Debates of Feb. 26th, 2024

Government Orders No. 35—Extension of Sitting Hours and Conduct of Extended Proceedings

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

Abstentions might show on the screens and on the video, but they are not shown in the official record of the House of Commons.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order. If members want to show that they are in the House and choose not to vote, they simply do not rise in their seat. There is a video record of them not rising in their seat either for or against, thus showing an abstention visually.

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

I will look at this, but I think I was pretty clear as to what is on the official record and what is not. If we are debating something that would be new to the chamber, if we want to pursue that, then we would ask PROC to look at it. Maybe we can think about that.

The hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the member for Sarnia—Lambton that two-thirds of Conservatives voted virtually with the app to vote against a virtual Parliament. It is unbelievable that two-thirds of Conservatives said they do not like the virtual Parliament, but voted virtually to end it. I think it is really important to raise that point. Sometimes we really have to wonder why they think they can pull the wool over the eyes of their constituents by acting that way.

If Conservatives want to raise a point of order, they are welcome to do that.

The second part of this motion deals with the fact that we voted all night one night. We saw how that affected the staff. We saw how that affected the interpreters, who work so hard and who had to work all night.

As the member for La Prairie said earlier, the member for Salaberry—Suroît is a strong advocate for the interpreters' health and safety in the workplace. If the Bloc Québécois truly believes in that, then they should vote in favour of this motion, because requiring House employees and interpreters to work all night jeopardizes their health and safety. That is the reality.

There are two aspects of the motion that should be supported. Apart from the Conservative Party, there should be a consensus among the parties in the House to vote in favour of this motion, which gives us more hours to work and more hours to debate, which is good, while also protecting employees, interpreters and everyone who is subject to the decisions made by the Conservatives, who are clearly showing a complete lack of respect for the employees of the House.

The two aspects of the motion that we are talking about have to do with working harder and working evenings, but that is not something the government can impose. There has to be the support of another recognized party in the House to have the evening sessions. What evening sessions mean is more members of Parliament being able to speak out with respect to legislation. This is something that should be a no-brainer. This is something that should pass by consensus: that we believe that we need more time to debate pieces of legislation. Then the idea of having evening sessions makes a great deal of sense.

Second, there is the issue of all-night voting sessions. We have had a discussion, which I know the Speaker will be bringing back to the House, about the member for Carleton's triggering votes, six of them in person and 124 of them virtual. I know we cannot question whether a member has been in the House, but the reality is that there is a caveat that says somebody can stand up—

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

The hon. member for Louis‑Saint‑Laurent on a point of order.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, with all his experience, the hon. member should know that he cannot make the same mistake twice. He cannot make a distinction between votes cast here in the House and those cast electronically. A vote is a vote. When will he understand that?

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, my Conservative colleague is correct, and it is unfair to make these comparisons. The leader of the Conservatives was in the House to vote against Ukraine.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I think it would be useful to make a distinction with reflecting on the presence of members virtually or in person in the past. I do not think that precludes a member from speculating as to whether a member may, in the future, choose to participate virtually or in person. It seems like an odd thing not to be able to talk about at all. Although I respect the rule that says we cannot talk about what has in fact happened, it is not supposed to be a prohibition on speaking about the future.

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

I appreciate that it is hard for us to envision what someone would be doing in the future. At the same time, we really need to watch whether we are underlining whether someone is here or not, whether they are virtual or not, because that is not shown in the record of the House of Commons.

The hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I do want to leave the House, and those people who are interested in the debate that is taking place today, with this: I mentioned the 101 time allocations, or closures, imposed by the Harper regime over four years. That is a record that no other government or Parliament has ever come close to, but I actually neglected to give the full weight of the Harper regime in its imposition and in its ripping apart of our democratic structure. It actually moved 111 motions of closure in four years. It moved closure every week, on average, over four years before it was thrown out because of its bad governance and corruption, its incredibly bad financial mismanagement, its mean-spiritedness in forcing seniors to work longer and in ripping away affordable housing.

We lived through that. The member for Timmins—James Bay and I lived through every week of the Harper regime, the most dismal decade in Canadian history, so I think it is fair to say that Conservatives have no lessons to give to anyone.

Anti-Semitism

[Kevin Vuong, Independent, Spadina—Fort York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since October 7, hatred has been marching on the streets of Toronto and within our city's post-secondary institutions. Rather than fight hatred, some institutions have turned a blind eye or pretended it falls under the rubric of freedom of expression. Hatred and violent threats have no place in any freedom.

The failure of OCAD University to combat the surge in anti-Semitism is unacceptable. OCAD has become a cesspool of hate. Jewish students feel so unsafe that one, Samantha, had OCAD donors fund private security just so she could go to school. She has had to deal with death threats, her name etched into stairwell walls, and threats of sexual violence toward her mother.

The Ontario government will be providing post-secondary funding to compensate for lost revenue due to the federal government's cap on student visas. As OCAD has failed to address hate, it should not receive funding from any government until its campus is safe for everyone and Canadian law is respected.

African Canadian Association of Ottawa

[Chandra Arya, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this Black History Month I would like to recognize the African Canadian Association of Ottawa, which serves about 115,000 Canadians of African heritage in Ottawa-Gatineau. It is the flagship for 53 organizations representing the African diaspora from countries spanning Morocco to South Africa and Guinea to Somalia.

In addition to its affordable housing initiative, other programs extend to food security, community development, mental health, senior care, youth engagement through hockey and the innovative ACAO Radio, which underscores its comprehensive approach to community support.

I would like to recognize and thank the current leadership team, including its president, John Adeyefa, and board members Hector Addison, Sahada Alolo, Valérie Assoi, Serge Banyongen, Franklin Epape, Catherine Kizito, Dorris Ngaiza and Godlove Ngwafusi.

The Environment

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, for over two weeks, millions of litres of raw sewage ran unimpeded from Winnipeg into the north Red River and Lake Winnipeg, and the Liberal government was missing in action. The sewage is polluting our iconic Lake Winnipeg, which is home to Manitoba's thriving inland commercial fishery and beautiful beaches and is a source of drinking water for many communities. The Liberals failed to support the province and the City of Winnipeg in mitigating this environmental catastrophe.

Canada's Conservatives have long fought to keep our waterways, lakes and oceans free from untreated sewage. As a government, we brought in stringent guidelines for municipal effluent. In opposition, we brought forward a bill to prohibit the discharge of raw sewage into our waterways by municipalities. Meanwhile, within days of forming government, the Prime Minister approved a dump of eight billion litres of raw sewage to be discharged by the City of Montreal into the St. Lawrence River.

It is disappointing to see the lack of urgency demonstrated by Liberal MPs in Winnipeg to this prolonged spill of untreated sewage. This is unacceptable. The Liberal government must stand up now to protect the Red River and Lake Winnipeg from future breaches.

Black History Month

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Happy Black History Month, Mr. Speaker.

This February, Canadians across the nation have joined together to celebrate Black Canadians and their countless contributions to Canadian society. In my riding of Surrey Centre, there are several Black-led organizations that focus on fostering a safe, inclusive and equitable community.

Just last week, the Minister of Small Business and I met with the Black Business Association of BC to discuss ways to grow its entrepreneurial and enterprising spirits. Others, like the Solid State Community Society, will be bringing Black youth together to discuss anti-Black racism in high schools and examine possible solutions.

Nuru Training Association has long-standing roots in Surrey Centre. This month, the organization is creating opportunities for our community to learn about the history and contributions of Black Canadians.

There are so many incredible organizations like these in Surrey Centre, including the Kingdom Acts Foundation, Umoja, Great Light Healing Community Services Society and the African Womens Empowerment Society. Services like these continue to show Canadians that diversity is our greatest strength.

150th anniversary of Salaberry‑de‑Valleyfield

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

Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to draw attention to the 150th anniversary of the City of Salaberry‑de‑Valleyfield.

Salaberry‑de‑Valleyfield is marking 150 years of history, 150 years of pride, 150 years of generations of locals enjoying life on the shores of Baie Saint‑François. They are good people who know the secret to the famous Valleyfield grill seasoning. They are hard-working people who never pass up an opportunity to celebrate.

Salaberry‑de‑Valleyfield is also marking 150 years of solidarity, a legacy handed down by the workers of Montreal Cotton, the Sisters of Bon‑Conseil and all the others.

This 150th anniversary is an opportunity to remember how great it is to live on our island.

I would like to thank the organizing committee, co-chaired by Denis Lapointe and Renée Demers, and all municipal employees for putting together a diverse program to honour our city and its talents. This year, we are eating, exploring, playing, dancing and celebrating Salaberry‑de‑Valleyfield.

I encourage the good people of Salaberry‑de‑Valleyfield to enjoy the festivities, and I wish them a happy 150th anniversary.

Florence Wong

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Markham—Stouffville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care provides high-quality and culturally appropriate services to enable seniors of different backgrounds and needs to live their lives to the fullest. Recently, a very special person, the former CEO of Yee Hong, Florence Wong, passed away.

Arriving in Canada in 1987 from Hong Kong, Florence discovered her executive experience was not valued here, but that did not deter her. Hired by Yee Hong in 1994, she led the expansion from one site to a network of long-term care centres and support services across the GTA, including one in my riding of Markham—Stouffville. I sat on their board for a number of years and feel part of the Yee Hong extended family.

As Yee Hong's founder, Dr. Joseph Wong, said, “[H]er impact on the senior-care sector [was] unmatched”. I was always impressed by her hard work, resilience and positive attitude.

I give my sincere condolences to her family and all her many friends.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after eight long years of the Prime Minister, everything feels broken, and Canadians are struggling. Rent is up and housing costs have doubled, resulting in the rise of tent cities, and crime runs rampant on streets across the country. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost or the chaos, and there is no end in sight. Just last week, the leader of the NDP signed on to prop up the Liberals for another 16 months. While the NDP-Liberal coalition continues to thrive, Canadians are struggling to survive.

New scandals continue to break about government spending and Liberal insiders getting rich. Glaring mismanagement, the gross waste of taxpayers' money, reprisals and cover-ups all speak to corruption. The buck stops with the Liberal Prime Minister. He is not worth the cost of the corruption.

It is time for him to be held accountable to Canadians.

Coldest Night of the Year

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Coldest Night of the Year events that happened in 190 communities across Canada on Saturday.

Each year, thousands of Canadians walk in February to support local charities that serve people experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness. My family, my constituency team and my friends walked together to raise money for Lionhearts in Kingston this year.

It was truly heartwarming to see over 150 walkers, 30 teams, hundreds of donors and dozens of volunteers contribute locally. Thanks to their collective efforts, over $70,000 has been raised to date, and that number continues to grow.

I give a huge shout-out to the team at Lionhearts for their outstanding work in what they do, in partnership with other organizations, to support the most vulnerable in our community, and congratulations to all participants for stepping outside of the warmth and comfort of their homes to help charities that serve our communities with compassion every single day.

Conservative Party of Canada

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this government, the Bloc-Liberal coalition is costly for Quebeckers.

The Bloc is in cahoots with this government that is not worth the cost. It pretends to be outraged by the ArriveCAN scandal, yet it voted in favour of cost overruns to fund ArriveCAN eight times. Then, it defended its actions by saying that it was not going to scrutinize everything the government spends. The Bloc told the government to go ahead and hand out the money.

Voting for the Bloc is costly. Even the Premier of Quebec is wondering what is the point of the Bloc Québécois. That is saying something.

The ArriveCAN app cost an arm and a leg, made a company very rich and made things difficult for Canadians. ArriveCAN joins this worn-out government's long list of bad decisions, mismanagement, lack of ethics and lack of transparency.

While the Liberals are mocking Canadians, common-sense Conservatives continue to fight for their interests. We are going to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime.

Tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador

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

Mr. Speaker, tourism in my province of Newfoundland and Labrador exceeds $1 billion in annual expenditures, fuelling employment and prosperity across all communities. It embodies our identity, our traditions and the stunning natural wonders around us. Moreover, tourism fosters environmental stewardship, preserving our ecological treasures for future generations.

This past week, alongside the Minister of Tourism and the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, I attended the 2024 Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador conference. Together we celebrated the economic success of the province's tourism industry and its profound impact on our cultural vibrancy and environmental well-being.

I thank the event organizers. Let us continue to welcome visitors from around the world to experience Newfoundland and Labrador's magic and be part of its legacy.

Black History Month

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in celebrating Black History Month, we honour Black Canadians' rich heritage and achievements.

We spotlight individuals like Rosemary Sadlier, an advocate for Black history and women's issues, and Dr. Jeffrey K. O. Thompson, a leader in technology and community services. Their contributions enrich our nation's tapestry.

From Richmond Hill, we recognize Aneal Swaratsingh, Marsha Simone Cadogan and Pamela Harakh for their local impacts. Aneal's leadership in community initiatives, Pamela's in philanthropy and Marsha's in legal IP exemplify the spirit of Black excellence we celebrate this month.

To thank Richmond Hill contributors, we have invited local stakeholders to a Black caucus networking event. This gathering is a testament to our collective efforts toward inclusivity and the recognition of Black excellence. As we continue to combat anti-Black racism, let us support Black communities and enterpreneurship, working towards a just and equitable future for all of us.

Happy Black History Month. Here is to building a better future for everyone.

Bloc Québécois

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, amid the ongoing saga of the ArriveCAN scandal, I can tell you that the Bloc Québécois leader has hit a new low.

The Bloc Québécois leader candidly admits that he gave the 2021-22 estimates the green light without even examining them. He said, and I quote, “we are not going to scrutinize everything the government spends. We just tell it to go ahead and hand out the money”.

When the government lacked the votes it needed to fund ArriveCAN, the leader of the Bloc Québécois came to the rescue. Eight times now, the Bloc Québécois has voted to give the government millions of dollars to fund crooks.

As everyone knows, the Bloc Québécois is also spending the hard-earned money of Quebeckers like there is no tomorrow. It is unbelievable that the Bloc thinks it has what it takes to manage a country.

I may not know what is the point of the Bloc Québécois, but I do know that voting for the Bloc Québécois is costly.

Leader of the New Democratic Party

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we continue to see unbelievable hypocrisy from the leader of the NDP.

Yet again, he is pretending to be outraged by the actions of his Liberal coalition partner while expecting Canadians to ignore the fact that he is the Prime Minister's chief enabler. The NDP say they are angered by the waste and corruption behind the “arrive scam” app, yet it would never have happened without their support.

The Prime Minister needed his coalition cohort to have enough votes to get the money through Parliament. The leader of the NDP was more than happy to vote yes, at least eight times, to give tens of millions for cost overruns and money-for-nothing contracts to shell companies.

Clearly this NDP-Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the cost, crime or corruption. The disregard for taxpayer money is appallingly consistent, and the leader of the NDP should be ashamed for not admitting his role in this boondoggle and apologize to Canadians for grandstanding on social media.

Valentines for Vets

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

Mr. Speaker, on February 12, I had the privilege of visiting students in grades five and six at the Maple Ridge French immersion elementary school in Orléans along with the Minister of Veterans Affairs for Valentine's Day.

It was quite touching to talk to the students who took part in the Valentines for Vets program by making Valentine's Day cards. It was an opportunity for them to send our veterans a special message to thank them for their service and for what they have done and sacrificed for our freedom.

I would like to thank their teacher, Sophie Labrosse, and the school principal, Mireille Filion, for welcoming us and for their interest in this program, which dates to 1996 and teaches our young people to never forget.

Shannen Koostachin

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are on the 12th anniversary of Parliament's passing the “Shannen's Dream” motion, named in honour of the young Cree leader Shannen Koostachin, who stood up to challenge the systemic denial of rights for indigenous children. Shannen had never seen a real school. Children in Attawapiskat were being educated in squalid and dangerous conditions.

The government knew this. It just did not give a damn.

Thirteen-year-old Shannen launched the largest youth-driven civil rights movement in Canadian history. Shannen never lived long enough to see the beautiful school that was built because of her work. She died in a horrific car accident at 15.

Following her death, youth, activists and educators from across Canada launched “Shannen's Dream” to end the systemic underfunding of first nations schools. We have so much farther to go. Children in Eabametoong have no school right now. Children in Kashechewan have no proper gym.

Shannen reminded us that the greatest resource in this country is not oil or diamonds; it is in the potential of this young generation. We thank her. The fight for justice continues.