Debates of May 8th, 2023

Alberta Election

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Scarborough—Guildwood.

Results Canada

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in 2007, I joined Results Canada on a delegation to Kenya, which was far from being a junket; rather, it was a slum tour. Nairobi has some of the biggest slums in the world. What I remember most is the smell of open sewers and the chronic overcrowding.

Results Canada is a grassroots NGO, composed of volunteers who are dedicated to reducing poverty and advancing human rights. Today we are joined in Ottawa by volunteers from Results Canada, including constituents from Scarborough—Guildwood, who have come to Ottawa as part of the national conference of game-changers for achieving the global goals by 2030.

Please join me in thanking all the Results Canada volunteers today, the real game-changers, who would like to end extreme poverty.

Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association recently celebrated its 65th anniversary, marking over six decades of advocacy and representation for the consumer specialty products industry in Canada. Founded in 1958, the CCSPA has been instrumental in ensuring that Canadian consumers have access to safe and innovative products, ranging from household cleaners and personal care items to pest control and automotive products.

The CCSPA has played a vital role in shaping regulations and standards for the industry to promote best practices and improve product safety. The association has also provided valuable support to its members, including market research, networking opportunities and educational programs. During the pandemic, it worked tirelessly to ensure Canadians had access to disinfectants, wipes, hand sanitizers and cleaning products.

I give a shout-out to Shannon Coombs, who has been the president of the CCSPA for more than 25 years, shaping the best consumer product landscape for Canadians.

The 65th anniversary is a significant milestone. I congratulate everyone.

Alberta Wildfires

[Tim Uppal, Conservative, Edmonton Mill Woods, AB]

Mr. Speaker, since Saturday, Alberta has been in a state of emergency due to raging wildfires. Currently, there are 108 wildfires across the province: 28 that are out of control, 20 that are being held and 60 that are under control. Nearly 30,000 Albertans have been evacuated from their homes and, sadly, some have already lost their homes.

The hot, dry and windy conditions continue to produce extreme burning conditions and a fire ban remains in place for most of Alberta.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the firefighters who are working tirelessly, day and night, to keep our communities safe while risking their own lives, including firefighters who arrived yesterday from Ontario and Quebec to help the efforts. We also extend our gratitude to all emergency personnel, volunteers and everyone who is out there helping their fellow Albertans.

Our prayers are with them during this challenging time, and we remain Alberta strong.

Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as president of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association, I rise to highlight two significant dates for our European friends: Today, May 8, Victory in Europe Day; and tomorrow, May 9, Europe Day. Both dates reflect on and celebrate European unity and spirit.

Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945, meant an end to nearly six years of war in Europe and millions of lives lost. Five years later, on May 9, 1950, the Schuman declaration was proposed to set out a new form of political co-operation in Europe that would make war between Europe's nations unthinkable. For this we celebrate Europe Day.

Upholding our shared values of peace, democracy and unity has never been more important. In the face of the ongoing unprovoked Russian aggression against Ukraine, Canada and Europe remain steadfast in their support for the sovereignty of Ukraine and the freedom of the Ukrainian people.

As President Ursula von der Leyen stated in this House, “The histories of our democracies are tied together.” We have seen what is possible when Canada and Europe work together.

Conservative Party of Canada

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer—Mountain View, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government and the Prime Minister are plagued with scandal and ethics violations. Canadians are struggling to make ends meet because of his inflationary deficits and carbon tax.

The good news for Canadians is that the next Conservative government has a plan to bring home lower prices. We will end the government's inflationary deficits and scrap the carbon tax. Conservatives will bring home powerful paycheques for Canadians by lowering taxes and clawbacks, to reward hard-working Canadians. Led by the leader of the official opposition, Conservatives will bring home freedom from foreign interference because this Prime Minister will not.

Canadians know that our leader and our caucus stand for the common sense of the common people, united for our common home, Canada.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Mr. Speaker, with Liberal taxes sparking rising inflation and food prices out of control, today's Canadians have never had it worse. Forget about a vacation, most people cannot even afford a staycation.

The Prime Minister does not have the same worries. He has taken five foreign vacations this year alone, including living it up in New York City with celebrities and selfies, and his $80,000 vacation in Jamaica, paid by Trudeau Foundation donors. Canadians who can only dream of such a luxury are paying thousands for his security and travel costs.

After eight years of this out-of-touch Prime Minister and his taxes, life costs more, work does not pay, house costs have doubled, crime is increasing and Canadians are out of money.

National Nursing Week

[Élisabeth Brière, Liberal, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today marks the start of National Nursing Week. What a great opportunity to thank the nurses of Sherbrooke, Quebec and the entire country for their work on the front lines delivering care to Canadians.

The COVID‑19 pandemic was a painful reminder of the harsh working conditions facing our guardian angels. Their efforts on behalf of patients in need during that difficult time came at a cost to their own physical and mental health.

The Government of Canada continues to stand up for our health care providers in various ways, for example with the new federal health plan, which provides $50 billion in new funding over 10 years, including $7.8 billion under ongoing bilateral agreements for home care, mental health care and long-term care services. However, even with ongoing funding, a lot of work remains to be done to improve the conditions of all health care workers.

I thank all the nurses of the CIUSS de l'Estrie—CHUS for their dedication. They deserve Sherbrooke's unending gratitude.

George Whitney

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, George Whitney was a dedicated civil servant, a committed conservationist and one of the most interesting, most curious and most entertaining people I have ever met. Among his many roles, George was the superintendent of Algonquin Provincial Park and the director of fisheries for the Government of Ontario.

His last position was with the Canadian International Development Agency in Zimbabwe and it was in Zimbabwe that George and I met for the first time. People may have wondered how our friendship developed. He was 30 years my senior and we had very different lives. Sometimes the world is a funny place and I like to believe that George saw in me a kindred spirit, someone who was interested in our world, interested in wild places, interested in creating a world that was more equal for all.

George, his highly entertaining brother Paul, our dear friend Scott and I would spend many a night talking about our global exploits, arguing about what made the perfect dog, which is, of course, the Rhodesian ridgeback, and scheming about how we would fix the world.

The world is a less interesting place without him in it.

Liberal Party of Canada

[Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party held its convention on the weekend, to the dismay of those Liberals who had better things to do than to discuss their ideas.

On Saturday morning, thousands of delegates could have discussed inflation, the housing crisis, the fight against climate change, or Chinese interference. Of course, that does not exist. They could have at least discussed the major Liberal priorities.

However, no one was there, as barely one-tenth of the delegates were on site. Where were they? The Liberals were glued to their TV screens, getting choked up as they watched the coronation of King Charles III.

The Prime Minister would like us to believe that the new King of Canada has the same priorities as Canadians. I am wondering if one of the King's priorities is abolishing the monarchy, because there is a consensus on that in Quebec and also in Canada. The Liberals could probably have seen that too, had their tear-filled eyes not been riveted on the television to watch the royal carriage go by.

Taxation

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, people in my home province of Saskatchewan are struggling more than ever to make ends meet, and the Prime Minister is oblivious. Canadians are feeling the pressure to keep the lights on and food on the table, while the government continues to raise taxes on gas, heat and food.

The Prime Minister has squandered taxpayer money, taking lavish foreign holidays that most of us could never afford. His $80,000 gifted vacation from the Trudeau Foundation donors cost more than an annual salary for many families in this country. Taxpayers are on the hook for these foreign holidays, while most Canadians simply take modest holidays, such as camping out or visiting their grandparents. Canadians are facing tough times because of the government's irresponsible fiscal management.

National Mining Week

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize National Mining Week.

Mining activity takes place across the country and creates 665,000 direct and indirect jobs. In 2021, it contributed $90 billion to Canada’s GDP.

Canada is a global mining power thanks to our world-class people, deposits and environmental practices. In a net-zero economy, this industry can reach even higher. That is why we made a historic commitment of $3.8 billion to implement the critical minerals strategy. This includes $1.5 billion to establish critical mineral value chains, another $1.5 billion to unlock projects, the doubling of the mineral exploration tax credit, $144 million for R and D, and more.

In last month’s federal budget, we built on Canada’s competitive position, committing to the clean tech tax credit to increase domestic mining and processing. The Government of Canada is fully seized with capturing the opportunities before us.

Speaker's Rulings on Decorum—Speaker's Ruling

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Before going on to question period, I would like to make a statement on maintaining order and decorum in the House, following the point of order raised during the sitting of May 4.

The rules and practices governing order and decorum are intended in part to ensure that proceedings are conducted in a civil, courteous and respectful manner. In particular, members are expected to address each other through the Chair and to avoid making any offensive or disruptive remarks. For example, stating directly, or indirectly, that a colleague is a liar, or has lied, is unacceptable.

Maintaining order and decorum in the House is a responsibility that has been delegated to chair occupants. This is a task of great importance whose enforcement relies on striking a fine balance between the nearly unlimited freedom of speech in the House and complying with Standing Order 18, which provides, and I quote:

No member shall...use offensive words against either House, or against any member thereof.

When the Chair is asked to rule on alleged unparliamentary language, it takes various criteria into account, including the member’s tone, manner and intent, as well as the disorder in the Chamber that follows the remarks.

Chair occupants always try to apply the rules consistently. What may appear inconsistent to some is often the result of the fact that every situation is different. As a result, as House of Commons Procedure and Practice, third edition, notes on page 624, “language deemed unparliamentary one day may not necessarily be deemed unparliamentary on another day.”

When the Chair finds that a member has used unparliamentary language, the Chair may ask the member to withdraw their words and apologize. If the member declines to do so, the Chair may then refuse to recognize them, or “name” them and expel them from the Chamber for the remainder of the sitting.

As stated during the events of Thursday, May 4, the Chair wishes to reiterate that it will use all the powers at its disposal. To be quite clear, any remarks the Chair deems unparliamentary will be required to be withdrawn immediately and accompanied by a full and proper apology. If a member refuses to comply, the Chair will cease to recognize them until further notice.

As I explained in my statement on November 3, 2022, which can be found on page 9298 of the Debates, and I quote, “Exchanges between members of the House are sometimes heated and intense, but the Chair expects everyone to conduct themselves in a dignified manner and to choose their words carefully.”

As we approach the month of June, when the parliamentary workload is consistently very heavy, I encourage all members to contribute to the proceedings in a civilized manner, in accordance with our rules.

Members each have the primary responsibility for maintaining order and decorum. To help members do so, the Chair will use, in full, the powers it has been granted by the members themselves.

I thank all members for their attention and their collaboration.

Finance

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, a few months ago, the Minister of Finance admitted that deficits add fuel to the inflationary fire. A little later, she announced that she would never eliminate these inflationary deficits.

The few Liberals with common sense put forward a motion at the Liberal convention demanding a plan to balance the budget and eliminate these inflationary deficits. The Prime Minister ensured that this motion was voted down.

When will the government get rid of the inflationary deficit?

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

Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals said during our national convention is that we are the optimistic party, we are the party that believes in Canada and we are the party that understands the importance of investing in our country.

On the fiscal front, S&P reaffirmed Canada's AAA credit rating after our budget update.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the question was for the Prime Minister, but he does not have the courage to stand up to answer it.

His finance minister said, just a few months ago, that deficits add oil to the inflationary fire. A few weeks later, she announced she would continue running deficits forever. There were a few courageous Liberals who showed up, in a minority to their congress, to push forward a motion, which would have required the government eliminate these deficits, but it was voted down, sadly.

Will the Prime Minister have the courage to stand up to answer? Will he get rid of his inflationary deficits, or does he believe that budgets will balance themselves?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am really glad to hear the Leader of the Opposition recognize the courage of the Liberal Party. Indeed, the Liberal Party showed itself to be courageous and optimistic this weekend. We showed we are the party that believes in Canada. We are the party that understands the importance of investing in Canadians. The economic results show that works.

Canada's AAA credit rating was reaffirmed by S&P after I tabled our budget. Our economy grew by 2.5% in the first quarter, and we have added 900,000 jobs—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The Leader of the Opposition.

Democratic Institutions

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister was so courageous, he would not be afraid to stand up to answer a question, would he?

If the Prime Minister was so courageous, he might throw out Beijing's agent. A week after we found out as a nation that this agent had been threatening the family of a Canadian MP for a vote that he cast in the House, the Prime Minister has not thrown him out. In fact, he extends credentials to that agent, allowing him to operate with impunity from our laws here in our country.

Will the Prime Minister show some courage, answer the question and kick this agent out today?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about serious issues, and I would like us to all be serious for a minute.

In the House, we disagree about many things. We disagree about child care. We disagree about a price on pollution, and we disagree about investing in Canadian industrial policy, but there is one thing that I know every single member of the House, in every party, agrees on, and that is the sanctity of democracy in Canada and around the world. It is simply wrong to suggest in any way any member of this House is not a faithful, patriotic, democratic Canadian.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister believes that, he should stand up to say so and kick out this operative from Canada. So far, he has been hiding. He is hiding from answering my questions, but he is hiding from the regime in Beijing. The government is now saying that it cannot kick out this operative, even though he threatened the family of a Canadian MP, because it is afraid of the consequences that Beijing will impose on the Liberal government, which it has supported for so long.

Will the Prime Minister finally put this country first, bring home security to all MPs and kick this operative out, yes or no?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition, if he were paying attention, would have heard that my colleague, the Minister of Global Affairs, convened last week with the Chinese ambassador to make it abundantly clear that we will never tolerate foreign interference. This is consistent with the strong position that Canada has taken when it comes to the conventions around what is legitimate diplomatic activity and what is not.

We will continue to put in place the authorities, the people, the resources and the transparency to defend our democratic institutions. I just wonder why it is the leader of the Conservative Party continues to politicize an issue that is a Canadian issue.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is because we want to protect democracy here in Canada.

The Prime Minister was not courageous enough to answer the questions. His minister said that the government will never tolerate foreign interference, but that is exactly what the government is doing right now. If the government and the Prime Minister want to protect our democracy, then they need to throw out the agent responsible for the threats against a member of Parliament here in Canada.

Will the Prime Minister show some courage and kick this agent out today?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chinese ambassador to make clear the parameters of legitimate foreign operations. Canada will always condemn any activities that go beyond what is set out in agreements and the law.

What is more, we have already put in place the required authorities and strengthened transparency to defend our democratic institutions, and we will continue to do so.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the Century Initiative, the goal of which is to triple the population to 100 million by 2100 through immigration.

Even the initiative's creators admit that the initiative does not take into account the future of French or the political weight of Quebec or the first nations. It is strictly about economics. The Liberals never announced that they were espousing this idea, but their immigration targets for 2023 and 2025 already match the initiative's objectives.

If the government is going to use the Century Initiative as its immigration policy, will it at least announce it openly?