Debates of March 29th, 2023

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay will lead us in the singing of the national anthem.

[Members sang the national anthem]

Democratic Values

[Kevin Vuong, Independent, Spadina—Fort York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on March 26, my bà ngoại, my grandmother, passed away at the age of 94. She lived a long life that began in a democratic Vietnam and started anew in Canada. Her story is similar to those of other immigrants who saw Canada as a safe place to call home and where democratic values and human rights flourished.

Yesterday also marked the one-year anniversary of my mom's passing. They were a dynamic duo who challenged Asian customs that were typically very hierarchical, patriarchal and traditional. While recognizing Asian studiousness, hard work and discipline, they also saw tremendous value in Canadian ingenuity and creativity.

They learned from their past, took what they believed to be the best of both worlds, and stitched together their own unique Canadian mosaic, one that helped me become the person I am today. I shall think often of these strong and fiercely proud Canadians. Through them, I learned how precious democracy and the rule of law are and that they should never be taken for granted.

Canadians must be ready to defend our values and way of life from those who seek to interfere, especially those from ideological and oppressive regimes who are in direct opposition to the things that define Canada and what it means to be Canadian.

Freedom of Religion

[Rechie Valdez, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the efforts of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at in Mississauga and across the country.

This week, I had the privilege of enjoying an lftar with members from the House and the community here in Ottawa, where we broke bread and had wonderful conversations. I want to thank the members of the community for the invitation. It was truly a wonderful evening.

Its slogan, “Love for All, Hatred for None” demonstrates the continuous desire to give back to the community through various initiatives and humanitarian work.

Unfortunately, the reality is that this peaceful community faces persecution in many countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, where its situation continues to worsen.

It is imperative that we stand in solidarity with Ahmadiyya Muslims and demand that those perpetrating their persecution be obligated to protect and uphold human rights.

I also want to take a moment to wish all Muslims a peaceful and safe Ramadan.

Ramadan Mubarak.

Big Bear CYAC

[Frank Caputo, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight Ms. Tara Ettinger's work as executive director of Big Bear Child and Youth Advocacy Centre, or CYAC.

Big Bear provides a place for child victims of crimes like sexual assault, Internet luring or production of child sexual abuse and exploitation materials, as well as their families, to speak to police, access supports, and seek medical care.

As someone who worked in the system, I know that these centres play a pivotal role in fighting crimes against children.

Ms. Ettinger has been the advocate, social media coordinator and even the janitor for Big Bear, in spite of its budget shortfall. She does this work all while completing her Ph.D., which she hopes to defend in the coming months.

Tara's tireless work has not gone unnoticed. It has changed the trajectory of so many lives. Big Bear and Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo owe her a debt of gratitude, and I thank her.

St. John's East

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

Mr. Speaker, at age 72, Herman Perry of St. John's knows better than most that age is just a number, but here are some numbers that really do matter: a 2,500-kilometre paddle, over 50 days, spanning from La Loche, Saskatchewan to Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories. That is exactly what Mr. Perry wanted to undertake on a journey to retrace historic trade routes.

A passionate outdoor enthusiast, his love of paddling took him across Labrador, the Quebec wilderness, Indonesia and the Churchill River. With the support of his wife, Sheila, and his kids and grandkids, he said he had another 10 years of paddling in him.

I look forward to hearing about this remarkable journey and I applaud Herman's courageous spirit and love of adventure.

Carleton University Ravens Basketball

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the talented student athletes at Carleton University, located in my community of Ottawa Centre, who just a few weeks ago captured both the 2023 men's and women's national basketball championships.

These exceptional accomplishments reflect the dedication, hard work and perseverance of these young athletes as well as their coaches and the entire Carleton University community.

The Ravens have been a force in U Sports basketball for some time, and they have now become the first school since 1985 to win the men's and women's titles in the same season.

On behalf of all members of Parliament in the House, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Carleton Ravens basketball teams for their exceptional performances this year, with more to come in 2024 and beyond.

Congratulations, Carleton! We are proud of them.

Support for Displaced Ukrainians

[Chad Collins, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine rages on, our government continues to provide support to those seeking safe haven here in Canada. Last week, we extended the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel and, to date, we have approved over 616,000 applications, with over 190,000 Ukrainians having landed in Canada since the start of the conflict. It is essential that all levels of government continue to provide settlement services in support of displaced Ukrainians and their families.

Today, I rise to thank the Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council, the staff at Wesley in the city of Hamilton, as well as the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, Hamilton, for their support of Ukrainians arriving in my city. Municipalities in the greater Hamilton and Toronto areas have invested tens of millions of dollars in settlement services and they need our financial support. These are shared federal responsibilities and I look forward to working with the minister and IRCC representatives to ensure settlement agencies and municipalities receive the necessary resources they require to continue to provide this invaluable service.

Support for Ukraine

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my unwavering support for the brave people of Ukraine as they continue to fight off Russia's unwarranted and illegal invasion. Since February last year, more than 26,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Alberta alone, many of whom are settling in my riding of Red Deer—Lacombe. I want to take this opportunity to thank Heidi Baumbach; her parents, Karen and Trent; and Olena Karachentseva for their dedication in assisting in the resettlement and integration of Ukrainians in our communities. Their efforts serve as examples of the kind of community spirit that makes Canada such a wonderful place to live.

I admire the strength of the Ukrainian people. The sacrifices they have made to protect their independence and liberty are truly remarkable. Canada must remain resilient in the wake of challenges posed by the common enemy: the adversaries of democracy and freedom. Ukrainian bravery and inspiration should serve as a reminder that democracy should never be taken for granted. We must do everything possible to ensure that their fight for freedom ends with victory. Slava Ukraini.

Kanata-Carleton Youth Council

[Jenna Sudds, Liberal, Kanata—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to rise today to welcome the Kanata-Carleton Youth Council to the House of Commons. It is an honour to welcome our youth prime minister, Jacqueline Carson; and fellow members, Kosar, Yalda, Santiago, Natalia, Dominic and Gray. Not only are these youth our future; they are our leaders today.

Like many young people, the youth council members care deeply about the issues that matter to young Canadians: mental health, climate change and fiscal policy. They are using their voices to make a real difference right now in our communities, in our schools and in our world.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me in giving a warm welcome to the amazing members of the Kanata-Carleton Youth Council.

World Autism Day

[Leah Taylor Roy, Liberal, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day, an annual opportunity for dedicated conversations about autism spectrum disorder. Autism touches more than 70 million people globally, and in Canada, one in 66 people is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. While each individual with autism is unique, they all face challenges in social communication, behaviour and sensory processing. Despite these challenges, those with autism have much to offer our society.

It is important we continue to strive for inclusion and understanding for those with autism. This means providing access to resources, support and opportunities for those living with autism and to the family members and others who provide support to them. Today, people like Dana and her daughter, Melanie, are here for Autism on the Hill. Melanie spoke today, describing the challenges she faces, but we also saw the unique gifts she has. Melanie did a great job.

My riding of Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill is home to many community organizations that provide support and services for families living with autism, including York Hill Centre for Children, Youth and Families; Kerry's Place Autism Services; and the Children's Treatment Network. I thank them all for the services they provide. I would also like to thank the member who put forward the motion. On this World Autism Day, let us stand together to create a more inclusive and understanding society for those with autism.

Public Safety

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, something has gone terribly wrong in this country. The violence is out of control. People, including children, are being stabbed on our streets, and police officers, including from my community in Spruce Grove, have been murdered in the line of duty. Now we know who is committing these acts of violence. Many of them are repeat offenders who have been let loose on our streets by a Liberal justice system that cares more about appeasing woke activists than it does about keeping Canadians safe.

It does not have to be this way. After eight years under the Liberal government, violent crime has skyrocketed in this country. That is an indisputable fact, and instead of facing that fact with decisive action to bring down the violence, the government evades responsibility for its failed policies.

It is time to end the radical Liberal experiments, and put the safety of innocent Canadians, and not the freedom of criminals, first.

Caleb's Courage Movement

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, each year, my constituents Mike and Nicole MacArthur prepare for Caleb's Courage Superhero Walk, Run, and Fly. It is a community fun run in honour of their late son Caleb, who bravely battled cancer until he passed away in 2015 at the age of four.

Notwithstanding that, Caleb's life will always be defined by his long-lasting impact.

The Caleb's Courage movement has raised more than $750,000 to support critically ill children in Cape Breton. It is thanks to Caleb's Courage that the Cape Breton Regional Hospital is now home to the Caleb's Courage Superhero Suite. It is a superhero-themed pediatrics room that empowers children and their families during their medical battles. It has also allowed many children in my community to receive their treatments, often ones that are life-saving and at home.

In honour of all children affected by cancer, I want to pay a special tribute to all the little superheroes like Caleb who have fought, or continue to fight, big battles. I would also want to thank Mike, Nicole, Ella, Aubreigh, Lauchlin, Emery and all those involved with the Caleb's Courage movement for doing their part to strengthen health care in Cape Breton—Canso.

Home Ownership

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a home is more than just drywall and lumber. It is the opportunity to raise a family and to be part of a community. It is a place to build memories and a place to have a future. However, for far too many Canadians, the dream of owning a home has been replaced by a cold reality. Even if someone works hard and does everything right the best they can hope for is couch surfing, car sleeping, fish huts, trailer parks or living in their parents' basements. Under the Liberal government, a record number of Canadians believe they will never own a home.

With the budget, the Liberals are doubling down on their failed policies. They have done nothing to fix the housing crisis or to take on the government gatekeepers who put up red tape and barriers. There are so many obstacles facing Canadians seeking to buy a home: rising interest rates, eye-watering down payments, soaring house prices and skyrocketing rent. However, the root cause and the biggest obstacle of them all is the Liberal Prime Minister. It is true, though.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order.

I just want to remind everyone that S. O. 31s are taking place. I know there are some people talking, and it is great to see everyone talk among themselves, but let us keep it down to a whisper and not talk loudly. If members want to talk louder, they can just take it out to the lobby until we are done.

The hon. member for Calgary Rocky Ridge.

Taxation

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday’s budget tried to fool Canadians into thinking the Liberals had capped the tax on beer, wine and spirits, but they did no such thing. If it was actually capped, the tax would not be going up on Saturday. Canada already has one of the highest excise duty rates in the world, and the tax is still going up on Saturday, and it will still go up automatically next year.

New spending in the budget will cost $4,300 per Canadian family. The budget promises Canadians more taxes and more deficits, which means more inflation. Taxes and inflation are crushing Canadians to the point that having a beer with friends or enjoying a bottle of wine with a loved one are becoming unaffordable luxuries for the middle class and those desperately trying to cling to it.

I call on MPs to support my private member's bill to repeal the automatic escalator tax and bring back happy hour for Canadians.

Denis Gratton

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness but much hope that I join all Franco-Ontarians and my colleagues in the House to pay tribute to an extraordinary man and journalist for the past 32 years at Le Droit, a man beginning an unprecedented battle against an enemy—cancer—he characterized as Goliath in his latest, but not last, column.

I am referring to Mr. Denis Gratton, a proud Franco-Ontarian and passionate man who works tirelessly to defend the French fact here in Ottawa, in columns that we read with interest, despite, at times, a touch of friendly sarcasm.

Today, we want to send a message of hope and courage to dear Mr. Gratton. Our thoughts are with him during this time. We encourage him to stay strong as he has always been while defending our right to speak French. We eagerly await his next column.

I wish Mr. Gratton much strength.

Guaranteed Basic Income

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

Mr. Speaker, seniors across Canada are facing significant challenges. I hear from seniors, largely single women, who are struggling to make ends meet. They cannot afford housing, basic food, medication and heat. Almost 600,000 Canadian senior women are living in poverty. Far too many of those women are further marginalized because of who they are: indigenous, Black, persons of colour and those from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Others are widows of veterans who married their spouse of after 60 years of age and are left without a pension because of a sexist, outdated gold-diggers clause.

In Canada, we should have a guaranteed livable basic income, as Bill C-223 by my friend, the member for Winnipeg Centre, would do. It is an amount that would would allow no one in this country to fall below the bar of basic dignity.

Canadians must ask themselves about the expense of abandoning those most in need and of their suffering. It is time to do better for seniors.

French

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker,

In the Quebec of days gone by,
English stole the words “French” and “Canadian”.
Quebeckers were born.
Out of a dream, anger, the street and words.
Michèle Lalonde voiced the indignation of our nation in the Americas,
of hard-working Quebeckers and African slaves.
Speak white!
Speak white!
Speak the language of whites!
Speak the language of the conqueror!
Speak English!
Speak white!
An insult that Quebec neither chose,
nor appropriated.
An insult that the English, this House!
threw in the face of Henri Bourassa when he spoke French here...
to the French-speakers of the country,
to the Africans of the continent.
History identifies what happened,
literature records it.
A people that lies to itself has neither history nor literature.
If censorship wins,
Speak white, a poem, will become a symbol of racism.
The n-word is not for me.
It belongs to those who suffer from it.
Poetry is the weapon of Justice.

World Autism Awareness Day

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

Mr. Speaker, April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day, and a quarter century since my son, Jaden, was diagnosed.

Over the years, I have focused a lot of my public words on Jaden’s strengths. This is not because he does not need help but rather because, all too often, all people see is the help he needs.

To be clear, as incredible as Jaden is, he needs a lot of help. He has considerable strengths in the concrete world, but they are inhibited by his struggles in the abstract world. He does not understand danger, so he literally needs help to survive every day.

In other ways, Jaden's differences are healthier than our societal “normal”. He is obsessed with pictures, not because of how many “likes” they get on Instagram, but because of how much he loves the people, pets and places in them. He is honest with his expressions: giggling, yawning, crying or “tongue-out” intense. He rarely feels pressure to be something he is not. He is unwaveringly loyal, trusting, forgiving and trusting again, seemingly without hesitation.

Yes, Jaden needs help, but for those who give him that help, invariably they receive much more in return.

Denise Poirier‑Rivard

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I want to take advantage of the fact that Ms. Poirier‑Rivard is visiting Parliament and pay her the tribute she deserves. She has a long list of accomplishments to her name, and her life partner, Jean‑Paul, has been by her side for all of them.

At the age of 40, this mother became a farmer, purchasing a farm and starting up a cheese business called Ruban bleu. She earned the admiration of her peers and received numerous honours, including the UPA's female farmer of the year award in 2003.

This distinguished businesswoman served as the Bloc Québécois member of Parliament for Châteauguay—Saint-Constant from 2004 to 2006, but her political and social involvement did not stop there. She was also a municipal councillor, vice-president of the Fondation Anna‑Laberge and president of La Rencontre Châteauguoise.

I wish to join my friend and mayor of Saint‑Constant, Jean-Claude Boyer, who is also here, in thanking Ms. Poirier‑Rivard from the bottom of my heart for her contribution, which has left an indelible mark on our wonderful community.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, one year ago, the Minister of Finance admitted that deficits add fuel to the fire of inflation.

She promised four things. She promised that the debt-to-GDP ratio would decline, but it is going up. She promised that the deficits would be reduced, but they are going up. She promised that the debts incurred due to COVID-19 would be paid down, but they are going up. She promised that the budget would be balanced in 2027, but now she is promising that it will never balance itself.

How can Canadians believe anything this minister and the Prime Minister say about money?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, during a challenging time in the world, this budget will ensure that Canadians can continue to count on their government being there for them. We are meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow by introducing a new grocery rebate that will deliver targeted support to 11 million Canadians, lowering credit card transaction fees for small businesses, increasing investments in our public health care system, making transformative investments in our economy.

This is a budget of hope and ambition. We are putting in place the building blocks today so that we can realize today's dreams tomorrow.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pipe dream.

A year ago, the finance minister said, “We are absolutely determined that our debt-to-GDP ratio must continue to decline.” It is going up. She also said, “Our [pandemic] deficits must continue to be reduced.” They are going up. She went on to say, “The [extraordinary] debt[s] we incurred...must...be paid down.” They are not only not being paid down, but they are going up. She said as well that the budget would be balanced in 2027. Now the Liberals admit that the budget will never balance itself.

Given these four falsehoods, how can Canadians believe anything the minister or the Prime Minister says about money?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we are going to take no lessons from a Leader of the Opposition who tells Canadians to hedge on inflation by putting money into crypto.

Let us look at fiscal responsibility. Canada will have the lowest deficit and the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. The deficit is projected to decline every year. Public debt charges, as a share of the economy, will remain historically low. We have the strongest economic growth in the G7, with 830,000 jobs created since the beginning of the pandemic, and a record 85.7% participation of Canadian women in the labour force.

The future is bright for Canada, and this budget delivers that future.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, they are so out of touch.

They have presented a budget containing $60 billion in additional inflationary spending, which represents an extra $4,200 for every family in Canada. That is insane. Canadians can no longer foot the bill for a government that has lost control of spending in our country.

Canadians are struggling to pay their bills, feed their children and buy a house. How will they survive this budget?