Debates of June 20th, 2023

Order and Decorum in the House

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order.

I was able to witness the whole process, in terms of what had taken place. There was no “heated exchange” between the two members; the minister was giving a response to a question, and he was constantly being heckled.

The Speaker at the time gave not one or two, but several warnings. They were not warnings about unparliamentary language; they were because the member continued to heckle, and she was warned to stop heckling. The unparliamentary language was only one part of it. She was actually told that if she did not stop heckling, then she would not be recognized.

It had nothing to do with the unparliamentary language. In fact, while the Speaker was making that ruling, I focused my attention on the member for Lethbridge, who did not stop talking. Reflecting on what took place, I do not think what the opposition whip has put on the record is fully accurate.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order.

I just wanted to make a point that the New Democratic Party would like to reserve the right to come back to speak to this issue at a later date.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I will speak to this now. In fact, when the Speaker thought the member was heckling and asked her to stop, she did not continue to do so. She was speaking to a colleague. However, when we consider the outrageous interruptions that came from the member who just spoke and the member for Kingston and the Islands during our leader's four-hour speech recently, when they would not allow him to even get through what he had to say minute to minute, we are talking about the acceptance of an apology that was given when demanded. It was accepted that the language that was spoken had been unparliamentary, and the apology was given. It is not consistent ruling for the member for Lethbridge to be told she cannot participate in debates afterward.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Not having been here in the chair when that was happening and not having witnessed it, I am hearing a he-said-she-said type of argument. I am going to need to go back, watch the video and consult with the table officers who were in the chamber to find out exactly what happened and how it evolved. I will come back at my soonest opportunity. Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of time left before the end of the year, and I am not sure how long it will take by the time we go through all the information, but I will be back as quickly as is humanly possible.

In the meantime, I want to remind all sides to please not call each other names or disrespect each other. Question period is coming up. Because both sides are so concerned with what is going on in the House, I am going to expect both sides to be very respectful of decorum, not shout at each other and be very respectful of the process.

Climate Change

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

Mr. Speaker, as we approach the recess for the summer months, I usually look forward to a time of peace and reflection and to enjoying good weather, but this summer will be different. Due to the baked-in increase in temperatures resulting from our addiction to fossil fuels and our failure to act, we are going to have a rough summer. To all of my colleagues and everyone in their constituencies, I hope that they are spared climate events that are terrifying.

We know that the rest of the summer will continue hot and dry, which means more forest fires. In some places, it will be hot and wet. The Atlantic basin is hotter than it has ever been, which suggests that we are going to have a worse hurricane season. We are looking at climate threats of all kinds, and at this point we can only ask that we take care of each other, fortify our communities in resilience, and finally act to address the climate crisis.

Forced Labour and Child Labour

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

Mr. Speaker, last month Bill S-211, the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, passed in the House and received royal assent. The bill is now law. It is designed to rid our supply chains of slave products.

Simultaneously, in the town of Markham, Shein, a company notorious for selling products made by slaves and child labour at cheap prices, opened up a 170,000-square-foot distribution facility. Ordinary citizens have been protesting on the streets of Markham against having such a company in their community.

It is intended that Bill S-211 will be fully operational by this time next year, and the executives of Shein will have to file a compliance transparency statement to the Government of Canada.

The additional question is this: How did a company of such a notorious reputation get a building permit for a 170,000-square-foot facility in Markham? Does no one care, or is “cheapest product, any place, any time” the law of this land?

Military Helicopter Crash

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament of the riding that is home to Garrison Petawawa and the 450 Chinook Tactical Helicopter Squadron, it is my unfortunate duty to rise and acknowledge the training accident that occurred early this morning, involving four aircrew members of a CH-147 Chinook helicopter.

The training exercise was taking place at Garrison Petawawa along the Ottawa River, with the helicopter crashing into the water. At the time I received this information, two flight crew members had been rescued and two are unaccounted for.

As the representative of the close-knit military community at Garrison Petawawa, I know we all feel the effects whenever tragedy strikes any member of our military family. To the families of the 450 Chinook Helicopter Tactical Squadron and the families of the aircrew, the prayers and best wishes of the nation are with you at this time.

Sickle Cell Disease

[Lena Metlege Diab, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was National Sickle Cell Awareness Day.

Sickle cell disease is a debilitating, inherited blood disease that causes those impacted to suffer from chronic pain, fatigue, social rejection and discrimination. Thousands of Canadians suffer from it, and support and treatment options have not improved for decades. Research and increasing awareness are critical.

Last week I attended the Sickle Cell Parliamentary Breakfast, which was hosted by the African-Canadian Senate Group. There I heard first-hand what this community needs and how we can best support them. It was an incredibly moving experience.

I thank the passionate supporters of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Canada and the Sickle Cell Anemia Association of Quebec for their work in raising awareness and creating a national sickle cell patient registry in co-operation with the Ottawa Hospital. I encourage all of my colleagues to learn more about this disease and to support the efforts of groups working toward better treatment options.

François Picard, Lionel Bourdon and Hélène Bordeleau

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to brag, but I sincerely think that my riding is home to the most incredible people in Quebec, people who are committed and involved in their community. Among them are three exceptional individuals whose work I want to recognize today because they are retiring.

The first is François Picard, who is retiring on June 30 after 41 years of service in Quebec's weekly newspaper industry. I want to congratulate him.

The second is Sergeant Lionel Bourdon, from the Longueuil police department, who retired just a few days ago after, believe it or not, 58 years of loyal service. He now holds the record for longest-serving police officer in Canada.

The third is Hélène Bordeleau, from the Table Itinérance Rive-Sud, who has worked for community organizations that strengthen the social safety net for nearly 40 years.

Today, before all of my colleagues here, I want to tell them how inspirational they are and how much their work has done to change the lives of the people of Longueuil—Saint-Hubert. I sincerely thank them.

Boleslaw Julius Fujarczuk

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the life of Boleslaw Julius Fujarczuk, who passed away June 6, in his 99th year, after a long and remarkable life.

From proudly serving during the Second World War to earning notable commendations such as the Polonia Restituta Cross, the British Defence Medal and the British General Service Medal to becoming a successful businessman and prominent community leader, Boleslaw lived an extraordinary life.

Although he was involved in many Polish organizations in Canada, his most notable involvement was in the founding of St. Maximilian Kolbe church and the John Paul II Polish Cultural Centre in my riding of Mississauga East—Cooksville.

Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his loved ones and the entire family at this trying time, in particular with his children Richard, Teresa and Theodore.

On behalf of the people of Canada, I thank Boleslaw Julius Fujarczuk for his services. May he rest in peace.

Barrett Family

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the saying goes that we cannot choose our family. The family that was chosen for me includes my grandad Francis and my late grandma Betty, who passed five months ago.

Married for more than 71 years, they dedicated themselves to community and family. Grandma was a dedicated daily volunteer at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Vanier, and grandad was dedicated in his work with the RCMP and CSIS.

An avid follower of politics and a proud Conservative, my grandad is my number one supporter and is counted among the family of members from all parties who are CPAC’s most loyal viewers. Today, he might have a better view than watching on CPAC, and I am so proud to have seen him and my dad Chris on Parliament Hill today.

Who is his family? They are Betty, Greg, Chris, Anne, Audrey, Brian, Elizabeth, Matthew, Sulin, Allison, Kyle, Jeffrey, Vanessa, Neil, Kim, Daniel, Alexandra, Daniel, Aubrey, Luke, Ama, Michaela, James, Nathan, Santiago, Beatrice, Jack, Maggie, Bentley, Paisley and Keegan.

We do not get to choose them, but I know he does not have to grin and...bear it...because it is a blessing to be counted as a part of this family.

Visual & Performing Arts Newmarket

[Tony Van Bynen, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Newmarket—Aurora has once again been provided with an uplifting musical experience courtesy of Visual & Performing Arts Newmarket.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the “Three for the Show” concert series has hosted some of the most celebrated and gifted classical and jazz music talent on the scene today.

The concert and its 25 years of musical performances serve as a reminder of the essential cultural importance and historical significance of music in building whole communities.

My gratitude goes out to the gifted performers and to VPAN for providing a platform to the brightest and most gifted in the performance arts industry today and the most promising young musicians of tomorrow.

I thank VPAN and the Three for the Show committee of Erika Kerwin, Margaret Barkman, Judy Craig and Marcia Sinclair for their beautiful concert series.

Events in Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is officially the first day of summer. There is no better place to spend those long summer days than Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing.

Whether we are talking about festivals, powwows or fairs, people can attend events all over Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing.

Next week, Elliot Lake will celebrate Uranium Heritage Days with special events and activities leading up to Canada Day. Hearst continues to celebrate its centennial with tons of activities during homecoming week.

Do you love powwows? There is one almost every weekend, from Sheguiandah First Nation to Michipicoten First Nation.

Do you love boating or camping? There is no shortage of lakes, including Lake Huron and Lake Superior.

Winnie's Hometown Festival in White River is the perfect place to celebrate the world's most famous bear, and the Wiikwemkoong Annual Cultural Festival should not be missed.

People will also find several agricultural fairs from Providence Bay to Bruce Mines. For music lovers, the Go North Music Festival, the Manitoulin Country Fest and Rockin' the Rock are a must.

As you can see, Mr. Speaker, AMK is the place to be for fun in the sun, so come on over.

Carbon Tax

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are struggling with the cost of food, gas and housing expenses, but the Liberal government continues to tax Canadians, not once but twice, with a carbon tax.

The Liberal government has racked up a record amount of national debt, doubling it in recent years. We all know about carbon tax 1, which puts 41¢ a litre on gas. It is evident carbon tax 1 will cost $1,500 per family after rebates. Now we have the sneaky carbon tax 2. The Liberals call it the fuel standard. Once again, Liberals leave families with nothing left in their pockets.

Do the Liberals know how much this will cost Canadians? No, they do not. It is a clear choice for Canadians. Do they want a Liberal government that taxes Canadians and puts our nation into greater debt, or do they want Conservatives, who will balance the budget, reduce debt and axe the tax?

Student Achievements in Scarborough North

[Shaun Chen, Liberal, Scarborough North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as the school year concludes, allow me to recognize the hard work and achievements of students in my riding of Scarborough North over the past year.

Through the African-Canadian Christian Network, Black youth on the Umoja robotics team are being celebrated on the heels of their stellar performance at the provincials.

At the Spelling Bee of Canada regional competition, school-aged children spelled their way to success, with first-place winners moving on to the national championship.

Then there are extraordinary young leaders like Anastasia-Lina Hamici, graduating from École secondaire Étienne-Brûlé with a 95% average. Defying societal expectations, she is a young woman entering first-year engineering on a full scholarship, having founded a technical team and supported other girls passionate about STEM.

Congratulations to Anastasia-Lina and the thousands of students in Scarborough North and across Canada who are graduating this month. I am wishing them every success on their journey ahead.

Food Inflation

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, food bank usage in Canada has reached record highs. According to Second Harvest, a not-for-profit organization, food banks are expected to serve 60% more people per month this year in comparison to 2022.

It is not only low-income people who are struggling. Many of those accessing the food banks are employed. Dalhousie University's “Canada Food Price Report 2023” stated that food inflation exceeded 10.3% in 2022. Unfortunately, halfway through 2023, it does not look any better, as the prices for fruits and vegetables are continuing to rise 7% with no end in sight. Consequently, it is harder for Canadians to meet their nutritional goals and properly nourish their families.

Whether people are buying for their own table or donating to the food banks for the millions of Canadians who rely on them, it is getting more difficult to keep up to the cost of groceries. These Liberal policies have evidently made life harder for everyone, regardless of income. It is imperative that the government reverse the inflationary spending and give Canadian families a break.

The Economy

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my favourite season of the year: rodeo season. Next week, I am off to the greatest show on dirt: the Williams Lake Stampede. After that, it is Billy Barker Days and the Quesnel Rodeo.

There are only two things on everyone's mind back home, and those are the fast-paced, world-class rodeo action and what a disaster the current Liberal government has been.

The Liberals' carbon tax and massive deficit spending have the Cariboo bucking like a bull rider in the Sunday finals. After eight years of this Prime Minister, the cost of everything has doubled: housing, doubled; mortgages, doubled; rent, doubled; down payments, doubled. When mortgage renewals hit in four years, it will be like we are riding bareback without rigging. After eight years, it is time to cowboy up, trash the Liberal government and get Canada back on track to their home, my home, our home. Let us bring it home. Yee-haw.

Animal Welfare

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is privilege for a member of Parliament to introduce a private member's bill and work with colleagues toward a common cause. I am honoured to soon have this opportunity. During the last federal election, the Liberal Party shared with Canadians our ideas and our visions, one of which I am now working to advance.

Many Canadians have expressed concern about the export of horses for slaughter. Other countries have banned this practice, and I believe it is time for Canada to do the same. I proudly stand in this chamber to announce that when the House resumes for the fall session, I will introduce my private member's bill to ban the export of live horses for slaughter. This practice must stop.

As a sitting member of the agriculture committee, I look forward to working with my fellow committee members as well as members of Parliament on both sides of this House. I also look forward to hearing from Canadians, stakeholders and advocates to advance this important piece of legislation. I ask my colleagues and Canadians to join me.

Taxation

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, under the current Liberal government, the ultra-rich are getting richer and hard-working Canadians are falling further and further behind. The top CEOs are now making 243 times more than the average Canadian worker at their company. Loblaw CEO Galen Weston is paid $11.79 million a year in salary, which is 431 times more than the average income of an employee at that company.

The Liberals and the Conservatives have repeatedly voted against making CEOs and big corporations pay their fair share. Instead of defending the rich, as the Liberals and Conservatives are doing, it is time we tipped the scales in favour of Canadians.

Today, I introduced a plan to fight corporate greed and end outrageous pay for CEOs. New Democrats believe, we believe, that Ottawa should work for hard-working Canadians, not for wealthy CEOs.

Forest Fires

[Sylvie Bérubé, Bloc, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, wildfires continue to threaten my riding of Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou. The last evacuees are returning home, but we are certainly not celebrating yet, because they may have to evacuate again if the current dry weather conditions continue.

I want to thank all the firefighters who have come from abroad and from other provinces, as well as the military, for being there to help us fight these fires. I also want to thank everyone directly or indirectly involved in the evacuation and reintegration process.

A big thank you to the mayors of the cities who took in evacuees, namely Chibougamau, La Sarre, Val-d'Or, Senneterre, Quebec City, Roberval and Chicoutimi. Many thanks to Chantiers Chibougamau and Barrette-Chapais, who dug trenches to stop the threatening fires.

Finally, a special thank you to the mayors of the communities in my riding that were evacuated. They have acted quickly and with remarkable professionalism. The Bloc Québécois is with them in this critical situation. I thank them.

Finance

[Ryan Williams, Conservative, Bay of Quinte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, either people gain control of their money or their money will control them. Thanks to the wasteful spending of the Prime Minister, Canadians' debt is controlling them with crippling interest rate highs. It is a broken promise, an empty promise that said the government would balance the budget or have Canadians' backs.

However, since COVID-19, the Prime Minister has spent $205 billion of taxpayer money on debt, apart from on COVID-19 problems, like how he spent $27 million on bonuses for CMHC executives during the worst housing crisis in Canadian history, and $8.6 million to renovate his taxpayer-funded cottage at Harrington Lake. In addition, $210 million went to the corrupt and Communist Beijing-controlled Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Inflation makes Canadians' money worthless. It is theft and it is the direct result of a reckless government that spent $100 billion before COVID-19. A promise made is a debt unpaid, and empty promises by the government are leaving Canadians with empty wallets.

Breast Cancer Screening

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in 2020, 5,100 Canadian women died from breast cancer, and 12% of women in Canada will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. They are our mothers, sisters and daughters. They are all among us. Breast cancer screening is important for women of every age. Screening guidelines must be up to standard and based on science, because we know that early detection saves lives.

The government recently announced half a million dollars in funding for the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care to expedite the update of the breast cancer screening guidelines. This could not have been done without the voices of doctors, patient advocates and survivors like York Centre constituents Shira Farber and Adina Isenberg, broadcaster Kim MacDonald, and Ottawa advocate Julie Booker, who are among the many, many Canadian women from coast to coast.

We will keep working together to empower women to protect their health and choose evidence-based preventative health tools for early detection. Together, we can and will continue to work towards a brighter, cancer-free future for all Canadian women.

Democratic Institutions

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we need to restore confidence in our democracy after it was shaken by Beijing's interference.

That is why I have already spoken to the other opposition leaders and a minister in the Prime Minister's government about a public inquiry. The Conservative Party is prepared to share the names of non-partisan individuals acceptable to all members of Parliament as soon as the Prime Minister announces a public inquiry.

Will he do it now?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as we have said all along, foreign interference should not be a partisan issue. That is why, in the coming days, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities will continue to consult experts, lawyers and the opposition parties to determine the next steps and the best person to lead this work.

In the meantime, we will continue working to combat foreign interference in our democracy, as we have done since taking office. We hope that the opposition parties will treat this issue with the seriousness that it deserves and that Canadians expect.

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, eight years of this Prime Minister's promises and actions have brought suffering to Canadians.

In a letter to one of our MPs and the Journal de Montréal, Émilie Choquet said that rising interest rates will soon force her family to sell their home because monthly payments have increased from $2,300 to $3,700. She may lose her home because this government's inflationary policies are boosting interest rates.

Will he reverse his policies so people can keep their homes?