House of Commons Hansard #99 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was jurors.

Topics

2 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the hon. member for Sarnia—Lambton.

[Members sang the national anthem]

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum DisorderStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT

Mr. Speaker, September is a month that we devote to awareness of FASD, or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. FASD is the leading cause of neurodevelopmental disability in Canada, affecting 4% of Canada's population, touching all socio-economic categories of Canadians. This year's awareness month theme is “Building Strengths and Abilities”. Access to diagnosis and the right supports can help people with FASD live full active lives.

The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Society of Yukon, or FASSY, works with Yukon communities to raise awareness and to support individuals and families with FASD. One program, called Landlords to End Homelessness, now supports 11 previously homeless people with FASD. It is proudly supported by participating landlords.

As Canadians and as members of Parliament, I hope we all take advantage of FASD awareness month to educate ourselves as to what more we can do to prevent FASD and to ensure those affected live to their full potential.

Vision Care in Developing CountriesStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Conservative

Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Greg Wiens. Greg is well known in my riding as a pastor at Westwood Community Church, but today I would like to recognize his work as the outreach coordinator at Global Vision 2020.

Globally, billions of people live with vision loss and almost every single person on earth will need eye care services during their lifetime. That is where Greg and Global Vision 2020 come in. They provide thousands of prescription eyeglasses to people who normally do not have access to vision care in developing countries. They do this with the USee Vision Kit, which identifies their prescription in under five minutes.

When I met Greg a few weeks ago, he made the glasses I am wearing right now so quickly I could not believe my eyes. Global Vision 2020 has clinics in developing countries all over the world. With 125,000 glasses to be deployed this year alone, this technology has the potential to provide clear vision to millions.

I thank Greg for bringing the gift of clear vision to so many.

Paul David Wynn and Steven FurnessStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

John Aldag Liberal Cloverdale—Langley City, BC

Mr. Speaker, on the morning of July 25, residents in our community awoke to an emergency alert. It was only the second time it has been used in British Columbia. This alert was the result of a series of targeted shootings that occurred throughout the night of July 25 in parts of the Langleys.

This tragic event left two people dead and two people injured. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Paul David Wynn and Steven Furness, who were killed in these senseless shootings. Our community continues to mourn the loss of these two individuals, who were sons, brothers and friends to many.

These shootings highlighted the ongoing danger the vulnerable and homeless population faces. When one person is forced to live on the streets, we are all diminished. Homelessness is a reality for too many Canadians and a challenge for every Canadian community. We must continue to work together with all levels of government, NGOs, indigenous partners and communities across Canada to increase support for vulnerable groups.

Through the Reaching Home strategy, I am pleased that many organizations in my community have received support for these vulnerable populations, but more work must be done. Only by working together can we end chronic homelessness for all Canadians.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Deux-Montagnes RCMStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Bloc

Jean-Denis Garon Bloc Mirabel, QC

Mr. Speaker, today I have the honour of acknowledging the 60th anniversary of the creation of the chamber of commerce and industry in Deux-Montagnes RCM, also known as CCI2M. With hundreds of active members, the CCI2M has become a key player in economic and business development in the Lower Laurentians over the decades.

It is no accident that, in 2010, this particular chamber of commerce and industry received the honorary title of chamber of commerce of the year in Quebec. Its major achievements include creating the Cercle des Gouverneurs and the Gala Les Monarques, which celebrates entrepreneurial excellence, spearheading numerous buy-local campaigns and establishing a youth branch to support budding entrepreneurs.

It was the unrelenting and diligent work of women and men committed to creating wealth for their community that earned them that honour. Sixty years of dedication to regional economic development and to representing the interests of a community of entrepreneurs—it deserves to be recognized.

On behalf of myself, the hon. member for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles and the Bloc Québécois, I would like to wish a happy 60th anniversary to CCI2M.

Jean‑Louis FranchiStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House to pay tribute to a man who spent his life serving the Parliament of Canada. The passing of retired constable Jean-Louis Franchi on September 2, 2022, at the age of 58, is a great loss for the Parliamentary Protective Service.

Born to Italian immigrants who came to Canada in 1967, Jean-Louis Franchi began his career in Parliament in 1982 as a messenger. In 1986, he became a constable with the House of Commons security service. On October 22, 2014, the day of the parliamentary precinct shooting, Constable Jean-Louis Franchi was the first officer to protect the Prime Minister in the caucus room until the RCMP arrived on the scene.

I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his family and friends. I also want to thank the members of the Parliamentary Protective Service, who work hard every day to ensure the safety of those participating in our parliamentary democracy.

Conservative Party of CanadaStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB

Mr. Speaker, it is exciting to see Canadians with a renewed sense of hope and optimism because of our new Conservative leader. His courageous vision and common-sense message of freedom can unite our divided country.

I am reminded of the words in the book of Proverbs that says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish”, and when a nation is led with “understanding and knowledge”, there is stability. Canadians are desperate for a prime minister and a government in whom they can once again trust to look out for their best interests and those of this great nation, a government for the people, not of the people, a government with a strong servant leader who cares about those he serves, someone who understands that what makes Canada great is its people.

Canadians only need two things to survive and thrive: freedom and good government. I cannot wait for the next election when Canadians will have both.

Childhood Cancer Awareness MonthStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON

Mr. Speaker, September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer is the number one disease-killer of Canadian children. Too many children have been lost to this dreadful disease, kids like Carson Clapham who loved superheroes, Ayverie Caster who loved basketball and Teagan Walsh who loved animals. Terry Fox was still in his teens when he was diagnosed and was motivated to change the face of cancer research by the kids he saw in the cancer ward.

I am hopeful because of people like Sick Kids' Dr. David Malkin, who is leading groundbreaking and life-saving research as part of the precision child health initiative, and Jessica Rosenbloom, a two-time pediatric brain cancer fighter, nursing student and advocate for childhood cancer, who is documenting her journey as “onetoughcookieclub” on Instagram.

Our government recognized the need for investments in childhood cancer research by investing $30 million in budget 2021. Give Jess a follow this month to learn more about childhood cancer and its impact on Canadians like her.

Community LeadershipStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is always a privilege for me to speak about the ongoing community initiatives in my riding of Richmond Hill.

I am thrilled to see the continued valuable impact of the Canada summer jobs program on our passionate and ambitious youth. This summer, I had the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of over 200 Canada summer job students in my riding. Our youth are the centre of change, and I am inspired by their efforts to make a positive difference in Richmond Hill.

I would also like to recognize the outstanding work done by the Queen's Platinum Jubilee pin award nominees. Their tireless, philanthropic efforts in areas such as eradicating homelessness, establishing mental health services and enhancing the well-being of seniors, women and youth at risk have made Richmond Hill stronger as a whole.

To our admirable youth and community leaders, I extend my wholehearted gratitude for everything they do for Richmond Hill every day.

National Forest WeekStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rob Morrison Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC

Mr. Speaker, in celebration of National Forest Week, the Forest Products Association of Canada's annual Awards of Excellence is an incredible program designed to recognize the dedicated professionals who work in Canada's forest sector and the academics, community leaders and professionals who work hard to advance the environmental and economic benefits of Canadian forestry.

I am honoured to rise in the House of Commons today to celebrate Clara Reinhardt, mayor of Radium Hot Springs, the beautiful mountain town of Kootenay—Columbia, for being recognized as a recipient for the Community Champion Award. The forest sector is critical for Kootenay—Columbia and Canada. It is important to recognize the dedication, sacrifice and hard work of community-minded individuals like Clara, who is on Parliament Hill today. I thank the Forest Products Association of Canada.

On behalf of members of this chamber and the constituents of Kootenay—Columbia, I thank Clara and all the recipients for their service to the community and offer them congratulations on their recognition as community champions.

Medal Winners in WrestlingStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Randeep Sarai Liberal Surrey Centre, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am not one to shy away from a fight, but when it comes to these great wrestlers from Surrey and the valley, I will definitely think twice.

I want to recognize and congratulate Amar Dhesi and Nishan Randhawa for their gold medals and Jasmit Phulka for his bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham, England. I also want to recognize police constable Jessy Sahota for taking home gold in men’s heavyweight wrestling at the World Police and Fire Games. In addition to taking home gold, Constable Sahota has been recognized with the prestigious International Association of Chiefs of Police 40 Under 40 Award.

I congratulate all the talented athletes for their accomplishments. Canada is proud of them.

HousingStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON

Mr. Speaker, the new Conservative leader will put people first: their retirement, their paycheques, their homes and their country.

The housing crisis overlooked by the government kills any hope for home ownership by youth and newcomers. Thirty-year-olds, who did everything we asked of them, such as getting degrees and working hard, are living in their parents' basements because housing prices have doubled. More and more young Canadians are considering moving to other countries, where owning a house is not just a dream.

The reason for all this is the lack of action by the government, which has no plan to address these issues. We have a solution. A Conservative government will restore the hope of home ownership. We will co-operate with local governments to remove the gatekeepers and speed up building permits. We will sell off thousands of underutilized federal buildings and turn them into housing. We will introduce programs that will work. We will rekindle the hope that people's paycheques and savings can buy them a home.

Enough of the false promises and failed agendas. It is time for real change. Let us start building homes for Canadians.

Cost of LivingStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON

Mr. Speaker, the new Conservative leader will put people first: their retirement, their paycheques, their homes and their country.

The government's high energy taxes and proposed fertilizer cuts will drive food production abroad and cost hard-working Canadians their jobs. Food prices are already skyrocketing. Food is up over 10% year over year. Four out of five Canadians are changing their eating habits because of rising food prices. Stories of people who did not need a food bank and are suddenly in line have become all too common.

A Conservative government will repeal these taxes and fertilizer mandates to get out of the way and off the backs of our farmers so we can grow affordable food, feed our people and be the breadbasket of this world.

Mariette Carrier-FraserStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Marie-France Lalonde Liberal Orléans, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is with great emotion that I rise today to recognize another extraordinary woman whose loss is being mourned by the Franco-Ontarian community. After losing Gisèle Lalonde, who passed away on July 27, 2022, we were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mariette Carrier-Fraser on September 15. Mariette was another pioneer of the francophonie, a grande dame, a friend and a passionate Franco-Ontarian.

Mariette worked tirelessly throughout her distinguished career. Whether in key organizations or as an assistant deputy minister in the Ontario government, she strengthened the education system for Franco-Ontarians and was an unshakable force in improving access to French-language health care in Ontario. Her wise counsel will forever mark the francophone community across the country. We want to express our sincere condolences to her family.

As we celebrate Franco-Ontarian Day this Sunday, let us remember people like Gisèle Lalonde and Mariette Carrier-Fraser who dedicated their lives to defending and advancing the French fact in Ontario and Canada.

Alexa McDonough Women's Leadership CentreStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

NDP

Lindsay Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Speaker, we are all in this chamber for different reasons, but quite literally we are here because of our mothers. As many know, my mother was the former member of Parliament for London—Fanshawe.

Last week, my incredible mother became the new president of the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation. The DCLF launched the Alexa McDonough Women's Leadership Centre this June.

McDonough made history as the first woman to lead a major political party as leader of the Nova Scotia NDP, and later served as leader of our federal party.

Under my mother's leadership, the centre will produce new research to empower the next generation of strong women in our fight to reclaim our rights. I thank my mother, Alexa McDonough and the DCLF for their work in our fight for women.

Women's rights continue to be under attack here and around the world, and I will continue to fight for women against gender-based violence, for pay equity, for a safe workplace, for our right to choose, for gender-based health access, for our place in this House and for future generations.

International Day of PeaceStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC

Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day of Peace.

We are marking this day but not celebrating it, as peace is an ideal that seems increasingly elusive in the world's current state. We mark this day by thinking in particular of the Ukrainian people who, better than anyone else, are now tragically aware of what it means.

We remember the suffering of the Tigrayans and Palestinians, and the plight of those displaced, mainly women and children, by the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. We again condemn the Uighur genocide, which this government still refuses to acknowledge in a pathetic demonstration of political cowardice.

On this day of peace, let us all reiterate Quebeckers' support for nations around the world who are not fortunate enough to know not just peace, but a lasting peace. Let us also underscore the importance for the Quebec nation, a peace-loving nation if ever there was one, to fully assume its rightful role on the international stage in bringing empathy and solidarity to the world.

Natural ResourcesStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB

Mr. Speaker, the new Conservative leader is putting people, their retirement, their paycheques, their homes and their country first. Right now, Canadians lose wages because we import 130,000 barrels of oil every single day, mostly from dictators, even though Canada has the third-largest supply right here at home. The Liberal government prefers dictator oil over clean, responsible Canadian energy.

Conservatives will repeal the Liberal anti-energy laws and replace them with ones that protect our environment. We will consult first nations and get things built.

We support Newfoundland and Labrador's plan to increase oil production to replace imported oil. Within five years, our goal is to kick dictator oil out of Canada altogether. Europe needs Canadian energy. Instead of helping Putin sell his gas to Europe to finance his illegal war, a strong Conservative government will support projects like GNL Quebec.

Here is a choice: Give dollars to dictators, or get paycheques into the pockets of Canadians. As a proud Albertan and Canadian, the choice is very clear to me.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIStatements By Members

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Terry Sheehan Liberal Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Mr. Speaker, on July 8, 1959, Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His late Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Sault Ste. Marie for a day-long stop on their 45-day tour of Canada.

Sault Ste. Marie, home to the best hospitality in the world, provided Her late Majesty with a day I am sure nobody could ever forget. They toured Bellevue Park, which lives up to its name, and had a luncheon at the Windsor Hotel, where they were prepared a seven-foot-long sponge cake in the shape of their ship, the Britannia.

As well, they toured Algoma Steel and explored some of the city’s most renowned tourist attractions. These past few weeks, there have been many emails, phone calls and in-person messages of condolence to be sent to His Majesty and the royal family, and there have been so many encouraging, hopeful and grateful stories shared about Her late Majesty’s trip to the Soo, and the role and meaning she had in the lives of so many.

With the loss of a great sovereign, we are able to look toward the leadership of His Majesty King Charles III. Let me take this opportunity to invite His Majesty The King to visit Sault Ste. Marie as well.

God bless the late Queen, and God save the King.

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, today we learned that the percentage of Canadians who have their own home is at its lowest level in 20 years. It was after this Prime Minister came to power that housing prices doubled.

When he came to power, the average family could pay monthly home-related bills with 32% of their paycheque; now it is 50%. The government wants to make matters worse by increasing taxes on paycheques, fuel, groceries and heating.

Will the government cancel these tax increases so that Canadians can buy or keep their own home?

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

University—Rosedale Ontario

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, allow me to begin by congratulating the new leader of the official opposition.

This week, which began with Her Majesty's funeral, was an opportunity for us to take a moment to reflect on the benefits of the Westminster style democracy. A loyal opposition is an essential element of our political system.

It is clear that we disagree on many points, but I hope that we can all—

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

Order. The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. Deputy Prime Minister for her kind words and her congratulations. I look forward to being able to congratulate more young families on the ability to buy their own homes. It is nice to be in the House, but it would be nice for them to be in a home. Unfortunately, house prices have doubled under the government's policies. In fact, the share of the average Canadian's paycheque needed to pay the average monthly bill on housing has gone from 32% to 50%, and the government's solution is to raise paycheque taxes, gas taxes and other taxes.

Will the government not cancel the tax hikes so Canadians can pay their—

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

The hon. Deputy Prime Minister.

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

University—Rosedale Ontario

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, we have just heard EI premiums mentioned, so I want people to guess what EI premiums were in 2015. They were $1.88. Guess who was the minister in charge? It was the current Conservative leader. Guess what EI premiums will be next year? They will be $1.63. That is 25¢ lower. The leader of the official opposition needs to tell Canadians if he was misguided then or he is misguided now.

The EconomyOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Carleton Ontario

Conservative

Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the answer is neither. Guess what Canadians paid in 2015 in EI if they earned $60,000? It was $930. Guess what they pay now? It is $948. That is an increase. Furthermore, if we look at total payroll taxes, they have gone from $3,400 to $4,100 under the government. That is a $700 increase, and the government plans to raise EI premiums, that is the paycheque tax, on January 1, along with other taxes.

Why will the government not cancel these tax hikes so Canadians can pay their bills?