Debates of May 24th, 2024

Carbon Pricing

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, I really find that quite rich coming from the party opposite. We have been trying to get the fall economic statement passed because it would give a family of four in the rural parts of his riding an extra $1,344 a year. That is what we are doing for Canadians all across this country. I would ask the Conservatives to please pass the FES.

We know that people are having trouble with things. This is going to help people, along with $10-a-day day care and along with dental care. We are doing a lot, and I know that is acknowledged.

Official Languages

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in committee yesterday, as the members were studying an overhaul of the court challenges program, a Bloc Québécois amendment was rejected, which is appalling.

It was a very simple amendment that called for just one thing: That the court challenges program respect the Official Languages Act, that it respect the law recognizing that French is under threat, that it recognize the existence of other laws, such as the Charter of the French Language in order to protect our language, and that it recognize the need to advance the existence of a majority-French society in Quebec.

Why is it so hard for the Liberals to respect the Official Languages Act?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the court challenges program was created by the Liberal Party of Canada. It was eliminated by the Conservative government and later reinstated by the Liberal Party during the current mandate.

As for protecting the French language and official bilingualism across Canada, we are there for official language minority communities, just as we are there to protect both official languages, which are enshrined in the Constitution.

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it would be really nice if we could get serious answers to serious questions. It is disturbing that the government refuses to require the court challenges program to comply with this federal law, its own statute.

Once again, the Liberals are entangled in their own contradictions about the French language. They still have a hard time recognizing that there is only one official language at risk in Quebec, and that is French. They refuse to require that the court challenges program comply with their own legislation, the Official Languages Act.

Why should the program disregard the different situation of English and French in Canada and Quebec?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to point out that the court challenges program has been there from the beginning to protect official language minority communities. This program is designed to protect French outside Quebec and protect English in Quebec, for example.

We are proud of our dedication to protecting both official languages. We are proud to respect the reforms that have been made to the Official Languages Act, and to respect the protections that are already set out in section 16 of the Constitution.

Finance

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

Mr. Speaker, after nine years under this Prime Minister, more and more Quebeckers are going hungry or living on the streets.

The Bloc Québécois voted for $500 billion in spending. It claims to represent Quebeckers, but then it turns its back on them and votes in favour of inflationary, centralizing spending. While Quebeckers are suffering, the Bloc Québécois is voting to give the federal government more money and Quebec less.

Which minister in this Bloc-Liberal government is going to stand up and defend these inflationary policies?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I am always astonished when I hear my colleagues from Quebec dare to say such things. They know full well what we have been through in recent years. It is a global situation that affects us all, but fortunately we have a Liberal government that is there to help those who need it most. A Conservative government would be a disaster.

We are here to help those who need it most. Just think of the Canada child benefit, which is there to help families in need.

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

Mr. Speaker, after nine years under this Prime Minister, more and more Quebeckers are going hungry and living in the streets, in dire need.

While Canadians are suffering because of the Liberals' inflationary policies, the Bloc Québécois continues to encourage them. Quebeckers are struggling under the weight of this broken economy, but what is the Bloc Québécois doing? It is voting in favour of a $500‑billion budget. The Bloc Québécois and the Prime Minister are simply not worth the cost.

Can this Bloc-Liberal government show a bit of empathy for Quebeckers and think about their interests for once?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, my Conservative colleague's comments are rather contradictory, to say the least. He is suggesting that we cut benefits. He wants us to spend less. What should we do exactly?

Should we drop the dental care benefits when they are helping not only seniors, but also young people and persons with disabilities who need it the most? What should we do? Should we make cuts to the school food program or to the local food infrastructure fund that is helping our organizations?

I would like to know what he would cut to reduce spending.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of this Liberal Prime Minister, supported by the Bloc Québécois, and his $500 billion in inflationary, centralizing spending, one in five farms is unable to pay its debts. Our farmers are making a heartfelt plea to the government.

The Liberals are making things worse for farmers by making cuts to funding for 4-H clubs across Canada. We are talking about 17,000 young people and the 7,000 volunteer leaders who are training the next generation of farmers.

When will this Liberal government stop hurting the agricultural industry and start helping it feed Canadians?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues are having a memory lapse. The last time the Conservatives were in office, they made cuts to agricultural programs. They cut hundreds of millions of dollars from agricultural research and innovation and from the program to help farmers manage risks.

We are here. We are investing to help farmers be more resilient to climate change. We are investing in research, innovation and the development of new markets.

Employment

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

Mr. Speaker, women are the driving force behind the economy. We have to give women even more tools to pursue their dreams, succeed and achieve their full potential. It is not just the right thing to do, it makes good economic sense.

Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages tell the House what the government is doing to improve the lives of Canadian women workers?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Laval—Les Îles for his question.

Our government believes in equipping women for success. That is why we are training women in skilled trades. That is why contraceptives will be free under our pharmacare plan. That is why we will defend a woman's right to choose.

We support women every step of the way. What are the Conservatives doing to support women? They vote no.

Democratic Institutions

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, something is rotten in the state of Canada, more specifically in Ottawa, and we all can smell it. That is why there is a public inquiry regarding foreign interference in the first place. However, the government is once again trying to cover it up, redacting documents that it has already promised to send to the commission. Today, I speak for all Canadians when I say we all know the Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

Exactly what is the NDP-Liberal coalition government hiding?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as the minister pointed out yesterday, the member opposite might wish to speak to his House leader, because in drafting the terms of reference for the inquiry, all parties in the House agreed to those terms, which included redactions for things like cabinet confidence and client-solicitor privilege. Therefore, it is pretty insincere for Conservatives to agree to the process and now criticize that very process. We have been clear with Canadians, and we will continue to work to deal with foreign interference, unlike Conservatives, who felt it did not politically advantage them.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Well, the cover-up coalition continues, Mr. Speaker. Trust is one of the most precious things, and after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, Canadians have learned exactly how much they can trust Liberal promises. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. The minister promised that the commission would have complete access to the evidence, yet it has not been given what the government promised. In fact, the government did the exact opposite and is trying to cover up everything.

When will the Liberals finally quit with the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I am curious as to what point-percentage system the member opposite operates off for repeating Conservative slogans in one question. Perhaps, if the member opposite actually looked into the process on the inquiry, instead of rehearsing and practising slogans, he would know that his own House leader signed off on the process, which included some redactions for client-solicitor privilege and cabinet confidence. The Conservatives should spend more time on understanding interference and less time acting.

Health

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pulmonary arterial hypertension, also known as PAH, is a disease that blocks arteries in the lungs, causing high blood pressure in the lungs and damaging heart tissue. Patients diagnosed with PAH have, on average, three years to live.

In the United States, a drug called sotatercept was recently approved by the FDA. This drug increases quality of life and lifespan for PAH patients and even, in some cases, reverses the damage caused by the disease.

When will this life-saving drug be approved for use in Canada?

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very thoughtful question. Of course, our number-one priority is to protect Canadians and to make sure they have all the necessary medications available to them. That is why we are actually bringing in pharmacare legislation, Bill C-64. I really hope the member opposite will support that bill because it would allow Canadians to have access to, initially, diabetes medications and contraceptives.

In relation to the particular medication the member is speaking of, I look forward to looking into it and working with him so that I can give him a more precise answer on the approval process for that particular medication.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. The Conservative Party continues to delay Bill C-234. I am wondering if the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Agri-Food and Agriculture can give us an update.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, a month ago I rose in this place and talked about the Conservative delay on Bill C-234, a bill they have been championing. This week, we found out they delayed it two weeks forward, again, to play politics on farmers' backs. On this side of the House, we act. On this side of the House, we support farmers, and we are proud of farmers. What we do not do is play politics on their backs.

Indigenous Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, Mushkegowuk Cree region is ground zero for underfunded and systemically racist federal health policy. Through it all, the Weeneebayko Health Authority has worked hard to establish quality health care and proper facilities, yet at the 11th hour, the Minister of Indigenous Services walked away on her commitment to build a proper hospital. On Monday, national, regional and provincial leaders on health and indigenous rights will be coming to Ottawa to hold the government to account.

They want to know this: Why did the minister break her word to the people of James Bay?

[Jenica Atwin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, for years, we have been working with WAHA and the communities it serves to shape the future of health care delivery. Conversations are ongoing with all partners as every level of government has a role to play to ensure health care for remote communities. From Toronto to Kenora to Moosonee, everyone deserves quality health care, regardless of who or where they are. We will keep working with Ontario and with WAHA to find a path forward.

Foreign Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a very painful, difficult point and one of which the government is aware. A Canadian citizen, a much loved member of Fredericton's community, Frederick Mwenengabo, has been in the hands of brutal kidnappers in Goma, in Congo, since mid-December 2023, for five long months. Freddy is a much-loved member of the Fredericton community, a human rights advocate, a human rights activist, and his family wants him home.

Can the government give us any update as to what is being done to get him out of the hands of murderers, thieves and criminals and to get him home?

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs)]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her continued advocacy on this case. We are aware of reports that a Canadian citizen was kidnapped in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We are in contact with the family, and I have met with the family. Kidnappings are an extremely sensitive matter, given the risk to a kidnapped victim's life. Due to safety and privacy reasons, no further information can be disclosed on this specific case.