Debates of May 16th, 2023

34th Edition of Festival d'été francophone de Vancouver

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the 34th edition of the Festival d'été francophone de Vancouver will be held from June 14 to 25 at the Centre culturel francophone de Vancouver, which is in Vancouver Granville, and at other venues across Vancouver.

This year, there will be 12 concerts featuring francophone artists from British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario and elsewhere. As usual, the festival will draw big names in French music, established artists and local and national rising stars. This important festival is supported by our government and celebrates our francophone communities and their diversity.

It is also a wonderful way to celebrate music, creativity and the incredible talent of francophone artists from across Canada. I look forward to attending many events, and I invite everyone to attend.

Walter Charles Nelson

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great Canadian farm business leader, Walter Charles Nelson from Avonlea, who recently passed away at the age of 95. He accomplished more than most could dream of and touched the hearts of many, while making transformational changes in the agricultural industry. He founded what is now the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association. His belief that farmers should have the choice to market their own commodities was a fight he took up in 1970 and finally won in 2012. For his many accomplishments, he was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 1990, and he was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2015.

He leaves a legacy that will positively impact his family, his community, his province and our entire country for lifetimes to come. Wally was not only my mentor, but he was also a friend. My heart goes out to his son, Bill, his daughter, Janet Day, and his many grandchildren as they mourn his passing.

May Wally rest in peace knowing that what he fought for has prevailed. Farmers will always remember him as a true champion of free marketing.

Palestine

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Brampton North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the mass displacement of Palestinians known as “the Nakba”, or “the catastrophe”. During this time, around 750,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homes by Israeli forces, and over 400 villages were demolished as land was taken from Palestinian families; 78% of historic Palestine was captured, while the remaining 22% was divided into what is now the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip.

Today, there are more than seven million Palestinian refugees, and this is the longest-standing refugee crisis in the world. Many Nakba survivors and their descendants still live in refugee camps or in exile. The legacy of the Nakba continues and deeply impacts many Palestinian Canadians, many of whom sought out refuge in Canada after their families were displaced in 1948.

Canada will continue to condemn the injustices and violence towards innocent Israeli and Palestinian civilians, including children in Gaza, who suffer the most as they are forced to grow up in the face of grave conflict. In all circumstances, civilians must be protected, and international law must be upheld. Our government will continue to work diligently with our international allies to maintain the de-escalation of this conflict and protect innocent lives from harm.

National Physiotherapy Month

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, May is National Physiotherapy Month; it is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize the incredible work physiotherapy professionals do to improve the health of Canadians. This year's focus is on pain management and rehabilitation. Nearly eight million people are affected by chronic pain in Canada. In recent years, the convergence of the opioid crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic have intensified the urgent need for a new approach to pain care in this country. Canadian physiotherapy professionals are taking the lead in implementing innovative approaches to non-pharmacological pain management.

It is an honour to be here today to speak about National Physiotherapy Month and to recognize the 27,000 physiotherapy professionals in Canada for their groundbreaking collaborative work across the health care system.

Victims and Survivors of Crime Week

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Speaker, as we mark Victims and Survivors of Crime Week, we are reminded that individuals and families often feel the fallout long after a crime is committed. Victims and survivors of crime can carry undue burdens, such as physical or psychological trauma, financial loss or property damage.

The federal government has a critical role to play when it comes to protecting victims and survivors of crime. In 2014, the Conservative government of the time created the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights. This enshrined the rights of victims into federal law for the first time in Canadian history. Conservatives remain committed to ensuring that the voices of victims and survivors of crime are heard, that their rights are protected and that community safety is always the top priority of our justice system.

Conservatives will never abandon victims and survivors of crime. We will restore balance to our justice system and demand accountability from anyone who threatens the public safety of Canadians.

Living and Learning in Retirement

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a monumental milestone: the 50th anniversary of Living and Learning in Retirement at York University's Glendon College. For five decades, LLIR has been a beacon of intellectual growth and community engagement for seniors in Don Valley West and across Toronto. LLIR is lifelong learning at its best, proving that education knows no age limits. On the Glendon campus, it has nurtured curiosity, fostered friendships and expanded horizons through courses, seminars and lectures, empowering seniors to explore new passions and get new ideas.

My thanks go to the dedicated staff, volunteers and cherished members who have made LLIR a leader in lifelong learning. Investing in seniors enables them to make invaluable contributions to our society while inspiring the next generation.

As we celebrate 50 years of LLIR, let us reaffirm our support for seniors' initiatives across Canada, creating a better and brighter future for us all.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the current Prime Minister is out of touch and Canadians are out of money.

With summer just around the corner, many Canadians are too worried about how they are going to put food on the table or pay their bills, let alone afford a vacation. In the meantime, the Prime Minister has taken five lavish vacations this year alone. He has travelled to New York, living it up with celebrities and taking selfies. He has vacationed in Jamaica, where his accommodations, at a cost of $80,000, were paid for by Trudeau Foundation donors. This is all while the cost of his government has been driving up the cost of living here at home.

With his plans for a 41¢-a-litre tax on gas, heat and food, Canadians are planning their staycations. They have never had it worse.

Canadians are out of money; the Prime Minister is out of touch and out of the country.

Liberal Party of Canada

[Richard Bragdon, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the current Liberal government continues to play a game of over–under with Canadians.

While the Liberals gamble with our future through overtaxation and overspending, Canadians receive underwhelming results and overwhelming debt. While the Liberals and their elite friends rule over us, Canadians are under the heavy burden of doubling mortgage and rent costs, as well as record-high credit card debt. The Liberals remain above the law, despite scandal after scandal. They tell us what we can own, watch, read, drive, say and even think. Canadians are quickly getting over it, and they are tired of being under it.

Conservatives know how overwhelmed Canadians are and how undermined they feel. The common-sense people of this great country are rising up to take over the people's House and elect a prime minister who can see beyond our perils and speak to our potential. Such a leader will realize that the key to us overcoming the challenges we face is in using what is under our feet, whether that be our oil and gas or the land itself, to produce, grow and develop our path to a more prosperous, secure and self-reliant future.

Let us bring it home and, together, let us get over it.

Physician Assistants

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, health care and long wait times at emergency rooms are top of mind in Nova Scotia. Investing in physician assistants or PAs is key to reducing wait times in Canada and extending the careers of physicians. However, every year, there are fewer than 70 spots available for close to 3,000 applicants who apply to be PAs.

There is good news. Our federal government has invested over $46 billion in new funding into the Canadian health care system. This historic funding, in partnership with the province, will mean the first-ever PA program in the Atlantic, with 24 new spaces at Dalhousie University. I would like to thank the members of the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants for their advocacy and their important work. I will continue to work alongside them.

Addressing the health care crisis is crucial, but because of transformational investments in our health care system, PAs will increase in Canada and wait times will decrease.

Seniors

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the 2021 election, New Democrats made a promise to senior citizens that we would fight to implement a national dental care plan, and this year, that promise will be made a reality.

When I went door to door, I met seniors who told me that they could not afford to get their teeth fixed. Dental care is fundamental for health, dignity and well-being. We know that Conservatives will fight us all the way to stop seniors from getting what is rightfully theirs, but we will follow through on our commitments. However, that is just part of the job ahead of us.

Seniors are falling behind. Their pensions are not keeping up with inflation, and the government has created a two-tiered status for senior citizens. New Democrats say that those under age 75 deserve as much support as those over 75. We also need a full overhaul of the pension system, particularly for those who are still working. Conservatives may denounce pension deductions as a tax, but workers fully understand that they are a necessary investment into their retirement future.

New Democrats will always stand up for the dignity and rights of senior citizens.

François Guy

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, certain artists, certain songs take us back in time, maybe even to our youth. There are even some that bring us back to a specific era, perhaps to an important milestone, for example.

I do not need to sing the following lines; it is enough to recite the following:

Quebec's future will be sound,

if it does let itself get pushed around.

We all know how it goes and immediately want to sing, “Quebeckers, we are Quebeckers”.

This takes me back to the 1970s, to the excitement of René Lévesque's first term in office and the Parti Québécois.

That was François Guy.

Although François Guy embodied a past era of Quebec song, he also embodied its future. François Guy was about the Société pour l'avancement de la chanson d'expression française, or SACEF. He was about mentorship and “Ma première Place des Arts” awards. He was about love for the French language and the desire to see a new generation of artists sing in French.

François Guy passed away on Friday. To his family, to his wife, Isabelle Lajeunesse, to all his loved ones and all Quebeckers, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I extend our deepest condolences.

Thank you for the memories, but, more importantly, thank you for mentoring the François Guys of the future.

Conservative Party of Canada

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians cannot find much comfort at home lately. Rents and mortgages have doubled, and the out-of-touch, jet-setting, climate-crisis hypocrite is out of the country again.

We will soon have a new Conservative prime minister. He will bring home lower prices by ending inflationary deficits and scrapping the carbon tax on heat, gas and groceries. He will bring home powerful paycheques by lowering taxes and clawbacks to reward work again. He will bring homes workers can afford by firing the gatekeepers and freeing up land to build on. He will bring home safety by ending catch-and-release policies for repeat violent criminals. He will bring home freedom from foreign interference and woke government censorship.

Conservatives will fix what the Liberals have broken. For Canadians' home and our home, let us bring it home.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. I just want to remind the hon. member that calling others names is not parliamentary behaviour. I just want to remind everyone in the chamber of that.

The hon. member for Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook.

Veteran Homelessness Program

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Mr. Speaker, veterans and their families deserve a safe and affordable place to call home. That is why I am so pleased that the newly announced veteran homelessness program will provide comprehensive support to veterans experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

A total of $79.1 million in funding will be available by way of two streams. One will provide rent supplements and wraparound services, while the other will support research on veteran homelessness and capacity building. Eligible recipients, including veteran-serving organizations, can apply to either or both funding streams through an online portal on the Infrastructure Canada website. Applications are open until June 23, and I encourage all organizations to make an application.

Canada’s veterans have long served and sacrificed for our country, and it is our duty to support them.

Finance

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, not long ago, the Prime Minister told us that inflation was falling, and his finance minister said that deficit spending would simply pour gasoline on the inflationary fire.

A few weeks later, however, she did pour $60 billion of new inflationary fuel on the fire in her budget, at an additional cost of $4,200 to each Canadian family. Today we found out that inflation is rising again.

When is the government going to reverse this Prime Minister's inflationary policies?

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

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that inflation is going down. Inflation was 8.1% in June and 4.4% in April. That is a big difference.

The Bank of Canada expects inflation to reach 3% this summer and to drop below 3% by the end of the year. As for our economy, our AAA credit rating remains intact.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, she is the one who said that deficits add to inflation. In fact, she said that inflation and rising interest rates were related to the deficits, the same types of deficits that she was going to introduce a few weeks later in her budget. She added $60 billion of inflationary deficit spending.

In the Prime Minister's city, one in five Montrealers can no longer pay their monthly bills.

Will the Prime Minister finally give Montrealers and Canadians a bit of a break by eliminating these deficits?

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

Once again, the Conservatives do not want to talk about the reality of the Canadian economy.

The reality is that Canada has the strongest economy of all the G7 countries. We also have the strongest fiscal position and the lowest deficit of all the G7 countries.

It is thanks to the work of Canadians that we have a very low level of unemployment. Inflation is dropping—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, not long ago, the Prime Minister told us that inflation was falling, and his finance minister said that she would avoid deficit spending because that would simply pour gasoline on the inflationary fire. She did pour $60 billion of new inflationary fuel on the fire; as a result, today we see inflation is rising again, led by higher mortgage payments for the average Canadian.

Will the government stop pouring fuel on the fire so that Canadians could afford to pay their bills?

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

Mr. Speaker, yet again, despite the best efforts, which actually are not that good, of the Conservatives to mislead Canadians, the Canadian economy is strong. We have the strongest fiscal position in the G7, and our AAA credit rating was reaffirmed after I tabled the budget.

On inflation, I know that the party opposite does not really know too much about the Bank of Canada, but the Bank of Canada follows CPI-trim and CPI-median; those are the core indicators. CPI-median and CPI-trim went down between March and April.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, actually, when I said two years ago that deficits would cause inflation, that was controversial. Now, everyone agrees that I was right, including the Governor of the Bank of Canada, who now says that inflation is caused by deficits. The finance minister has agreed that I was right, when she said that deficits pour fuel on the inflationary fire. She poured $60 billion of that fuel. That is $4,200 per family.

Canadians cannot afford to eat, heat their homes or house themselves. Will that minister stop pouring the fuel on the fire so Canadians can again pay their bills?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have another request: Would that ex-minister stop leading Canadians astray, urging them, recklessly, to invest in crypto? That is an area where we actually really do disagree.

I want to talk about the core inflationary measures that the Bank of Canada follows, which determine the path of interest rates. One of them is CPI-trim. CPI-trim peaked at 5.6% in June of last year. It was 4.4% in March, and fell to—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, actually, the Governor of the Bank of Canada said that his measure of inflation is CPI. CPI is up today, even though she said it would be down. It is up, interestingly, after the $60 billion in new spending that she brought in her budget. What is up the most, though, is mortgage payments, and she can tell us why, because she admitted that deficits “make inflation worse and force rates higher for longer.” They force rates higher for longer, and that is why Canadians are paying 28% more in mortgage payments.

Will she get off the backs of Canadian homebuyers so they can put a roof over their head?