Debates of May 31st, 2024

Ethics

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I will remind the member that he is to address questions and comments through the Chair and not directly to members.

The hon. government House leader.

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

Madam Speaker, once again, Conservatives are really trying to reach and take wild swings. Ministers are required to submit to the most rigorous conflict of interest and ethics requirements in the western world. The minister and all ministers have fully complied with those requirements.

Dental Care

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Madam Speaker, thousands of seniors, including seniors in my riding of Lac-Saint-Louis, have already been to the dentist for care paid for by the Canadian dental care plan. However, the opposition continues to strongly oppose this program. The Leader of the Opposition has even gone so far as to stick his head in the sand and say that the program does not exist.

Can the Minister of Public Services and Procurement give us an update on how this program is already making a big difference in the lives of seniors in this country?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Lac-Saint-Louis for his question. I would like to share some surprising news with the House. Last week, the Conservative leader announced on Radio-Canada that the Canadian dental care plan does not exist, when two million seniors have enrolled the program and 120,000 of them have already started receiving care since May 1. About 60% of dental care providers in Quebec have already signed up for the plan.

Rather than spreading misinformation, we are providing encouragement. We are encouraging all seniors in Quebec and elsewhere to enrol in this new plan that will really help them to improve their oral health.

Official Languages

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

Madam Speaker, I am shocked.

The member for Alfred-Pellan, a member of the Liberal caucus from Quebec, denied the relevance of French as the only official language in Quebec. He told the Standing Committee on Official Languages that Quebec should be bilingual to be stronger and that it should not just be a unilingual francophone province.

That is unacceptable. Not one member of the Liberal caucus from Quebec stood up to condemn his comments, not even the member for Papineau.

When will a Liberal member finally really stand up to defend French in Quebec?

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question because it gives me an opportunity to talk about how the Conservatives failed to take action for nine years on priorities related to the modernization of the Official Languages Act and the action plan.

I would like to remind the House that we have made historic investments by almost doubling the investments in the action plan and that we will continue to be there for the French fact and for minority languages in Quebec and Canada.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member asked his question. It seems reasonable to expect him to take the time to listen to the answer, instead of continuing to expound on his point of view.

The hon. member for Cariboo—Prince George.

Mental Health and Addictions

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Madam Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, six British Columbians are dying every day from overdose. Deaths in B.C. are up 380%. Overdose is the leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 18 in B.C. Despite this, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions claims that B.C.'s radical drug experiment was a success. Was it really? She has even refused to rule out expanding the deadly program to Toronto and Montreal.

Will the Prime Minister commit today to keeping the rest of Canada safe from his failed drug policies?

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health]

Madam Speaker, it never ceases to amaze me how much misinformation members on the other side can present on this floor and to Canadians. B.C. requested a pilot program. The pilot program continues, and we continue to work with the province in order to save lives.

I have also been unequivocally clear, having worked with the premier and with Toronto Public Health, to reject their proposal. We do not work in hypotheticals on this side of the House; we work with evidence, experts and the best comprehensive measures that we can take to save lives in the overdose crisis. Shame on the Conservatives.

Correctional Service of Canada

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

Madam Speaker, with respect to the dairy barn at the Joyceville correctional institution that is scheduled to open in July, number one, what was the original budgeted cost? Number two, what is the actual cost? Number three, has dairy quota been made available by Dairy Farmers of Ontario? If so, what are the contract details and how much will that cost? Finally, will any of the milk that is produced be entered into the general supply for public consumption?

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for his ongoing interest in corrections and in the well-being of prisoners who are incarcerated. That was a complex question. We will take note of it and make sure we get back to him with the details. It was almost in the style of an Order Paper question.

What I would say is that Corrections Canada is committed to making sure that inmates leave our correctional facilities better than they came in. We provide vocational training whenever we can and wherever we can to ensure that they truly are rehabilitated and can make contributions to society in the future.

Small Business

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Madam Speaker, businesses that make up our main streets are the lifeblood of our communities.

Over the years, especially during the pandemic, main street businesses have run into challenges. I know that the minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario has created a program that will help main street businesses grow and prosper.

The members opposite may not see the value in supporting our small businesses, but on this side of the House we know just how important they are to our regional economies. Can the minister share in the House how important the program is?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for Ottawa—Vanier for her important question.

The My Main Street initiative is very important to small businesses and to our communities.

My Main Street, delivered through the Canadian Urban Institute, is going to deliver $15 million to small businesses on main streets and to the organizations that support them. Our government knows that those businesses are the vibrancy and success of our communities. We are going to continue to deliver important programs that grow businesses. We thank our hard-working entrepreneurs and all the organizations that support them.

Taxation

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Madam Speaker, Canadians are struggling, while the government lets rich oil and gas corporations off the hook. The recent Parliamentary Budget Officer's report on corporate taxes is clear: Oil and gas corporations pay among the lowest federal tax, by industry, in Canada. As they jack up our carbon emissions and our country burns, oil and gas corporations made a record $120 billion in profits in 2022.

When will the Liberal government stand up for working Canadians and bring in an excess profit tax on greedy oil and gas corporations that are clearly not paying their fair share?

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

Madam Speaker, we have eliminated inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. We have introduced a tax on share buybacks. Throughout, we have made it a priority to focus on tax fairness at all levels, and that includes the corporate sector.

We are going to continue to be there for Canadians. We are going to continue to make sure that those who are doing well are paying their fair share. It is important for the future of this country. There is so much at stake.

National Defence

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

Madam Speaker, with their anemic new defence policy, “Our North, Strong and Free”, the Liberals finally recognize there is a Canadian Arctic and its sovereignty needs some protection. The severely underfunded two-decade policy includes the building of northern operational support hubs. The problem is that the policy has zero dollars for these hubs in 2024-25.

Can the Minister of National Defence inform Canadians how he can build anything without any money for a year, and with an abysmal $2 million in 2025-26? Has he ever shopped for a house in the north? Will there even be a sovereign Arctic in 2044?

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, the member's question reinforces the fact that we have introduced a wonderful defence policy update where we are increasing our spending. We have actually taken notes. We are listening to our partners. We are listening to our CAF members. There is $8.1 billion over the next five years, and we will continue to help our military as it is always ready for us.

Anti-Semitism

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Madam Speaker, regarding the recent violence against the Jewish community, I seek unanimous consent for the following motion, which I believe has been agreed to. I move:

That, the House condemn the recent violent attacks on Jewish schools in Montreal and Toronto and a firebombing of a synagogue in Vancouver and stand firm with the Jewish people to ensure Canada remains a place where Jews are free to live, worship and pray in peace and security, and call on the government to do more to stop anti-Semitic violence everywhere in Canada.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay.

It is agreed.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

Hearing none, the motion is carried.

(Motion agreed to)

Government Response to Petitions

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to nine petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.

Government Operations and Estimates

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following report from the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, also known as the Mighty OGGO: the 19th report, entitled “Main Estimates 2024-25”.

Public Accounts

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

The 40th report is entitled “COVID-19 Vaccines”, and the 41st report is entitled “Rehabilitation of Parliament's Centre Block”.

I will note briefly, just to commend this committee's work, that the public accounts committee of Canada, of the Parliament of Canada, was the first committee anywhere to review the COVID-19 vaccine documents. We did this through collaboration and good work from all committee members, and I want to recognize the unanimous work that happened on the committee as we reviewed these documents.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to each of these two reports.

Canadian Heritage

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on the Main Estimates 2024-25.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 19th report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, entitled “Main Estimates 2024-25”.

Lung Cancer Therapies

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by Canadians from all over the country, including 107 from my province of Saskatchewan.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to support patient access, the funding of lung cancer therapies, and the approval and funding of new treatments and clinical trials, and to work with other stakeholders, such as provincial cancer agencies, health care providers, patient groups and drug manufacturers, to improve access and affordability of cancer drugs for all Canadians.