Debates of May 4th, 2023

Opposition Motion—Interference by the People's Republic of China

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to what is happening, it is clear there is an ongoing tit-for-tat situation of she-said-he-said-they-said without getting into the central issue, which is to take partisanship out of this debate and for the Canadian government to make a course correction regarding the action that needs to be taken by putting in place an independent, public inquiry.

Aside from the points in the motion, the other piece I am wondering about is this. Does the member agree that what is also important is for Canada to work with its allied countries to come up with a common strategy to deal with the threat of foreign interference by any country?

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

Mr. Speaker, I agree 100%, yes.

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

Mr. Speaker, some of the points I was going to make in my speech were just covered by the member from Kamloops.

With respect to the debate we just had, the point is that during the debate this morning the member for Kingston and the Islands, the member for Vancouver Granville and the member for Winnipeg North all alluded to the fact that it was the member for Wellington—Halton Hills who knew and did nothing. That is a form of victim abuse. That is not acceptable for this House and it pains me to see members of the government, parliamentary secretaries, building a narrative to discredit an hon. member of this chamber. It has to stop and they need to apologize today.

The government is defensive. It is defensive for a very good reason. It goes back to the 2020 report of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians covering their actions in 2019. Of particular interest is chapter 2 of this report, the government's response to foreign interference, which notes, I will add, that Canada's allies have identified interference as a significant threat and initiated various countermeasures. It reads,“foreign interference in Canada has received minimal media and academic coverage, and is not part of wider public discourse.”

Things have changed since 2020. In their review of foreign interference activities, this non-partisan committee, which only issues reports if every member of the said committee agrees to them, had a number of findings. They read:

F8. Some foreign states conduct sophisticated and pervasive foreign interference activities against Canada. Those activities pose a significant risk to national security, principally by undermining Canada's fundamental institutions and eroding the rights and freedoms of Canadians. (Paragraphs 136-175)

F9. CSIS has consistently conducted investigations and provided advice to government on foreign interference. (Paragraphs 195-201)

F10. Throughout the period under review, the interdepartmental coordination and collaboration on foreign interference was case-specific and ad hoc. Canada's ability to address foreign interference is limited by the absence of a holistic approach to consider relevant risks, appropriate tools and possible implications of responses to state behaviours. (Paragraphs 219-227 and 280-285)

F11. Foreign interference has received historically less attention in Canada than other national security threats. This is beginning to change with the government's nascent focus on "hostile state activities." Nonetheless, the security and intelligence community's approach to addressing the threat is still marked by a number of conditions:

There are significant differences in how individual security and intelligence organizations interpret the gravity and prevalence of the threat, and prioritize their resources. (Paragraphs 276-279)

In determining the measures the government may use to address instances of foreign interference, responses address specific activities and not patterns of behaviour.

F12. Government engagement on foreign interference has been limited.

With the exception of CSIS outreach activities, the government's interaction with subnational levels of government and civil society on foreign interference is minimal. (Paragraphs 256-267)

Engagement is limited in part by the lack of security-cleared individuals at the subnational level. (Paragraph 261)

There is no public foreign interference strategy or public report similar to those developed for terrorism or cyber security. (Paragraphs 289-291)

I could go on but my time is limited today. The committee made a number of recommendations on actions that the government could take to combat foreign interference, and yet none of those have been taken today. We have still not seen a foreign registry tabled in this Parliament and we have still not seen real action by the government. The only reason we are seeing any action today is because of Robert Fife in The Globe and Mail.

Recommendation five in the committee's report reads:

R5. The Government of Canada develop a comprehensive strategy to counter foreign interference and build institutional and public resiliency. Drawing from the Committee's review and findings, such a strategy should:

a. identify the short- and long-term risks and harms to Canadian institutions and rights and freedoms posed by the threat of foreign interference;

b. examine and address the full range of institutional vulnerabilities targeted by hostile foreign states, including areas expressly omitted in the Committee's review;

c. assess the adequacy of existing legislation that deals with foreign interference, such as the Security of Information Act or the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, and make proposals for changes if required;

d. develop practical, whole-of-government operational and policy mechanisms to identify and respond to the activities of hostile states;

e. establish regular mechanisms to work with sub-national levels of government...

f. include an approach for ministers and senior officials to engage with fundamental institutions and the public; and

g. guide cooperation with allies on foreign interference.

The next point is that the Government of Canada “support this comprehensive strategy through sustained central leadership” and review of legislation.

To conclude, the government has done nothing outlined in the 2020 report. The only reason we are here today and the only reason the Conservative Party has brought this motion forward is to establish a foreign agent registry, to establish a national public inquiry, and to close down the People's Republic of China's police offices in Canada.

What is happening to our sovereignty? I will state this emotional appeal.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

We have a point of order from the hon. deputy House leader.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the member opposite is passionate. However, for the sake of the interpreters, I would ask that he not scream.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

The hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will lower my voice, but the passion with which I speak today is because I am scared that our sovereignty is at stake, that the government has been negligent in its responsibilities to Canada and that the country I knew as a young man is not the country of today. I can remember that in the early 2000s it was big national news when members of the American government, the FBI, came to Canada. Canada was upset, yet we stand negligent today when a foreign dictatorship that does not have the interests of Canada at heart establishes a police office in our country.

The government has been defensive. We need to vote with the official opposition and take immediate actions to rectify the grave and serious problems the government has caused in our country.

Dutch Heritage Day

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

Mr. Speaker, Dutch Heritage Day is celebrated annually in Canada on May 5 to recognize and honour the contributions made by the Dutch community to Canadian society. It coincides with the anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands by Canada during World War II, a day my own mother remembers well, as she and her family were there. They came to Canada on the first ship after the war: my grandmother and her six children, with the seventh on the way. They moved to Owen Sound, where they re-established the dairy farm they had left behind in Holland, maintaining the connection to agriculture that informs my own role on the agriculture committee today.

I was delighted to meet with the Dutch ambassador to Canada, Her Excellency Ines Coppoolse, on Tuesday at an event hosted by the Speaker of the House. She spoke passionately about the many areas of shared values and co-operation, from security and agriculture innovation to respect for freedom of the press and technological advancements.

I was also able to meet with members of the Liberal Party of Holland during the meetings of Liberal International in Ottawa over the last two days. It was a great opportunity to see so many of my colleagues celebrating Holland.

The Dutch community in Canada is one of the largest and most well-established immigrant communities in the country. I am proud to be of Dutch descent. I thank all Canadians of Dutch descent, especially my mother and her family and those of Dutch descent living in my riding of Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, for all they have done and for the Dutch treats like stroopwafel, pannenkoek and oliebollen.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, seven people were attacked with bear spray in broad daylight on a Calgary LRT platform. Two of the victims were my daughters. The investigating officer said that it was the eighth such incident that week. Fortunately, they were not seriously injured, but, sadly, violent attacks are now a daily occurrence on Canada's transit systems. In April alone, there was an Edmonton bus stop stabbing, a sexual assault on a Toronto bus, a shooting on a Calgary bus, three separate stabbings on the SkyTrain in B.C. and a stabbing murder on a Surrey bus.

People need public transit. It is part of the solution for reducing traffic congestion and emissions. However, people will not take transit if the government will not do something about the chronic violent repeat offenders who make our communities and our transit systems unsafe.

Audrey Sojonky

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as Liberals from across Canada gather in Ottawa this weekend, we will be missing a woman who left an indelible mark on our Vancouver Liberal family.

On April 25, Audrey Sojonky, a tireless advocate for women in politics, passed away peacefully at her home in West Vancouver. She dedicated her life to education and to giving back to her community. She believed deeply in a progressive, inclusive Canada and ran for the Liberal Party of Canada in the 1993 election. Hers was the first campaign I ever worked on. She made sure my voice and the voices of young volunteers on her campaign were included in every aspect of what she did, and she never forgot her volunteers. Every time I saw her, even after I was elected to this House, she reminded me of how grateful she was for the work I had done for her 30 years ago and how proud she was of all of us who had achieved great things from her campaign.

Among her many achievements, Audrey Sojonky was president of the United Way of the Lower Mainland and a board member of the Vancouver port and the Vancouver Art Gallery. She was also a proud Ukrainian Canadian and deeply involved in the Ukrainian Orthodox community. She leaves behind her loving son Toma and his partner Leigh, her grandchildren Alexa and Lukas, and countless other relatives and friends.

May she rest in peace. We will be thinking of her this weekend and always. Vichnaya pamyat, memory eternal.

Mental Health of Farmers

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are halfway through Mental Health Week, which this year is encouraging people to share their story.

On this occasion, I would like to hear the stories that we do not hear often enough, those of our farmers. Behind the beautiful landscapes of our regions lies a challenging life and far too often a life of solitude.

On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I want to acknowledge all of our proud farmers and I want to encourage them to share their story.

They do not need to bear an undue burden alone, no matter how broad their shoulders. They need to talk, ask for help if necessary whether from a loved one, an outreach worker from the Au cœur des familles agricoles organization or their regional UPA, or even from a health care professional. Mostly, they need to know that we see them working seven days a week, persevering through bad weather, labour problems, the uncertainty of succession planning and foreign competition. They need to know that Quebeckers stand with them.

World Portuguese Language Day

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as a Portuguese Canadian, I am honoured to rise today on behalf of the Portuguese diaspora in Canada and across the world.

Initially established as Portuguese language and culture day in 2009, in 2019 UNESCO officially proclaimed May 5 as World Portuguese Language Day, Dia Mundial da Língua Portuguesa. Since then, it is celebrated to honour the Portuguese language and its cultural significance worldwide.

Portuguese is spoken by more than 265 million people globally, making it the fifth most spoken language in the world. Primarily spoken in Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde and Sao Tome and Principe, it is also spoken in India's Goa region and Macau, China.

My sincere thanks to the Portuguese ambassador in Canada, Antonio Rocha, and Mrs. Luisa Rocha, for their great service to our Portuguese-Canadian community.

[Member spoke in Portuguese]

Natural Resources

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are completely out of touch when it comes to the future of energy production and electricity in Saskatchewan. The plan to completely shut down coal-fired power by 2030, and quite likely natural gas by 2035, is idealistic but entirely unrealistic. These federal initiatives would mean the end of up to 86% of the power production in Saskatchewan by 2035.

Thankfully, our premier has stated that despite the federal Liberal’s misguided policies, the province will not risk plunging our homes, schools, hospitals and businesses into a cold and dark evening. He is right. Soaring rhetoric cannot change the laws of thermodynamics, and the federal plan ignores the reality that Saskatchewan requires homegrown, reliable and affordable electricity that is available on demand.

The Conservatives understand that we cannot put the security of Saskatchewan’s energy system in jeopardy for the sake of ineffective Liberal policies. It is time to make Canada proud, honoured and respected once again. It is time for a new Conservative government.

Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Vancouver

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on March 18, the Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Vancouver marked a momentous day by breaking ground at the site of its new gurdwara.

This wonderful organization was established in 1982 and provides both a place of worship for Sikhs and a centre for social, educational and cultural activities for the entire community. For over four decades, its congregants have shared and taught us all the values of equality, justice and compassion.

I congratulate Vancouver Kingsway resident and gurdwara president Bill Basra and his entire executive on their initiative and hard work to get to this exciting point. Mr. Basra is a pillar of the community, who helps people from all walks of life. He is a shining example of kindness, generosity, humility and true leadership.

I look forward to celebrating at the official opening of the new gurdwara with all who are contributing to its creation.

[Member spoke in Punjabi]

[English]

Dutch Heritage Day

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, May 5 is Dutch Heritage Day in Canada. The bonds of history and friendship between Canada and the Netherlands are unbreakable.

Dutch immigrants have been coming to Canada for over 100 years, and today, over a million Canadians can proudly claim their Dutch heritage. This includes my dad Joe, our siblings and cousins, and over 2,000 Miltonians.

Even Princess Juliana, before she was Queen of the Netherlands, sought refuge in Ottawa during the dark days of the Nazi occupation. By 1943, she was expecting a daughter but could not return home, so Canada declared the Ottawa Civic Hospital outside of Canadian territory, allowing Princess Margriet to be born a Dutch citizen.

Seventy-eight years ago today, the Netherlands was liberated by a Canadian-led force, which they still celebrate and remember today. Dutch tulip farmers and the royal family send us tens of thousands of tulips for Ottawa’s annual Tulip Festival. As people walk around Ottawa in the coming days and weeks as the tulips bloom, they can thank Holland.

Our two countries share so much, such as a commitment to fighting climate change and investing in science and innovation. We are also two of the first countries to legalize same-sex marriage. To this day, our mutual admiration for our two nations runs strong across the Atlantic Ocean.

Like over a million Dutch Canadians, I am proud of my Dutch heritage and proud of our truly diverse and multicultural Canada.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are out of money and the Prime Minister is out of touch and out of the country.

This is the Prime Minister's record in just the last five months: five lavish vacations, living it up in New York with celebrities and a $162,000-vacation to Jamaica paid for by the Trudeau Foundation donors.

Under the Prime Minister, overdoses are up 300%, and 22 people a day are dying from overdoses. People do not feel safe in their community. Yesterday, I met a paramedic, who has to wear a bulletproof vest to work every day. There are viral videos of people lining up down the street for food banks.

Leadership is taking responsibility, not observing. Leadership means we give people hope and opportunity. Leadership means pivoting and changing when things are not working.

Canada does not have a leader. Canada has a Prime Minister who deflects responsibility and is completely out of touch with the suffering he is causing.

Canadians are out of—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for London West.

International Day of the Midwife

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on May 5 we recognize the International Day of the Midwife, a day to recognize the essential contributions that midwives make to ensuring safe, quality reproductive and newborn care to pregnant people, mothers and babies everywhere.

The Canadian Association of Midwives not only supports midwives in Canada, but also works toward improving sexual and reproductive health, and rights of women and girls globally.

Canadian midwives are playing their part in providing capacity building, education and clinical expertise to midwives in countries such as South Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti.

We have over 2,300 midwives who are providing primary health care, and about 120 indigenous midwives providing culturally appropriate care to their communities. Midwives are also well positioned to address the specific challenges still faced by rural, remote and Indigenous communities in Canada.

The world, including Canada, needs more midwives to ensure equitable access to primary care for all Canadians, regardless of where they live in this vast country.

I ask members to join me today in celebrating midwives across the country.

Democratic Institutions

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is unconscionable that the Prime Minister is making the victim the villain. An agent of the Communist regime in China attacked a member of this House and his family. Period. Instead of defending every parliamentarian and all Canadians, members of the Liberal caucus have attacked the hon. member for Wellington—Halton Hills. They have falsely claimed that our colleague has no credibility. They have also claimed that he knew about the attacks on his family.

Do the Liberals really think that Canadians believe that the hon. member knew about threats against his family but did nothing, while at the same time the Minister of Public Safety, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and even the Prime Minister were oblivious to these attacks and threats against a member of Parliament?

Blaming the victim of these threats sends a very frightening message to Chinese Canadians and all Canadians who are being intimidated by Beijing and China that we will not defend democracy, we will not defend Canadians and we will not defend this House. The Liberals need to stand up and expel this member—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are out of money, and the Prime Minister is out of touch and out of the country.

Many of my constituents can only dream of lavish foreign vacations, a trip to New York to hobnob with celebrities, or getting a “free” $80,000 vacay in Jamaica, courtesy of Trudeau Foundation donors.

I do not think the Prime Minister has any idea how difficult life is for a family in Kelowna struggling to pay over $1,000 a month more for a mortgage, or how crippling his hike in the carbon tax is for a family in Hedley who have to drive to a different community to get their kids to school, to see a doctor or buy groceries.

In Merritt, drug houses and pushers are immune from prosecution because of the Liberal government's drug decriminalization “pilot project”. While the Liberals and NDP pat themselves on the back for this pilot project, let us not forget that it set a new record for drug overdose deaths in B.C. for the first quarter. The police are powerless, but drug dealers are the ones who profit because of the Prime Minister’s out-of-touch Liberal-NDP ideology.

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

King Charles III

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr Speaker, I rise today to honour the coronation of our sovereign, King Charles III, and the beginning of a new reign of service to his 15 realms and the Commonwealth.

Fulfilling a uniquely subliminal contract with the millions of citizens who rely on His Majesty to provide a continuity that is so difficult to define, I would like to offer King Charles III my sincerest wishes for a happy and productive reign.

For as long as I can remember, the principle of constitutional monarchies has attracted and engaged me. The state, as represented by the Crown, facilitates societal evolution in historical continuity.

The new King of Canada, His Majesty Charles III, will have to more tightly weave the bonds of affection and trust that he has developed over the years, and I am convinced that he will know how to do so.

“Long live the King.”

Vancouver Island Mental Health Society

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this week is Mental Health Awareness Week and I wish to acknowledge the important work of the Vancouver Island Mental Health Society, VIMHS.

VIMHS first started providing essential psychiatric rehabilitation supports, and now also provides services that include housing programs, harm reduction services, psychosocial rehabilitation, community outreach and public education. VIMHS's programming has supported thousands of people over the years.

A resident of my riding shared a touching story of how they were struggling with intense and frightening delusions, marijuana withdrawal and lack of sleep, which took a tremendous toll on their life. VIMHS was there to provide necessary supports for this individual to get back on track to living a life of dignity and joy. This resident is now focused on their health, well-being, sobriety, and learning skills, including cooking, yoga and attending university. This resident recently scored a 97.4% on their mid-term, and I congratulate this resident.

I want to thank all of the individuals who work in mental health. I also thank VIMHS and others in Nanaimo—Ladysmith. Their work matters to so many.

International Firefighters' Day

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today, May 4 is International Firefighters' Day. People around the world are saluting the courage of those who fight fires and, more broadly, protect their citizens against the forces of nature that are unleashed. This day is marked around the world, but especially at home today, as Quebeckers are reeling from the ultimate sacrifice of two of our own. Two volunteer firefighters lost their lives in Saint‑Urbain when they were carried away by the current while helping flood victims. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I wish to offer my most sincere condolences to the grieving families, friends and communities of Christopher Lavoie and Régis Lavoie.

This tragedy raises questions that must be answered about the conditions under which our volunteer firefighters are deployed and their security. However, by its very nature, there will always be a fair amount of risk in this profession. For that reason, on this International Firefighters' Day, everyone will always be indebted towards those who are there for us.

To our firefighter brothers and sisters, thank you for your dedication.

Finance

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are struggling through the effects of inflation, high interest rates and slowing economic growth. Canadians need a finance minister who will stand up and explain to them why they can no longer afford a home, why families have had to cancel vacations and why millions are having to visit food banks. Instead, we have a finance minister who has spoken in the House only seven times all year. She has refused three separate invitations to the finance committee.

We are once again inviting her to speak at the finance committee to defend her record of high taxes, enormous deficits and slowing economic growth. The Minister of Finance is asking for Canadians to give her $490 billion, $60 billion in new spending and $12 billion in unallocated spending. All we are asking for at the finance committee is two hours.

I am asking her today whether she really believes her time is worth more than $8 billion per minute. Is there something more important to her than the Canadian public? It is time she stood up in the House and was accountable.