Debates of Feb. 7th, 2024

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the hon. member for Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation.

[Members sang the national anthem]

Black History Month

[Shafqat Ali, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, February is Black History Month. This month, we celebrate the contributions that Black Canadians have made to our society.

This year, let us recognize the contributions and achievements of the hon. Jean Augustine. She was the first Black woman MP and cabinet minister. Her motion to recognize February as Black History Month was adopted by the House in 1995. She was a Liberal MP from 1993 to 2006 and served as the parliamentary secretary to the then prime minister, as well as to the minister of state for multiculturalism and the status of women. She is a role model and an inspiration to many Canadians, including me. I want to thank the hon. Jean Augustine for making a real difference in our country.

Happy Black History Month everyone.

Medical Assistance in Dying

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians breathed a collective sigh of relief last week when the special committee on assisted death recommended a pause to the government's reckless and radical death-on-demand agenda.

Mental illness should never have been considered as an acceptable reason for MAID. Conservatives have been warning the government for years that extending assisted suicide to those with mental illnesses would lead to the deaths of those who could have recovered.

Liberals ignored us, but even worse, they ignored the advice of mental health experts and advocates that it would further stigmatize mental illnesses and place euthanasia ahead of other solutions to these illnesses. It bears repeating that assisted death is not medicine. It is not the personalized treatment that vulnerable people need and deserve.

While medical science continues to make leaps and bounds, our lawmakers have made decisions that increasingly devalue life. The government must fully abandon its plan to one day permit death-on-demand for mental illness. Those who are struggling deserve treatment and support, not encouragement to end their life.

Co-op Students

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

Mr. Speaker, last week, I had the pleasure of welcoming Marcos Farid Somarriba-Castillo, a student from Cairine Wilson Secondary School, along with his parents. It was a particularly significant occasion for him as it marked his very first time at question period and in the House of Commons.

As a parliamentarian, I take great joy in being able to help students like Marcos who choose the co-op program, which provides them with work experience through a co-op placement in my constituency office.

I want to express my gratitude to co-operative education teachers, like Julia Banks from Cairine Wilson, who has gone above and beyond to ensure that students can immerse themselves in a positive work environment.

Marcos's visit serves as a reminder that our commitment to education and mentorship can have a profound impact on shaping the leaders of today and tomorrow.

Quebec Winter Carnival

[Julie Vignola, Bloc, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is only one weekend left to attend the world's greatest and most popular winter carnival, the Quebec Winter Carnival. Visitors will be just in time to watch the parade in upper town this Saturday. Come one, come all, for some dancing and some fun.

Come one, come all, to marvel at everything made of ice, such as cups, sculptures, and even Bonhomme's Ice Palace. Come one, come all, to enjoy the warm, friendly welcome that the 1,500 volunteers, Quebec City residents and shopkeepers are so well known for.

Quebec City is like no other city in North America, and its carnival is unlike any other in the world. Come one, come all, and join in the 70th Quebec Winter Carnival.

Enjoy the carnival.

Black History Month in Yukon

[Brendan Hanley, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, Lucille Hunter was a prospector, business owner, nanny, cook, and the first female honorary member of the Yukon Order of Pioneers for her decades of devotion to mining. She and her husband, Charles, came to the Yukon over the perilous Stikine trail in 1897, one of only a few Black families to make the trek north for gold. Lucille regularly walked over 100 miles from Dawson City to Mayo to manage her mining claims.

Helping bring such stories to light is a small organization in my riding called Hidden Histories Society Yukon, documenting the invaluable contributions of the Black community to our territory from the gold rush to today. Meanwhile, we are gearing up for the 11th annual Yukon African Music Festival, organized by Yukoner Leonard Boniface, who is also hosting the Yukon International Conference on Diversity and Inclusion.

Black History Month recognizes the outstanding contributions of Black Canadians around the country, including Canada's north. I encourage Yukoners and all Canadians to learn and get involved in the many community events for Black History Month this February and beyond.

Bill Gairdner

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Mr. Speaker, athlete, author, thinker, businessman, husband and grandfather are a few of the ways to describe Bill Gairdner, who passed away at age 83 last month. He won a silver at the decathlon in the 1963 Pan American Games. He competed in 1964 at the Tokyo Olympics, in 1966 at the Commonwealth Games in Jamaica and in 1970 at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games.

He married his beloved wife, Jean, in 1979, and they were blessed with five children and 16 grandchildren. Bill was also a fearless conservative writer, with bestsellers including The Trouble with Canada and The War Against the Family. He co-founded Civitas in 1996, a key debate forum for conservative thinkers.

I want to offer my sincerest condolences to Jean and the Gairdner family, and to Bill's friends and business colleagues. I join them in their grief and sorrow.

I did not know Bill personally, but I knew his ideas; I read them. Many Conservatives did, so on behalf of a grateful Conservative movement, I thank Bill for the cherished ideas he gave us. May he rest in peace.

Government Priorities

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

Mr. Speaker, the facts are clear: We are there for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Ten-dollar-a-day child care saves families an average of $6,300 per child a year. Forty thousand Newfoundlanders and Labradorians received the enhanced Canada workers benefit, and over 47,000 parents received an average of over $6,000 from the Canada child benefit. More than 5,000 kids have accessed the Canada dental benefit, and 4,300 homes are saving on energy bills from the greener homes grant. One hundred and sixty thousand received the grocery rebate and the doubling of the GST credit. There were over a billion dollars in federal transfers, including almost $700 million for health care. Let us not forget the pollution price rebate cheques for 295,000 individuals or families every four months.

Our plan is having a positive impact on Newfoundland and Labrador, so I challenge the opposition to be honest and tell the people of the province what it will cut.

Black History Month

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, each February we celebrate Black History Month, when we honour and recognize the amazing hard work, dedication and challenges of Black Canadians throughout history and beyond.

We also celebrate the amazing work of community organizations that provide continued support and guidance to the Black community. The Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton is one of these community organizations; its continued presence and leadership in ensuring that Black history and culture are recognized, shared and celebrated does not go unnoticed.

I am excited that this February 26, with Sheridan College, the association will hold the public premiere screening of the film Finding Freedom on the Sixteen at Film.Ca Cinemas in Oakville. Most people are unaware of Oakville's ties to the Underground Railroad, and this film tells the amazing story of former enslaved African Americans from Maryland and Louisiana who fled in search of freedom to the small town of Oakville.

Housing

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after years of the Prime Minister, life has never been so expensive. Rent has doubled and mortgages have doubled. New home construction was down again last year, and the housing bureaucrats of the government predict that it is going to be down again in 2024. The Liberal-NDP cost of living crisis is forcing Canadians to choose every month between paying their rent, putting food on the table and heating their homes.

Of course, the Prime Minister is performing in his favourite of plays. He criss-crosses the country, taking pictures, spending even more money and delivering worse results. The out-of-touch Prime Minister is paying city gatekeepers all across Canada for a picture and a promise that Liberals will do better. An entire generation of Canadians who are locked out of home ownership are living the pain every day of the government's endless empty promises.

A Conservative government will ignite action in cities by tying federal funding to housing results, not promises. Only a Conservative government will bring it home.

Storm in Cape Breton

[Jaime Battiste, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the extreme weather emergency in Sydney—Victoria following the unprecedented snowfall of more than 150 centimetres this past weekend. Once again Cape Bretoners are faced with the impacts of climate change and must persevere.

I would like to thank the first responders, volunteers, employees at public works and all those who have stepped up to help, including the local Coast Guard College. Their efforts are appreciated, and I ask that everyone continue to lend a hand to their neighbours while helping each other get through this difficult time.

Please know that the federal government is providing support, both financial and human resources, to help with the challenging cleanup efforts. As Liberals, we will always act in situations of emergency. We are here to support people today, and we will be there tomorrow too.

Cape Bretoners are known for their kindness, compassion and willingness to help each other; because of that, we will get through this together.

Carbon Tax

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal-NDP government, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost. The Liberals have known for a while now that their carbon tax is a scam, but they refuse to give it up. Their latest idea is to rename it, telling Canadians that it is a good thing that they raise the tax again on April 1.

The Liberals keep ignoring what Canadians have been telling them for years, and they are still offside with their coalition partners in the NDP, who voted with Conservatives to at least give our farmers some relief from the carbon tax cash grab. Instead of reducing costs for the farmers and for the people buying their food by passing Bill C-234, the government would rather work to prevent this tax relief from happening.

There is no reason to think the Liberals are interested in fixing what they have broken. If they get their way, their carbon tax will be higher and higher year after year, even though the minister admitted he is not measuring whether it is reducing emissions. Conservatives stand ready to stop this nonsense. Canadians can count on us to axe the tax and to bring the much needed relief they deserve.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

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

Mr. Speaker, the former Speaker of the House of Commons was forced to resign after a scandal that saw an SS soldier recognized in this place last September during President Zelenskyy’s visit.

I want to read a few quotes about the former Speaker during the period that led to his resignation. “I can’t see, based on the conversations I have had, how he can continue to have the support of Liberal members of Parliament,” said the Liberal House leader in calling for the Speaker to resign. “What happened on Friday is completely unacceptable. It was an embarrassment to the House and Canadians,” said the foreign minister.

Last week, after months of denial, written evidence in an email came to light that the Prime Minister did in fact invite the same SS soldier to a government reception in Toronto, so where is the same condemnation for the Prime Minister from those cabinet ministers and Liberal MPs who threw the former Speaker under the bus? The Prime Minister and his office are guilty of the exact same sin as the former Speaker, and because he is, he deserves the same punishment for embarrassing our nation once again. Like the Speaker before him, the Prime Minister needs to resign.

Les Complices alimentaires

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have been hearing a lot about food prices and food waste. In the riding of Châteauguay—Lacolle, Les Complices alimentaires is offering an innovative way to tackle those issues. Based in the RCM of Jardins-de-Napierville, the organization takes less-than-perfect fruits and vegetables from local vegetable growers, then processes and freezes them. Thanks to solidarity pricing, the organization can distribute them at reduced prices via a network of retail locations throughout the region.

Les Complices alimentaires has just received financial assistance from the Public Health Agency of Canada through the healthy Canadians and communities fund. The organization will use this funding to develop its model so that it can be implemented elsewhere in Canada. This is how we support our communities to make them even more resilient and united.

Human Rights

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, more than 660 million women and girls are living in conflict zones, which is a 50% increase in the last six years. In Ukraine, two-thirds of those who are internally displaced are women. In Sudan, women make up 69% of those displaced, and 90% of the people crossing into Chad are women and girls. In Afghanistan, a United Nations expert said that 20 years of progress for women's and girls' rights have been erased since the Taliban took over, and in Palestine, 70% of the victims in Gaza are women and children. Heartbreakingly, two mothers are being killed per hour in Gaza right now.

Canadian organizations can alleviate this suffering and promote human rights, yet every year, Canada's investment is a fraction of what we have promised. For budget 2024, the government must listen to experts, to those 100 organizations that wrote to it, and do what is best to stand up for those around the world who need our support.

French Language

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after the English-only Grey Cup controversy, and the hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where Punjabi was used in place of French, Louis Riel must have turned over in his grave.

This Saturday, francophones had to endure more disrespect, this time at the NHL all-star game in Toronto, where the national anthem was performed in English only. Need we remind people that Canada is supposed to have two official languages and that its national anthem was originally written in French? Only a tiny little bit of the original French version still gets heard.

That shows contempt for francophones and contempt for Quebeckers. More and more, Canada is erasing French from its history and emblems. Quebeckers feel a growing sense of exclusion from Canada. The time has come for Quebeckers to make the necessary decisions.

Public safety

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years under this Prime Minister, the number of auto thefts in Canada has skyrocketed, and this can be directly attributed to the Liberals' soft-on-crime policies.

While the Prime Minister prefers to hold summits and have discussions, for the past three days, the Leader of the Opposition has been proposing common-sense solutions to combat this scourge.

First, we will amend the Criminal Code to keep car thieves behind bars. We will not release them into the community like the Liberals do. We are going to get to the heart of the problem and create a specific aggravating factor when the offence is committed for the benefit of organized crime.

We will provide the CBSA with the equipment and personnel it needs to do its job properly, by significantly increasing the number of border officers to scan containers. We will even do this without dipping further into taxpayers' pockets.

We invite all parties and all members to join us in our efforts to combat crime.

Lunar New Year

[Wilson Miao, Liberal, Richmond Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as we embark on the lunar new year, Asian communities in Richmond Centre and across Canada are ready to join the world to celebrate the spring festival and to welcome the Year of the Dragon. This is the time when we gather with friends, families and loved ones to celebrate this festive season with the rich tradition of the lunar calendar. The lunar new year is an opportunity to celebrate the traditions that enrich Canada's diverse social fabric.

Let us take a moment to acknowledge and recognize the contributions of Asian Canadians to Canada. As we celebrate the Year of the Dragon, I would like to wish everyone a successful, prosperous and healthy year ahead. To our communities in Richmond Centre and across Canada, happy lunar year. Bonne année lunaire. Chúc mung năm moi. Saehae bok mani badeuseyo. Gong xi fa cai. Xin nian kuai le.

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, this Prime Minister is not worth the cost of housing, which has doubled since he promised to make it more affordable. In fact, we have now learned that, according to Rentals.ca, rent has increased by more than 20% in two years across the country. In other words, it costs nearly $400 more.

Will the Prime Minister cancel his policies that caused the crisis, stop funding the bureaucrats who are preventing construction and eliminate the deficits to lower interest rates?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it was the Conservative member for Dufferin—Caledon who described our ambitious approach to housing best when he said that our Minister of Housing seems to come out every day with a new program, a new announcement or a new cheque for Canadians. He is right. We have worked hard week after week to conclude new agreements under the housing accelerator fund and to provide new tools to accelerate the construction of affordable housing.

While the Conservative leader insults the municipalities, we remain focused on our goal to accelerate housing construction.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, there are announcements, programs and cheques, but no housing. That is the only thing missing. People cannot live in the programs and announcements of this Prime Minister, who is not worth the cost. Housing starts are in free fall, down 28% in December relative to the previous December.

Will the Prime Minister put an end to programs that are driving up interest rates and creating bloated bureaucracies so that we can build housing?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the only thing the Conservative leader is offering is insults and more insults aimed at elected officials from Quebec. He described the home of a family in Niagara as a shack. He is using the homeless as accessories for political photo ops.

The reality is that a responsible leader will take action to invest in communities and housing. That is what we are doing by eliminating the GST on the construction of new apartments and by making funding announcements, including $900 million for Quebec to invest in housing.

We are here to invest and build. He is here to hurl insults.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, there are hundreds of millions of dollars for bureaucracy. We do not need bureaucracy, which has grown by 50% since this Prime Minister took office. We need housing.

According to his housing agency, there will be a shortage of 3.5 million homes. However, this week, the CBC said that there will be a shortage of five million homes, since we expect massive population growth and a drop in construction.

Where are those five million families going to live?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, he talks about bureaucracy, but, on the contrary, we are investing in municipalities to reduce red tape and speed up housing construction. We have made about 30 housing accelerator announcements across the country to build more housing faster, providing for greater density, better zoning, faster approval to use vacant land and more affordable homes.

We are there to make real investments, while he would rather insult people.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, those are the same promises he made eight years ago before he doubled housing costs. He is not worth the cost of housing, which is up 100%. In the last two years alone, according to Rentals.ca, rent is up 20% or $400 for the average family. Now we learn that construction is in free-fall, down 28% last December versus the December before.

Will he stop funding bureaucracy and driving up interest rates, so we can bring homes Canadians can afford?