Debates of April 28th, 2023

Labour

[Terry Sheehan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Sudbury for continuing to support workers. Every worker in Canada has the right to a safe and healthy workplace and the right to return home safely at the end of their workday. On the National Day of Mourning, we pay tribute to all workers who have lost their lives, been injured or fallen ill at work.

As we pause to reflect, we also see April 28 as a call to continued action. As we honour the memory of those lives lost, we are rededicating ourselves to creating and fostering workplaces where all workers can do their best work knowing that they are physically and mentally safe. One accident or one death on the job is one too many.

Democratic Institutions

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Madam Speaker, we know that, for years, Beijing has attempted to exert undue influence in Canada, but this is the very first government and the very first Prime Minister that have willingly offered Beijing cash for access. This is the first government that has gone that far, and $140,000 is all that it takes. It might as well be 30 pieces of silver.

Why does the Prime Minister believe that our democracy is up for sale?

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

Madam Speaker, it is somewhat unfortunate that the Conservatives want to continue with partisan attacks and character assassinations when there are so many different issues that Canadians are facing today.

One of the budget announcements that I am very proud of and feel that Canadians are glad to see is the grocery rebate. That is putting money in the pockets of Canadians, and somewhere to the tune of 11 million people will benefit from it. I think the Conservatives need to get in touch with what Canadians are concerned about.

Public Safety

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Madam Speaker, they say that if someone does not learn from history, they are doomed to repeat it. We would think that the Liberals would learn a lesson or two with their many failed firearms policies, but here we are. Rather than focusing on the violent criminals who are causing havoc in our streets, they would rather implement a buyback program from our law-abiding retailers.

Why will the Prime Minister not get back to work and focus on criminals, rather than lawful citizens?

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, combatting crime is a complex issue. Rather than offering solutions, the party opposite wants to come up with catchy slogans and obstruct the policies we are putting forward.

We need to be dealing with mental health. We are providing options when it comes to housing. We are very proud of Bill C-21 and the things that are being put in there to get a handgun freeze and additional penalties on organized crime. We are taking an overall approach to dealing with crime, and I am proud of what we are doing.

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Madam Speaker, this is classic for Liberals. They do not want the facts to get in the way of a good virtue signal. The facts are that under the previous Conservative government, violent crime was down 20%. Under the Liberal government, violent crime is up 32%, and serious, gang-related crime is up 98%. The Prime Minister would rather go on vacation than make sure that violent criminals stay in jail.

When will the Prime Minister take a permanent vacation so that Conservatives can fix what he broke?

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, today the Minister of Public Safety is actually meeting with Secretary Mayorkas and Attorney General Garland from the United States at a cross-border crime forum. This is because we recognize that this issue transcends borders. That is why we have invested in the borders, something the Conservatives voted against. That is why we have invested in law enforcement. It is why we have invested in communities, so that community programs can be put in place to divert kids from gangs. We are taking an overall policy position on this, and I am proud of where we are.

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

Madam Speaker, Canadians in our big cities are feeling less and less safe on the streets and when taking public transportation. The Prime Minister's soft-on-crime policies are to blame. Violent offenders are back out on the streets the same day they are arrested and others are serving their sentence from the comfort of their living room instead of in prison.

Will the Prime Minister and his government finally get back to work so that violent criminals are punished and victims are protected?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Madam Speaker, Canadians deserve to feel safe and to be safe.

Canadians deserve to feel and be safe. All governments have a role to play in this. We will not solve this problem with empty slogans and misinformation. We need to work together.

In March, the Minister of Justice met with provincial and territorial counterparts to address the problem of violent repeat offenders. After a very productive FPT, we agreed that our government would table legislation, and we look forward to working with all parties to get to the right solution on this.

Sport

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Madam Speaker, Ottawa has reinstated Hockey Canada's funding, but nothing has been solved with regard to sexual misconduct in sport. The minister decided to make a deal without an appropriate inquiry and without even waiting for the findings of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women. The testimony heard at the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage again this week would leave no one indifferent, except, perhaps outwardly, the Minister of Sport. For one year, she has done nothing to reassure young athletes or even the victims of abuse. Almost everyone believes that there will not be a change in sport culture without an independent public commission of inquiry.

When will the minister finally take action and launch this inquiry?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Madam Speaker, first, I want to salute the courage of all those who testified at the Council on the Status of Women and the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. Out of respect for these individuals who told their stories, which was very difficult, we must all continue to work together in a non-partisan manner.

I have already stated that we will conduct audits and an inquiry to ensure that we make good decisions and that our children and athletes across Canada in community sports and on our national teams are protected. In a few weeks, we will be announcing good things for our sport system.

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, the victims of misconduct are not reassured. Many have testified that they do not have confidence in the current process at the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner, which routinely dismisses two-thirds of complaints. Unfortunately, Hockey Canada's redemption—whether genuine or not—does not help gymnasts, skiers, water polo players, soccer players, fencers, boxers, and others. The entire sports culture needs to change. The House of Commons has already unanimously called for an independent public inquiry. Again this week, many victims were speaking out.

When will the minister do something?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Madam Speaker, we are all on the same side. We agree that the Canadian sport system needs to improve and that self-regulation of sport federations needs to end.

We are currently working with both the victims and the organizations involved to put the best processes and mechanisms in place. We will ensure that our organizations do a better job of protecting children and athletes and that there are robust remedies and recourse when abuse or mistreatment occur.

We are committed, and we will get the job done.

Housing

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

Madam Speaker, after eight years under the Prime Minister, Canadians cannot afford a place to live. What do the Liberals have to show for the $90 billion they have committed to housing? Mortgages have doubled. Rents have doubled. It is $2,500 a month for a couple to rent one room in a townhouse. That is not the townhouse, just the room. A government on autopilot cannot fix a housing crisis.

When will this jet-setting Prime Minister and his government get back to work?

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

Madam Speaker, we recognize the challenges faced by Canadians in order to be able to afford a place to call home. We have put together a national housing strategy, which includes the Canada housing benefit. This goes directly into the pockets of vulnerable renters so that they can pay the rent. In addition to that, we have topped it up with a one-time $500 top-up to the Canada housing benefit. The Canada housing benefit continues to exist in every province and territory. Unfortunately, the Conservatives voted against it, but we continue to make sure that each and every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home.

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Madam Speaker, for those in the middle class and those working hard to join it, it has been eight years of these Liberals, and things have never been more unaffordable. Despite committing $90 billion to housing, people cannot find a place to live. The average rent and mortgage have doubled, and home prices have skyrocketed. It costs $2,500 a month for a couple to rent one room in a townhouse. That is not the townhouse, just the room.

When will the government get back to work and let small businesses build the homes that Canadians need?

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

Madam Speaker, it is really difficult to take the party opposite seriously on housing. That member has been on record saying that the federal government needs to do less on housing and that we should just download everything to the provinces and walk away. That kind of thinking is what led his leader to suggest that people should embrace cryptocurrency in order to opt out of inflation. That kind of thinking is what underpins the Conservatives' logic that if we walk away, magically, everything will work out somehow. That is not the kind of leadership that we need. The Conservatives need to get serious about housing, and they need to support our investments to support vulnerable Canadians.

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Madam Speaker, I feel as though I am living in a dystopian fantasyland, as outlined in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, and hearing doublespeak. For everything the minister says, we should assume the opposite is the truth.

The reality, in this country, is that self-employment is dropping off a statistical cliff and, as a result, fewer homes are being built. Therefore, I will ask this again: When will the government get back to work and let small businesses build the homes that middle-class Canadians need?

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

Madam Speaker, here they go again, saying to let the private sector figure it out, to let the federal government walk away and to not invest anything in housing. Somehow, magically, everything will make sense. It is the same kind of thinking that led his leader to suggest that, magically, people can opt out of inflation by embracing cryptocurrency. That is not a plan.

What is a plan is the national housing strategy, which is investing in every spectrum of housing to make sure that Canadians have access to a safe and affordable place to call home. The hon. member talks about housing supply. With respect to the housing accelerator fund, he voted against it.

Tourism Industry

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Madam Speaker, this is National Tourism Week.

The tourism sector is a vital part of the economy of British Columbia and indeed Canada. It has been hit hard in recent years.

Can the Minister of Tourism tell the House what the government is doing for this sector, which is so vital to the economy?

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

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Vancouver Granville for his question and for his hard work.

Our government is committed to ensuring that the tourism industry continues to grow and prosper. That is why we celebrate National Tourism Week every year. We invested $158 million in budget 2023 to ensure that Canadian and indigenous partners in this sector achieve that goal.

I would like to thank all our partners and workers in this sector who are at the heart of the industry and who work every day to make Canada the best destination in the world.

Carbon Pricing

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Madam Speaker, Canadians should look out. The Prime Minister wants to tax their gas off. His plan, which will triple the carbon tax, will make it unaffordable for Canadians to drive to work or heat their homes. It is nothing more than a tax plan. His plan has failed to meet any emissions reduction targets, so now he is going to make them pay more. Meanwhile, he is taking vacations, burning taxpayers' gas.

Will the PM stop saving his own gas and cancel his plan to triple the carbon tax?

[Terry Duguid, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Madam Speaker, as much as the Conservatives would like to deny it, climate change is real. What else is real? Those cheques that are arriving in people's mailboxes beginning April 14. In my home province of Manitoba, people will receive $250 a quarter, over $1,000 a month.

What is not real? Some of the conspiracy theories that are purported by the other side and cryptocurrency. I would not invest in cryptocurrency. It is a really bad thing to do.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Madam Speaker, Canadians continue to struggle due to the soaring costs of fuel for their cars, homes and groceries. People on fixed incomes cannot absorb the rising costs and they do not have the opportunity to realize additional wages. The government is crippling Canadians financially and to suggest that the carbon tax rebate covers the additional tax is absolutely nonsense.

Will the Prime Minister cancel the plan to triple the carbon tax?

[Terry Duguid, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Madam Speaker, there is good news for Canadians. Starting April 14, those cheques began arriving in people's mailboxes. In Alberta, they will receive $1,500 per year, and that is over $350 a quarter. It will be $1,000 in Manitoba. Eight out of 10 families will be better off. Those cheques, as I mentioned, will arrive quarterly. That is going to help with cash flow. That is going to help with affordability. The Conservatives do not seem to be interested in either.