Debates of March 20th, 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 South Okanagan—West Kootenay.

[Members sang the national anthem]

Climate Change

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

Mr. Speaker, we are facing unthinkable levels of climate crisis events globally. Scientists are alarmed, and so should we be all.

It is very clear that last year, 2023, was the warmest year on record. Also, it is now clear for Canadians what we all knew. Records have been smashed. Records have been broken. This winter was the warmest winter on record in Canada, and according to senior climatologists, the warmest year on record by a stunning margin.

It is not just the land that is hotter and drier; it is the oceans. I refer members to a recent article in The New Yorker by Elizabeth Kolbert: “Why is the Sea so Hot?” Temperatures in our oceans reached a shade below 70°F globally, and since the start of 2024 they have been going up.

Are we—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Scarborough North has the floor.

Berner Trail Junior Public School

[Shaun Chen, Liberal, Scarborough North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the 50th anniversary of Berner Trail Junior Public School in Scarborough North.

Since opening its doors in 1973, the esteemed institution has shaped the lives of countless students, parents, teachers and staff. Honouring their school motto, “Better Together”, students, past and present, are reconnecting and reminiscing over fond memories and moments.

The commitment and dedication of educators, parents and community members have undoubtedly contributed to the decades of excellence in education. Indeed, the name of the school is derived from C.H. Berner Public School, a single-room red-brick schoolhouse at Finch Avenue East and Neilson Road that dates to 1872.

Today, Berner Trail's legacy continues with a vibrant and diverse student population located in the heart of the Malvern community.

I congratulate principal Jamie Wolch and the entire school community on reaching this remarkable milestone. I wish them many more years of success.

Disability Inclusion

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” In that spirit, today I am going to pay tribute to two organizations making a fantastic impact across Canada.

First, March is Easter Seals Month and a great time to recognize the wonderful work that Easter Seals Canada has done for over 100 years in Canada. Easter Seals' vision is to “fully [enhance] the quality of life, well-being and independence of Canadians living with disabilities”, and they are consistently a leading and reliable partner in efforts to do just that.

Also in this Marvel-like universe of inclusion champions is Special Olympics Canada, which hosted its 2024 Winter Games in Calgary at the end of February. It was incredible to see thousands of athletes, volunteers and families descend on our province of Alberta for a week of intense competition, joyful celebration and powerful community engagement.

To all of the superheroes at Easter Seals and Special Olympics, I say thanks for the life-changing work they do every single day. They are truly unstoppable.

Elmira Maple Syrup Festival

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I invite everyone to join us in Kitchener—Conestoga on Saturday, April 6, as we celebrate the 60th annual Elmira Maple Syrup Festival.

Since its start in 1965, the festival has grown to become the largest single-day maple syrup festival in the world. The community of Elmira, with a population of 12,000, will welcome up to 80,000 guests. Individuals and families can take part in the pancake-flipping contest, family fun arena, live music, the toy and craft show, and of course enjoy pancakes drenched in maple syrup.

I thank the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival committee for its dedication. I thank the sponsors for their financial support, and I thank the volunteers who work tirelessly to make this festival happen.

All proceeds are returned to our community's charitable and not-for-profit organizations. From the morning breakfast to entering a team in the pancake-flipping contest to savouring the food, supporting the vendors and enjoying the artists, I know that my family and everyone will have a great day at the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival.

I will see everyone there.

International Day of La Francophonie

[René Villemure, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Jean Ferrat said in his song, “It is so beautiful, life is beautiful”, so today I say, “It is so beautiful, La Francophonie is beautiful”.

Every year, we celebrate La Francophonie in March. All around the world, La Francophonie is a dynamic force that makes cultures soar and opens the lines of communication between them. La Francophonie is poetry. It is literature, it is a slam, it is values, it is living together and quite simply living.

From Morocco to Louisiana, from Quebec to Belgium, from the Ivory Coast to Tahiti, from Vietnam to Mauritius, La Francophonie is always with us. From David Cheramie in Louisiana to Patrice Desbiens in Sudbury, both poeticize La Francophonie in their own way. Aimé Césaire, elected politician, poet, playwright and essayist, made it his own too. We must not forget one of our finest, the great Dany Laferrière, who weaves an ineffable warmth into every one of his stories.

Through all of them, La Francophonie tells us its stories, as it charms us and speaks to us. It makes us a promise as well. It promises a world full of youthful spirit, happiness and friendship. Finally, with all of its different accents, La Francophonie is a celebration, a festival of the heart, a festival of the soul, a festival of life. On this International Day of La Francophonie, I wish everyone a happy Francophonie that will live on forever.

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

Mr. Speaker, today, March 20, marks the International Day of La Francophonie.

I would like to thank the francophone organizations and institutions across the country and in my community of Orléans for the outstanding work that they do in advancing and promoting the French language.

I would also like to recognize two francophone leaders from Orléans, Nicole and Louis Patry, who received the 2024 Champlain Fondateur de la Francophonie award at the Gala de la francophonie plurielle.

On March 1, I celebrated International Women's Day with 120 exceptional women from Orléans who joined me at my annual breakfast. At that time, I also had the honour of recognizing 38 women and girls by presenting them with the 2024 Orléans Leading Women and Girls Recognition Award.

Congratulations to all for their community engagement, and happy International Day of La Francophonie.

Alberta Provincial Basketball Championships

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Holy Trinity Catholic High School 3A boys basketball team, who took home gold last week at the 2024 Alberta Schools' Athletic Association provincial championships.

This is a historic accomplishment for Knights Knation, as they became the first team north of Edmonton to ever bring home a provincial basketball title. The Knights rallied together, overcoming all odds to secure their victory in a game-winning free throw, in overtime, on home turf.

I want to thank principal Lou Ann Demers-Noble, vice-principal of athletics Kevin Garbuio, the coaching team, parents, volunteers and, of course, the amazing athletes who brought this all together. Their hard work and teamwork has paid off, and they have made their school and entire community so proud.

Go, Knights, go.

World Tuberculosis Day

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

Mr. Speaker, this coming Sunday, March 24, is World Tuberculosis Day.

TB is the leading infectious disease killer in the world, only briefly passed by COVID-19 at the height of the pandemic. As an airborne disease, TB can spread rapidly, and it can be deadly unless properly treated. In 2022 alone, 1.3 million people lost their lives to TB and millions more were infected.

In January 2023, I had the opportunity to travel with Results Canada to Kenya. I saw first-hand how Canadian international assistance is efficiently and effectively used to fight TB. Dedicated community health workers and local organizations are tireless in ensuring people receive the safe and dignified treatment they need to recover from TB.

Yesterday morning, I had the honour to co-host a parliamentary breakfast where parliamentarians from all parties came together to hear from leading experts and passionate advocates who stand united in their vision of a world without TB.

There is more to be done, but with effort and political will, I believe that, yes, we can end TB.

Dietitians Day

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Dietitians Day in Canada.

Household food security is top of mind for many Canadians, and dietitians work hard to empower the health of individuals and communities. They are regulated health professionals who support children and adults with many illnesses, such as, for diabetes, by developing a healthy eating plan that regulates blood sugar. Dietitians work directly with other health care professionals, undertake scientific research, drive innovation and inform public policy.

It is important to recognize that malnutrition has a profound impact on mental and physical health. The skills that dietitians bring to the health care system can have a positive impact. They ensure that people have the resources to make healthier food choices, whether they are Canadians living in urban or rural areas, people with special needs or indigenous peoples.

We must recognize the important role this profession plays in building a healthier nation. Thank you to all the dietitians.

Government Contracting

[Larry Brock, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this government's track record in following rules is not just disappointing; it is downright disgusting.

After a 16-month study at the government operations committee, today the government announced new measures to identify fraudulent billing cases. Five million dollars so far has been identified involving three subcontractors billing 36 different federal departments. This dates back to 2018. New ways of fraudulent billing will soon be uncovered. The RCMP have received referrals.

What took this government so long, and when will Canadian taxpayers get their money back?

Mad Science Group

[Anthony Housefather, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today marks the 38th anniversary of the Mad Science Group. Founded in 1987 by youthful visionaries, Ron Shlien and his brother, Ariel, the Mad Science Group has evolved into a national gem. It has ignited the spirits of countless young minds across Canada and beyond.

Mad Science has fundamentally altered how children engage with STEM: science, technology, engineering and math. Through awe-inspiring experiments and immersive encounters, it has kindled flames of curiosity and has nurtured an unwavering love of learning. Mad Science not only impacts young learners, but also serves as a platform for career-oriented employment, having empowered over 70,000 passionate individuals to share their fervour for knowledge.

As we commemorate 38 glorious years, let us extend gratitude to the contributing visionaries, educators and supporters. Their tireless efforts have transformed countless lives.

I am proud to honour Mad Science, especially my friends Ron and Ariel Shlien. May they continue to demystify science for future generations and to illuminate their path of discovery.

Carbon Tax

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government cannot give anyone anything that it did not first take from someone else. In the case of the carbon tax and the so-called rebate, the government is literally taking from one pocket and putting it into another, but not before stuffing its own.

Canadians are smart enough to recognize a scam when they see it. This carbon tax shell game has gone on for long enough. The facts are in. The verdict is here. The PBO has said that Ontario families are paying $1,647, while only getting a rebate of about $1,000. That means every Ontario family is short $600.

In Cobourg, volunteers at a local warming centre have told me that for the first time ever, they have clients who have full-time jobs, who cannot afford to do anything else, because they cannot afford food, and they cannot access shelter.

We need a Canada that works for those who do the work. Seven premiers and 70% of Canadians agree; they are opposed to a carbon tax. It is time to vote non-confidence. It is time to spike the hike, and it is time to axe the tax.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, British Columbians pay the highest gas prices in Canada, thanks to punishingly high taxes, with the cost of gas going to over $2 a litre this week. On April 1st, the Liberals and their B.C. NDP toadies will push prices even higher with a 23% hike on the carbon tax, driving the cost of gas, groceries and home heating to record highs. Many British Columbians are already struggling to put food on their tables and keep roofs over their heads, and now, the Liberals, with the help of the B.C. NDP, are going to make life even more expensive.

Nearly 200,000 people in B.C. use food banks in a single month. They cannot afford another tax increase, but B.C. NDP Premier David Eby is only too happy to do the Prime Minister's bidding and impose this made-in-Ottawa, Liberal-NDP carbon tax hike on British Columbians.

Only common-sense Conservatives are speaking up for the people of B.C., who are saying enough is enough. Their message, like ours, is to spike the hike or to call a carbon tax election.

International Day of La Francophonie

[Arielle Kayabaga, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day of La Francophonie, and I hope that all francophones and francophiles in Canada and around the world have a wonderful day of celebrations.

There is plenty to celebrate. If we look at the numbers, La Francophonie comprises 29 countries where French is the official language, including Canada. That means that there are more than 450 million francophones around the world and more than 600,000 francophones who call Ontario home.

As a proud Franco-Ontarian, I also want to take this opportunity to highlight the many contributions Franco-Ontarians make by enriching our language and culture within Canada's francophone community outside Quebec. I want to give a shout out to London's francophones, who have made our community thrive. Thanks to them, we can live in French in London, with two school boards that administer ten schools. We work in French. We also have resources to help newcomers live fully in French in a minority city. I commend all the hard-working organizations that support our community.

Long live the Francophonie, and long live francophones in Ontario and London.

Labour

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Donna, Sheila and Julie are three women who have given me permission to share their stories. They are among the 27 screening officers at the Victoria airport who recently lost their jobs. CATSA, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, disqualified these workers, forcing their employer to fire them, despite the employer wanting to keep them on. Donna is a single mom with two kids. She is extremely worried about how she is going to make rent next month. Sheila has had to search for a new home for her family in a housing crisis. Julie lives with a disability. She has been a loyal employee with CATSA for 16 years. She was given no right to appeal.

The infractions cited were as small as not looking under a bottle lid. They were never given any warnings. They were not offered more training. These workers deserve better. CATSA's decision to disqualify unionized workers without due process undermines collective bargaining. All of these screening officers are keen to return to work.

I am urging the labour minister to investigate this matter, and find the answers that these employees deserve.

Municipal Officials

[Caroline Desbiens, Bloc, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have some special visitors with us on Parliament Hill today. Over a dozen mayors and reeves have come to see us. Just by being here, they remind me of the beauty of the St. Lawrence, the mountains and the islands, and the deep love of life that defines their magnificent region.

What a great opportunity to clear our minds of some of the ugly comments recently made by others and, instead, acknowledge the hard and demanding work done by our municipal officials. Their task is not easy. It demands discipline, leadership and detailed knowledge of their community and of laws and regulations. They must also show empathy, kindness and courage.

My Bloc Québécois colleagues and I feel it is important to recognize them for their commitment and offer them our deep gratitude, admiration and co-operation. They are the very heart of Quebec's vibrant towns and villages.

Hats off to our municipal officials. To our visitors from Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix and L'Isle-aux-Coudres, enjoy your stay.

Liberal Party of Canada

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the Liberal-NDP Prime Minister and his carbon tax scam are not worth the cost as Canadians get poorer. Two million Canadians visit a food bank in a single month, with a million more projected to this year, yet these climate zealots will hike the carbon tax 23% on April 1, making the cost of everything more expensive.

The PBO proved that Canadians pay more into this scam than what they get back in these phony rebates. Seventy per cent of premiers and Canadians reject this carbon tax scam, including Liberal premiers. That is why our common-sense Conservative leader is calling a no-confidence vote on the Liberal-NDP Prime Minister to spike the hike.

Will the Liberal lapdog NDP and inflationist Bloc stand with the majority of Canadians and common-sense Conservatives to call on the Prime Minister to spike the hike, or will they continue to support the scam? It is time for a carbon tax election so that Canadians can scrap the Prime Minister, and Conservatives can axe the tax.

Reverend Father Hady Mahfouz

[Fayçal El-Khoury, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Reverend Father Hady Mahfouz is a prominent figure for all Lebanese people, and especially for Maronite Christians around the world. He was elected General President of the Maronite Order in July 2022. He is proficient in several languages, including Arabic, French, English, Italian, Spanish and German. He has published several books and articles on biblical interpretation.

Father Hady has strengthened the ties between the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik and the Université de Montréal, particularly with HEC. HEC Montréal offers its programs and awards diplomas at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik.

In 2016, he was elected Second Assistant General of the monastic order. Since being elected, he has shown exemplary leadership, complemented by his transparent and honest personality. He serves all Lebanese people of all religions around the world.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, common-sense Conservatives have a plan to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. However, the costly Prime Minister, with the support of the Bloc Québécois, is making inflation rise with his taxes and inflationary deficits. He wants more tax hikes on April 1.

Will the Prime Minister bring down his inflationary deficits and taxes, or will he have to be defeated with a non-confidence vote and an election over taxes?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Canada carbon rebate puts more money in the pockets of eight out of 10 families across the country in areas where the federal tax applies. We are giving more money to families while fighting climate change. That is what the vast majority of Canadians want.

Unfortunately, the Conservatives do not want to resolve affordability issues. They do not want to fight climate change. Fortunately, the majority of members in the House want to fight climate change and give people more money. That is what we are doing.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, that is precisely the opposite of what the Parliamentary Budget Officer said. On March 18, he said in committee that when we consider the economic impact, most families will be negatively affected by the carbon tax. What the Prime Minister is saying is not true. Canadians are going to pay more. There is also a second carbon tax that applies directly on the backs of Quebeckers.

Are the Bloc Québécois members going to vote for Quebec families or are they going to once again vote for their boss, the Prime Minister?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, if the Leader of the Opposition listened to Canadians once in a while, he would realize that they understand full well that the cost of inaction against climate change is enormous. Forest fires, floods, droughts, they all come at a high cost to our farmers and our fishers. This is a reality that we are dealing with, while putting more money in the pockets of eight out of 10 families across the country. The Canada carbon rebate is producing results for Canadian families, and the Conservative Party wants to eliminate it.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, while common-sense Conservatives will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost, with the Parliamentary Budget Officer testifying again that “the majority of households will see a negative impact as a result of the carbon tax.” Now, he wants to hike the tax on April Fool's Day. We will not stand for it.

What will it be with the Prime Minister? Will he spike the hike, or will he face a non-confidence vote and a carbon tax election?