Debates of Dec. 6th, 2023

Carbon Pricing

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, farmers wanted a break on the carbon tax. Unfortunately, the Senate voted in favour of an amendment that guts Bill C-234 of all substance.

Food prices and prices overall are going to stay high even though Canadians are struggling. We certainly cannot count on the Bloc-Liberal coalition to help them.

Will the Prime Minister finally abandon his plan to increase the carbon tax on farmers and families? They cannot take it anymore.

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I am trying to understand the Conservatives' obsession with battling the fight against climate change. I am certain they cannot even spell it, especially given that they do not acknowledge its existence. Right now, they are doing everything they can to make sure nothing is done about it.

The other day, they told us to talk to senators. Now they are telling us not to talk to senators. We do not even have any senators. This morning, when we got to our caucus meeting, there were no senators. On their side, however, there is a whole group of senators talking to them. To top it off, their senators do not even show up to vote. That is their problem. Let them deal with it.

Gender-Based Violence

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today we remember the 14 young women who were killed at École Polytechnique. On this day, we remember that we must keep working until Canada is free from gender-based violence.

Could the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth talk about the work that our government has done to guarantee that a massacre like this never happens again?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the question.

Today we are taking the time to remember the mothers, sisters and daughters across the country who have lost their lives to senseless, preventable violence.

Gender-based violence must not and will not be tolerated in Canada. Our government will always fight to end violence against women. This means having firearms legislation and a national action plan to end gender-based violence.

Indigenous Affairs

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Mr. Speaker, this past summer was the worst wildfire season in Canada's history. Indigenous communities are on the front lines of the climate crisis and are disproportionately paying the price, yet Liberals are investing less than a third of all emergency preparedness money in prevention, choosing to be reactive.

First nations like Bloodvein River First Nation, which has been evacuated because of wildfires, does not have a fire truck to this day. The AFN is asking for $30 billion in mitigation. The Liberals' spending on mitigation is a drop in the bucket.

Why are the Liberals pretending this reality is acceptable for first nations and indigenous communities facing the climate crisis?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada]

Mr. Speaker, our nation has been dealing with significant wildfire seasons because of climate change, and it is impacting the most vulnerable, especially when it comes to our indigenous communities.

Every time I have gone to visit the disaster-affected areas, I do meet with the indigenous communities. One of the things that we are looking at is making sure that we use their knowledge, in terms of the mitigation, and making sure that we have the appropriate response force.

We are going to get this right by making sure that the indigenous have the support to actually support us in our wildfire response.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Mike Morrice, Green, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Sudanese Canadians have been advocating since April for the government's definition of “immediate family member” to include siblings, parents and grandparents amidst escalating violence and reports of ethnic cleansing in Sudan. Now, Canadians with family in Gaza are living the same horror.

While I appreciate that the minister has rightfully admitted at committee that the definition “probably should be expanded”, nothing has yet changed.

When will the minister fix the definition so Sudanese and Palestinian Canadians can bring their families to safety?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot stress more to members of the House how difficult it is to actually get people out of Gaza, a war zone faced with a humanitarian disaster.

Our priority remains permanent residents and Canadian families. We are looking at options to expand that to make sure that people connected to Canada can be afforded a safe haven, but again, it is a work in progress. It is extremely difficult to get people out at this time, but we will continue to work hard to do so.

Presence in Gallery

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I wish to draw the attention of members to the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Nils Clarke, Minister of Highways and Public Works, and Minister of Environment of the Yukon.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

École polytechnique de Montréal

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Following discussions among representatives of all parties of the House, I understand there is an agreement to observe a moment of silence.

I would now invite the House to rise and observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the tragic event that happened 34 years ago at École polytechnique de Montréal.

[A moment of silence observed]

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: Given that the CBC announced it is cutting 600 jobs, and 250 of these jobs—

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I am already hearing a number of noes. We have changed things a bit, and when we hear a number of noes, we just move on to the next item.

The hon. leader of the official opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there must be a misunderstanding, because surely the Liberals do not want to give bonuses to the CBC executives while they are killing jobs of CBC workers. The problem is that they have not listened to the motion. Clearly, killing jobs of the people working for the CBC while giving bonuses to the executives is not what they are calling for.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Oh, that is what they are calling for. What a terrible shame.

Oral Questions

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Earlier today, during question period, it was very clear when the member for Battle River—Crowfoot used unparliamentary language, and it was very much appreciated that he was asked to leave the chamber.

However, upon reflection, I would ask that you listen to all of the proceedings that took place during that commotion. I think you will find that some very outrageous things were said. We ask that you consider not acknowledging the member's right to speak until he formally apologizes to the House.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Ultimately, we will go back and listen to the event. I can rule only on things that I heard on the microphone, and, of course, the hon. member was the one I was aware of who said it.

The House resumed from November 30 consideration of the motion, and of the amendment.

Public Accounts

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

It being 3:24 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the amendment of the member for Edmonton West to the motion for concurrence in the 26th report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

Call in the members.

And the bells having rung:

The question is as follows.

May I dispense?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

[Chair read text of amendment to House]

(The House divided on the amendment, which was negatived on the following division:)

Vote #475

Committees of the House

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I declare the amendment defeated.

The next question is on the main motion.

If a member participating in person wishes that the motion be carried or carried on division, or if a member of a recognized party participating in person wishes to request a recorded division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.