Debates of Oct. 27th, 2023

Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in the Transportation System Act

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, the member says the Conservative Party does not support the legislation, and within the legislation there are all sorts of things for communities, such as the noise committees that would be obligatory for airport authorities. Some of the airport authorities already have them in place. The bill would ensure that communities have a voice when it comes to airport authorities.

Does the Conservative Party oppose all aspects of the legislation, or do its members feel there are some parts they could support in some fashion? Could he maybe list one or two examples?

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Madam Speaker, I have no problem with part 2 of the legislation, which would increase transparency and visibility for Canadians with disabilities and would provide a response to the Auditor General's report. I said that quite clearly.

With the noise complaints, it is interesting to see the different approaches and contradictions within the bill itself. The noise complaint portion of the bill includes what constitutes proper notice of meeting and what constitutes quorum. It is very prescriptive. The government has decided that it knows how that should be meted out, but for the parts of the bill that deal with passenger protection and that sort of thing, it is all left to regulation. The government should make up its mind. I think that part is very prescriptive. It would impose a very strong standard on airports, and unlike other portions of the bill, it would not leave it to regulation. I am unclear on why that portion was so prescriptive and other portions are left entirely to the minister and cabinet.

Retirement Congratulations

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Madam Speaker, I am rising to honour an outstanding individual from my riding, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour's Leo MacKenzie. Leo spent the past 40 years working with the non-profit Regional Residential Services Society in support of adults with intellectual disabilities, and he spent the last 14 years helping his friends on Hilton Drive live their best lives while supporting the amazing work of Better Together Nova Scotia.

Leo has always ensured that the people he supports are active members of our community. He has always listened to their ideas and helped make them a reality. Leo has empowered and inspired so many through his positive attitude and his eagerness to give back to his community. Leo has changed so many lives for the better and we owe him our gratitude.

I ask that all members join me in congratulating Leo MacKenzie on his retirement. I thank Leo for everything.

Human Rights in Iran

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Madam Speaker, Shilan Mirzaei is a prominent Iranian human rights activist who has been wrongfully arrested for her defence of Iranian refugees in Turkey and her strong voice for human rights. Worse still, her arrest was made at the request of the terrorist regime in Iran. Mirzaei is now being held in a deportation centre in Turkey. She faces deportation to Iran and a certain death sentence.

Turkish President Erdogan has been deporting innocent Iranians and Kurds fleeing the regime in Tehran. Erdogan has defended Hamas publicly and bombed Kurdish civilians in Rojava.

Canada must get tough with Tehran. Delegitimize the regime. List the IRGC as a terrorist group. Get justice for the victims of PS752.

The NDP-Liberal government must call on Turkish President Erdogan to do the right thing by immediately ending this unjust detention, and release Shilan Mirzaei.

Jin, jiyan, azadi. Zan, zendegi, azadi.

National Trust for Canada

[John Aldag, Liberal, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise in the House today to offer congratulations to the National Trust for Canada on its 50th anniversary conference. Taking place in Ottawa right now at the Château Laurier, this year's conference theme is “Transforming Heritage”. The conference has brought together over 700 heritage professionals, advocates and industry leaders from across the country and is being held in partnership with the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals and the Indigenous Heritage Circle.

The National Trust for Canada is the leading national charity dedicated to the conservation and use of Canada's historic places. Since its inception in 1973, the organization has powered a movement dedicated to preserving and revitalizing heritage buildings, landscapes and communities for the benefit of people and the planet.

I want to give a special thanks to Natalie Bull and Chris Wiebe from the National Trust. Their dedication to heritage shows through their hard work. They mobilized support for Bill C-23, which is key legislation for the protection of Canada's national heritage. From conference attendees, I call on members of this House for the swift passage of Bill C-23.

Congratulations to the National Trust on its 50th anniversary.

Discrimination in Canada

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Middle East is not occurring in isolation. It is significantly impacting Canadians here at home. Students, refugees, teachers, doctors and even children are witnessing a severe surge in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism and anti-Semitism.

Visible Muslim women who wear the hijab, especially Black Muslim women, currently fear for their safety, particularly when speaking out against injustice. They are losing jobs and scholarships and are facing threats on campuses and in workplaces. In my riding of Edmonton Griesbach alone, we bore witness to a racially motivated attack and verbal abuse against an innocent teacher at Queen Elizabeth High School.

This dehumanization of people is unparalleled, and we cannot remain silent during these difficult times. When I was growing up, my elders instilled in me the moral obligation to speak out when witnessing such atrocities. I implore all Canadians to stand in solidarity with Muslim and Jewish voices right across our country.

Lebanese Heritage Month

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

Mr. Speaker, November 1 marks the beginning of our first national Lebanese Heritage Month in Canada.

I am proud to mark this special occasion alongside my friends, my constituents and all Canadians.

I encourage my colleagues to take this weekend to connect with their local Lebanese community.

I encourage people to find events near them and carve out some time to attend.

In my corner of the country, our community is organizing so much: tonight's Keskun wine tasting, an independence day flag raising, the annual Lebanese Film Festival, the Watani Lubnan party and more.

Our local Lebanese organizations, the consulates and the embassy are all working hard to make this inaugural year memorable. I want to thank them, as well as my own church, where today our congregation is coming together in prayer for peace in the Middle East.

We Lebanese-Canadians are proud of our heritage.

Happy Lebanese Heritage Month.

Royal Assent of Bill S-12

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I stand to highlight the recent passage of Bill S-12, which amends the Criminal Code, the Sex Offender Information Registration Act and the International Transfer of Offenders Act. This bill received royal assent yesterday.

I want to express my gratitude to all parties and the Senate for its support and dedicated efforts in acknowledging the significance of this legislation and in ensuring the safety of Canadians today and in the future. More importantly, I want to underscore the efforts and work of survivors of sexual assault in sharing their stories to inform this legislation. This includes representatives from My Voice, My Choice, whose tireless efforts led to these important changes to the publication ban regime.

More specifically, I give a sincere thanks to Morrell Andrews, who is a testament to what can be achieved when we stand up and advocate for what we believe is right. I thank Morrell. Congratulations.

Tragedy in Lewiston, Maine

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay respects to the 18 people tragically killed by a gunman in Lewiston, Maine. Our deepest condolences go to those impacted by this terrible crime. I hope leaders in the state and country will do everything possible for them to finally address gun violence.

Like many Mi'kmaq people, I have family in the state of Maine. My mother grew up there, and as a teenager I spent many years working in the blueberry fields and factories in Maine. I also got to know the people of Lewiston during the four years that one of my best friends played hockey there. It is a kind and caring community that has been left stunned by this tragedy. I mourn with them the loss of lives and, as a Nova Scotian, can empathize with the disbelief that something this tragic can happen in their home.

Canadians care about the people of Maine. We are praying for them. They will get through this, and we will be thinking about them during these difficult times.

God bless them all.

Wildfire Response

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is with gratitude that I want to thank all responders and volunteers who have helped, and continue to save lives and protect, Kelowna—Lake Country and region in B.C. during wildfires.

We heard of four brave B.C. woodland firefighters who lost their lives. They served us by fighting fires in my community. My deepest condolences go to their friends and families and to those of all firefighters who have lost their lives. I thank all at the central Okanagan emergency operations centre, emergency shelter and emergency support services.

There is great loss that will affect many for a long time as most lost structures are homes. My heart goes out to all those affected. Residents were calm and overwhelmingly compassionate, opening their homes and hearts. I thank all cultural groups, worship centres, businesses, community organizations, not-for-profits and charities for doing what they could to help those in need.

It is important to continue supporting these organizations as they serve our communities and to check on the mental wellness of those around us.

Cyber Safety

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, and as the parliamentary secretary responsible for cybersecurity, I want to take this opportunity to highlight some key resources and tips for staying cyber-safe that all Canadians can learn from. The best way to protect ourselves from cyber-attacks is to be educated on phishing red flags, proactively protect our data and back up our devices, set strong passwords, be careful about what we share online and help educate the most vulnerable in our communities, especially children and seniors.

When it comes to understanding antivirus software, installing new security updates and navigating conversations about cyber safety, Canadians can visit getcybersafe.gc.ca for resources and information. Cyber-attacks are preventable, and it is critical that we protect ourselves and our communities.

Carbon Tax

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this government, Quebec has had the highest inflation in the country for four months running. Food banks are experiencing historic increases in demand. Some 872,000 people are accessing them every month. Assistance provided by Quebec food banks has increased by 30% since 2002. In my community, organizations such as Le Grenier in Lévis, Frigos Pleins in Saint-Lazare and L'Essentiel des Etchemins in Lac-Etchemin are also experiencing considerable increases. It is hard to believe, but it is happening right here at home.

This mess sits squarely on the shoulders of the Bloc-Liberal coalition that wants to drastically increase the carbon tax, which will increase prices across the board. To be clear, every food item produced in another province, transported, then purchased in Quebec costs more because of the carbon tax.

We can never say it enough: It is costly to vote for the Bloc Québécois.

[Shuv Majumdar, Conservative, Calgary Heritage, AB]

Mr. Speaker, if one taxes the people making the costume, taxes the truckers moving the costume and taxes the shopkeeper who sells the costume, one taxes the consumer who buys the costume.

Everyone knows that the Prime Minister is obsessed with costumes. I cannot explain why. On top of quadrupling his carbon tax, he is introducing a new costly costume tax.

My friend Ryan owns a costume shop in Calgary. It has been a beloved local business for 24 years. It is now under attack by NDP-Liberal gatekeepers, forcing Ryan to pay more than $100,000 in import fees, all thanks to a nonsense policy classifying his costumes as “fancy dress” wear.

After eight long years of NDP-Liberal corruption, small businesses are closing their doors across the country. Do not let that happen to this costume shop.

Conservatives will get government off the backs of entrepreneurs. We will remove the gatekeepers and axe the tax so that shop owners like Ryan can do what they do best.

This costumed Prime Minister is just not worth the cost.

Social Purpose Organizations

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week, we announced a total of $100 million in funding for 1,140 social purpose organizations through the investment readiness program. These organizations will continue to provide much-needed assistance to communities.

Social purpose organizations provide much-needed help to our neighbours in need. I would especially like to thank Allan Reesor-McDowell and all of the volunteers at Matthew House Furniture Bank, as well as Nathalie Malone, Diane Vena and all of the volunteers at Helping With Furniture, which provides hundreds of newcomers and those fleeing domestic violence with donated furniture to give them a new start. I am especially inspired by how many of those who have previously been helped have come back to contribute and volunteer their time to help others.

These volunteers are the best of our community.

John Carroll

[Rick Perkins, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a great Nova Scotian and true friend to me and many others, John Carroll of Chester. John owned and operated automobile dealerships in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario. From the time he was a young boy, he was passionate about the automobile industry. More importantly to John, he was a proud Nova Scotian. His pride was particularly evident in his beloved home of Chester. John believed in giving back to his community in small ways and large. He quietly supported many local causes, more than we will ever know.

John loved his family deeply, starting with his wife Gail, whom he named his boat after. He beamed with pride whenever he talked about his grown children, Scott and Julia, their successes and their families.

Once one was a friend of John's, one was a friend for life. I had lunch with him only two weeks ago in Lunenburg.

John died yesterday at home. On behalf of this House, I wish to extend our condolences to Gail and their entire family. Rest in peace, John.

Foreign Affairs

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the world has been horrified and heartbroken by the violence in Israel and Palestine. New Democrats condemn the brutal attack on Israel by Hamas and we call for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the protection of all civilians and immediate humanitarian aid to Gaza.

We are also profoundly concerned about what is happening in Canada. We have seen a sharp increase of hate against Jewish and Muslim Canadians since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out. Toronto police have reported an over 130% rise in hate-related calls. The National Council for Canadian Muslims has seen a 1,300% increase in Islamophobic incidents across the country.

We have seen a 400% increase in anti-Semitic incidents of hate since last year.

New Democrats condemn all forms of hate and discrimination, especially anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. All levels of government need to provide strong leadership to ensure public safety in our communities, including places of worship and schools. Together, let us take a stand against all forms of hate.

Ella-Rose Duval

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a young athlete from my riding who recently took part in the World Rowing Sprint Finals, which were held in Barletta, Italy, earlier this month.

Ella-Rose Duval developed an interest in rowing in 2020 while watching the Tokyo Olympic Games. Just two years later, she competed in the Canada Games and then qualified for the World Games, but this time in coastal rowing. At this rate, I would be willing to bet that she will fulfill one of her dreams, which is to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, where this discipline will be included for the first time.

At just 17 years old, Ella-Rose Duval also impresses academically. At the top of not only her class but her entire school, she maintains an overall average of no less than 98%. She has also been awarded the Governor General’s Academic Medal at the bronze level, and the Quebec Lieutenant Governor's Youth Medal, also at the bronze level, in recognition of her volunteer work.

I would like to sincerely congratulate Ella-Rose and wish her continued success.

Housing

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

Mr. Speaker, under the NDP-Liberal government, a generation of young Canadians are giving up on home ownership. It used to be that if someone had a full-time job and saved their money, they could buy a home, start a family and eventually pay their house off.

How can a young Canadian save for a down payment when they are paying $2,500 a month for rent? How can they qualify for a mortgage when the payment is $4,000 a month? It now takes a worker most of their working life just to save enough for a down payment, but then they still would not even qualify for the mortgage.

The government's inflationary deficits have triggered an inflation crisis and the highest interest rates in decades. Those who already own a home do not know what they are going to do or how they are going to make their mortgage payments after the next renewal. Those who do not own a home are forced to pay ever-increasing rent.

The Prime Minister has killed the middle-class dream of home ownership. That is his legacy after eight years. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are coming to the end of Women's History Month. I would like to take the opportunity to highlight a woman in my riding of Hamilton Mountain who has dedicated her career to improving the lives of her tiny charges, their families and our entire community.

Ala Mohamed is the manager of child care at YWCA Hamilton. She recently received the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education for her commitment to building strong, inclusive communities. Ala's leadership creates safe spaces for all children and satisfies the unique needs of children from newcomer families.

I know Ala to be a fierce advocate for families in Hamilton. She was among the many families in Hamilton Mountain who celebrated when our government introduced an affordable plan for child care. She has witnessed the tremendous impacts this plan is having on children and their parents, who now have more options in the workforce.

Congratulations to Ala. She is a true gift to the Hamilton community.

Carbon Pricing

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, with plummeting polls in Atlantic Canada, the Prime Minister is panicked, desperate and making it up as he goes along.

Only a year ago, Liberal MPs voted against a Conservative motion to axe the carbon tax from home heating. What a difference a year makes. I know my farmers in Alberta are sure wondering what it would take for them to get some relief from the Prime Minister's carbon tax.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister admitted that his carbon tax is unaffordable. How much worse do the polls have to get for the Prime Minister to axe his carbon tax for all Canadians?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, when we came into power in 2015, projected emissions growth, pollution levels, in Canada was going to increase to 80 million tonnes by 2030.

We brought this, more than 80 millions tonnes, down, and since then we have reduced it by another 50 million tonnes. That is more than 100 million tonnes of pollution that Canada will not have to endure because of us, despite the Conservative Party of Canada.

We are only getting started. We have a plan to fight climate change and help Canadians with affordability. We will keep going.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister presses pause on his carbon tax in Atlantic Canada, the Liberals are blocking a Conservative bill that would exempt the carbon tax from on-farm fuels, making food more affordable. I guess the desperate pleas of Canadian farmers do not have the same weight as the Prime Minister's plummeting polls in Atlantic Canada.

Let us be clear. Putting a pause is only a move of desperation for the Prime Minister, who would double down, as the minister just said, on his pledge to quadruple the carbon tax. Again, the Prime Minister has admitted his carbon tax is unaffordable.

When will he axe his carbon tax for all Canadians?

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, as my father used to say, when someone points a finger, there are always three fingers pointing back at them.

When it came time to decrease funding to farmers, the Leader of the Opposition sat on his hands at the cabinet table. When it came time to increase funding to farmers, all Conservative MPs sat on their hands. On Bill C-234, if it was so important for the Leader of the Opposition, he should not have sat on his hands but worked a little harder.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals do not care about food costs or affordability.

Canadians are struggling to put food on the table after eight years of the Liberal-NDP government. Almost two million Canadians accessed a food bank in March. That is up 79% from March 2019. A third of those people using food banks are children. Almost 20% of Canadian families are food insecure.

A Prime Minister who is in desperation mode is not worth the cost. Again, the Prime Minister has admitted his carbon tax is unaffordable. When will he axe that tax for all Canadians, so they can afford to put food on the table?

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, we know that right now many Canadian families are struggling with increased costs.

Last night I was speaking with Fay, who shared with me that he came to Canada with his family five years ago from Syria. He shared the impact that the Canada child benefit had on his family. It enabled them to ensure that they could buy food and the things that their children needed. This is one story of the 3.5 million Canadian families that receive this benefit each and every month.