Debates of Dec. 12th, 2023

Child Care

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Madam Speaker, last week, the Conservatives tried to cut funding for over 30 critical programs for Canadian families, specifically child care. Every child deserves a chance to dream big and every parent deserves the opportunity to build their careers without worrying about child care costs.

We have heard the struggles, felt the worries and understood the juggle of balancing work and raising children. I personally experienced that myself as a single mother raising three children on my own. That is why I am glad our government committed to reducing child care fees by an average of 50% this year, with a goal of just $10 a day by 2025. Child care empowers parents, especially mothers, to realize their full potential, promotes gender equality and increases the size of the workforce.

The Conservatives talk a big game about having Canadians' backs, especially when it comes to Canadian families, but when it comes to supporting mothers and our children, they do not believe in it. Our government will continue to fight for children, mothers and families all across Canada.

Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada

[Warren Steinley, Conservative, Regina—Lewvan, SK]

Madam Speaker,

'Twas the week before Christmas, just before the House break,
Eight long years with a government on the take.
The economy was stalled, Liberal spending was high,
Canadians were struggling just to get by.
No one could afford a house or pay rent,
The carbon tax quadrupled is making a dent.
Canadians struggling and having to choose,
Between heating and eating, it was only bad news.
For families lined up at the food banks to eat,
The costly coalition was making Christmas look bleak.
But alas there was hope, from the opposition side,
A new Conservative leader was sure to provide.
With a common-sense plan geared for all people,
He would axe the tax and end the upheaval.
His housing policy would fix what the Liberals had broken,
He would ensure there would be no need for food tokens.
After eight long years of wasteful spending,
He would stop the debt from ever ascending.
The member for Carleton will soon be PM,
And this costly coalition will come to an end.
I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight,
Your home, my home, our home, let us bring it home and to all a good night.

Women and Gender Equality

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Madam Speaker, supporting women so they can claim their full and proper place in the economy is not just the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do. Are members aware that, by promoting women's participation in the economy, we could increase our GDP by $150 billion?

Unfortunately, only 17% of SMEs are currently owned by women. That is why I was so proud to vote in favour of the women entrepreneurship strategy. Of course, that vote took place in the middle of the night, while half the Conservatives were tucked away in their beds. The other half of the Conservatives voted against it. Am I surprised? No, because a party made up of only 18% women cannot represent women in Canada.

Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi Montmorency

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi Montmorency, or CJE Montmorency, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. This organization in Beauport has become indispensable for young people between the ages of 15 and 35.

CJE Montmorency provides a wide range of free services to these youths to help and support them as they look for work, go back to school or even start their own business. In 25 years, thousands of young people have benefited from the entire team's extraordinary work.

At the head of this team is an incredible woman, the CEO, Sonia Noël. Sonia is frank, open, direct and creative. She is amazing. She does a masterful job of keeping the organization running. Through her understanding, empathy and determination, CJE Montmorency has been able to grow and expand its activities.

I want to say congratulations to the entire team and thank them on behalf of our young people.

Public Safety

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Toronto has always been a safe city, yet over the last year there has been a marked increase of stabbings and shootings. In my riding of Davenport, residents have really begun to worry about their safety and the safety of their children.

After meeting with a number of local police superintendents, one thing they asked is for us to continue to focus on stopping guns from illegally entering our country. Our Liberal government has stepped up with more funding to keep Canadians safe, yet last week the Conservatives voted no to funding that would crack down on firearms from illegally entering Canada, no to additional dollars to keep the Canadian border secure and no to enhancing the RCMP's work to combat gun and gang violence.

On this side of the House, we will continue the important work to keep Toronto and all Canadian cities safe, while the Conservatives continue to play partisan games and obstruct important legislation. They are not worth the risk.

Peter Elzinga

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Alberta and Canada lost a giant recently, a man who was known around these halls, during his time as a member of Parliament for 12 years, and certainly around the Alberta legislature, as a member of the Legislative Assembly from 1986 to 1993 and then chief of staff to former premier Ralph Klein.

Although Peter Elzinga has left us in person, many of us are certainly better off for having known him.

Remarkably, he left his life in government to donate a kidney to his friend, which characterizes the spirit of Peter and his public life. He was always filled with generosity and kindness, and I will cherish my many conversations with him and his committed guidance to me during my time in public life.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Patricia; sons Gregory, Roger and Peter-Burl; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

May Peter rest in peace. He served Canada with distinction, and, as a country, it is better off.

Menstrual Equity Fund

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for most of our history, people who menstruate have been expected to fend for themselves and always carry hygienic supplies in case their “monthly visitor” arrives by surprise.

There are plenty of euphemisms for menstruation, because we have been taught this bodily function is somehow embarrassing. In consequence, those who experience period poverty have an exacerbated inability to access menstrual products. They face more inequity at school and work; in some cases, they decline to participate in society. That is why so many celebrated the $18-million investment to distribute menstrual products to our most vulnerable through Food Banks Canada, as announced by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality. This is the kind of forward-thinking policy we get when women are in positions of power.

Conservatives voted against the menstrual equity fund last week, against helping more than 570,000 people access free menstrual products every month. Conservatives are not worth the risk to all we have accomplished for women's equity.

Conservative Party of Canada

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

Mr. Speaker, leading the country takes stamina. That is why our team, cabinet and leader were here, vote after vote, for 30-plus hours last week. Meanwhile, the opposition members could barely fill their benches, and their leader could barely show his face. When they did vote, they voted against our plan to help Canadians, including innovative Atlantic Canadian businesses, communities and businesses recovering from hurricane Fiona, Atlantic Canada's growing bioscience sector and marine conservation.

The fall economic statement is a plan that will support people in St. John's East and across the country. If we wanted to compare the opposition's plan, it is nowhere to be found; there are only cuts and political stunts.

Conservatives' true colours were on display last week as they voted against 100 measures to help this country.

Housing

[Dan Muys, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, the dream of home ownership has become a nightmare. Today, mortgages have become unmanageable, devouring two-thirds of the average Canadian's monthly income for a typical Canadian home. I have heard from far too many families in Waterdown and Binbrook that are now teetering on the brink, because their monthly payments are up thousands. It is all because of the Liberals' reckless spending and deficits.

Young Canadians who are not yet in the market have totally given up. Saving for a down payment used to be achievable with a few years of hard work, but now it takes 25 years, which is what it used to take to pay off the entire home. This proves once again that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

Rents, mortgages and down payments have doubled. It is double trouble.

However, hope is on the way. Common-sense Conservatives have a plan to build homes, not bureaucracy, and restore the dream of home ownership for Canadians once again. Let us bring it home.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, our government is continuing to invest in affordable housing.

In 2017, our Prime Minister launched a badly needed $80-billion national housing strategy to fill the big gaps left by the previous Conservative government's denial of federal responsibility for housing. Countless Canadians remember what life was like during Prime Minister Harper's “decade of darkness”.

Last week showed that today's Conservative leader is cut from the same cloth. On Thursday and Friday, Conservative MPs voted against funding indigenous housing, funding 15,000 permanent affordable homes, constructing 71,000 rental homes and so much more.

Our government is working to strengthen the economy by supporting the middle class and those seeking to join it. While in Mr. Harper's cabinet, today's Conservative leader worked to undermine Canada's electoral democracy and shred our social safety net.

The Conservative leader is simply not worth the risk.

Carbon Tax

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years under this government, food, housing and gas prices have never been higher, and with the governing Bloc-Liberal coalition intent on drastically increasing the carbon tax, prices are only going to go up.

I am so sick and tired of hearing these two parties say that the carbon tax does not impact Quebec. The second carbon tax will increase the price of gasoline by 17¢ per litre. Quebeckers also have to pay higher prices on products brought in from other provinces, because the price of the carbon tax is passed on indirectly.

The Conservatives want the carbon tax to be eliminated in all provinces and territories. We knew right from the start that this was not an environmental plan, but a tax plan. Our party put forward motion after motion, but the Bloc-Liberal coalition opposed every single one.

Conservatives will continue to fight to remove the carbon tax on farmers and Canadian families, restore common sense in the next election and show these two parties what Canadians really want: affordable housing and a well-stocked fridge.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians hate the carbon tax. We see premiers suing the government, first nations taking the government to court and people lined up in breadlines at the food bank, because they cannot afford to eat.

Farmers feed this country. They do not understand why the Prime Minister continues to tax the inputs they must purchase to grow food. They are taxes that their competitors do not pay, yet the Liberal rural affairs minister has just made a spectacle of herself, stating that the country needs to vote for more Liberals if people want an exemption to this unfair tax.

The Prime Minister has instructed his appointed senators to gut the Conservative bill to remove carbon taxes on farmers, and we have the NDP leader willing to vote against farmers in the House of Commons to keep the Prime Minister in power. Canadians agree: The Prime Minister and the NDP-Liberal government are just not worth the cost.

Mental Health and Addictions

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week's 30-hour circus put on by the Conservatives cost Canadian taxpayers nearly $2 million. While I was happy to sit in the House with my colleagues to ensure that the services that Canadians need most were passed and protected, Conservatives spent their night voting against Canadians.

Let me tell members one of their most shocking votes against communities such as my riding of London West. Conservatives voted to cut the funding to combat the toxic drug overdose crisis. They voted against substance use prevention programs for youth and the new national suicide crisis hotline.

The toxic drug crisis has claimed too many Canadian lives, and the risk that the opposition will cause an already struggling population to plunge into crisis is too high. Cutting a bilingual, trauma-informed and culturally appropriate support for suicide prevention would be a risk that Canadians cannot afford to take right now.

On this side of the House, we are going to keep fighting to make sure that Canadians have access to the mental health and addictions support that they need most, when they need it.

Food Security

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are suffering from a food insecurity crisis that is jeopardizing our constituents' fundamental right to food.

The pillars of that right, namely availability, adequacy and accessibility, are compromised not only in my riding, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, but also across the country.

Food insecurity in Ontario has been steadily increasing, from 7.8% in 2008 to 18% in 2022. Feed Ontario reports a 36% rise in food bank visits last year, soaring by 101% compared to prepandemic levels.

Among the most affected are 41.7% of first nations on-reserve households, followed by single mothers, at a distressing 41%. Moreover, over one-third of food bank users are children.

Parliament needs to implement a national school lunch program and a guaranteed livable basic income, as well as to crack down on corporate greed. Let us all affirm our commitment to a society where every citizen lives in dignity, free from the spectre of food insecurity.

Danielle Gamelin

[Louis Plamondon, Bloc, Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to take a few moments to pay tribute to Danielle Gamelin, director general of Fondation Santé Bécancour–Nicolet–Yamaska.

From the time she started running that organization eight years ago, she proceeded to restructuring internal operations to improve efficiency and organizing fundraisers to stabilize the organization's financial health. What is more, she has reached out many times to the municipalities, the two RCMs, the chamber of commerce and every organization that offers health care services or community services so that the foundation can effectively meet their needs.

Ms. Gamelin is a woman of conviction. She is persuasive, inspiring, genuine, audacious and extremely disciplined. May she stay at the head of the Fondation Santé Bécancour–Nicolet–Yamaska for a long time to come. This entire beautiful region thanks her very much.

Public Services and Procurement

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, last night, the industry committee heard from a former employee of the Prime Minister's green slush fund about $150 million of taxpayer money being misappropriated. Canadian tax dollars were funnelled to companies with Liberal insiders.

The witness said, “[an] embarrassing lack of oversight...allowed these problems to persist”, and there was an “egregious cover-up of the truth.” There were “breaches of...conflict of interest.”

Millions were approved for companies owned or operated by board members. A staggering level of incompetence, willful ignorance and corruption was shown. The minister and the Privy Council Office actively engaged with altering memos before they were sent.

After eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, it is obvious that they are not worth the cost. The Liberals will take care of their friends; Conservatives will continue to push for accountability and answers. When will Canadians get back the missing millions from Liberal insiders?

Jim Carr

[Ben Carr, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, today marks one year since the death of my father, Jim Carr. My dad had a deep respect for our institutions. He believed in the possibility borne from civil, yet rigorous debate; hard work; and confidence in what we can accomplish when working together.

His morals and values were guided by a faith in people. The proudest of his accomplishments was the last one: In his final days, he stood in this chamber, just a few seats from the one I occupy today, to advance the greening of the Prairie economy. He said during debate on the bill that, if he had a favourite part, it was that which required a report back to Parliament. Yesterday, the bill's framework was tabled in the House.

Dad's final moments here saw him surrounded by people he loved, in a place he loved, working to improve the well-being of everyone from the region he loved. He lived by what our dear Auntie Fran would say, that it all comes down to attitude. She would say that “the glass always had to be half-full” and that one should be full of life. That he was.

Whenever the time may come that I look back at my own parliamentary career and judge its successes and shortcomings, I hope that I will be able to genuinely say that I have lived up to the standard that he set for us all. We miss him.

Public Services and Procurement

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is inflating grocery prices and forcing 28,000 young Quebeckers to write letters to Opération Père Noël asking for food instead of gifts. Meanwhile, he is also spending $1 billion on a green slush fund where public servants are saying that the money is being given to friends and wasted.

Now, a whistle-blower and former employee is saying that the minister lied to the committee about the scandal.

Why did this minister cover up the scandal and Liberal waste?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader's plan to shut down Parliament last week failed. All his 30-hour temper tantrum achieved was to show Canadians his party's true colours and cost taxpayers $2 million in wasteful spending.

The Conservative Party tried to reduce access to affordable child care, cut construction of affordable housing and make cuts to the police and the Canadian Armed Forces.

The Conservatives want to bring us back to the Stone Age, but we are going to meet Canadians' needs.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the question was about the Prime Minister's billion-dollar green slush fund scandal. We already know that, while he is forcing two million Canadians to a food bank, doubling housing costs and quadrupling the carbon tax, he has a billion-dollar fund that its own bureaucrats say reminds them of the sponsorship scandal and where its executives were giving money to their own companies.

Yesterday, a courageous whistle-blower testified the Prime Minister's innovation minister “lied” to the committee. Why are the minister and his boss, the Prime Minister, covering up this scandal and waste of Canadian tax dollars?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that the Conservative leader does not want to talk about his failed Republican-style plan to shut down Parliament last week. All his 30-hour temper tantrum achieved was to show Canadians the party's true colours and cost Canadians $2 million in wasteful spending.

The Conservative Party tried to cut affordable child care, cut construction of affordable housing, defund the police and defund Canada's armed forces. While they want to bring us back to the Stone Age, we will stay focused on Canadians.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians will be forced to eat stone soup this winter after the Prime Minister gave us the worst food price inflation in 40 years, and we have two million Canadians, a record-smashing number, lined up at food banks. I know the Prime Minister is desperate to avoid defending his own track record, or worse yet, his quadrupling of the carbon tax.

There is a common-sense Conservative bill, Bill C-234, in the Senate up for the vote today. Will the Prime Minister stop blocking the bill and axe the tax so our farmers can feed families?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party of Canada had the opportunity to support affordability measures for Canadians, but instead, its members chose to take 30 hours attacking the most vulnerable. During the Conservative leader's $2-million temper tantrum, they gladly stood against veterans experiencing homelessness, against emergency shelters for women and girls, against indigenous housing, and against rapid affordable housing construction. They even tried to prevent support for those who lost their homes in hurricane Fiona. That leader is reckless and should be ashamed.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the truth is that the Prime Minister is not spending money on any of those things. He has a food program that does not feed kids. It feeds bureaucracies and creates frameworks that kids cannot eat. He has a housing affordability program that doubles the cost of housing, a housing accelerator that has not built a single house and a carbon tax that has not reduced emissions.

Instead of spending billions on programs that cause inflation and do nothing but sound pretty, why will he not axe the tax on our farmers so they can feed Canadians this winter?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, whether the Leader of the Opposition makes a homemade video about it or not, a key factor contributing to food inflation around the world is Putin's illegal war in Ukraine. That party has been playing right into the Kremlin's hands by voting against Operation Unifier, by voting against funding for military aid to Ukraine and by voting at every opportunity, including again this morning, against the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement that Ukrainians have been asking for. We will never abandon Ukraine, unlike the Conservative leader, who showed Canadians—