Debates of Nov. 28th, 2024

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, more than 3,000 Canadians live with ALS. One is my constituent. Matthew Brown's courageous battle over the years has inspired me to do more. In fact, just a few days ago on Parliament Hill, we saw ALS Action Canada organize an effort that brought together Canadians living with ALS, their family members and their supporters.

In fact, those supporters include members of the NHL alumni, in support specifically of Mark Kirton. Mark Kirton is a former Toronto Maple Leafs player. He played for the Detroit Red Wings and the Vancouver Canucks. He had a very good NHL career, and he shared with us his efforts to create the ALS Super Fund. The effort, in less than one year, has generated more than $1 million in support of awareness and research.

Efforts like that inspire us, across party lines in fact. As chair of the all-party ALS Caucus, I want to do more, and I know members in all parties feel that way. We will continue to advocate for people like Matthew, for people like Mark and for the 3,000 plus Canadians living with ALS. We are with our constituents and with Canadians.

Tax Relief

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, with the holidays fast approaching, our government is taking decisive action so that Canadians can celebrate without worrying about the high costs associated with the holiday season. With the GST break, we are putting more money back into the pockets of Canadians. Starting on December 14, children's clothing, toys and diapers, along with prepared meals, restaurant meals and many other products, will be exempt from GST. This measure, which supports local businesses, will help the people of Alfred-Pellan and all Canadians to enjoy their celebrations at a lower cost.

Will the Leader of the Opposition get out of the way and allow his caucus members to put the needs of their communities ahead of his political ambitions by supporting this plan, which helps local businesses and families, or will he continue to silence them and block progress at every opportunity?

Public Safety

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley—Aldergrove, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, our once-safe towns and cities are now rife with crime and chaos thanks to the Liberal Prime Minister's radical catch-and-release bail policies that allow dangerous people, lawbreakers, to stay on our streets.

Our worsening public safety record has been made evident by a recent Fraser Institute study comparing our crime stats to those of the U.S.A. The numbers are in. Violent crime is up in Canada and is now exceeding the United States by 14%. There is also property crime, which is exceeding property crime in the U.S.A. by a shocking 27%. All of this is under the watch of the Prime Minister. It is nothing to be proud of.

We used to be proud of our public safety record. We used to think of it as one of our distinguishing features, something that was a source of national pride. That is no more. Canadians deserve to feel safe in their communities. It is time for a common-sense Conservative government that is going to focus on public safety and that is going to bring back safe streets.

Robert Smythe

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember Robert Smythe, a true pillar of Centretown who passed away on November 15. For over 50 years, Robert dedicated his life to preserving the character and history of our community.

As the founding editor of the Centretown BUZZ, Robert captured the stories and struggles of our neighbourhood with passion and care. He shared downtown Ottawa's history and architecture in a way that brought it to life, championing the preservation of not just heritage buildings but also the modernist and brutalist structures that reflect our city's evolution.

He was a tireless advocate for affordable housing, a community builder and a passionate pedestrian who knew every corner of Centretown. His memory will forever echo through downtown's streets, its cherished buildings and people's stories that define our community.

May Robert rest in peace.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the NDP-Liberals are not worth the cost. Taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up, time is up. Now they have broken Canada's immigration system.

The Conservatives have learned that there are over three million people in Canada who need to leave by December of next year, and the government does not have a plan. When we pressed the minister on this at committee, he simply shrugged his shoulders and said that he expected people to leave voluntarily. At the same time, he also expects asylum claimants to grow.

He is talking out of both sides of his mouth. The facts are that student demonstrators have said they will not leave voluntarily and asylum claims are growing. However, the NDP-Liberal government hopes this problem will just go away. Hope is not a management plan.

The truth is that the NDP-Liberals have no plan to ensure these three million temporary residents actually leave Canada. They do not have a way to know if they have left. They will not even prevent them from staying. They will not stop them from claiming asylum. They will not even control our borders.

Simply put, the NDP-Liberals broke our immigration system and do not know how to fix it. Where is the plan?

Carbon Tax

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, more and more Canadians are realizing the true role of the NDP leader and his entire caucus in keeping the Liberal government in power and shielding it from an election.

Even after President-elect Trump's unjustified threat of a 25% tariff on Canada's already fragile economy, the NDP-Liberal coalition continues to defend its harmful carbon tax, a tax that costs the average person in Manitoba $693 and over $900 in some other provinces.

No matter what the NDP-Liberals say, the independent Parliamentary Budget Officer has made it clear that carbon tax makes most Canadians poorer. Unfortunately, the NDP leader does not care. Instead of voting with Conservatives to express non-confidence in the government and trigger an election, he is focused on securing his pension and is prepared to quadruple the carbon tax.

It is time to let Canadians choose a strong prime minister who will defend our economy. Let us fire the Prime Minister and call a carbon tax election.

Affordability Measures

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Mr. Speaker, our government knows that, even though Canadians work hard, many of them are still struggling financially.

That is why we introduced the new working Canadians rebate last week. This tax-free $500 payment will go directly to more than 18 million Canadians. If people worked in 2023 and earned up to $150,000, this rebate is for them. This is meaningful support that Canadians who work hard every day can use to pay bills, buy groceries or save for the future.

In addition to our GST/HST holiday exemption for essential goods, such as groceries, diapers and children's clothing, our government is enabling Canadians to save a lot of money and get real relief at the cash register. I hope all members will work hard to get these important measures passed.

Housing

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Boyle Street, Bessell Centre, Tawaw Outreach Collective, 4B Harm Reduction, Water Warriors, Smile YEG, Bear Claw Beaver Hills House, Hope Mission and REACH Edmonton, these are the names of the frontline organizations in Edmonton helping our neighbours survive.

Houselessness is a crisis in Edmonton. Over the past few weeks, four people have already frozen to death. Things are so bad that last winter, over 100 people living on the streets lost a limb from frostbite. The majority of these people are indigenous.

These harrowing statistics put the work of Edmonton's local organizations into focus: compassionate and understanding care, supportive housing for those who need it most and wraparound services that go far beyond just putting a roof over people's heads. However, these organizations need help.

I urge the government to work with provincial and municipal partners to ensure that the people who support Edmonton's most vulnerable have the resources they need. Together, we can end poverty and houselessness.

Chancellor Pauline Marois

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

Mr. Speaker, the Université du Québec à Montréal, or UQAM for short, has just scored a major coup by appointing Pauline Marois chancellor. This is another first for the woman who was elected Quebec's first female premier.

Throughout her impressive career serving Quebec, it was her role as education minister that Ms. Marois says she enjoyed the most, because that is where she was able to make the biggest difference. She made meaningful changes by creating, for example, a network of public early childhood centres. It was largely thanks to her efforts that Quebec women now enjoy one of the highest rates of female employment in the world.

At a time when UQAM is facing new challenges, including contributing to the revitalization of the Latin Quarter and planning to create a faculty of health sciences, the woman who describes education as “a pillar for any nation that wants to grow” is the right woman in the right place.

Well done, UQAM. Congratulations to Ms. Marois, and long live the chancellor.

Carbon Tax

[Dan Muys, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of those Liberals, life has never been so unaffordable. Now, with Canadians struggling and his party languishing in the polls, the Prime Minister comes up with this two-month temporary tax trick. Even his own MPs are fed up.

The Liberal member for Hamilton East—Stoney Creek called the plan “incomprehensible” and revealed he had been threatened with “consequences” for speaking out. He told the Toronto Star, “It says a lot about where our government is at right now and it says a lot about some of the shackles that have been put around MPs.” The Prime Minister silences anyone who dares to disagree.

Canadians deserve better than Liberal hypocrisy. It is a two-month tax trick today to distract from the Liberals' plan to quadruple the carbon tax. No wonder the Liberal MP for Hamilton East—Stoney Creek calls this plan incomprehensible.

Common-sense Conservatives will axe the tax for everyone, everywhere, for good.

Taxation

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker,

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Children's scarves and warm woolen mittens
Books and newspapers tied up with strings
These are a few of my favourite things.
Restaurant meals and crisp apple strudels
Snacks and candy and schnitzel with noodles
Toys and board games and the joy that they bring
These are a few of my favourite things.

These things will be exempted from GST, starting December 14. This tax break will give Canadians more money in their pockets during the holidays, a time when the costs go up for many families.

When the dog bites, when the CPC stings
I simply remember my favourite things will soon be exempted from the GST.

It is good news for Canadians. I encourage members opposite to vote in favour of this tax break and let Canadians have more of their hard-earned money.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is weak and has lost control of our borders. He is the one who opened Roxham Road and kept it open for a year after the Americans offered to close it. He is the one who invited at least 700 international students here, implicitly promising that they could stay here permanently, and now they have to leave the country. He is the one who lost 500,000 people.

What is his plan for restoring order at the border and stopping U.S. tariffs?

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

Mr. Speaker, as our colleague is well aware, our relationship with the United States is our most important relationship of all in terms of security and the economy. We have been working very well together for years, for decades.

That is also what we have done over the past several years. My colleague knows full well that, just 18 months ago, we signed a new safe third country agreement that the United States has been very happy with ever since, and we are going to make sure our colleague is aware of that.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister likes to encroach on provincial jurisdictions, he has lost control of his own responsibilities. In fact, he is being irresponsible about the borders, which fall under the most important federal jurisdiction.

The premiers have now lost confidence in the Prime Minister. The Quebec premier is sending the provincial police to protect the border. The Alberta premier is doing the same. The Ontario premier said exactly the same thing.

How can anyone have confidence in this Prime Minister?

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

Mr. Speaker, our colleague is talking about control, jurisdiction and confidence. I just answered his question a few moments ago.

One thing that is within his control is asking for his security clearance to protect himself from his own blatant incompetence. He is incapable of protecting himself and his own MPs. That creates a confidence issue. The confidence of Parliament and the confidence of Canadians depend on the ability of the Leader of the Opposition to control his agenda and get a security clearance.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the weak Prime Minister has lost control. He has lost control of immigration and he has lost control of our borders. Now we are facing massive threats to our economy.

Right now, there are as many as 500,000 people here illegally. There are 700,000 students who came here with the implicit promise they would be able to stay forever. Now they are being told they have to leave, with the temptation that they might head south for the much stronger economy than we have here, which would provoke a massive retaliatory tariff.

What is the plan to reverse all the damage the Prime Minister has done?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of people come to this country every year and then leave. They are called tourists. Hundreds of thousands of people come here as temporary residents and then they leave. Some become permanent residents. There is a plan to achieve that. They will migrate into permanent residency. However, not all can stay here and when they refuse to do so, they will be removed.

We cannot make this up. What the member opposite, the Leader of the Opposition, is doing, with the member for Edmonton Mill Woods, is going around to these people, pandering to them, promising them visas and promising not to deport them. That is highly irresponsible and incompetent.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the member hallucinates almost as badly as his weak leader, who refuses to stand and answer for his own border failures.

Let us look at his record. He opened Roxham Road. He kept it open for a year longer than the Americans required. He put out a tweet saying, “Welcome to Canada”, inviting people to come here illegally.

According to that minister's department, there are half a million people here illegally, all of whom could be tempted to go south of the border, provoking a massive retaliatory response.

Once again, what is the plan to fix what he broke?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, we will tweet out the video of him pandering to people, entertaining false hope, promising visas to everyone, promising they will not get deported. That is highly incompetent. Worse than that is that he is refusing to get his security clearance. That is irresponsible for any purported leader of our country or any responsible person in politics. He needs to grow a pair, get the briefing—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

There is a lot of flexibility that the Speaker gives, of course, in terms of the language that is used in here, but I think that might be on the border.

I am going to ask the hon. minister to withdraw the words.

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I withdraw the words. On a day like this, I would say that the Leader of the Opposition is all flannel and no axe.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, once again, this shows the erratic, out-of-control government we have over there. The Prime Minister is hiding from questions. His minister is losing control of his words and his mind. The government is falling to pieces.

The Prime Minister has lost control of the border, lost control of immigration and lost control of our finances, and he has now lost control of his caucus, whose member are saying that they have been intimidated into voting in favour of his tiny tax trick. He has lost control, but he is holding on to power.

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

Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the member is talking about. On this side of the House we can have conversations. We can have debates, and we do not get shut down from speaking like the members opposite.

Let us talk about today. We are moving forward with a GST cut for every single Canadian.

What have we heard from the Leader of the Opposition? He is opposed to tax cuts. He is all talk, no walk. He is not there for Canadians. On this side of the House, we are going to support Canadians and let our members have debates and conversations.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois has been asking the Liberals for weeks to increase resources at the border. For weeks, they have been telling us, in their typically condescending way, that they have a plan and that the Bloc Québécois is fearmongering.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, yesterday, the Prime Minister announced to his Quebec and provincial counterparts that the Liberals were going to do as the Bloc Québécois had been suggesting for weeks and increase resources at the border. They have just proved to everyone that, until last night, they had no plan and there were not enough resources at the border.

Why do the Liberals always have to wait until the last minute to take action?