Debates of Feb. 13th, 2023

Innovation, Science and Industry

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, artificial intelligence plays a key role in the future of manufacturing, agriculture and business. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry inform the House of the measures that have been taken by our government to finance important projects and support the AI ecosystem in Canada?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Alfred-Pellan for his excellent work and especially for his leadership. As per this morning's important announcement, we are going to invest $40 million in artificial intelligence projects that will generate 117 million projects across the country.

Canada's global leadership is behind AI. That will help to create high quality jobs, set up more resilient supply chains and improve efficiency and productivity.

Canada is a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence and we will continue to be with investments like the one announced this morning.

Veterans Affairs

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal government, everything is broken. Canadian veterans need help. Wait times are skyrocketing. Veterans are homeless. Funds for veterans in need are being withheld.

Veterans took an oath to serve their country. They were ready to die for their country. Veterans with PTSD need help from their country. They are not ready to be eliminated by the government.

Will the Prime Minister take responsibility for failing our heroes, or just get out of the way so we can fix what he broke?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question, but when his party was in power, it fired a thousand employees and cut investments to Veterans Affairs. We have invested over $340 million to make sure we address the backlog. We have made sure and will continue to make sure that veterans receive appropriate remuneration for the great service they provide to this country.

Public Safety

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal Prime Minister, legal firearms owners want the government to stop harassing them and target the criminals who are the real problem. Crime is up 32%, and violent gang murders are up 92% after eight years of Liberal government. The Liberal Prime Minister is responsible for the Criminal Code and for securing the very borders that illegal guns are smuggled through.

Will the Prime Minister fix what he broke, reinforce border security and keep the smuggled guns out of the hands of criminals?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague will have seen that we are consulting with legal firearms owners. In fact, that is precisely what we have been doing throughout the course of Bill C-21 and will continue to do so, because we know that hunters, trappers and first nations are part of the Canadian social fabric.

More to the point, what we are targeting are those AR-15 style guns that have been used in some of the worst mass-shooting tragedies in this country's history. That is what we are after. We are also going to support the CBSA, which is stopping an increasing number of illegal firearms at our border. That is something that I hope my colleague would support. However, in order to do that, he actually has to vote for those appropriations, and the next time we do that, I hope he will.

Housing

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

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of Liberal incompetence, Canadians are desperate to buy an affordable home. Housing prices are at an all-time high, forcing young Canadians to keep living with their parents.

When will the Liberal government make life affordable for the younger generation of Canadians, who have lost hope in our future because our country, Canada, is completely broken?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we are focused on making sure that we provide supports to first-time homebuyers, encouraging the dream of Canadian home ownership: $40,000 in a first-time homebuyer tax-free savings account; doubling of the first-time homebuyer tax credit; introducing a $200-million rent-to-own program; and banning foreign ownership of Canadian residential real estate. Those are real, tangible measures to help first-time homebuyers. Those are not fear and gimmicks.

Regional Economic Development

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this morning, our government made a significant announcement regarding our commitment to investing in rural communities across southern Ontario, including in my riding of Kitchener—Conestoga. Our government announced an investment of $39.6 million for the Community Futures Development Corporation across southern Ontario through the community futures program.

Can the minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario please inform the House about the important investments our government is making in small towns and rural communities?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Kitchener—Conestoga for his tireless advocacy. Rural businesses, organizations and communities contribute significantly to strengthening the Canadian economy. Community Futures Development Corporations offer on-the-ground support that enables rural businesses to thrive. Our government is investing nearly $40 million, as the member has acknowledged, in Community Futures Development Corporations to enable them to provide the support necessary to grow regional economies. Our government is going to continue to make investments in people, which leads to strong economic growth and creates an economy that works for all Canadians.

Veterans Affairs

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs gave $560 million to a company owned by Loblaws to deliver services for veterans. Now the contract rollout is paused for the second time. Why? It is because the company was not ready. Veterans who gave everything to this country see their treatments on hold, their services delayed and providers confused.

Will the minister admit that outsourcing to a greedy for-profit company is not working for veterans and their families, and cancel the contract?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her concern, but this new contract will provide 14,000 veterans with over 9,000 health professionals in 600 places across this country. Absolutely no veteran will fall through the cracks. It will be completely seamless for veterans. I can assure my colleague that the case managers, veterans and everyone involved are completely informed all the way along on these contracts. They are a great asset to veterans, and the government will continue to support veterans.

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, in his state of the union address, President Joe Biden called out big oil for its excess profits, which he called “outrageous”, and he pledged to quadruple the tax on corporate stock buybacks. Frankly, that is not enough. The Secretary-General of the United Nations has called such profits “immoral”. In Canada, the 10 biggest oil and gas companies amassed more than $66 billion in profits in one year, and that is more than double what they had in the previous decade.

Can the hon. minister tell us when Canada will tax back the excess profits of these war profiteers?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to work with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. I am very glad to hear her talking about President Biden's comments on the share buyback tax and his view that he would like to see that tax, which is currently at 1% in the United States, quadrupled. The fact is that in Canada we introduced that tax at 2%, which is double the current U.S. level, because we absolutely believe it is appropriate for our tax system to encourage Canadian companies to invest in workers and to invest in the economy.

The House resumed from February 9 consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—Use of the Notwithstanding Clause

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

It being 3:07, pursuant to the order made on Thursday, June 23, 2022, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of the member for Beloeil—Chambly relating to the business of supply.

Call in the members.

During the taking of the vote:

Sitting Suspended

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order, please. We seem to have a small technical glitch in the lobbies. We are going to suspend for about two minutes while they run to the lobbies and check it out to make sure everything is okay there. They should be back shortly.

Members can leave their seats, but please come back right away.

(The sitting of the House was suspended at 3:24 p.m.)

(The House resumed at 3:26 p.m.)

Sitting Resumed

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. We have checked and everything seems to be in order. To make sure everyone is back in the House, we will ring the bells for a few minutes and then announce the result.

And the bells having rung:

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

Vote #257

Business of Supply

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I declare the motion lost.

The House resumed from February 10 consideration of the motion that Bill S-8, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Pursuant to an order made on Thursday, June 23, 2022, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at the second reading stage of Bill S-8.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find consent to apply the previous vote to this vote, with Liberals members voting yea.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we agree to proceed in this fashion, with Conservatives voting in favour.