as a COVID response have come from the federal government, even if they have been delivered provincially, so the accountability for this spending lies with the government.

Let me mention two areas where Canadians would have been better served by a government being more proactive, which would have lessened the need to be so reactive to pandemic effects. The first is securing rapid tests. Conservatives supported the sourcing of rapid tests well before we had vaccines, almost two years ago now. Late in this pandemic, the government seems to have seen the light and now wants more rapid tests. After five waves of infection and the economic carnage that lockdowns bring, we are now finally seeing an effort being made.

The second is ICU capacity. Lockdowns have been invoked by provincial governments largely in response to the fear that critical care capacity will be overwhelmed during peak infection periods. It is not that often that my colleagues agree with opposition colleagues in this chamber, but on the point of increased health transfers, we do agree. In particular, while in some places we lack bricks and mortar in our health care system, we primarily lack doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners. It is the critical care capacity deliverers that we need so many more of.

While this is of course a provincial responsibility, in my federal role I have been closely monitoring the local health care capacity in my riding at Erie Shores hospital in Leamington and at Chatham-Kent hospital, especially because of the overlap of providing this care to our citizens combined with care for the guest worker community of the agricultural sector in my riding. I could spend 10 minutes just talking about the experience there in the last two years.

I did not realize that Canada only has one-third of the health care capacity of our neighbour to the south. I did not know that until we got into this pandemic. That is why such a low percentage of people who are critically affected by COVID so quickly overwhelm our health care capacity. These are the two areas where, especially early on in this pandemic, it would have been far better to respond proactively.

However, the cumulative effect of government spending in areas responding to, rather than preventing, the economic damage of COVID have led to a very predictable outcome: inflation. This form of taxation, and that is what inflation is, affects so many areas of our lives. It affects those particularly who can least afford it more than those with assets who can actually benefit from it.

Let me touch on just two areas. The first is housing and the crisis in housing inflation. The injection of so many printed dollars into our economy has exacerbated the rise in the cost of housing. While in Chatham-Kent—Leamington the average costs are not as high as national averages, the rate of increase, particularly on the lower end of the spectrum, is even higher. With the interest rate now below the rate of inflation, because it is rising, this provides a further incentive to bid up prices.

We have not yet seen the end of this inflationary housing bubble. The end is not written. The Bank of Canada has signalled that interest rates will rise. How many people will face an even greater pressure on their personal finances when it comes to renewing their home mortgage? The main solution of course lies in the basic laws of supply and demand. We need more houses built, not more taxes, and not more spending, which only drive the inflationary cycle.

Second is food inflation. Anyone who eats or, more specifically, buys groceries understands the rising cost of food in Canada. Prior to having the honour of standing in this place today, I actively farmed and produced food for most of my adult life. I also had the opportunity to be involved with the business of representing food producers at negotiation tables and in industry circles.

I understand that the broad inflation is not the primary driver of the cost of raw product of food prices in Canada. Weather events, geopolitical tensions and other trade issues impact the cyclical nature of these markets more than broad inflation, but, and this is a big but, I am speaking of raw food pricing. What the Canadian consumer experiences at the grocery aisle is only minimally impacted by the price of what a farmer receives. In most food stuffs, the percentage cost represented by the raw component is very small. The labelling, packaging, transportation, processing and preparing are cost components that dwarf the raw component, and of course, these are all cost drivers that are affected by inflation.

In conclusion, what would it take to get us out of this mess? First, the government needs to reorient its approach. It is encouraging to hear from our health care leaders, and in particular I want to point out Ontario's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kieran Moore, who support our need to learn to live and work with COVID. We need to move from a pandemic state of COVID to an endemic state. The vast majority of Canadians have done what we have asked of them. They got vaccinated and observed public health measures.

We have the tools, the vaccines and the rapid tests, or we should have the rapid tests. Now we need to learn to live with COVID, and we need to open up.

Second, we need to rein in government spending. We need to tamp down inflation, and we need to blunt the trend of rising interest rates, which inevitably result from inflation. It appears that the government's tax-and-spend approach, which resulted in inflation, is almost intentional. This is its way of inflating its way out of massive debt.

Lower taxes, less spending, leading to lower inflation and more economic growth is the only way out for all Canadians.

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we have now seen the occupation of Ottawa by right-wing radicals and racists, an occupation that has been supported by some of the member's colleagues and denounced by others. We have seen Confederate flags, swastikas, anti-indigenous racism, not to mention the total shutdown of small businesses in Ottawa.

My hon. friend has said he does not support any new spending because that is not necessary. Given what he has seen in Ottawa this week, would he not agree that spending to support small businesses, women-owned businesses, indigenous innovation and Black-owned businesses is actually good policy and good for this country?

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that is actually not what I said. What I said is that we need less spending broadly. I supported measures for rapid tests, particularly if it had come much sooner. Targeted spending at preventative measures would have lessened the need for gross spending in response. I cited two areas, rapid tests and investments in health care. That would have prevented much of the spending in response and the resulting inflation that Canadians are now experiencing.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member about support for seniors. He talked about not having government spending, but one of the things the NDP has been calling for, even before the election, is for the government to support seniors and not claw back their GIS. This is because seniors are getting evicted and rendered homeless at this point in time.

Does the member think the Liberal government should immediately restore the GIS to seniors?

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I have a question. The government has promised that a payment is coming to seniors. When? My constituents have not seen it.

Second, seniors and all people on fixed incomes are experiencing inflation. That is the tax that is eroding what they are already receiving. We need to blunt the force of inflation, and the resulting higher interest rates, to help our seniors and all of us in this economy.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

The member will have two minutes or so of questions and comments remaining when we come back to this.

Ukraine

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

Mr. Speaker, 20 years ago, I participated in a conference on integrating Ukraine into Europe's economic and security structures. I was studying overseas in Poland and invited the Ukrainian delegation of young people and professionals to my apartment. We talked about the yearning of Ukrainian people for true independence and for building stronger relationships with Europe. A year later, those same young people texted me from the streets of Kyiv during the Orange Revolution that reasserted Ukraine's independence.

Today, I join the Ukrainian community in Windsor—Tecumseh anxiously watching the aggressive Russian military buildup on Ukraine's border. As Polish Canadians, we have seen this movie play out many times. A revanchist and imperialistic Russia is a danger, not only to Ukraine and bordering countries like Poland and the Baltic states. It poses a danger to democracy around the world.

My message to our Ukrainian friends and to all Canadians is that Canada stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine.

Slava Kanadi. Slava Ukraini.

World Cancer Day

[Anna Roberts, Conservative, King—Vaughan, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge all those celebrating the lunar new year, wishing them much success, peace and happiness in the Year of the Tiger.

I would also like to acknowledge that today is World Cancer Day. I would like to recognize and give thanks to an avid volunteer and constituent of King—Vaughan. Mrs. Meni Pitoscia is a two-time cancer survivor who lives with the positive attitude that a cure can be found.

I also want to recognize a dear friend, Mr. Tony Gallo, who is currently undergoing treatments so that he too can count himself a survivor. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, Dona, Joseph and Mario, and his family and friends.

We recognize that every one of us has the ability to make a difference, no matter how little. By working together we can make meaningful progress in reducing cancer globally.

Black History Month

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Black History Month. It is an occasion to celebrate, show appreciation and recognize the accomplishments of Black Canadians throughout our history to building a better Canada. They include trailblazers of yesterday, among them boxer, activist and Nova Scotia sergeant-at-arms Buddy Daye, and civil rights pioneer and Nova Scotia businesswoman Viola Desmond; and the change-makers of today, including the inspiring women who joined me at the minister's Black women's round table in Halifax in November.

I especially want to acknowledge the diverse Black communities in my riding of Halifax West, such as the historic community of Lucasville as well as the newer generation of Black immigrants.

Many of these new immigrants are francophones who are making important contributions.

Let us keep moving forward to support Black Canadians.

I wish everyone a happy Black History Month.

Opioids

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, on average, Canada sees a staggering 19 deaths per day due to opioid-related drug poisoning, but the opioid crisis is not affecting people equally. Youth, racialized folks and indigenous people have been hit the hardest, and federal policies that treat addiction with arrests and incarceration are only making things worse. We see the human toll of this failed approach every single day in my riding of Edmonton Griesbach.

Over the past few months, I have met with groups like Moms Stop the Harm and the Bear Clan Patrol who are doing the truly heroic work to save lives and promote healing on our streets and in our neighbourhoods. Their message is clear: It is time for the federal government to act by decriminalizing drug use and making sure there is safe supply. It will save lives.

That is why I am calling on members of the House to pass Bill C-216. Harm reduction will save lives.

Vaccination Clinic

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of visiting the Pharmasave Avalon Compounding Pharmacy last October, along with my counterpart, MPP Stephen Blais. The owner and pharmacist, Andrew Hanna, specializes in bringing customized medication with a doctor's prescription to his clients. It was truly impressive to see the technology on site.

Today, I want to thank Mr. Hanna for his involvement and leadership in the Orléans community.

On January 7 in Orléans, I had the pleasure of attending the first and largest pharmacy COVID-19 vaccination walk-in clinic in eastern Ontario. This overnight clinic was held from 8 p.m. and ran until it administered all 1,000 doses it had to give out. It was truly a team effort and, thanks to initiatives like this one, more individuals in my community were able to be vaccinated.

Some members may recall that January 7 was one of the coldest evenings, and it was a pleasure to serve coffee to those who were waiting patiently outside.

I thank everyone who participated to help fight COVID-19.

Community Spirit

[Lianne Rood, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the riding of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex and I want to share my appreciation for the good deeds being done across our communities.

I thank the public libraries for organizing winter clothing drives. I thank the many churches, large and small, for the hard work they do preparing meals and sharing food. I thank the volunteers at our local shelters and food banks. I thank the individuals who do random acts of kindness without expecting to receive any praise. While the winter continues, we see families struggling and I am proud of all of my constituents for stepping up, supporting our communities and taking care of our neighbours.

On February 26, the Coldest Night of the Year walk for the homeless will be happening throughout Lambton—Kent—Middlesex and across Canada. I encourage all who can to come out and continue to show that community spirit by creating a team and walking to raise money for organizations that support people who are homeless and hungry.

Together, we can continue to make a difference for those in need and I hope to see everyone there.