Debates of March 31st, 2022

Lake Simcoe Cleanup Fund

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

I will remind people about the use of props.

The hon. member for Kanata—Carleton.

Eugene Melnyk

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

Mr. Speaker, in 2003, Eugene Melnyk purchased our beloved Ottawa Senators franchise. In doing so, he lifted the franchise out of possible bankruptcy. He brought jobs and economic growth to my riding of Kanata—Carleton, and he fought to keep those jobs in Kanata, despite proposals to move the franchise elsewhere.

Above all, he made the Senators a beloved staple in our city. He helped cultivate a love of hockey among young and old. Eugene never wavered in his desire and commitment to bring the Stanley Cup to our nation's capital.

Sadly, Eugene passed away peacefully on Monday. He will be fondly remembered by his friends, our community and Senators' fans everywhere. He leaves behind a legacy, a legacy of love for our Ottawa Senators, who our community will continue to support and cherish for years to come. The Ottawa community will miss his passion and dedication to the sport.

I know the Ottawa Senators club will one day win a Stanley Cup, and I am sure that Eugene will be watching proudly from above.

Housing

[Terry Beech, Liberal, Burnaby North—Seymour, BC]

Mr. Speaker, before we took office in 2015, the federal government had been absent on the housing file for more than 30 years. In the last six years, our government has made safe, affordable and accessible housing a top priority. Our $72-billion housing strategy is working with the provinces and municipalities to tackle the issue of affordable housing and housing affordability.

We have started to see the impact of these investments in Burnaby and North Vancouver helping build, retain or find homes for 3,900 people through programs like the federal community housing initiative, the rapid housing initiative and the co-investment fund. We have also promised to do more. This includes building more supply, treating housing like a place to live instead of an investment vehicle and finding pathways to ownership for first-time homebuyers.

I am very excited to work with all members of the House to find more solutions to our housing crisis. I am also looking forward to the finance minister releasing budget 2022 on April 7, so that we can continue to deliver more affordable housing for Canadians.

Support for Ukraine

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me immense pride to announce that the City of Brantford is twinning with Kamianets-Podilskyi in Ukraine. This is a symbolic gesture that will initiate much-needed practical support for it. Since the Russian invasion, the city has been host to thousands of refugees, has helped displaced single moms with kids and the elderly who were pressured to leave their homes, and has organized efforts to provide support for the Ukrainian army.

This wonderful idea was proposed by my constituent Andy Straisfeld and was unanimously supported by Mayor Kevin Davis and city council. I would like to thank Ukrainian MPs Georgiy Mazurashu and Ihor Marchuk, and the mayor of that city, Mykhailo Positko. I am also proud of the role that my team played to make this agreement a reality.

I encourage my colleagues in the House to work with their municipalities and find their sister cities in Ukraine. Canada can help in so many ways.

Glory to Canada. Slava Ukraini.

Infrastructure

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I was sent to this great place in 2015 by the people of Saint John—Rothesay not only to stand here and speak in the House, to sit on committees and vote on legislation, but to advocate and fight for federal investment in my riding.

Saint John has some of the nicest waterfront in Canada, but that waterfront has been undeveloped due to federal investment. That is changing. We have invested millions of dollars in seawall restoration, millions in the Fundy Quay project, millions in Loyalist Plaza boardwalk refurbishment and over a million dollars in a container village.

These projects will transform not only my city but my region through tourism and economic prosperity.

My government has delivered for Saint John—Rothesay.

Seniors

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Morgen wrote to me about his mother who just turned 86. She is still able to live in her family home, living only off the Canada pension, old age security and GIS. He said, “I know it has been tough on her to make ends meet with these high power and gas heating bills...but she is too proud to ask for financial help from the family”, so she turns the thermostat way down low in order to afford her heating bills.

I have received many other emails, phone calls, Facebook posts and comments from seniors saying that they cannot afford this NDP-Liberal government any longer. Tomorrow, the carbon tax is going up again, meaning it will cost seniors more money to heat their homes or they will turn their thermostats down again, if that is even possible.

Will this NDP-Liberal government stop the carbon tax increase on April 1 so seniors do not have to live in a cold home, or is their answer, “Don't worry. Summer is coming. They'll be warm soon”?

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow the tax on beer, wine and spirits will automatically go up, thanks to this government's excise escalator. Today, I tabled Bill C-266, an act to repeal the automatic excise escalator. This punitive tax harms Canada's world-leading brewers', vintners' and distillers' ability to compete internationally and punishes Canadian consumers.

Tomorrow, the cost of enjoying a beer with friends after work will go up, so will the cost of a bottle of wine for hard-working parents who want to enjoy a rare and well-earned date night. Inflation already makes these simple basic pleasures increasingly unaffordable for working Canadians.

This government's deficits and carbon tax are fuelling inflation, which automatically increases its alcohol tax, which fuels inflation even further. It is time to stop this automatic annual tax increase, let our industries compete internationally, give consumers a break and support Bill C-266.

National Indigenous Languages Day

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, today is National Indigenous Languages Day in Canada. It is time to celebrate the hundreds of indigenous languages spoken across Canada.

I am proud to stand with a government committed to the preservation and restoration of indigenous languages and that appointed the first-ever indigenous language commissioner. Congratulations to Ron Ignace.

This work is already being felt on the ground level in my own community. We have seen unprecedented investment into the revitalization of the Mi’kmaq through organizations like Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey.

[Member spoke in Mi'kmaq and provided the following text:]

Ketu Kaqamasi Kiskuk Aq ketu teluewey, tan telji welalusik Msit wen apoqnmatmitij, tan teli lnusltik Nike aq Elmiknek. Welaliek.

[Member provided the following translation:]

I rise today and I want to say how much we thank all those who are helping to revitalize languages now and into the future.

International Transgender Day of Visibility

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Uqaqtittiji, I am proud to rise in this chamber today to mark the International Transgender Day of Visibility.

Trans women, especially Black trans women, have led the 2SLGBTQ movement through some of our most difficult times. They marched on the streets and demanded justice, and won our community the rights we enjoy today. Some gave their lives in this struggle. We see them just as we see all trans folks today and every day, but when I look around this chamber, I do not see a trans person in any one of these 338 chairs. This must change.

As the first two-spirit person ever elected to the House, here is my message to the trans community: “We need you here. You will face many challenges taking your seat in this place, just like I do, but I know that you will overcome them. Always remember that you belong in this House just like you belong everywhere in Canada, and always remember that you are loved and you are beautiful. Never, ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Kinanaskomtinawaw.

Office of the Auditor General of Canada

[Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the work of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada is vital in a democracy. Its employees provide Parliament with the truth about the government's spending, probity and effectiveness.

Employees in its audit services group, three-quarters of whom are women, have been without a contract since 2018. They have been working to rule since last November and are now on strike.

Although the Auditor General is independent, Treasury Board makes the decisions about budgets and negotiating terms. Obviously, the President of the Treasury Board can easily live with an Office of the Auditor General that is no longer able to produce reports that embarrass the government.

The men and women of the audit services group are not asking for the moon. They want a pay grid comparable to that of the federal public service. The difference of $215,000 divided between 165 employees is practically nothing. The President of the Treasury Board must take action. Negotiations are under way at this time, and this must be resolved. This is urgent.

Juno Beach

[Michael Kram, Conservative, Regina—Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, on the morning of June 6, 1944, 14,000 Canadian soldiers landed on Juno Beach in Normandy, France as part of the allied D-Day invasion to liberate Europe from the Nazis. For 340 of those soldiers, that would be the last morning of their lives.

Fast forward to 2022, and today a group of French real estate developers is turning Juno Beach into a condominium complex. This is totally unacceptable. I personally visited Juno Beach several years ago and the people there have done a commendable job to preserve the area as a memorial to those soldiers who never came home.

Recently, the government claimed to be good at convening and making sure that diplomacy was happening. If that really is the case, then the Prime Minister should phone the French president and do whatever is necessary to save Juno Beach.

Support for Ukraine

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today, five Ukrainian members of parliament are in Canada to ask for our help. Over a month ago, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have been severely outnumbered and outgunned, but they have shown tremendous courage in defending their freedom and their homeland. I think it is fair to say that Canadians and people around the world have been inspired by that courage.

Notwithstanding that courage, the situation in Ukraine is dire. Ukrainians are fighting for their very existence. There is a massive humanitarian crisis: four million people have already left the country and nine million more are displaced in the country. This is a threat not only to Ukraine, but to global security, Europe's security and to Canada's security.

Ukrainians have been fighting for their freedom, but they are also fighting for us and we need to fight for them. We have been sending weapons and humanitarian aid, and even imposing sanctions, but it will not be enough until Ukraine wins this war.

To the Ukrainian MPs who are in Canada today, I say we admire their courage and the courage of the Ukrainian people. We thank them for fighting for us, and we will continue to fight for them until Ukraine is free and independent once again.

Slava Ukraini.

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, the NDP-Liberal government will intentionally increase inflation in Canada by stubbornly insisting on increasing the carbon tax. That is a big deal. Everything is transported, so everything will cost more. In exactly one week, the Minister of Finance will present the first NDP‑Liberal coalition budget. There will be more spending, more interference in provincial jurisdictions and no plan to balance the budget. NDP members are clapping, but the silence on the Liberal side speaks volumes.

Why are they remaining silent while Canadians are just asking for a little breathing room?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we made a clear promise to Canadians several years ago and we are fulfilling that promise. We promised to be there to support them, and we are continuing to support them this week with important announcements on the fight against climate change and on reconciliation with indigenous peoples, as well as major announcements about $10-a-day child care within five years across the country. This will make a huge difference in Canadians' lives. On this side of the House, we continue to work for Canadians. We are staying focused on them.

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

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, the NDP Liberals will make life more expensive for all Canadians by raising the carbon tax. When this leftist government claims that the economy is doing well, it neglects to mention that these inflationary pressures are generating billions of dollars in additional revenues for the government. Next week, the government will have a choice. It can use those revenues to provide relief to Canadian families by cutting taxes or it can implement the NDP's election platform.

What will the Prime Minister choose, families or his political future?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, every Canadian—aside from Conservative politicians, it seems—knows that the cost of inaction on climate change would be far higher than the investments and responsible benchmarks we are proposing. We know that putting a price on pollution and making polluters pay is the right way to go, not only to protect the planet for our children and grandchildren, but also to create growth and new jobs. The Conservative politicians are the only ones who still do not understand that the economy and the environment go hand in hand.

National Defence

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

Mr. Speaker, on another matter, no one believes this Prime Minister anymore when he claims to be a feminist. The General Vance case highlights the Prime Minister's doublespeak. The Canadian Forces ombudsman did inform the clerk, the minister and the Prime Minister's Office of the general's behaviour. The ombudsman was right, and the Minister of National Defence and the Prime Minister did nothing.

How can victims continue to trust this Prime Minister who, instead of taking action and punishing inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour, turns a blind eye and blames others?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the women and men who serve in our Canadian Armed Forces deserve an environment that protects them, supports them, and provides them with the resources they need to ensure that they have the proper supports if misconduct does occur. We also need to change the culture within the armed forces, and that is what we are doing. Yes, there is a lot of work to be done, and yes, it is taking too long, but we will continue to work on it every day to make sure that our Canadian Armed Forces live up to the expectations of everyone who chooses to serve their country.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, regarding General Vance, this sad, sick story is not just about his conduct. The ombudsman told the clerk, the minister and the Prime Minister's Office, and collectively they turned a blind eye. Instead of being investigated, charged and disciplined, the general was extended in his post and given a raise.

Instead of removing the minister, the Prime Minister reappointed him to cabinet and supported the cover-up.

Why?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning, we have been focused on ensuring that the Canadian Armed Forces' work environment and culture are worthy of the women and men who choose to serve in the armed forces. We need to make sure that we are continuing to transform the culture and continuing to create supports and resources for everyone who serves in the armed forces. No one should be in a toxic work environment. No one should face harassment and intimidation, but particularly not people who are choosing to set their lives on the line for their country.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the victims of General Vance would agree with the Prime Minister today. When the ombudsman went to the former defence minister and told him that General Vance was engaged in sexual misconduct and harassment, the former defence minister showed the ombudsman the door. Instead of launching an investigation, as he was obligated to do, the minister told General Vance about his accusations and gave him a raise.

How does the government expect survivors to feel comfortable coming forward with this track record of protecting a perpetrator who has abused his power?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, as a government we have demonstrated through our actions, through our support and through our investments the need to ensure safe working environments for everyone, including and especially people who choose to serve their country through the Canadian Armed Forces. Obviously, we fundamentally disagree with the characterizations and the picture painted by the members opposite who are trying to score cheap political points on the fact that all of us need to work together to transform, for the better, the culture of the armed forces. That is what we are doing.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government has agreed to ease visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees coming to Quebec or Canada.

Now, being rich should not be a criterion for refugees. It is about being equitable. We do not want to run the risk of making some very vulnerable people even more vulnerable.

The only solution appears to be a humanitarian airlift. Does the Prime Minister agree that an airlift needs to be set up immediately?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to be there for Ukraine and Ukrainians who are fleeing the war. We are moving as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible to enable Ukrainians to come to Canada, and there is no limit to the number of people who can apply.

Everyone who arrives in Canada under these measures will be eligible for an open work permit and can start working right away, if they so choose. Canadians are standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians in these difficult times, and we will continue to welcome them with open arms.

Diversity and Inclusion

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian government encourages inclusion in all matters, and I fully support this. However, there are positive ways of doing so.

Examples include making applications anonymous at the beginning of the application process or reserving scholarships for certain types of applicants. Exclusion, on the other hand, is unhealthy and eminently divisive.

Does the Prime Minister agree that exclusion is not the answer when it comes to education and research?