Debates of Oct. 7th, 2024

Innovation, Science and Industry

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, talking about working for Canadians, now Canadians at home are seeing Conservatives blocking a Conservative motion. We live in a parallel world in this place. The Conservatives are blocking their own motion.

What we did, and what we promised to Canadians, was to get to the bottom of this. There will be four independent reports, including the Auditor General and the commissioner of the RCMP. We said that he has all the documents. Not only did the board resign and the CEO resign, the integrity of the foundation has been transferred. We uphold the august standard in the House.

Climate Change

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect their government to do more when it comes to the climate crisis, but the Liberals are so deep into the pockets of Canada's worst polluters that they plan to label fossil fuels as sustainable.

The Liberals are caving to the interests of big banks and big oil instead of protecting Canadians. Oil and gas profits are going up, their emissions are going up and they want to greenwash fossil fuels.

Why are the Liberals helping them?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I will quote my colleague from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie. He said, “This is why, as New Democrats, as progressives, as environmentalists, we are in favour of putting a price on pollution. We support taxing carbon, which already happens in the majority of Canadian provinces.”

On this side of the House, we are not caving to pressure and the disinformation campaign by the Conservative Party of Canada. It is unfortunate that the NDP does not seem to be progressive anymore or environmentalists anymore.

Health

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, there are nothing but excuses from the Liberals, including with respect to abortion. The Liberals are failing to stand up to Conservative premiers because they will not enforce the Canada Health Act, including Alberta's premier, who is leasing hospitals to Covenant Health, which prohibits emergency contraceptives and abortion services. The Women's Health Coalition says that this jeopardizes reproductive rights.

Will the minister stand up to Conservative premiers, enforce the Canada Health Act and uphold abortion care as health care?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, abortion care is health care. Making sure that women have access to abortion services is essential medicine. We believe this on this side of the House and we fight for it every day.

However, let me go a step further. It is also essential that every woman in the country gets access to the contraceptives she needs to have control over her body. If people are against abortion, against contraception and against sexual education, then, I am sorry, they are against women's freedom altogether.

On this side of the House, we are going to make sure every woman gets the sexual and reproductive tools and support that she needs to have true freedom.

Housing

[Valerie Bradford, Liberal, Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON]

Mr. Speaker, buying a home is one of the biggest decisions that a Canadian can make in his or her lifetime. Unfortunately, high mortgage costs can be barriers to many, particularly the younger generation seeking to purchase their first home.

Our government has made some of the boldest mortgage reform changes in decades to ensure that younger Canadians can turn home buying into a reality.

Could the Minister of Finance explain to the House how the adjustments to the mortgage amortization period will enhance and improve access to homes for thousands of Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kitchener South—Hespeler for giving me the chance to talk about the important measures we have recently announced to help young Canadians achieve their dream of home ownership.

We have announced for first-time home buyers amortization of 30 years and 30-year amortization for all Canadians buying new builds. Not only will this put the dream of home ownership in reach for more young Canadians, it will help get more homes built faster. That is good news for Canadians.

Ethics

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Conflict of Interest Act is clear that a minister shall not be involved in the operations of a business while in cabinet.

Text messages indicate that someone named Randy at the minister from Edmonton's shady company was involved in its business operations, including an alleged half-a-million dollar fraud. No one from the company named Randy can be identified except the minister, and everyone knows why.

Will the minister finally fess up and just admit he broke the law?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we agree that, as witnesses go to committee, they need to share information that is asked of them by the committee.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister seems to be in hiding.

The fact is that it is no coincidence that after months of inquiry there is no other Randy who can be identified but the minister. The minister's own business partner even admitted that the only Randy ever connected to the shady company is the minister.

Again, will the minister stand in his place, fess up, admit he broke the law and, better yet, resign?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, if a witness is called before committee, they are expected to provide the information asked of them.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, who is Randy? It is a question that has gripped the nation, and we have yet to receive a truthful answer.

Text messages reveal that the Minister of Employment's fraud-ridden business partner was working with Randy to shake down a medical supply company. The text shows that Randy was in Vancouver the same day as the Minister of Employment was there attending a cabinet retreat. The minister denied speaking with his partner. He claimed he did not even have his phone, but now he admits that he did text and call his partner.

Therefore, will the minister stand up and admit that he has been Randy all along?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, as we have stated all along, if a witness is called to committee and asked to provide information, they need to provide that information.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Employment denied being Randy. He claimed that he had no business dealings with his fraud-ridden business partner. He said that he never even spoke to him in Vancouver while he was at the cabinet retreat. He said it was impossible. However, after handing over his phone to the Ethics Commissioner, he finally admitted that he did text and call his business partner while at the cabinet retreat in Vancouver.

The minister concealed the truth from Parliament for months and only after getting caught did he admit his actions. Now the Speaker has even found his business partner in contempt of Parliament.

The minister has had all summer to reveal the real Randy. Will he stand up and reveal himself today?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said and reiterate, as a witness is called to committee and is asked to provide information to that committee, we expect they provide that information.

Public Services and Procurement

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, whistle-blowers with the courage to report federal wrongdoing have to wait three years for an investigation not to be completed, but merely started. Imagine how that must deter people from speaking out. Imagine how it damages the public's trust at a time when the federal government is getting itself mired in one scandal after another, like the ArriveCAN or SDTC scandals.

The Public Sector Integrity Commissioner is asking for the resources necessary to process the information reported in a timely manner.

Is the government going to provide those resources right away?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, of course, my office is working with the commissioner's office to address funding concerns.

At the same time, protecting whistle-blowers is one of our government's top priorities. We have made a number of improvements that support disclosures.

Whistle-blowers play a critical role, and we are here for them.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, while the federal government is implicated in various scandals, 161 complaints from whistle-blowers are on hold. There are 161 complaints related to wrongdoing or wrongful reprisal against whistle-blowers.

The government has to increase the commissioner's budget, but it must also ensure that whistle-blowers are protected. This reminds us that Bill C‑290, unanimously passed by the House, has not yet passed the Senate.

Will the government ensure that the commissioner gets both the funding and the legal framework she needs to do her job?

[Anita Anand, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, first, as I said, my office is working with the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner and her office to respond to these issues.

We supported the bill that my colleague mentioned. I hope that everyone at the Senate will support it as well. What is more, an external working group is reviewing the amendments to the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act.

We will continue to be there for them.

Carbon Pricing

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, crime is up and costs are up. Time is up. The NDP-Liberal carbon tax is driving up the cost of food, adding to an already terrible food insecurity crisis. It has gotten so bad that doctors are being told to be on the lookout for scurvy. Not only are many Canadians gasping at their grocery bills in advance of Thanksgiving dinner, but also our medical professionals are concerned about the return of a centuries-old disease.

How is the Prime Minister so stubbornly convinced of his carbon tax yet so afraid to call an election?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the House that what will not help somebody facing food insecurity in this country that is caused by a global crisis and rising food costs is cutting the rebate cheque. That is what the Conservatives would do.

I talked to an individual named Bob today. He is a senior. The Canadian dental care plan just saved him $3,000 on essential care that he needed. He was talking to me about what that meant for his family and its ability to afford food. That would be cancelled by the Conservatives.

All the Conservatives have are slogans, and we saw what that did: fake lakes, gazebos and rubber cheques. They are going to go from using slogans to try to win an election to using slogans to explain why they are not doing anything for anybody. We are not going to allow that to happen.

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while sunny days are over, everyone should be concerned when leading medical publications are raising the alarm bells about scurvy in Canada in 2024. The disease was an issue 400 years ago. The cost of the carbon tax on food pricing is real. Limited access to adequate food caused by the increase is real. Last, the negative effects on the health of Canadians are real.

Will the government axe the tax to lower the cost of food so Canadians can once again enjoy an affordable family Thanksgiving dinner?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, do members know what is back after decades of having been gone? Tuberculosis and measles are back. Misinformation being spread about things like vaccines and about public health is doing insane damage to people.

I will tell the House that if we care about food insecurity in this world, we should be supporting a school food program. If we care about food insecurity, we should be helping lift families up, not giving them empty slogans with nothing behind them.

We face difficult times in this world right now. This requires serious and real conversations. That is what we are centred on and that is what we think about. Those are the solutions we offer.

The Economy

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, everything is more expensive thanks to the “Liberal Bloc” coalition: housing prices, gas prices but especially food prices, which have spiked by 22% since 2021. Food banks back home in Beauce barely have enough food to meet the needs of families in the region. However, the Bloc Québécois continues to support this government, which has impoverished Quebeckers.

Families are struggling and need help immediately. When will the government listen to Canadians and call an election?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, my esteemed colleague talks a lot about struggling Canadians and Quebeckers. The Conservative leader's response is to punish them, to hurt them by cutting the benefits they need, including dental care for his constituents.

Worse still, the Conservative leader wants to cancel a school food program to help children in elementary schools in his riding who go to school in the morning on an empty stomach. What will the Conservatives do? They will do away with all that because, according to their leader, feeding kids at school is just feeding bureaucracy.