Debates of Nov. 28th, 2024

Request for Witness to Attend at the Bar of the House

[An hon. member]

Oh, oh!

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Madam Speaker, if she does not like what I am saying, tell her to cite a standing order rule on this, because everything I am saying is correct.

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In House of Commons Procedure and Practice, chapter 3 says that when a member repeatedly gives false information it can be ruled as unparliamentary.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

I think that is a matter of debate and I am not prepared to judge because I have not been following the conversation.

The hon. member for Barrie—Innisfil.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Madam Speaker, they can make those claims all they want. I will stand by everything I said. In 2022, the NDP signed a costly coalition agreement with the Liberals whereby they would support the government—

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

On a point of order, Madam Speaker, it is useful now and then for the Conservatives to be accurate. It was not a coalition. The member is misleading the House.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

We will proceed. I think the hon. member has given an answer.

Questions and comments, the hon. parliamentary secretary to the President of the Treasury Board.

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board]

Madam Speaker, I very much thank, as always, my entertaining colleague and the chairman of the ethics committee for his speech, although it really pains me deeply to be identified as obstructionist. I do not think I am obstructionist and I am sure the member would like to correct that on the record when he speaks.

I looked at the minutes of the July meeting where we reported Mr. Anderson to the House, and the vote was unanimous, but the hon. chairman said the vote was not unanimous. My feeling is it was a unanimous recommendation, because I do believe Mr. Anderson should appear before the House, so I wanted to correct that as well.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Madam Speaker, I believe what I was saying was with respect to going in camera. That was not unanimous and that is what I was referring to.

I do want to say that the hon. member conducts himself with great honour and great integrity at the committee.

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I move:

That the debate be now adjourned.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member did not need to mention a point of order. He had the floor.

If a member participating in person wishes that the motion be carried or carried on division or if a member of a recognized party participating in person wishes to request a recorded division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, we request a recorded vote.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #900

Privilege

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

I declare the motion carried.

Motion That Debate Be Not Further Adjourned

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

Mr. Speaker, in relation to the consideration of Government Business No. 43, I move:

That debate be not further adjourned.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Pursuant to Standing Order 67.1, there will now be a 30-minute question period.

I invite hon. members who wish to ask questions to rise in their places or use the “raise hand” function so that the Chair has some idea of the number of members who wish to participate in this question period.

The hon. member for Battle River—Crowfoot.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Madam Speaker, I know many Canadians are asking themselves a question. The Liberals, supported by the NDP, are offering a small tax trick for a few Canadians, including on Christmas trees, but only if they are bought after December 14. If it is anything like in my household, the tree has already been set up for a few days.

The question is very simple: Why do the Liberals not reject the tax trick and instead vote to axe the carbon tax for all Canadians for good?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Madam Speaker, it is always shocking to see how little the Conservatives have understood about climate change and how important it is to put a price on pollution. It is important now and it is important for our children and grandchildren.

What we are doing right now is recognizing that it is hard for families, seniors and Canadians in general. We have no control over the price of consumer goods, but we can eliminate the GST for a while to give Canadians a little break over the coming holiday season and the often challenging months that follow it.

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

Madam Speaker, during the holiday season, we have the opportunity to give a bit of relief to Canadians if all of us of all political parties agree and vote for a tax cut of the GST on a number of products. I believe most Canadians would see that as a positive thing. I find it shocking that the Conservative Party, the leader of the Conservative Party, wants to vote against this motion and continue the filibuster as opposed to actually debating the issue of giving Canadians a tax break.

Could my colleague provide her thoughts on how important it is to give Canadians relief?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Madam Speaker, I think that my colleague is absolutely right. We have seen this for weeks now, for years in fact. When there is a measure to be put in place, something designed to help Canadians deal with difficult situations, the Conservatives are never there.

We know things are difficult right now. We know that families and individuals are squeezed during the holiday season. While we do not have control over prices, we do have control over taxes. We can choose to remove the GST and HST for two months to give Canadians a breather.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am wondering if a page could provide me with some tape so I can tape together the coalition agreement that was apparently ripped up by the leader of the NDP. What a shame and what a sham.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Madam Speaker, on a point of order, maybe you could remind the hon. member that we are not allowed to use props. He should remember that.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Members are not allowed to use props, as the hon. member well knows, and that includes slivers of paper.

The hon. member for Barrie—Innisfil.