Debates of Nov. 8th, 2024

Veterans Affairs

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

Madam Speaker, last year, the Liberals imposed a ban on military chaplains from reciting prayers on Remembrance Day.

Chaplains, veterans and Canadians immediately fought back, and the government relented. Well, they did for a year. However, the directive is back. The Liberals are imposing their ideological ban yet again.

Remembrance Day is a time for reflection, healing and hope. For many veterans, praying is part of that journey.

Will the government end its attack on the vocation of chaplains and allow them the freedom to pray?

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, first, I want to take this opportunity to thank our members and our veterans for their service and their sacrifice. However, let us be absolutely clear: The chaplain general issued this directive independently, and it does not ban prayer. Actually, the directive simply seeks to help our CAF chaplains make their public addresses more inclusive, reflecting the spiritual diversity of Canadians and our CAF members.

[Chris Warkentin, Conservative, Grande Prairie—Mackenzie, AB]

Madam Speaker, after relenting last year, the Liberal Minister of Defence promised that “chaplains are not — and will not — be banned from prayer on Remembrance Day”. However, that is not true. The Liberals have now issued an even more draconian order, saying that chaplains will be monitored and that disciplinary measures will be imposed on those who say the word “God” or those who pray. This censorship is unthinkable.

Will the government finally relent, end its attack on the work of chaplains and allow them the freedom to pray?

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, I want to once again take the opportunity to thank our members and our veterans for their service—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I want to ask the hon. member for St. Albert—Edmonton to please calm down and wait. If he has not been recognized, he should not be speaking.

The hon. parliamentary secretary can start from the top.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank our members and our veterans for their service and their sacrifice.

What the member is alleging is absolutely not true, and I feel ashamed that he is proclaiming this. As we said, we have not banned prayer. We are looking to reflect the diversity of our CAF, and this is a directive that comes from the chaplain general.

Foreign Affairs

[Jamil Jivani, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Madam Speaker, after nine years, the Prime Minister has doubled the cost of housing and put an entire generation of Canadians through housing hell, but whom does he have empathy for? It is his buddy from Bell Media, Tom Clark. The Prime Minister used $9 million of taxpayer money to purchase a luxury condo for Tom Clark in Manhattan, in a neighbourhood called Billionaires' Row.

When will the NDP-Liberals finally stop the abuse of taxpayer dollars and fire Tom Clark?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Madam Speaker, while the Conservative members of Parliament are focused on distractions, we are focused on delivering housing for Canadians who live in this country.

We are currently in a debate with the Conservatives based on their big commitment to cut billions of dollars from housing directly to communities right across this country. On this side of the House, we know that it takes investments to build housing so that we can make it easier to build and make housing more affordable. What is the Conservative solution? It is to cut, cut, cut. We have a long history of Conservative cuts to housing. It is part of the reason we are facing a housing crisis today. We will make the investments necessary to deliver affordability to Canadians.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Jamil Jivani, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Madam Speaker, I did hear the Liberal minister's answer, and I feel bad for him because he is out here selling a generation, which he is part of, a bunch of policies from the Prime Minister that have failed our time. They have failed our people.

He has a tough job ahead of him to even rationalize what is going on in the government. Let us be very clear that Tom Clark, the Prime Minister's buddy from Bell Media, said that the housing he had in Manhattan required immediate replacement. The government went on to spend $9 million of taxpayer money to get him a condo in Billionaires' Row. When will they stop abusing the taxpayers' money?

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Madam Speaker, I hope I get equal time to answer that ridiculous question.

In light of what has gone on this last week, Canadians are worried about our economy; we are worried about our relationship. There is no time like the present to have a strong presence in the United States of America. Our representatives will be working extremely hard to protect Canadians' interests and Canadians' jobs every day. It is the cost of doing business, and we will do it well. We will represent Canadians' interests in New York City, the largest city in the United States of America. We will be there to ensure that Canada's interests are protected.

Indigenous Affairs

[Lori Idlout, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

[Member spoke in Inuktitut, interpreted as follows:]

Recently, the UN Special Rapporteur visited Canada and said that the government is not upholding the basic human right to clean drinking water for indigenous peoples. He urged profound changes.

Now, Liberals and Conservatives are teaming up together. They will not give first nations their autonomy and proper funding. They are rejecting amendments to Bill C-61 that came directly from first nations.

When will the government stop working with Conservatives against first nations?

[English]

[Jenica Atwin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services]

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate the member. It is an honour and a privilege to hear Inuktitut spoken in the House. I thank her for her efforts.

I want to assure the member that we are absolutely committed to seeing Bill C-61 passed in the House, reflecting the wishes of our partners. We are working collaboratively with all parties of the House. I would hope that the NDP would join us in that. We are working to ensure that we enshrine a human right to drinking water in this country, which we were successfully able to do with government amendments.

It is quite a surprise to receive the member's question today because, again, it is going to take all parties in the House to make sure that the bill passes.

Pensions

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Madam Speaker, last night Danielle Smith and the UCP fired their pension management team, another step to pulling Alberta out of the Canada pension plan. This attack on the CPP will not just hurt Albertans; it will hurt all Canadians, and we are running out of time. We know that the Conservatives will cut Canadians' pensions. I sent the finance minister my private member's bill that would stop Danielle Smith from pulling out of the CPP, and I am more than happy to have the Liberals use my homework.

Will the minister adopt my bill to protect Canadian pensions today?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Madam Speaker, we join with the hon. member in worrying about the hare-brained schemes to put Albertans' pensions at risk.

The Canada pension plan is a sterling pension plan that Canadians rightly have come to rely on and that, the world over, has been recognized as a model of good management and stability. In fact Canadians can be reassured that the Canada pension plan will be there for them for 75 years, as confirmed by the chief actuary. The hare-brained schemes coming out of Alberta put Albertans at risk.

Women and Gender Equality

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

Madam Speaker, Canadian women and the 2SLGBTQI+ community have played an important role in our country's military efforts. However, many among them have overcome barriers and discrimination. This includes the LGBTQ purge and the sexual misconduct within the Canadian army.

During this Veterans Week, could the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth share with the House our government's dedication and support to uplift the Canadian Armed Forces?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth]

Madam Speaker, Canadian women and 2SLGBTQI+ veterans have faced painful hurdles while serving. This includes the LGBT purge and sexual misconduct within the culture of the armed forces.

Canadian military personnel and veterans deserve to be treated with the utmost respect. That is why our government introduced military culture change legislation and a 2SLGBTQI+ national monument that acknowledges the discrimination.

We thank the heroes for their service and never forget what they have sacrificed to keep our country safe.

Public Services and Procurement

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Madam Speaker, after nine years, the NDP-Liberals are not worth the cost or the corruption. Yesterday we learned that Global Health Imports, a company co-owned by the employment minister, bid on federal contracts while claiming to be wholly indigenous-owned. However, the minister has so far refused to present documents supporting his company's statement. No wonder GHI has at least eight criminal court cases against it.

Will the minister produce the documents or will he admit he lied and resign?

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Madam Speaker, the company in question has never received contracts as an indigenous business and has never been listed on the indigenous business directory.

However, unlike the Conservatives, we will continue to work and partner with indigenous people so they have economic reconciliation.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Madam Speaker, the company that the employment minister co-owned checked the box claiming to be indigenous-owned. If so, that is fraud. That is the point of the whole thing. It is amazing. Not only that, but the Liberals circumvent the regular procurement process. They have no shame. They would rather push down indigenous-owned businesses in order to secure contracts and enrich themselves.

If the minister will not produce the documents or answer any questions, will the Prime Minister do the right thing and fire him?

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Madam Speaker, let me reiterate. The company in question never received a contract as an indigenous business. The company was never on the indigenous business directory. We continue to work very closely with indigenous partners to ensure their success. We will do so even without the Conservatives, who are blocking and obstructing the very necessity of working closely with indigenous people so they too can succeed, and we will continue to do so.

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

Madam Speaker, the Minister of Employment is embroiled in allegations of conflict and fraud. Yesterday it was revealed that he falsely represented that his business is wholly indigenous-owned, in an effort to secure millions of dollars in federal contracts. This is disgusting cultural appropriation and outright fraud. In the face of that, why is he still in cabinet?

[Jenica Atwin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services]

Madam Speaker, once again, the company has never been listed on the indigenous business directory and has never received a contract with our procurement strategy for indigenous businesses, which is meant to uplift indigenous entrepreneurs.

Our focus is on building up indigenous businesses through the procurement program. It is all about economic reconciliation.

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

Madam Speaker, the point is that the minister lied. Let us look at the facts. He tried to scam taxpayers by stealing millions of dollars in government contracts from legitimately owned indigenous businesses.

The minister is a fraud. He is a disgrace. He needs to go and he needs to go now. Why will the Prime Minister not fire him?

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member knows full well that quite a few of the words he used are not acceptable when addressing Parliament, so I would ask members to please refrain from using those words to attack individuals.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services has the floor.