Debates of Feb. 15th, 2024

Carbon Pricing

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Order.

I stood up a couple of times because I had difficulty hearing the answers from the hon. members. I am going to ask hon. members to hold their comments back until they are asking a question.

The hon. minister has 12 seconds, if he chooses.

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I choose to use the 12 seconds, because Albertans need to know that falsehoods from the Conservatives do not pay the bills. The Canada carbon rebate helps. That is why we put it in place.

International Trade

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, strong, vibrant communities are good for everyone. In my riding, Maxxmar Window Fashions, led by Norbert Marocco, has been operating since 2007 and continues to help make ridings like mine and Canada a better place to live, work and raise a family.

A key ingredient for any successful business, of course, is drive and a determination to grow and keep building on past successes. Anyone who has met Norbert knows that his business has that in spades.

Can the Minister of International Trade share with the House how our government is supporting businesses that want to grow and expand their businesses to new markets?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of Export Promotion]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is a trading nation, and our businesses create great jobs for our workers. While the Conservatives voted against the trade agreement with Ukraine, we will keep helping businesses grow with confidence.

What a success story this is of a Canadian company selling internationally. Our government is making those investments to open doors and, in this case, open blinds.

On this side of the House, I am proud to work with the member for Humber River—Black Creek. I want to thank her for her incredible leadership as the chair of the trade committee, and I hope this business is going to consider exporting to Ukraine.

Housing

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a new report on rent prices across Canada confirms what Canadians already know: Rent prices are skyrocketing while real estate CEOs are making record profits.

Which city had rental prices go up the fastest? It is my home city of Edmonton. That is because the Liberals are leaving it up to Danielle Smith and corporate developers, who are failing to build homes that people can actually afford.

When will the government act to lower rents so people in Edmonton have a place to call home?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, $470 million is the amount the federal government has allocated through, among other things, the Canada housing benefit, which was recently topped up.

We will continue to support Canadians going through a difficult time and make sure that we are working with different orders of government to ensure that the outcome is a real, lasting and meaningful one for Canadians who are challenged right now.

I would also point to other measures that we are taking to ensure more homes are being built, for example, lifting the GST off purpose-built rentals and making sure low-interest loans are available to builders. That is how we get more supply in the market.

Climate Change

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, February 26, the 13th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization will open in Abu Dhabi. Amazingly, just eight weeks ago, that same country closed on an ambitious climate agenda from COP28, referred to as the United Arab Emirates consensus.

Will the government use that synchronicity, get in there and make sure that the 13th trade ministerial is a climate ministerial that makes the WTO back off from the climate deals and let us do the work to deliver on our Paris commitments?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of Export Promotion]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her advocacy, particularly on the environment.

Canada is a trading nation and later this month I will be representing Canada at the World Trade Organization ministerial. As a trading nation, our businesses, investors and workers depend on a rules-based trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core. While there I will continue to always fight for climate change while we grow the economy and create great green jobs.

I look forward to making sure that Canada continues to do the work of fighting climate change.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for La Prairie on a point of order.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in response to a question from my colleague from Lac-Saint-Jean, the Minister of Immigration said that the Bloc Québécois wanted to deport immigrants in Canada.

We are all parliamentarians. We know that words have meaning. When we talk about deportation, we are talking about crimes against humanity. When we talk about deportation in Canada, we always think of the deportation of the Acadians.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

I am sorry, but this is important. People need to understand that the person who has the floor must be respected.

I call on the minister to withdraw his comments and apologize.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I listened carefully to the point of order raised by the hon. member for La Prairie. It seems to me that this is more a matter of debate, which is acceptable here in the House.

The hon. member for La Prairie.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Salaberry—Suroît raised a point of order on February 1 regarding the fact that the Minister of Immigration had accused the leader of the Bloc Québécois of comparing immigrants to heat pumps.

We asked the Speaker to insist that he apologize. We have heard nothing since. I would like to know when the Minister of Immigration will be called to order and asked to apologize for all the nonsense he says in Parliament.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The request was made to the Chair, and the person who was in the chair at the time said that they would come back to the House if necessary.

The Chair has looked into the issue, and it is also a matter of debate.

The hon. member for Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup is rising on a point of order.

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, earlier the government House leader said in his answer that Highway 185 was in Kamouraska. Let me correct him: It is in Témiscouata. The project was approved by the former Conservative government.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I appreciate the clarification, but it is a matter of debate.

Business of the House

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after what was undoubtedly a difficult week for the government, one could say that the upcoming one is very timely for government members.

In the meantime, however, we still have one sitting of the House to go. I would like to ask the government House leader to tell us what business is planned for tomorrow and for when we return from what I hope will be a relaxing break week for the government.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure you that nothing is scarier than driving down Conservative highways, whether it is in Kamouraska or Témiscouata. Conservatives vote against highway infrastructure and refuse to fund them.

Later today, we will be voting on third reading of Bill C-62, medical assistance in dying.

Tomorrow, we will resume debate on the motion respecting the Senate amendment to Bill C-35, the early learning and child care legislation.

Next week is a constituency week during which the House is adjourned. We will, of course, be in our ridings to serve our constituents.

Upon our return, the agenda will include Bill C‑58, an act to amend the Canada Labour Code and the Canada Industrial Relations Board regulations, 2012, which deals with replacement workers. On Wednesday, we will continue debate on Bill C‑61, an act respecting water, source water, drinking water, wastewater and related infrastructure on first nation lands. Finally, Tuesday and Thursday will be allotted days.

I thank the members for their attention and wish them a good week in their ridings.

The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-62, An Act to amend An Act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying), No. 2, be read the third time and passed, and of the motion that the question be now put.

Criminal Code

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

Mr. Speaker, I note that I will be splitting my time with my friend and colleague from Langley—Aldergrove.

It is the responsibility of parliamentarians, in certain circumstances, to make decisions that have to do with life or death, and that is where we find ourselves today. In the context of most of parliamentary history, not only here in Canada but in other parliaments around the world, it has to do with times of war and conflict, but today it is unique as we discuss the context of determining the status of what has come to be referred to as medical assistance in dying. It is an incredibly delicate issue that has brought forward a huge range of emotions and opinions from across the country and from across the political spectrum. Certainly, it is something that requires thoughtfulness when being addressed.

However, I do want very specifically to address something that has been very concerning to me in this discussion, and I will get to the substance of Bill C-62 in a moment. It has been brought forward and demanded by other political parties in this place that members' faiths and the values on which we build our moral system should not be included in this discussion, that somehow as parliamentarians we should separate those things from the discussion.

I would assert to members today, on behalf of many of my constituents who have reached out to me on this matter, many of whom agree with me and some of whom do not, that the basis of our moral system, whether that be mine as a Christian or other people's of Muslim, Jewish or other faiths or no faith at all, or whether it be the experience that one lives, plays a role in our ability as parliamentarians and as a society to make decisions.

As such, my message to this House and all Canadians watching is that we should never try to remove our faiths and our value systems from the conversation. Rather, they should be a part of it, thoughtfully, of course, and that certainly is the case when we are discussing something as important as medical assistance in dying.

Let us take a step back. What does Bill C-62 mean? It is a delay on the coming into force of an aspect of the medical assistance in dying regime. All parties, at different points in time, although that is certainly not the status of this debate today, have said there is tremendous concern about the widespread expansion of a system that could put Canada's most vulnerable at risk, and certainly that is something that should force all of us to take pause.

It has been asserted very clearly by me and many of my colleagues that this has simply gone too far when the regime that we are talking about is truly putting Canada's most vulnerable at risk, but the specifics of the bill today would bring a needed pause. My assertion, as when I voted in favour of the bill from my colleague from Abbotsford, would be that we should remove the provisions of medical assistance in dying that could very well lead to what we hear examples of. This is not simply an allegation. We hear very clear examples of that, and I will get into some local examples in a moment, but we have to ensure that we protect the most vulnerable.

That is why I will be supporting putting a pause on this expansion of MAID, but I believe we need to go much further than that, and I will get into a few of my reasons in a moment.

It was brought to my attention, and as a Christian taking seriously God's word, the Bible, I would reference a Bible verse in my debate here today. It is 1 Peter 4:10. It says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s...grace”. The reason I bring that forward today is that I think it provides important context for something that is truly foundational in how we look at the world, and that is the idea of the value and dignity of life and one's life.

I heard recently from a constituent, a woman, who shared a heartbreaking story about her son. He was in a mental health hospital after being found inches away from taking his own life. He reached out at the last moment, asked his parents for help and expressed that while the different things he was facing were incredibly complex, he did not want to die. As a result, the family was able to advocate for him, to work diligently to help support this young man and to ensure that he could get the help he required.

We were told in the beginning that there was no such thing as a “slippery slope”, but we have seen it, over the last eight years, since the Liberals first brought it forward, when Jody Wilson-Raybould was the then minister of justice and attorney general. There were warnings at committee and warnings in the various court decisions that led us to this point that we had to be very aware of the slippery slope. We are seeing that here today.

What I find very tragic, as in a story that I referenced from a constituent, and I will not get into the specifics to ensure that their identity is protected, is that we hear this tragic story where intervention was at least possible. This constituent reached out and said that had there been mechanisms in place that would have even suggested that it was possible, they feared what the outcome would have been and that they would have lost their son. We also hear numerous examples of how addiction is stealing life away from individuals. Instead of ensuring that there is hope and opportunity, they are not given the dignity of getting better. The potential of getting better is so very important in this discussion.

I compliment my colleague, the member for Cariboo—Prince George on the 988 number. It was a tragic irony that it took longer for the government to set up the 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline than it did for the government to bring forward what was the first one-year extension in the expansion of the medical assistance in dying regime.

Before us, we have a delay. When it comes to the heart of the matter, we need to stand up for the life and the dignity of all Canadians. I understand how we need to be thoughtful in how we engage in this subject, because it is deeply personal, and everybody can point to different stories. However, we have to protect life, to offer life, to not lose hope and to ensure that death does not become a part of health care.

We have heard tragic examples of veterans being offered medical assistance in dying instead of mental health supports and of Canadians who are hungry, having to battle through difficult economic times, and having to pursue some of these things. I referenced the committee a number of times. To those who might be watching and listening, some of the stories are of those who shared, very honestly, how their lives would have been put at risk had there been mechanisms in place that did not have safeguards and that did not prioritize the need for life and offer that hope.

I started my speech by talking about how, as parliamentarians, we are sometimes tasked with making decisions that are literally life and death, and this is one of them. My submission to this place, and to all members, is that we need to ensure we always prioritize life.

If we fail in that duty, I shudder to think what the long-term implications of that would be for our society. That would be absolutely devastating for lives that could be lost through a regime that does not prioritize dignity and ensure, whether it is for mental health, for disability or for others who are facing vulnerabilities in moments or longer stages of their life, that Canadians are given every opportunity to choose life and that the government does not facilitate death.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague's tone was measured. I think there is space to reflect. People can start from a premise, any premise he wants.

However, when I listen to him, it is as though he is saying that all mental disorders are reversible and remediable, whereas all the experts, whether they are for or against MAID, are of the opinion that irremediability is a sticking point. However, they do not dispute that there are people who will suffer for decades.

I have the same priorities as my colleague, namely doing good, showing compassion and honouring the importance of life and quality of life. The question I have for my colleague is what is his solution?

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

Mr. Speaker, certainly, there is a wide range of what could be considered mental illness, or psychological disorders or neurological disorders that, in some cases, are terminal.

We need to be so very careful. I am concerned about the direction the government has pursued and I am concerned about some of the other conversations that have taken place in relation to this, because we are not prioritizing the ability and the hope in so many circumstances. There is the opportunity to get better and to provide a dignified quality of life that would allow people to truly live their best life no matter what the circumstance. We need to prioritize life, as opposed to a circumstance where those who could get better are not given that opportunity.

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that there is a class, racial and geographic aspect to being able to access mental health services. We have a problem for people in rural and remote communities. We have a problem in indigenous communities. We also have a problem for those who cannot pay for their services.

As a way of also attacking this problem, would the member support making mental health services fully a part of the Canada health care plan?

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

Mr. Speaker, as a rural member of Parliament, I have long fought for, and will continue to fight for, ensuring that rural Canada has access to the mental health services that it needs, whether that is east central Alberta, which I am proud to represent, or rural and remote communities across Canada or in our north.

From my early days in the nomination to become the Conservative candidate prior to the 2019 election, I have long said that mental health is, in fact, health. That is why I was so proud to stand in support of, and continued to call for, the 988 suicide help line. That is why, in the last election, I was proud to support a platform that had significant mental health investments.

The idea that mental health is health is that basis of ensuring that every Canadian has dignity and every opportunity to succeed, and the chance to get better. We cannot forget that there is always hope.