Debates of Oct. 6th, 2023

Health

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, it is not worth taking the risk on the outdated perspectives of the Conservative government when it comes to addiction.

I will quote Ben Perrin, the public safety and justice adviser of former prime minister Harper, who sat in this House. He said the opposition is “rehashing Conservative, war-on-drugs tropes that have been long since discredited and have been found to be not only ineffective but costly and deadly.”

Conservatives are not worth the risk when we are here to save lives.

Carbon Pricing

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the Liberal carbon tax was supposed to lower greenhouse gas emissions, but after eight years they are higher than ever, and the cost of fuel and groceries is unaffordable.

After eight years, the Liberals were supposed to have alternatives to carbon, like better transit and EV charging stations everywhere, but they failed on that too. Now whistler-blowers say that nearly $40 million for clean technology was misdirected by Liberal appointees.

For the sake of the planet, will the Liberals admit that they are making Canadians poorer and Liberal insiders richer and that they are just not worth the cost?

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

Mr. Speaker, for the sake of the planet, Canadians, and the world, frankly, cannot afford the Conservative Party of Canada. With the Conservative Party of Canada, gone are the programs to support more than 300 projects that are under construction for transit all across the country. For electric buses announced in Alberta, in Ontario and in Quebec, gone are the programs. Gone are the programs to help people lower their energy bills and save money so they can fight climate change and fight affordability at the same time. Those initiatives will be gone under the Conservative Party of Canada. That is what Canadians can expect from its members.

[Iqwinder Gaheer, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and carbon pricing is the backbone of our climate plan. It has been one year since the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada was named leader, and he has offered Canadians absolutely nothing in terms of climate policy. There are no plans, no solutions.

In 2023, Canadians know how important it is to fight climate change. Our government has a plan to address both affordability and climate change, but the Conservatives do not have either. Our government's approach is working.

Can the Minister of Environment tell us what a household can expect to receive next week with the federal government's pollution pricing rebate?

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

Mr. Speaker, putting a price on pollution is one of the best ways to fight climate change, and it is why our emissions are down 50 million tonnes. It is the equivalent of removing 11 million gas-powered vehicles from our roads.

Next Friday, Canadians can expect to get $386 in Alberta, $264 in Manitoba, $244 in Ontario, $340 in Saskatchewan, $328 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $248 in Nova Scotia, $240 in Prince Edward Island and $368 in New Brunswick, which is a double payment. This is how we are helping Canadians fight climate change and working on affordability.

Health

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's blood inventory is entering its fourth month of serious shortages. This is the first time this has ever happened. This dangerous situation is putting patients at risk. If collections drop further, elective surgeries may have to be cancelled.

Experts warned the Liberals that privatizing plasma collection would jeopardize our blood supply. Allowing companies to pay donors is clearly hurting Canadian Blood Services. What is the government doing to protect our national blood supply?

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, ensuring the safety and quality of Canada's blood supply is our top priority. Health Canada regulates plasma sites to ensure plasma products sold in Canada are manufactured in accordance with strict safety standards. Health Canada will take action if those strict standards and regulations are not upheld.

Provinces and territories determine whether and how plasma is collected in their jurisdictions, including whether the sites pay donors for their donations. A number of provinces, including Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, do not currently allow for paid plasma donation.

We are committed to ensuring that the collection of plasma and its—

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.

Natural Resources

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation is still waiting to find out from the Canada Energy Regulator the reasons it gave in to the TMX pipeline and approved a new route that violates a key commitment to enter the territory of the first nation. Without reasons, the first nation cannot pursue its court remedy.

One thing they do not have to wait for is construction to begin through the most sacred areas of their territory, known as the Pípsell. The Pípsell area is essentially for that community what the Garden of Eden is for people in the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Will the government instruct the Crown corporation to stop destruction of the Pípsell at least until reasons are provided and legal remedies can be pursued?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight that our government is the one that put UNDRIP into law. That was after the Conservatives refused to even recognize UNDRIP as something that was worth support. We have also recently, in the past year, put in the UNDRIP action plan. We are continuing on that work.

As for the decision the member opposite is referring to, I want to emphasize that it was made by an independent quasi-judicial body that is not a government agency, and they have said that they will be providing reasons for decisions shortly. We are looking forward to seeing that.

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

That is all the time we have for question period today.

I have just a quick reminder, before I go to points of order, about the usage of T-shirts with words on them. We should make sure to try to be careful with those.

The hon. member for Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame is rising on a point of order.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have some feedback from a member's constituents in Avalon, and I would like to read some of the things he had to say—

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

Can the member quote what rule in the Standing Orders he is bringing up?

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to table a transcript about comments made by the member for Avalon.

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

The hon. member for Saint-Jean.

Oral Questions

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

Mr. Speaker, this week, the Chair made several interventions on two subjects: the tone of exchanges in the House and the importance of ensuring that opposition questions are addressed to the government. I would argue that I met those two criteria today. I calmly asked the Minister of Immigration, who represents the government, important questions on a serious topic. I would like clarification from the House on the fact that the answers did not come from the Minister of Immigration, but rather from the parliamentary secretary of a different department.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I was upset to see the minister remain seated when my colleague asked her question about the terrible matter of exploited foreign workers. It reminded me of comments by columnist Emmanuelle Latraverse, who said that the minister should get busy reforming the immigration system instead of sending out tweets. She also said that he never misses an occasion to be a troll on X, formerly Twitter. These issues are serious and timely. The minister should be paying closer attention to his department.

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

Mr. Speaker, as I am sure you are aware, it is a long-standing practice of the House that for responses to questions, who is going to answer a question is at the discretion of the government. If members want to, they can always ask a late show question to try to get a more detailed answer given the limitations of question period.

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

I agree with the hon. parliamentary secretary on this point. It is up to the government to decide who answers the opposition's questions.

We have another point of order, from the hon. member for South Shore—St. Margarets.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a document. It is a transcript that concerns a matter before the House.

“I think [the carbon tax is] hurting them a fair bit,” a member said—

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

This is sounding like debate, but I will ask if members want to allow the document to be tabled.

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Deputy Speaker, Chris d'Entremont]

The hon. member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes has a point of order.