Debates of May 1st, 2023

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent, whom I highly respect, but I think he is missing a page from our history book.

The Prime Minister did listen to Canadians. The first thing they asked us to do was to help them with the cost of living. The most recent budget, which we expect the Conservatives to vote against, contains the grocery rebate, which will help 11 million Canadians.

If the member wants to help the people of Loretteville and Louis-Saint-Laurent, then he should convince his colleagues to vote in favour of the federal budget. That will help the people in his riding.

Public Safety

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, under this Liberal government, violent crimes have gone up by 32% while under a Conservative government, they went down by 23%.

In some Montreal neighbourhoods, the sound of gunshots is now part of daily life, and yet this government with its soft-on-crime policies is doing nothing to address the problem.

Criminals are on the street instead of in prison. When will the government side with victims and honest citizens who are too scared to walk around their neighbourhoods?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, we have long been working with the provinces to strengthen the bail system. I hope that we will see results soon.

I also note that the provinces are themselves in the process of strengthening the administration of their systems. We are seeing that in British Columbia. We are seeing that with the investments being made in Ontario.

Last week, we introduced Bill S‑12, which will strengthen victims rights in cases of sexual assault.

We are working together on problems to improve Canadians' lives.

Canadian Heritage

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, last week, Bill C‑11 received royal assent. It was a painstaking process and, as we know, the Conservatives and their leader chose to support billionaires and web giants instead of supporting and defending the interests of our Canadian artists.

Now that Bill C‑11 has passed into law, can the minister tell us the impact it will have on our Canadian culture?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question and excellent work.

This is a great moment, a very great moment. Web giants will now have to contribute to our culture. They will have to promote it. They will have to pay their fair share.

A big thank you to the cultural sector, who has fought for years, and a big thank you to my Liberal, Bloc Québécois and NPD colleagues and to the senators. This is a great moment for Canada.

Carbon Pricing

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's tourism industry and Canadians who enjoy travelling are under attack by the current Liberal government's out-of-control spending and taxes. A recent report found that six in 10 Canadians are scaling back their summer vacation plans, while a quarter say they cannot even afford a vacation. While Canadians struggle with affordability, the Liberal government continues to raise taxes, like the carbon tax, which costs Canadians more than they get back. As the PM jet sets across the globe, hard-working Canadians also deserve a chance to enjoy a vacation.

Will the Prime Minister end his punishing carbon tax?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to talk down the Canadian economy, but on this side of the House, we know that Canada is the best country in the world. That is why I am glad to share some good news today. According to preliminary data published by Statistics Canada on Friday, Canada's GDP is on track to grow by 2.5% in the next quarter; inflation was down to 4.3% in March and the Bank of Canada predicts it will fall to 3% in the summer; and last month, S&P Global reiterated our AAA credit rating.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's carbon tax continues to drive up the price of food, forcing even more Albertans in my community to go to food banks. In fact, usage of the Airdrie food bank is up 40% this year, and almost half of those food bank users are children. What does the Prime Minister have to say to those children standing in food bank lines with their parents? Is having enough to eat really too much to ask?

When will the Prime Minister finally show some compassion and axe his carbon tax?

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, since the government took office in 2015, we have lifted over 2.7 million Canadians out of poverty, and that includes 450,000 children. We have worked hard to support Canadians during difficult times, whether through the Canada child benefit, our child care plan, increasing the Canada workers benefit, or the grocery rebate. Conservatives say that they are concerned about affordability, but they vote, every time, against every single one of these measures that will help Canadians.

Our government will push through to make sure Canadians get the support they need, with or without Conservative support.

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

Mr. Speaker, these non-answers from the Liberals are getting tiresome. When will the Liberals finally understand that Canadians cannot afford a vacation? They cannot afford the luxuries that the Liberals take for granted. Unfortunately, they cannot afford the essentials either, like heating their homes and buying food.

When will the Liberal Party get a clue and cancel the carbon tax?

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

Mr. Speaker, do members know that, last week, the Conservative member for Northumberland—Peterborough South called the grocery rebate “cheap marketing”? The grocery rebate is going to deliver support to 11 million low-income Canadians who need it. That support was supported by all parties in the House, so it was a real shame to see the flip-flopping Conservatives attack a policy Canadians need. However, we were not surprised, because they care more about cheap talking points than they care about Canadians.

Veterans Affairs

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans have served and sacrificed in the name of our country, and should never be without a safe and affordable home. As a proud supporter of our veterans, I was pleased to see, last week, our government launch a new veteran homelessness program to help ensure every veteran can have a place to call home.

Could the Honourable Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion please elaborate and tell the House how this program will help veterans get the essential housing and services they need?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his important work on this important issue.

We know that one homeless veteran is one too many. That is why we announced the new veteran homelessness program. This program will provide much-needed rent supplements and wraparound supports that are geared toward the particular needs of Canadian veterans. Veteran-serving organizations can apply through the Infrastructure Canada website over the next eight weeks for this important fund.

This is a significant step in ensuring that each and every Canadian veteran has a safe and affordable place to call home. We will remain dedicated to those who have served us with courage and dedication.

Democratic Institutions

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in April, the Trudeau Foundation president and eight board members resigned due to controversy over a Chinese government-linked donation. Furthermore, last week, it was alleged that the donation was not even flagged as foreign money because the former Trudeau Foundation president, Morris Rosenberg, allegedly misled the public and qualified it as a Canadian-based donation.

With all of these questions around the foundation and its role in foreign interference, when will the government finally clear the air and call a public inquiry?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, on the question of foreign interference, we are absolutely united in making sure that we have to do everything we can to protect this country. That is why the former governor general, Mr. Johnston, was appointed to take a look at these issues.

With respect to the charitable foundation that the member is attacking, I would ask him to direct his questions to that foundation. I was the head of one of the largest health charities in Canada and had to answer tough questions when I was with that charity. The foundation is an independent organization with no relationship to the Prime Minister, and that has been made clear on many occasions.

Health

[Alain Rayes, Independent, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, except for the Americans and the Swiss, Canadians pay more for patented medicines than anyone else on the planet. Despite the reform passed last July, its implementing guidelines led to squabbles and a series of resignations from the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, which caused further delays. To this day, nothing has changed, and Quebeckers and Canadians are still paying higher prices than the rest of the world.

Can the Liberal government tell us what steps it is taking to fix this problem once and for all?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I thank our colleague for raising this important issue. He is quite right that the cost of patented medicines in Canada is too high, especially in relation to comparable countries.

That is why, as he also mentioned, we enacted new regulations on July 1, 2022, that will allow us to compare our prices to the prices charged in comparator countries, excluding the U.S. and Switzerland, to make patented medicines more accessible and affordable across Canada in the coming years.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Hon. P. J. Akeeagok, Premier of Nunavut. He is accompanied by several cabinet ministers for Nunavut: the Hon. Pamela Gross, Deputy Premier and Minister of Education; the Hon. John Main, Minister of Health; the Hon. David Akeeagok, Minister of Justice; the Hon. Joanna Quassa, Minister of Environment; the Hon. David Joanasie, Minister of Community and Government Services; and the Hon. Margaret Nakashuk, Minister of Family Services.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

Air Transportation

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

Mr. Speaker, from your home, my home and all our homes, let us bring it home with direct flights to Amritsar. Petitioners in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon are calling on the Government of Canada to amend the air transport agreement with India to allow for direct flights to Amritsar to serve the one million-plus Punjabi Canadians who are looking for this flight.

It makes economic sense. It makes cultural sense. Let us get it done.

Saint-Maurice Firing Range

[Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present petition e‑4296 regarding the repatriation of the Saint-Maurice firing range.

The petition, which I have been sponsoring for nearly two months, has already gathered 1,500 signatures in just a few weeks. The petitioners are calling on the federal government, and more specifically the Department of National Defence, to do the following:

1. Transfer the Saint-Maurice firing range to the Government of Quebec and/or the City of Terrebonne;

2. Expedite the assessment process to determine the amount of unexploded ordnance on the land and the time needed for decontamination work; and

3. Ensure that the site is decontaminated at federal expense as soon as possible.

The petition also points out that the piece of land measures 650 hectares and is one of the largest lungs of the Montreal Metropolitan Area. This petition is receiving a lot of support, including from the City of Terrebonne, the Town of Bois-des-Filion, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie Les Moulins, the Conseil des bassins versants des Mille-Îles, the Société de développement et d'animation de Mascouche, an organization called Génération OUI, and the list goes on.

It is therefore high time for the Department of National Defence to make a clear commitment, relinquish the site and start cleaning up the contamination it created, with the ultimate goal of protecting the area from any real estate development.

Canada Summer Jobs Initiative

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to present a petition today on behalf of Canadians who are very concerned about the unprovoked and illegal war Russia is waging against Ukraine. They are concerned about those Ukrainian refugees who have come here seeking asylum and are being shut out of the Canada summer jobs program.

A lot of the youth who are over here are not eligible to apply to the Canada summer jobs program. The petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to open it up to the children of those Ukrainians who were authorized for emergency travel to come here, work and be safe, as their children should be given the same opportunities.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, many concerned petitioners from Saanich—Gulf Islands have filed this petition asking the government to consider the following: indigenous people have rights, are entitled to traditional territories, and have been stewards of land, which includes old growth forests across Canada. We know the climate crisis demands of us that we do more to protect old growth forest. Valley-bottom, high-productivity, old-growth ecosystems in British Columbia are particularly endangered.

There are many specifics to this petition, but in summarizing, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to ban the export of raw logs, as the federal government does have control around trade issues, and to ban the use of whole trees for wood pellet biofuel production, a practice that is, unfortunately, funded in the recent budget.

The petitioners ask the government to take seriously the critical importance of protecting indigenous sovereignty and old growth forests, as well as engaging first nations leadership in climate action.

Canada Summer Jobs Initiative

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this petition was signed by people in my riding, many of whom have taken significant steps to support newcomers to Canada from Ukraine, people who have come to Canada for the time of the illegal, unprovoked, full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian newcomers are hard-working. They are committed to contributing to Canadian society while they are here, but petitioners are concerned about how young people who come here under the emergency authorization for travel are not able to occupy positions associated with the Canada summer jobs program.

The summer jobs program funds many positions that young people might apply to, and this exclusion prevents Ukrainian young people from accessing summer jobs that are available to all of their peers and almost everybody else in Canada. This is unjust and unreasonable, according to petitioners. Folks who are here in Canada should be able to work and contribute alongside everyone else.

Therefore, the undersigned call on the Government of Canada to allow Ukrainian youth under the Canada-Ukraine authorization of emergency travel to apply for jobs under the CSJ program.

Air Service to India

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, over the last number of years, we have seen a great growth in our Indo-Canadian community. Along with that growth, we have seen a considerable demand with respect to additional international flights, as expressed earlier, to Amritsar, New Delhi and Chandigarh, many international airports in India. Residents, in particular in the Winnipeg, in the capital region and in other areas, are hoping to see more direct flights, whether through Air Canada, Westjet or other international airlines.

The idea is that we try to get more international direct flights. Ideally for me it would be Winnipeg to Amritsar, but the bottom line is that whatever the members of Parliament, the House, the minister, the different airport authorities and different stakeholders can do to enhance air service to India would be seen as a positive thing with respect to the petitioners.