Debates of May 31st, 2024

International Pizza Challenge

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Madam Speaker, “cowabunga” is a word that is used to express delight. Fittingly, it is also the name of a pizzeria in my riding of Hamilton Mountain that recently won the title “world's best cheese slice” at the International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas.

Owners Andy Huynh and Justin Tanda had entered the competition several times in years past, and they always did well, but this year was different from the start. This year, they almost could not compete at all. The luggage that held their signature sourdough got lost during their flight south. Luckily, they kept a little bit in their carry-on, and a staff member grabbed a last-minute airline ticket to bring them some more.

I can tell members that that sourdough crust, with its Canadian cheese and sauce ingredients, is the perfect mouth-watering combination. The international judges agreed. If the cheese pizza is perfect as it is, just imagine how good the pizzas are with other toppings added.

The word is out. Hamiltonians are so enthusiastic about the pies that Cowabunga can hardly keep up with demand. I know my family cannot wait to go back.

Congratulations, Cowabunga.

Lupus Awareness Month

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

Madam Speaker, I am honoured to wear today a purple pin in recognition of May as Lupus Awareness Month. Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease, affects more than one in a thousand Canadians. Managing lupus is as complex as diagnosing it.

I want to share the story of my constituent Brenda, from New Westminster, who has battled lupus for over three decades. This disease can impact organs, including the skin, eyes, joints, heart, lungs and kidneys. Brenda requires 17 different medications to manage her lupus effectively.

That is why the NDP advocates for increased funding to support a comprehensive approach that encompasses medication for symptom management, lifestyle adjustments and consistent supervision by health care professionals. Together, we must ensure all lupus patients have equitable access to quality care, which is crucial for their well-being now and in the future.

I extend my gratitude to Brenda; to my terrific niece, Charlotte, who works as a teacher and battles lupus; as well as to Lupus Canada, for its tireless advocacy during Lupus Awareness Month.

Yves Desautels

[Martin Champoux, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Madam Speaker, radio is a one-of-a-kind medium that really becomes part of people's everyday lives, sometimes literally. This is definitely true in the case of Yves Desautels, a Radio-Canada traffic reporter who just retired after a 47-year career.

From Regina, where he began his career, to Montreal, where he eventually got behind the wheel of his famous “hedgehog”, Mr. Desautels, Yves, quietly became part of our morning and afternoon routines, a trusted companion on our commutes to and from work. Even when working from home, we would tune in to listen to him, like a faithful friend whose voice is so comforting. With the perfect touch of humour at just the right time, he always struck the right tone when the situation was more serious, and was always grateful to the listeners who regularly called in to inform him of current traffic conditions.

Whether we like it or not, Yves Desautels is retiring. Yes, it will leave a void, but it has been so lovely seeing and hearing all the tributes he is receiving these days. To paraphrase journalist Anne Marie Lecomte, what a perfect off-ramp for him.

I wish Yves Desautels a happy retirement.

Finance

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

Madam Speaker, “We can't redistribute what we don't have.” After nine years of Liberal inflationary spending, this is what Mark Carney, likely the next leader of the Liberal Party, said in a campaign-style speech at a recent meeting of the Liberal politburo, Canada 2020: “We can't redistribute what we don't have.”

As plates of expensive food were being distributed to Liberal backroomers, while countless Canadians stood in line at a food bank, Mark Carney went on to blame Canadian workers and job creators for not producing enough revenue for the Liberals to redistribute to wealthy insider friends: “We can't redistribute what we don't have.”

Mark Carney would know, because his international wealth redistribution scheme, something called the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, is falling apart, and now he has his sights set on the wallets of everyday Canadians. “We can't redistribute what we don't have.”

Here is a message to Mr. Carney: A Conservative government will stop arch-elites like him from taking another dime from working-class Canadians to redistribute to their wealthy friends.

Hannah Pare

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today in the House of Commons to honour the life of Hannah Pare, who dreamed of being a nurse since the moment she could walk. Her first patients were her stuffed animals that she examined with her toy stethoscope. It was to no one's surprise that Hannah studied nursing at the University of Windsor, where she stood out for her hard work, warmth and peer mentoring. It was her calling. When she graduated, she was snapped up by Windsor Regional Hospital and began a bright future as a neurology nurse. On May 2, Hannah passed away at the age of 22 from medical complications.

In a final act of selflessness, Hannah saved the lives of seven women through organ donation. Her sister Grace opened a GoFundMe page to establish a Hannah Pare memorial scholarship, which has already raised $55,000 to support the next generation of nurses.

Hannah's love and spirit were boundless and will continue to live in our hearts and touch the lives of many.

Taxation

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

Madam Speaker, this is breaking news. Last week, the GDP per capita was worse than in 2017. This week, it is worse than in 2016. After nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, Canadians are getting poorer. A recent study from the Fraser Institute found that Canadians are experiencing the worst decline in living standards in the last 40 years. Food banks are being overwhelmed. The cost of housing has doubled. Homeless encampments are now across our country. Canadians need a break.

Will the Prime Minister stop his inflationary spending, stop his carbon tax, stop putting ideology before Canadians and just, for goodness' sake, stop?

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

Madam Speaker, the member today talks about the Fraser Institute. I have heard him and other Conservative MPs in the past talk about Rebel Media and cite it, for example. They ought to expand their horizons and actually look at the IMF list on GDP per capita. The reality is that we actually lead. We, in fact, are ahead of Japan, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The reality is also that the Conservatives want to cut pensions. Unemployment would be higher under them. It is an endless list.

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

Madam Speaker, there we have it. Over and over again, the Liberals tell Canadians that they have never had it so good, when in reality that is far from the truth. We learned today that 0.7% is how much the GDP per capita declined in the first quarter. Things keep getting worse here.

The Liberals are capable of giving a carbon tax carve-out. Why will they not give a carve-out to all Canadians this summer? We know that the carbon tax adds to the cost of living. They know it, we know it and Canadians know it. On Monday, they will have the opportunity to vote for our common-sense motion to save Canadians 35¢ per litre on gas. Will they vote in favour of it? Will they finally give Canadians a break?

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

Madam Speaker, the member opposite is obviously from Ontario. What he just made clear and what the Conservative Party always makes clear is that they want to ruin the rebate for their constituents, a quarterly payment that disproportionately and positively benefits lower-income Canadians and middle-income Canadians.

The member talks about, as he always does, GDP per capita. Again, I would refer him to the IMF list. We are ahead of powerhouses like Japan, Germany, the U.K. and France.

It is a hard time. We have more to do, but we are going to approach this in a responsible way, not like the other party with its austerity agenda.

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

Madam Speaker, as always, the Liberals give us half-truths. The reality is that Canada has the worst GDP per capita in the G7. Those are the numbers. More than that, our constituents are feeling it. Their constituents are feeling it. The longer the Liberals are in government, the poorer Canadians get. Canadians desperately need a break.

Will the Liberals agree to giving Canadians a fuel tax holiday, or better yet, call a carbon tax election?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, I have been hearing the members opposite talk about road trips. I would like to tell them about my last road trip when I was driving across Canada with my family. We had to cancel our camping plans because of wildfires. We had to reroute our road trip because of wildfires.

We are taking action to make sure we are fighting climate change. The members opposite are letting the planet burn.

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

Madam Speaker, CAA‑Québec conducted a poll of its members about their summer vacation plans. Unfortunately, the result was brutal. According to the Journal de Québéc, “inflation, the price of gas and mortgage renewals are putting a damper on Quebeckers' vacation plans”. Those are exactly the three themes we tackle here on behalf of Canadians every day during question period and they are exactly the three themes this Liberal government keeps washing its hands of.

When will this government understand that Quebeckers and Canadians have had it with this irresponsible management?

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

Madam Speaker, the member across the way knows full well that Quebec is not included in the Canada-wide or federal price on pollution because Quebec has its own system.

The member also knows that what he is proposing would help Quebeckers save a penny or two per litre of gas. To actually get the savings they have been told to expect, Quebeckers would have to drive to Mexico and back every summer.

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

Madam Speaker, I will say it again: inflation, taxes and mortgage rates. For nine years, this government has had no control over spending, over inflationary budgets and over deficits that feed inflation and increase interest rates. Plus, we know that they have invented new taxes. Worse, their friends in the Bloc Québécois want to drastically increase the carbon tax, which they have not denied until now.

When will these people understand that Quebeckers are sick and tired of paying taxes and, more importantly, of having additional taxes imposed on them?

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

Madam Speaker, that is exactly what is needed here, for them to understand. It is very simple. Eight out of 10 families in Canada receive more money through the Canada carbon rebate than they pay through the price on carbon. The reason for that is very simple: All the proceeds from the price on carbon are returned and redistributed to Canadians. The richest pay more than they receive. The middle class receives more than it pays. That is why eight out of 10 families get more back in their pockets than the price on pollution costs them. Obviously, this also reduces pollution.

Official Languages

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Madam Speaker, the Liberals have transformed the Standing Committee on Official Languages into an endless source of reasons to be concerned for the future of French. After the Liberal member for Saint-Laurent said that Bill 96 prevents anglophones from receiving care, and after the Liberal member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell insulted researchers who are worried about the decline of French, yesterday, the Liberal member for Alfred-Pellan added that Quebec should become bilingual in order to be, and I quote, strong, not just a unilingual francophone province. In his opinion, the French language is limiting us.

Once again, is that the Liberals' position? If not, are they going to set their MPs straight?

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

Madam Speaker, if there is one thing that we could not be any clearer about, it is the dedication within the Liberal Party of Canada and the Government of Canada to respecting this country's two official languages. In every institution and at every moment of life in Canada, we are there to protect francophone minorities outside Quebec. We acknowledge that French is declining across the country, including in Quebec, and yes, we also acknowledge that there is a linguistic minority in Quebec.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Madam Speaker, this is indicative of a culture problem within the Liberal Party. The whole purpose of the Standing Committee on Official Languages is to promote French in Canada. All the Liberals need to do is choose five of their 156 members who speak French and who want to protect the French language. That is all. Those are the only two criteria, but they cannot even do that.

Let us get back to the member for Alfred-Pellan, who is arguing in committee that English should become Quebec's official language. Why is he even there? Why is it so hard for the Liberals to send members who do not want to undermine French?

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

Madam Speaker, the member for Alfred-Pellan is just as much a Quebecker as my colleague opposite. The Quebec Liberal caucus, with its 35 government members, is here to protect the French fact in Quebec, as well as official languages in general and francophone minorities across the country. In contrast, the Bloc Québécois exists to do just one thing, and that is to pit Quebeckers against one another, to create conflict and divide people.

That is not why we are here. We are in favour of linguistic unity.

Dental Care

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

Madam Speaker, a third of the people who have registered for the NDP dental care program are in Quebec. The need is there, and the NDP delivered results. The Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois do not want dental care for seniors, children and people with disabilities. The Conservatives are spreading disinformation and do not care about the impact that might have on people's health and wallets. We cannot allow this to happen.

Will the government counter the Conservatives' disinformation and ensure that this dental care is available to everyone who needs it?

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

Madam Speaker, we heard some shocking news from the Conservative leader. Last week, on Radio‑Canada in Quebec City, he said that the Canadian dental care plan did not exist. He said, on my radio, in Quebec City, that the Canadian dental care plan did not exist.

My colleague is so right to talk about disinformation. The Conservative leader says that the plan does not exist, when two million seniors in Canada have registered for it and 60% of providers in Quebec are already registered. No one could be more out of touch or more adept at spreading disinformation.

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

Madam Speaker, on dental care, the NDP forced the government to do it; now we want to make sure that all Canadians get it.

Beginning in June, children under 18 and persons with disabilities will benefit from the NDP's dental care plan. Tens of thousands of seniors are already saving money, thanks to this dental coverage, but the Conservatives want Canadians to pay out-of-pocket. They already want to axe dental care for seniors. They are spreading disinformation and doing everything they can to take it away.

Will the government put into place all the resources necessary to fight Conservative disinformation and stop them from denying dental care for Canadians?

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

Madam Speaker, the Conservatives are in denial. They will continue to say that somehow dental care does not exist, because they really do not care about Canadians. They do not care about the seniors. Hundreds of thousands of seniors have already had access to dental care. What Conservatives would do is cut this really important, essential program that is already looking after our seniors. We will continue to defend the dental care program and grow it so that all Canadians who are eligible can get access to good oral health care.

Taxation

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Madam Speaker, after nine years it is clear to Canadian families that the NDP-Liberal government is not worth the cost. Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. Rents and mortgages have doubled, and groceries have doubled. Now the summer family road trip that so many look forward to is becoming out of reach. In fact, families from my riding who look forward to going to Jasper every summer are having to cancel this trip because of the NDP-Liberal carbon tax.

That is why Conservatives are calling on the NDP-Liberal government to give Canadians a break this summer by axing the carbon tax and all other fuel taxes. It would save Alberta families and all Canadian families hundreds of dollars. Why will the NDP-Liberal government not give Canadians a break?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, let me talk more about that road trip. As I travelled through the Rocky Mountains, I could not see them, because of the thick smoke coming from wildfires. I could only see about two cars ahead of me. We are fighting to save the family road trip, to make sure that Canadians get to experience this beautiful country.

What are the Conservatives doing? They are letting the planet burn.