House of Commons Hansard #383 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was women.

Topics

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Foreign Affairs and International Development Members debate an NDP motion to concur in a committee report on Canada's approach to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) globally. Debate highlights concerns about a global and domestic rollback of women's rights and SRHR access. NDP and Liberal members criticize the Conservative Party's stance and alleged obstruction on the issue, while Conservatives raise procedural objections. 9200 words, 1 hour.

Resumption of Debate on the Motion for Concurrence Members debate a committee report on sexual and reproductive rights around the world. Discussion covers Canada's feminist foreign policy, funding for sexual and reproductive health, the impact of religion, and sexual violence in conflict. Members express concerns about the erosion of these rights, highlighting the importance of access to abortion care as health care and criticizing perceived attempts to undermine these rights domestically and internationally. 7500 words, 1 hour.

Petitions

Situation in Gaza NDP MP Heather McPherson requests an emergency debate regarding an Amnesty International report concluding Israel committed genocide in Gaza, citing implications for Canada's policy. 400 words.

Opposition Motion—Confidence in the Prime Minister and the Government Members debate a Conservative non-confidence motion quoting the NDP leader's criticisms of the Liberal government. Conservatives urge the NDP to vote down the government based on these statements, citing economic hardship and impacts on workers. Liberals defend their record on workers' rights and the economy, while attacking the Conservative leader's past statements and refusal to get a security clearance. Bloc MPs state they will vote non-confidence but also criticize the Conservative leader's rhetoric. NDP MPs reject the Conservative motion, calling it political games and accusing Conservatives of hypocrisy on workers' rights. 21200 words, 2 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.

Statements by Members

Question Period

The Conservatives criticize the government's inflationary deficits, questioning the actual number (/debates/2024/12/5/luc-berthold-1/]) and linking spending to [high grocery costs and food bank use. They blame the carbon tax for rising costs and call for a "carbon tax election". They also focus on rising violent crime and the justice system's "catch-and-release bail" policies.
The Liberals highlight Canada's growing economy and low debt, focusing on affordability measures like a holiday tax cut on essentials and investments in social programs such as a national school food program, while criticizing Conservative opposition. They also address online safety, gun control, defend clean economy investments, and support supply management.
The Bloc criticizes the Senate's delay on Bill C-282 to protect supply management. They press the government on the zero emission transit fund and Lion Electric layoffs. They also challenge Liberals on rejecting a motion against hate speech and the religious exemption.
The NDP raise concerns about the high cost of living, demanding action against grocery chain greed and to remove GST from essentials. They question healthcare access, particularly the lack of family doctors, and call to restore the northern residents tax deduction. They also address Alberta jobs and the issue of cheap labour.
The Green Party calls for clearer affordability criteria for CMHC's affordable housing dollars, proposing a motion based on expert advice.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs Members debate the Sustainable Development Technology Canada program, or "green slush fund", amid allegations of mismanagement and conflicts of interest. Conservatives accuse the government of a cover-up and withholding documents, while the NDP highlights donations from a former chair to both Liberal and Conservative parties, citing a "crony culture". Broader economic concerns and lost trust are also discussed. 10700 words, 1 hour.

Adjournment Debates

Climate Change Ambassador's Expenses Dan Mazier questions whether Canadians are getting value from the climate change ambassador's travel expenses. Terry Duguid defends the climate plan, citing the carbon rebate and the cost of climate change. Mazier reiterates his question, and Duguid responds that the ambassador provides value.
SDTC scandal documents Greg McLean questions Terry Duguid about missing documents related to the SDTC scandal and accuses the Liberals of withholding evidence. Duguid claims the government is cooperating, has already submitted documents, and accuses McLean of filibustering. McLean rejects this, stating the documents were blacked out.
Government taxation and affordability Tracy Gray criticizes the NDP-Liberal government's tax policies, including the carbon tax, capital gains tax, and alcohol excise tax, arguing they harm Canadians. Terry Duguid defends the government's measures, such as a temporary GST/HST exemption, to make life more affordable and boost the economy.
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Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:45 p.m.

NDP

Blake Desjarlais NDP Edmonton Griesbach, AB

Madam Speaker, I have obviously upset the Conservatives because they consistently mislead. The fact that he called me an “asshole” is inappropriate and is unbecoming of the Conservative Party and that member. I am happy that he apologized and withdrew it, but—

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:45 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes

The hon. member for Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa is rising a point of order.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

December 5th, 2024 / 6:45 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB

Madam Speaker, that is very unparliamentary language. I ask the member to please withdraw it.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:45 p.m.

An hon. member

I was quoting him.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:45 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes

The hon. member for New Brunswick Southwest is rising on the same point of order.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:45 p.m.

Conservative

John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB

Madam Speaker, my colleague had withdrawn the comment. I do not think it is correct for a member to keep raising it once the member has done the honourable thing.

I would ask the member to both withdraw what he said and apologize, as this member did.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:45 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes

The government deputy House leader is rising on the same point of order.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:45 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Madam Speaker, it is entirely appropriate to comment on anything that happens in the House, including when somebody might choose to withdraw a comment. For that member to suggest that suddenly, because somebody withdrew something, we cannot discuss it anymore, is in my opinion, and I believe you would find the same thing, just not correct.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes

On the same point of order, the hon. member for Northumberland—Peterborough South.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

Madam Speaker, then it would be fine for me to say that the Prime Minister once called someone in the House a piece of shit.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes

This is now getting out of line. I would ask all members to please be respectful. It is raising a lot of discourse in the House.

I would again ask members to please be respectful with the words they are using in the House. This has raised disorder, and I would ask members to not use those words, whether against each other or in reference to what has been said.

The hon. member for Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa did the right thing and withdrew his statement, so I would ask members to please be respectful.

The hon. member for Edmonton Griesbach has the floor.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

NDP

Blake Desjarlais NDP Edmonton Griesbach, AB

Madam Speaker, I always appreciate your interventions and the clarity they provide in this place to ensure all of our colleagues act with the best conduct that is fitting of their constituents. It is unfortunate that that member from the Conservative Party would be so weak and so beholden to his emotions that he would go out of control like that in such a sporadic and extreme way, to try to diminish this place so greatly—

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

NDP

Blake Desjarlais NDP Edmonton Griesbach, AB

Madam Speaker, now they are heckling me. That they continue to try to diminish the reputation of this place is truly unbecoming of the Conservative Party. It is so unfortunate—

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes

The hon. member for Edmonton Griesbach has two minutes to continue his debate, and he continues to have the floor.

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

NDP

Blake Desjarlais NDP Edmonton Griesbach, AB

Madam Speaker, I will say again that I always appreciate your interventions for the clarity they provide in this place. I just wanted to bring greater clarity to the Speaker's statement regarding the importance of the decency we should all have.

It is so unfortunate that, in the last few weeks, we have seen such dissent in the demeanour of Conservative Party members. It is likely because of two things. One, it is likely because their leader continues to whip them so badly that they cannot say what they truly mean, or two, it is because they are getting so worn down by the fact that their tired old slogans can only go so far, and the bumper on their car is only so big.

It is important that we do the hard work of ensuring that we get to the bottom of SDTC. One of the most important ways to get to the bottom of SDTC would be to know exactly the interests of those who abused taxpayer dollars. Ms. Verschuren abused taxpayer dollars, kicked money back to the Liberals and the Conservative Party, and now both do not want to answer questions about it. The Conservatives want to do something even worse, which is to attempt to go around some of that and accuse—

Reference to Standing Committee on Procedure and House AffairsPrivilegeOrders of the Day

6:50 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Carol Hughes

The hon. member will be able to finish his speech the next time this matter is before the House, which will probably be sometime tomorrow. I will be here tomorrow, and I hope members will be much kinder to each other and to me.

A motion to adjourn the House under Standing Order 38 deemed to have been moved.

Carbon PricingAdjournment Proceedings

6:50 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB

Madam Speaker, Canadians were shocked and outraged to learn that the Prime Minister's climate change ambassador charged taxpayers over a quarter of a million dollars in less than two years to travel around the globe promoting the failed carbon tax. She is probably in the air right now.

My question is simple.: Does the member personally believe that Canadians are getting good value for money from the Prime Minister's climate change ambassador, yes or no?

Carbon PricingAdjournment Proceedings

6:50 p.m.

Winnipeg South Manitoba

Liberal

Terry Duguid LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Special Advisor for Water

Madam Speaker, I am responding to the question the member asked in the House not long ago. I would just remind him that in recent years, climate change has had unprecedented effects on Canadians. Impacts from climate change are wide-ranging, affecting our homes, the cost of living, infrastructure, health and safety, and economic activity in communities across Canada.

Released yesterday, “Canada's Food Price Report 2025” states that extreme weather and climate change pose significant challenges to the cost of food, something I know the hon. member is very interested in as someone from an agricultural community. The science is clear: We must continue taking ambitious actions to combat climate change before it is too late. This includes using all of the tools in our tool box, including putting a price on pollution.

Despite what the Conservatives may think, the Bank of Canada has confirmed that carbon pricing contributes less than 1% to inflation. In fact the impact of carbon pricing on inflation is just 0.15%. Our government's plan to combat climate change is working. For the first time in Canadian history, we are on track to meet a climate goal, in 2026.

We are focused on building a stronger economy, combatting climate change and making life more affordable; that is exactly what putting a price on pollution does. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed multiple times that the vast majority of Canadians are better off with the Canada carbon rebate. A family of four in the riding of Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, a very beautiful part of my home province, the member's home province of Manitoba, with the Canada carbon rebate, will receive $1,200 a year. That is not all; in rural communities, residents will receive an additional 20% top-up.

We remain focused on the bigger picture: protecting Canadians from the devastating impacts of climate change and ensuring a prosperous future for generations to come.

I know that the hon. member is a strong environmental advocate. I would like to hear him and his party, for once, talk about climate change, the opportunities it has for our economy and the impacts it is having on agriculture and on people's lives from coast to coast to coast.

Carbon PricingAdjournment Proceedings

6:55 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB

Madam Speaker, we all realize climate change is real. In climate change, we have to reduce emissions. Meanwhile, the climate ambassador is flying all over the world, racking up air miles.

The member did not answer my question. Does he believe that Canadians are getting good value for money from the Prime Minister's climate change ambassador, yes or no?

Carbon PricingAdjournment Proceedings

6:55 p.m.

Liberal

Terry Duguid Liberal Winnipeg South, MB

Madam Speaker, my answer is an unqualified yes, and we are getting good value from the measures that we are introducing to combat climate change.

As I mentioned earlier, the Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that carbon pricing does not contribute to inflation. We know that the impacts of climate change are something in the order of $25 billion a year. They are impacting our farmers. They are impacting people in cities and in rural Canada alike. I was very happy to hear the hon. member say that climate change is real. I think he is one of the few members from his party across the aisle whom I have heard say that.