House of Commons Hansard #71 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was journalists.

Topics

Nursing WeekStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

Liberal

Salma Zahid Liberal Scarborough Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is Nursing Week in Canada, and I would like to recognize one of the many outstanding nurses in my riding.

Sandra Ricketts-Fusca has been a nurse with the Scarborough Health Network for 33 years, including 26 years as a perioperative nurse. As a young girl, she was inspired by an aunt and a cousin who were nurses in England. She decided to make it her career when she began caring for her ill grandmother. While she has had many different roles at the Scarborough Health Network, Sandra says she always felt destined to work in the operating room.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Sandra said she enjoyed the camaraderie, professionalism and quality of care provided by the staff. During the pandemic, she said she saw what true teamwork is. We thank Sandra for being part of the Scarborough Health Network team, and for her dedication to her patients and our community. Happy Nursing Week.

Vancouver Island Freighter AnchoragesStatements By Members

11:10 a.m.

NDP

Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

Mr. Speaker, many constituents in Nanaimo—Ladysmith are gravely concerned about the increasing number of freighters polluting ecologically sensitive waters off the coast of B.C.'s southern Gulf Islands.

Our coasts are being used as overflow industrial parking lots for the port of Vancouver, and marine life is suffering. Orcas, salmon and sea lions do not mix with freighters. These eyesores impact local businesses, tourism, the fishing industry and much more.

To make matters worse, these anchorages were established without free, prior or informed consent of the Coast Salish first nations. Constituents and grassroots organizations such as Gabriolans Against Freighter Anchorages have brought concerns to the Liberal government, but the response has been dismal. The NDP has been pushing for real solutions for over a decade.

Enough is enough. Liberals must put words into action and prohibit freighters from anchoring in these waters.

Intimidation of Elected Representatives and JournalistsStatements By Members

11:15 a.m.

Bloc

Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC

Mr. Speaker, disgraceful incidents of intimidation, both of elected representatives and of journalists, have become all too frequent in the last while. Allusions, disagreements, heated tones and often-inappropriate innuendo are all part of politics, and sometimes these get taken too far. That is normal. Many issues evoke passionate feelings.

Threats and intimidation, on the other hand, have no place in democratic debate. Humiliating or defaming journalists on social media is completely unacceptable. Shoving elected representatives, threatening them or throwing rocks at them is also completely unacceptable.

Obviously, we are going to make some people angry. Obviously, not everyone will agree with us. We disagree here in the House every day, but verbal and physical violence, intimidation of journalists who report the facts, of analysts who give their opinion or of elected officials who take an opposing position do not serve democracy and must stop.

Campobello IslandStatements By Members

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB

Mr. Speaker, Campobello is the unique Canadian island in my riding without direct access to mainland New Brunswick. Instead, islanders must drive one hour to the State of Maine and check in at two border points to access their country. A ferry is needed to end Campobello's second-class status so its residents have a domestic route to other parts of Canada, just like every other Canadian citizen.

I researched the public accounts and discovered the federal government provides $30 million annually to fund ferry service to remote communities within British Columbia. For the past two years, Ottawa has rightly labelled Campobello a remote community. It is past time that the federal government's ferry support program was extended to New Brunswick so travel mobility rights on Campobello are recognized and supported by the Government of Canada. It is a matter of fairness.

Mississauga Waterfront FestivalStatements By Members

11:15 a.m.

Liberal

Sven Spengemann Liberal Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank Patricia and Wayne Anderson and the team behind the Mississauga Waterfront Festival for their extraordinary contributions to the beautiful community of Port Credit in our riding of Mississauga—Lakeshore.

For over 25 years, the Mississauga Waterfront Festival has been one of the city's largest and most popular outdoor festivals. Attracting thousands of people each year, it gave our community a reason to look forward to the beginning of summer and it became a destination for families, neighbours and visitors alike, offering something memorable to everyone.

Through the “sponsor a child” program, the organizers helped to support families in the community by making the festival accessible. Over the years, this amazing team had an impact well beyond the event itself. This year, as we bid goodbye to the Mississauga Waterfront Festival, we celebrate the wonderful memories they created for us.

My heartfelt appreciation goes to Pat, Wayne and everyone who helped make the Mississauga Waterfront Festival the best summer event in Port Credit.

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, this week in Laval there were three shootings in three days.

That happened in residential neighbourhoods, and it could have ended badly for the families. Unfortunately, according to the police, we know that this involves street gangs going after each other with illegal guns. We know that in a few days, this government will impose new measures dealing with firearms.

Can the government tell us how these new measures will directly address the current crimes involving street gangs and illegal guns?

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Oakville North—Burlington Ontario

Liberal

Pam Damoff LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, we are always disturbed when we hear of people who have lost their lives to gun violence. In fact, the burden of injury from gun violence is something that is of a concern. It is a public health concern to all Canadians.

Our approach to firearms is one of common-sense safety measures, and these measures that were introduced this week would keep firearms out of the hands of criminals, codify businesses' due diligence practices and support law enforcement in tracing efforts. It is another tool in our arsenal to keep communities safe.

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, everything we just heard is false.

The new measures coming into force on May 18 directly affect honest business owners and honest Canadians who own guns. Yes, they exist. Unfortunately, this government is not even considering doing the right thing and directing its attacks at the real criminals: the street gangs and those who use illegal guns.

Again, why, on May 18, is the government hassling honest people instead of going after the real criminals?

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Oakville North—Burlington Ontario

Liberal

Pam Damoff LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to building safer communities. To reduce gun crime, we must address the social conditions that lead youth to join gangs. That is why we are working closely with municipalities in Quebec and across the country, and with indigenous communities, to provide $250 million over five years to bolster gang prevention and intervention programs.

I would remind Conservatives that when we studied Bill C-71, they put forward amendments that would have removed punishment for making a false statement to provide a licence, tampering with licences, unauthorized possession of ammunition and more.

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, a 17-year-old was shot in the Liberal-held riding of Don Valley East, in the parking lot of Victoria Park Collegiate.

Instead of dealing with the real problem infesting the streets of Liberal-held ridings, which is gang and criminal illegal handgun use, these Liberals would rather engage in cheap political stunts by attacking duck and deer hunters to make it look like they are doing something. In fact, they are solving nothing.

Why will Liberal MPs not act as emboldened as the gangs and the criminals in their ridings, and go after those who are shooting up their streets with illegal handguns?

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Oakville North—Burlington Ontario

Liberal

Pam Damoff LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, rather than playing political games around gun violence, we are taking concrete action to keep communities safe and keep the citizens of Canada safe, and we are taking a comprehensive approach to firearms. It is one that includes investing in communities, investing in housing, and investing in ensuring that guns are not crossing the border by investing in CBSA. When the Conservatives were in government, they cut CBSA. We have reinvested to keep the guns from coming into Canada.

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

Mr. Speaker, this week a shooting happened in the Liberal-held riding of St. Catharines during a jewellery store robbery. The pattern of gun crime in Liberal ridings has nothing to do with farmers, hunters, sport shooters or collectors, or with scary military assault weapons. It has to do with gangs, criminals and illegal handguns. Even with clear evidence of illegal handgun shootings in their ridings, Liberals, including the MP for St. Catharines, spread disinformation on what the real cause of gun crime is in this country.

Why are Liberals spreading disinformation when it comes to the real cause of gun crime in Canada and, worse yet, why are they doing nothing to solve the problem?

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Oakville North—Burlington Ontario

Liberal

Pam Damoff LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety

Mr. Speaker, this is the fourth time I have stood up here and been accused of doing nothing. I take great offence, due to the fact that this government is taking concrete steps that will actually make a difference to keeping Canadians safe, rather than playing politics on the issue of guns and just parroting the lines from the gun lobby.

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, on a different subject, Quebec City encircles the first nation community in Wendake, which I represent here in the House of Commons.

Oddly enough, according to Canada Post, the postal code for Wendake identifies it as a rural delivery area. As a result, it can cost up to 30% more to insure and mail packages. That is totally unfair and unacceptable.

Will the minister responsible for first nations acknowledge that this makes no sense and that we need to fix this problem at once?

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs Québec

Liberal

Marc Miller LiberalMinister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

Mr. Speaker, I first want to correct my colleague's comment that I am responsible for the first nations. I serve the first nations.

In reply to the question, the member opposite is quite right. It is unfair that communities that were previously in rural areas but now are not because of urban sprawl are penalized because of prices linked to postal codes.

Let us hope that Canada Post, which is an independent agency, will rectify the situation. I have been speaking to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement about this and will continue to do so.

Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Bloc

Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister refuses to close Roxham Road on the pretext that that is not the solution because irregular migrants “will cross elsewhere”.

Yes, they will cross elsewhere. They will cross at the border crossings. That is what they did before the safe third country agreement. If the Prime Minister suspends the agreement, something he can do unilaterally, migrants can cross at any border crossing in Canada rather than coming in through the woods. It is simple, safe and humane.

When will the federal government suspend the agreement and close Roxham Road?

Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Central Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Sean Fraser LiberalMinister of Immigration

Mr. Speaker, our system for refugees must be robust and humane.

There is no magic solution. Asking to close Roxham Road is not a realistic solution. It will only shift the problem to another location. Suspending the agreement will have the completely opposite effect.

What we need to do is modernize the safe third country agreement, and that is what we are doing by working with the United States on a sustainable solution.

Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Bloc

Marilène Gill Bloc Manicouagan, QC

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly the problem.

The border is long and people can cross wherever they want to, even though they should be going through official border crossings. If we suspended the safe third country agreement, migrants would be redirected to the 117 border crossings across Canada, instead of converging to cross at Roxham Road, as 92% of them are doing.

The number of irregular crossings is expected to rise significantly on the weekend, so the minister cannot stand by. He can immediately suspend the agreement and shut down Roxham Road.

Will he finally do something?

Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Central Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Sean Fraser LiberalMinister of Immigration

Mr. Speaker, our government has been consistent in its commitment to the most vulnerable people in the world.

We continue to work closely with Quebec to comply with our national and international refugee obligations, while still protecting the health and safety of Canadians.

We are aware that the number of crossings has increased since COVID‑19 restrictions have been relaxed, and we are working closely with the Canada Border Services Agency to keep our borders safe and secure.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

NDP

Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, after five years of my community demanding that the federal government transfer Ojibway Shores from the Windsor Port Authority to Parks Canada, it finally acknowledged that it could do this the right way. We all know this was in anticipation of the vote on my private member's bill to establish Ojibway National Urban Park, which the City of Windsor and Caldwell First Nation support and want to take place.

Will the government finally do what the residents of Windsor, the environmental community and the indigenous community have asked, and protect endangered species and this rare ecosystem by voting for my bill? This is one thing the government can do immediately that would make a difference for climate change and for Canada.

The EnvironmentOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Ajax Ontario

Liberal

Mark Holland LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member for posing that question, which is extremely important. Obviously, everything we can do to take action on climate change and to work with the member on this important issue, we will. Absolutely, we will move forward with looking at this national park.

HealthOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

NDP

Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC

Mr. Speaker, every day, 20 Canadians die from toxic drug poisoning. Every day, 20 families get this devastating news. Last May, Health Canada's Expert Task Force on Substance Use published its report, which clearly stated that criminalizing people who use drugs is causing harm and needs to end. The government has ignored its own experts now for over a year, while thousands of Canadians have died.

My question is simple. How many Canadians need to die before the government will listen to its own experts and support a health-based approach to substance use?

HealthOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Toronto—St. Paul's Ontario

Liberal

Carolyn Bennett LiberalMinister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his ongoing advocacy on this and for the conversation that has been raised with his private member's bill. This is all very important conversation in this country. We recognize that problematic substance use is a health issue, and we too want to move it from the criminal justice system to the health system. We are doing everything we can to invest in safe consumption sites, safer supply and all of the alternatives that will eventually stop this terrible tragedy in Canada.

HousingOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals make big promises on housing affordability, but the changes in their budget law on GST for assignment of sale make a terrible situation even worse. The GST is already charged by the builder of a duplex or fourplex, but under these changes, if the purchaser of the units then sells one to a family, that family must pay the GST to the government again.

Can the tax-and-spend Prime Minister please explain to the House how taxing families more and raising the cost of housing help anyone but him?

HousingOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Hochelaga Québec

Liberal

Soraya Martinez Ferrada LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion (Housing)

Mr. Speaker, the member's question gives me an opportunity to again talk about our housing measures, which his party has voted against several times.

In budget 2022, we have a lot of measures to help access a new house and build more affordable housing. I hope this time around members will support the measures this government is presenting.