Debates of Oct. 3rd, 2023

Official Languages

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives are standing up for oil companies, we are going to speak on Quebec's behalf.

Federally regulated businesses continue to disregard French. According to the union, CN wants to relocate some 50 customer service jobs in Quebec to western Canada.

That is very bad news for the 50 Quebec workers who could lose their jobs. It is also very bad news for service in French if CN relocates those jobs to unilingual western provinces.

Does the Minister of Transport think it is acceptable and safe for CN to reduce its ability to serve francophones?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to ask the Conservatives to stop attacking the Bloc Québécois, which is having enough trouble as it is.

I want to tell my colleague that the government will always stand up in defence of official languages. There is not just one. There are two: French and English. They are both equal.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport can laugh it up all he wants, but Quebeckers are worried.

Every time CN is mentioned in the same breath as official languages, it is because it is going off the rails. In 2020, CN moved about 60 rail traffic controller jobs out west. Last year, it did not have a single francophone on its board. Today, CN wants to move 50 customer service jobs from Quebec to western Canada. Matters of language are also matters of safety.

Does the Minister of Transport agree with these CN cuts, yes or no? Does he think that CN has to offer services in French, yes or no?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues from the Bloc Québécois know very well, this year we passed Bill C‑13 to modernize the Official Languages Act, including new regulations for federally regulated companies. We will do what it takes to ensure a francophone presence from coast to coast. That is part of the regulations we will introduce. It will then be up to CN to comply with the act and the forthcoming regulations.

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, mortgages have doubled and rents have doubled, yet the NDP-Liberal government is quadrupling carbon taxes. A report for Parliament on carbon taxes by the Parliamentary Budget Officer states that Nova Scotians will pay $1,500 more in taxes, thanks to the Atlantic Liberals who voted 23 times for those taxes. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost.

As Atlantic Canadians are getting their oil tanks filled for the fall, will the Prime Minister axe the tax so that they can afford to eat, heat their homes and house themselves?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, with respect, the hon. member began his question by talking about some of the housing challenges, which are very real. Why is he supporting a plan that is going to raise taxes on home builders and cut funding for homebuilding?

When it comes to the environment, I am curious about why he has yet to put forward a plan that will actually do anything meaningful to reduce emissions. I am curious about why he is aligned with a party that opposed raising taxes on the wealthiest 1% and cutting taxes for the middle class.

With respect to the environment, housing and affordability, we have a plan, and it is on this side of the House.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, a recent poll in Newfoundland and Labrador showed that 84% of those surveyed chose the cost of living as the top issue they face. After many conversations with folks in my riding, this comes as no surprise. Most say the inflationary carbon tax is making life unaffordable.

In the last eight years, Atlantic Liberal MPs voted 23 times in support of the carbon tax. Will these Atlantic Liberal MPs vote for our Conservative motion to axe the tax, or will they follow their master?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, I have 75,000 masters who live in northern Nova Scotia. They are telling me that they want the government to come up with a plan that is going to reduce emissions, so we can protect the environment for future generations. They are telling me that they want me to stand up and support Bill C-49, which is actually going to establish an offshore energy industry in the province where we have the resource.

We have the ability to do the right thing for our planet and create well-paying jobs at home. I will defend well-paying jobs at home, I will defend affordability and I will not compromise the need to protect our environment as that member would.

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, it is ironic that my hon. colleague across the way referenced his masters. I think it is time for the Liberal government to realize that it is the servant and not the master.

If these Atlantic Liberal MPs talked to folks in their ridings as I do, they would not need a poll to tell them how people are feeling. After eight years, they know the Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

Common-sense Conservatives have introduced yet another motion to axe the carbon tax. I will ask this again: Will these Atlantic Liberals support their constituents or follow their master?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, this summer I had the privilege of spending some time with some of the hard-working people of Newfoundland and Labrador. I can tell colleagues what they need the most: a well-paying job at home for the incredibly skilled, incredibly hard-working people of that province. That is what our green plan will provide.

Newfoundland and Labrador is going to become the hydrogen capital of the world and the wind power capital of the world. The clean nickel from Voisey's Bay will power the Northvolt battery plant in Montreal. That is our—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Pontiac.

The Environment

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, indigenous peoples have always been the guardians of the lands, waters and ice. It is only natural that they should be at the heart of initiatives to protect nature and meet protection targets by 2030. That is by design, both here in Canada and in many other countries as well.

Could the Minister of Environment inform the House of the benefits that could come from additional investments in the indigenous guardians program?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question, but also for her active commitment, both to reconciliation with indigenous peoples and to the conservation of our environment and nature.

The guardians program is an international model. Requests have come in from all over the world seeking to know how this program could be replicated elsewhere. Thanks to the investment she and I announced last week, there are now indigenous guardians in 25% of communities across the country. Our goal is to get to 100%. We also announced that, from now on, the guardians program will be self-managed.

Canadian Heritage

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals said Bill C-11 was not about censorship. They said it was simply about going after big tech giants and making them pay their fair share.

Sneaky new regulations were pushed through on Friday. However, people are paying attention, and Canadians are aware that, in fact, their voices are being censored with a podcast registry. Is that not innovative? When it comes to attacking freedom, the Liberal government cannot help itself. It is absolutely committed to censoring what we can see, what we can say and what we can hear online.

I am curious: Why is the government so hell-bent on censoring people's freedom of speech?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, that is simply false. The bill does not regulate users or people who produce podcasts.

What the bill does is make sure that tech giants, such as Apple, Spotify and Netflix, pay their fair share. It supports our Canadian creators and makes sure that Canadian stories are heard and that our creators have a voice online.

Instead of kneeling in front of tech billionaires, the Leader of the Opposition should stand up for our artists and our creative sector.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your election to the chair.

After eight years in power, the Liberal government is trying to control freedom of speech in Canada. Granting too much power to the CRTC will limit the right to disclose what Canadians think and what they want to share on social media. This government is going too far. Most importantly, it is pushing too hard to restrict freedom of expression.

If this is not Liberal control then what is?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not true.

The act does not regulate users or people who produce podcasts. The act does, however, make sure that tech giants like Apple, Spotify or Netflix pay their fair share here in Canada. It also ensures that we are properly supporting our Canadian creators, and that our creators have a voice online. Instead of bowing down to the billionaire tech giants, the Conservative leader should stand up for our creative industries and for Canadians.

Guests in the House of Commons

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans have spent their lives serving and sacrificing for our freedoms, and they were left to watch in horror as a Nazi soldier was recognized in the House.

When veterans ask for basic care, the Prime Minister tells them they are asking for more than he can give. Now, he would have veterans believe that basic vetting for Nazis is also asking more than he can give.

When will the Prime Minister finally be accountable and apologize to veterans?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, as a former page, I would like to congratulate you, another former page, for your appointment and to welcome the new cohort of pages. I do not think we have sufficiently saluted and thanked them for their very hard work.

The former Speaker made it very clear that he alone was responsible for inviting this individual to the House and recognizing him. It was on his initiative, and no other parliamentarians were involved.

Seniors

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, Sunday marked National Seniors Day, an occasion for Canadians to celebrate the profound contributions of seniors in our homes, communities and workplaces. However, for some, the rising cost of living is making it more difficult to make ends meet.

Can the minister of seniors please share how the government is ensuring that all seniors can enjoy a secure and dignified retirement?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, I would add congratulations from someone who has known you for 35 years, since we were young students at Forum for Young Canadians. We always knew you would go places, and indeed you did.

Although it is a few years off for you and I, it is good to know that we raised old age security by 10% for seniors 75 and older. We raised the guaranteed income supplement by up to $947 annually for single low-income seniors. We launched the age well at home initiative to help more seniors age in their homes and communities.

Our work is far from done, but as minister for seniors, my priority remains affordability.

Health

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of affordability, Canadians have seen what happens when Loblaws is left unchecked: price-fixing and gouging. Now, Galen Weston is turning his sights to health care by expanding Shoppers Drug Mart private clinics. Experts are warning that huge corporations put profits before patients. It is the government's job to prevent this.

What is the Liberal plan to ensure that rich CEOs like Galen Weston do not gouge Canadians for health care like they do with food?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, let me add my voice in congratulating you. It is wonderful to see you in that role.

I will say this to my hon. colleague: Ensuring that our public health care system remains public and that it is centred on making sure that everybody who needs health care is provided it, regardless of their circumstance, is at the core of everything we do.

We have taken historic action on reducing drug prices. We are going to continue that. In fact, when we look at the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, we have been able to see almost $3.5 billion in savings for Canadians in reducing drug costs. We have taken historic action on patent drugs—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona.

Foreign Affairs

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Monday was the fifth anniversary of the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi officials, yet Liberals stayed silent, and it is no wonder. Under the current government, arms have continued to flow to Saudi Arabia despite the war in Yemen, despite serious human rights violations, and despite the murders of hundreds of Ethiopian migrants. Canadians need to know that their government is not complicit in human rights abuses.

Does the minister even know whether Canadian-made sniper rifles were used by the Saudis against Ethiopian asylum seekers? Does the minister have any idea—