House of Commons Hansard #190 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was regulations.
2:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota
It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the hon. member for South Okanagan—West Kootenay.
[Members sang the national anthem]
Canadian Naval Tribute ProjectStatements by Members
2:05 p.m.
Independent
Kevin Vuong Independent Spadina—Fort York, ON
Mr. Speaker, on April 29, I proudly attended the unveiling of the Canadian naval tribute project. The monument honours 14 Canadian heroes who put service before self, with some making the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of Canada.
Thanks to the leadership of honorary naval captain Mark McQueen, navy lieutenant Sean Livingston, navy lieutenant Mark Phillips and my former commanding officer, Commander Walter Moniz, Spadina—Fort York is now home to our nation's largest flagpole, which flies the largest naval ensign in Canada. At its base, 14 panels recognize a diverse but previously uncelebrated group of people for their contributions and impact on the Royal Canadian Navy. These are heroes like Lieutenant-Commander Margaret Brooke, who bravely worked to save a nursing sister even though her own life was at risk; Quartermaster William Hall, the first Nova Scotian and Black recipient of the Victoria Cross; and trailblazers like Lieutenant-Commander William King Lowd “Lo” Lore, who was thrice rejected for the navy until the chief of naval staff intervened. A personal hero of mine, Lore was the first Chinese Canadian officer and the first naval officer of Chinese heritage to serve in any Commonwealth navy.
I am proud to be a member of the ship's company and serve at His Majesty's Canadian Ship York. I invite all Canadians to learn about this incredible naval project.
Youth in BramptonStatements by Members
2:05 p.m.
Liberal
Sonia Sidhu Liberal Brampton South, ON
Mr. Speaker, to kick off National Youth Week, I was proud to celebrate the grand opening of the Susan Fennell Sportsplex Youth Hub in Brampton South. Supported by more than half a million dollars in federal funding, the hub will provide young people in Brampton with a safe and accessible space to connect, learn and grow. It is in addition to more than $15 million in federal funding for green energy retrofits.
I want to thank the youth of Brampton for inspiring us with their energy and creativity. They are the driving force behind this project, and we are committed to supporting them as they follow their dreams and build a bright future for themselves and our community.
This National Youth Week, let us continue to reflect on the value of empowering and supporting the next generation, because they are our true leaders of today.
FirearmsStatements by Members
2:05 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Speaker, I represent thousands of law-abiding firearm owners, each of whom was approved by the RCMP to legally purchase, own and use a long gun in Canada. They follow the law, pay their taxes and enjoy time at the range and hunting in the woods. Earlier this week, the Liberal government introduced another backdoor hunting rifle ban that again targets law-abiding Canadians. This ban will not improve public safety, because criminals do not acquire their firearms legally.
Over the past eight years under the Liberals, why has violent crime increased by 32% and gang-related murders doubled? It is because the Liberals often help offenders avoid mandatory jail time for gun crimes. Why do criminals selling fentanyl and crystal meth stay in business? It is because Liberals give dealers house arrest for dealing death sentences. Why are all 13 of Canada’s premiers demanding bail reform? It is because the Liberals are soft on crime.
Ottawa’s priority must be to go after gun smugglers and criminals using illegal firearms. It is hard work but it will make Canada's cities safer.
Multiple SclerosisStatements by Members
2:05 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Mr. Speaker, approximately one in 400 Canadians lives with multiple sclerosis. MS can happen to anyone, without warning. Canada is home to many world-leading MS researchers. New scientific discoveries, like the research that identified the Epstein-Barr virus as the leading risk factor for developing MS, are within our grasp and can change the outcome of the disease. Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world. Let us prioritize and fund the research that shows so much promise. Families living with MS are eagerly awaiting the passage and implementation of the Canada disability benefit and an El sickness benefit that takes episodic illness into account.
Today, in honour of MS Awareness Month, I am wearing a carnation to show my solidarity with the MS community. I ask my fellow parliamentarians to join me to support MS Canada's quest to accelerate MS research and legislation that will have a life-changing impact on those living with multiple sclerosis.
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness MonthStatements by Members
2:05 p.m.
Bloc
Louise Chabot Bloc Thérèse-De Blainville, QC
Mr. Speaker, multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease that affects thousands of Canadians.
On average, every day, 12 people are diagnosed with MS. This disease usually occurs in people aged 20 to 49, in the prime of their working lives.
Struggling to keep a job while living with an episodic disease like MS can be a terrifying and exhausting ordeal for many people. Therefore, it is essential that employment supports be put in place to help all those who are living with MS.
Today, I am wearing a carnation in recognition of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, and I urge each and everyone of us to continue showing our commitment to all those affected by multiple sclerosis during this month of awareness and throughout the year.
Sashbear FoundationStatements by Members
2:10 p.m.
Liberal
Élisabeth Brière Liberal Sherbrooke, QC
Mr. Speaker, as part of Mental Health Week, I am paying tribute to the Sashbear Foundation. It was created in 2012, shortly after the suicide of Sasha Menu Courey, the daughter of its founders, who lost her fight against borderline personality disorder, or BPD.
Since 2012, the Sashbear Foundation has offered free mental health and suicide prevention programs in English and French to more than 14,000 people. Its mission is to lead a reform of mental health services by making people aware of the need for early prevention, recognition and access to affordable treatment.
I would like to thank the co-founders of the Sashbear Foundation, Lynn Courey and Mike Menu, and their team of more than 150 volunteers for their dedication and commitment to dispelling myths about mental illness, creating a community and building relationships, as well as giving hope back to families affected by BPD and emotional dysregulation.
In the Sashbear family, no one is left behind.
Edmonton OilersStatements by Members
2:10 p.m.
Conservative
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is an exciting time in oil country, as our hometown Oilers are second round bound.
Round two starts tonight in Las Vegas, but I know that ICE District Plaza and Joey Moss pit will be packed with fans in Edmonton. This is a big deal. The Oilers, rather fittingly, during the week of His Majesty's coronation, have first knocked off the Kings and now are going after all his Knights. We have 97, 29 or 93 reasons, and we can take our pick, to get excited about this round, and I can assure everyone that all of Edmonton is behind what many in our country are now referring to as “Canada's team”.
It is time to “leaf” the other teams in our dust as we quest toward the cup. Game one starts tonight, and I know I speak for nearly everyone in the chamber when I say, “Go, Oilers, go.”
Polish Constitution DayStatements by Members
2:10 p.m.
Liberal
Irek Kusmierczyk Liberal Windsor—Tecumseh, ON
Mr. Speaker, today is a special day for the over one million Polish Canadians celebrating Polish Constitution Day.
Known as the constitution of May 3, the Polish constitution is the first written constitution in modern Europe and the second constitution in the world after the United States. The Polish constitution introduced progressive democratic reforms that included a constitutional monarchy and the separation of powers.
Here in Canada, Polish Canadians celebrate Constitution Day by gathering in Polish halls and church basements to sing hymns and act plays, recite poems and reflect on Poland's legacy of fighting for freedom and democracy.
To all Polish Canadians across Canada, I wish a happy Constitution Day and a happy Polish Heritage Month in Ontario. I join all Polish Canadians in reciting the beautiful words witaj maj, trzeci maj, dla Polaków błogi raj.
Mental HealthStatements by Members
2:10 p.m.
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Mr. Speaker, mental health must be a standard part of all perinatal medical checkups. Today, I join the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative, along with the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, fellow MPs and community members, for the second annual Flora's Walk to raise awareness in ensuring that postpartum psychosis and perinatal mental health are identified quickly and treated seriously.
I am proud that the minister today announced close to $857,000 to support perinatal mental health.
Although a number of Canadians have a perinatal mental illness, it is, sadly, not often talked about. When it is, many support and mental health services may not be there, and there are gaps.
I thank Jaime, Patricia and all of those who have been a part of bridging the gap and working to make sure that perinatal mental care includes mental health care. Let us continue to support Canadian women and their babies.
Cost of LivingStatements by Members
May 3rd, 2023 / 2:10 p.m.
Conservative
Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB
Mr. Speaker, when my family came to Canada, we chose this country because it was the land of hopes and dreams. That Canadian dream was a promise to the common people. If one worked hard, one could achieve anything. That is what my parents did, and so did many newcomers to this country.
Today, after eight years of the Prime Minister, that Canadian dream is broken. One in five people is skipping meals, and one in five newcomers wants to pack up and leave because of the high cost of living.
However, there is hope on the horizon. Conservatives are ready to step in and restore the promise of a better tomorrow. We are ready to restore common-sense policies for the common people. We will bring home powerful paycheques so that it pays to work again in this country. We will bring home lower prices by scrapping the failed carbon tax scam. We will bring home more affordable homes by firing the government gatekeepers. There is a big mess to clean up, but Conservatives, under the leadership of Canada's next prime minister, are ready to turn the hurt into hope and restore the Canadian dream for the common people once again.
Now, let us bring it home.
OpioidsStatements by Members
2:15 p.m.
Liberal
Brendan Hanley Liberal Yukon, YT
Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, four more Yukoners in three different communities died from toxic drug overdose. Old Crow is the latest remote Yukon community to declare a substance use emergency. Families and communities everywhere in Canada are grieving, and chances are that everyone is part of at least one.
In recent years, we have made progress and saved lives, but we are not where we should be. Our approach is incremental; the epidemic is a tidal wave.
In the pandemic, we made bold decisions based on the best available evidence. We took risks because we had to. All parties and all levels of government worked together. This toxic drug crisis requires no less of us.
We must end the criminalization of those who use drugs. We need investments in prevention, treatment, social supports, and yes, accessible safe supply for those who need it. Every drug death is another toll of a dark bell that tells us there is more we can do. I know my colleagues will stand with me as we contemplate all options to overcome this terrible crisis.
As we showed in the pandemic, by working together, we can overcome. We can and will do better.
Liberal Party of CanadaStatements by Members
2:15 p.m.
Conservative
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, after eight years, Liberals are out of touch, Canadians are out of money, and everything feels broken. Out-of-control Liberal taxes and spending mean Canadians pay more for gas, groceries and heating. There is more taken from their paycheques, making it impossible to get ahead.
Criminals and gangsters terrorize neighbourhoods because Liberals give bail, not jail, for serious crimes. Hostile states threaten Canadians and their families, buy up resources and influence elections. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister turns a blind eye to the basic dictatorship he admires. He jets off to fancy mansions, where his fancy vacations are paid for by taxpayers. At the same time, housing costs for everyday Canadians have doubled, and they cannot afford the basics.
However, Conservatives have a plan to turn hurt into hope. We will cut taxes and axe the carbon tax to bring home powerful paycheques and make sure hard work pays again. We will keep violent criminals behind bars and combat foreign threats. We will end the costly coalition’s inflationary spending to make life more affordable, and we will fire the gatekeepers so businesses can build more homes and Canadians can afford a roof over their heads again.
Conservatives are ready. Let us bring it home.
Liberal Party of CanadaStatements by Members
2:15 p.m.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Mr. Speaker, Canadians from across the country continue to be failed by the Prime Minister, who has only made their lives more difficult and more expensive. It is time for a change.
As Conservatives, we stand for the common sense of the common people, united for our common home: Canada. Our leader is committed to bringing home a country for those who have done the hard work. 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 hard work. He will bring home housing that workers can afford by firing the gatekeepers and freeing up land to build. He will bring home safety by ending the catch-and-release of repeat violent criminals. He will bring home freedom from foreign interference and woke government censorship.
It is time to make Canada honoured and respected once again. It is time for a new Conservative government that will bring home a country we can all be proud of.
World Press Freedom DayStatements by Members
2:15 p.m.
Liberal
Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, on this day, May 3, various countries around the world are celebrating the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day. This is a special opportunity to celebrate the principles of press freedom and to pay tribute to the journalists who have been killed or imprisoned for doing their job.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees freedom of the press. Unfortunately, even in Canada, the safety of freedom of the press is increasingly under threat. Many members of the press are regularly subjected to hate and racist, sexist and otherwise abusive messages. This is unacceptable.
According to Reporters Without Borders, in 2022, 533 journalists were detained, making a new world record. Our thoughts are, of course, with American reporter Evan Gershkovich, who has been imprisoned in Russia since late March for carrying out his work. That is unacceptable; journalism is not a crime.
I thank Canadian journalists for their hard work, transparency, accountability and dedication to the truth.
My Voice, My ChoiceStatements by Members
2:20 p.m.
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the phenomenal work of My Voice, My Choice. The women of My Voice, My Choice have courageously sought justice through a system that we know is retraumatizing. They have continued to courageously advocate to make sure other survivors have a choice when it comes to publication bans.
Currently, there is no obligation to inform or get consent from a victim-complainant when a ban has been placed on their name. If they choose to speak out about their own experiences, they can face criminal charges. This is outrageous.
I stand with them today as a sexual assault survivor who chose not to go through the legal system, knowing that this system is not kind to victims. As MPs, we have a responsibility to listen to survivors and to reform these systems. My Voice, My Choice advocates have fought tirelessly, and their work has led to the introduction of Bill S-12.
They are here in Ottawa with a clear message that we must amend and strengthen this bill to ensure that survivors never face criminal charges for sharing their own story and that they are always given the choice.
Michel RochefortStatements by Members
2:20 p.m.
Bloc
Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Salaberry—Suroît, QC
Mr. Speaker, today, I have the pleasure of paying tribute to Michel Rochefort, an extraordinary man from Salaberry—Suroît. He is so extraordinary that his town recently decided to name an arena in his honour.
Well known as a physical education teacher, Mr. Rochefort has dedicated his life to athletic development. Who would have thought that all those hours at the hockey rink, the baseball field or the Quebec Games would get Mr. Rochefort an arena named after him?
Little did he know in 1982, when he was a key player in the civic centre construction project, that the building would one day bear his name. I hope he takes this as a well-deserved mark of recognition for his contributions over the last 50 years. Every day, families from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield will go to the Michel-Rochefort arena to play.
We thank Michel for everything he has done.
EthicsStatements by Members
2:20 p.m.
Conservative
Larry Brock Conservative Brantford—Brant, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Morris Rosenberg, the former deputy minister of foreign affairs and ex-CEO of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, stated that Alexandre Trudeau, the Prime Minister's brother, was only involved in the signing of one donation. To no one’s surprise, it was the infamous $200,000 donation from two wealthy Chinese nationals with direct links to the Communist regime in Beijing. He then signed the tax receipts not to the actual donors, but rather to an address in China. In his former role, he was briefed daily on foreign interference, yet saw no red flags and found it acceptable by his own standards to send the tax receipts abroad.
This is the same so-called ethical and independent professional whom the Prime Minister appointed to produce a report on foreign interference in the last election. It begs the question, what else has this individual swept under the rug?
Sashbear WalkStatements by Members
2:20 p.m.
Liberal
Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON
Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 11th anniversary of the Sashbear Foundation's Sashbear Walk for mental health and suicide prevention. Starting on May 13 and running through the month of June, the Sashbear Walk will be held virtually and in five in-person locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Newfoundland.
The foundation and annual community fundraiser were inspired by Sasha Menu Courey. She was a champion swimmer and Olympic hopeful who lost her battle with borderline personality disorder because she and her family could not get the services and support they needed.
Funds raised from the Sashbear Walk go toward the Sashbear family connections program, which provides skills support for family members to regain balance in their lives and be more effectively involved in the lives of loved ones who have emotional dysregulation. The walk also supports Sashbear's free educational webinars, which are presented by scientific and clinical experts to provide information and skills to families coping with self-harm, suicidality, trauma and more.
I encourage all members of the House of Commons to visit sashbear.org, attend a Sashbear Walk in their community and work together to provide more mental health resources to those who are struggling. Let us all make waves for emotional dysregulation support and suicide prevention.
Democratic InstitutionsOral Questions
2:20 p.m.
Carleton Ontario
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, our intelligence agencies indicated in a report that a member of Parliament and a member of Parliament's family were threatened by an agent for Beijing in response to a vote in the House of Commons.
The Prime Minister is saying that he did not know about this, even though the former head of CSIS has stated that the Prime Minister's advisers were informed. Even the Prime Minister's chief of staff has said that nothing is ever kept hidden from the Prime MInister.
How is it possible that the Prime MInister did not know that such a risk existed here in Canada?
Democratic InstitutionsOral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Eglinton—Lawrence Ontario
Liberal
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, as the leader of the Conservative Party knows, this government takes any threats of foreign interference very seriously.
As soon as we were informed of the matter concerning the member for Wellington—Halton Hills, we contacted him and offered him a briefing. We gave him that briefing yesterday. It was not the first briefing that the member opposite received.
We will continue to do good work to protect everyone who works in the House and to protect our democratic institutions.
Democratic InstitutionsOral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Carleton Ontario
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, it is hard to imagine what information would have qualified as important enough to pass on to the Prime Minister, if information about threats against a member and his family failed to make the cut.
It is impossible to believe that the Prime Minister did not receive this information. Either he was unaware and is incompetent, or he was aware and is dishonest. Which one is it?
Democratic InstitutionsOral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Eglinton—Lawrence Ontario
Liberal
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, the member for Wellington—Halton Hills was briefed by CSIS yesterday, and it was not the first briefing he received.
This is one example of how the government is taking concrete action to fight foreign interference. On this side of the House, on the government side, I mean, we are going to keep taking action to protect all the members who work in our democratic institutions.
Democratic InstitutionsOral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Carleton Ontario
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the question was for the Prime Minister, not for his incompetent minister.
Democratic InstitutionsOral Questions
2:25 p.m.
Some hon. members
Oh, oh!