Debates of June 11th, 2024

Motions in Amendment

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we just found out moments ago that Conservatives have now decided that they will not be voting in favour of fairness for Canadians, but will, in fact, be voting today against the ways and means motion to set fairness for everybody.

Can the Leader of the Opposition take the opportunity now to explain his position because he has been absolutely mute on this for the last number of weeks?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think the member has a problem with his earpiece because I just finished explaining my position.

My position is that a job-killing tax on health care, homes, farms and small businesses is the last thing we need in this cost of living crisis, which the Prime Minister has caused. He wants to tax doctors away when we have a doctor shortage. He wants to tax farmers when we have a food price crisis. He wants to tax home builders when we do not have enough homes. He wants to tax small business when our economy is already falling off the cliff and having the worst growth in the G7. That is insanity.

Common-sense Conservatives would bring in taxes that are lower, fairer and simpler, so that hard work would pay off with a powerful paycheque that would buy affordable food, gas and homes in safe neighbourhoods.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there are two things I would like to point out about Bill C-69.

First, there is the much-touted open banking system provided for in division 16 of the bill, which my colleague from Joliette mentioned earlier in his speech. That is a real problem for Quebec. Should the Leader of the Opposition become prime minister, I would like to know whether he will repeal that division in order to give Quebec back its power over Caisses Desjardins and the other financial institutions currently regulated by Quebec.

Second, we have been hearing the leader of the Conservative Party talk about the carbon tax problem for months now. However, Derek Evans, the executive chair of Pathways Alliance and one of the financiers who contributed to his campaign, said that the best piece of advice he would give the Leader of the Opposition is that carbon policy is going to be absolutely critical to maintain Canada's standing on the world stage.

What does the leader of the Conservative Party think about Mr. Evans' advice?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, he sounds like another useless lobbyist saying stupid things. I do not listen to big corporate lobbyists like him. If the Bloc Québécois wants to listen to lobbyists, they are free to do so.

I know that big corporations and sometimes even very big corporations have no problem forcing workers to pay more tax on their gas but, personally, I cannot do that. I work for workers and consumers. That is why we are going to axe the tax.

The question points to the useless lobbyists who support the government's high-tax agenda and who always wants to raise taxes on someone else and make others pay. That is why, if one is an entrepreneur, they should fire their lobbyists and talk to the people. That is what I have been saying for years.

Finally, people need to elect a Conservative government that would axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the member and I went to the same high school. In grade 10, the required reading was The Handmaid's Tale, which was hard to read.

I will tell members what else is difficult to read, and that is what is happening in the United States and the fact that it is looking at taking away a woman's right to choose. I think about the fact that the member has been courting incels for months at a time and that the last Conservative from Port Moody—Coquitlam was an anti-abortionist.

I want to know this for sure today, right now. Does the member support a woman's right to choose? Is he going to take away a woman's right to choose if Conservatives ever, and I hope it never happens, become government in this country?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, no.

Royal Canadian Air Force

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

Mr. Speaker, on April 1, the Royal Canadian Air Force celebrated its centennial anniversary. This anniversary recognizes not only the importance of the Royal Canadian Air Force to Canada, it also recognizes all those who have served and sacrificed.

Moose Jaw, home to 15 Wing, was originally part of the British Commonwealth air training plan, generally considered the greatest air crew training program of all time. This tradition continues to date through the NFTC program, and 15 Wing is also home to the Canadian Armed Forces Snowbird Air Demonstration Squadron.

The Snowbirds have close ties to their local community, where the newest WHL champions, the Moose Jaw Warriors, are donning the Snowbirds logo on their jersey.

The Snowbirds showcase the professionalism and dedication of the RCAF and all other branches of the Canadian Armed Forces.

On behalf of all Canadians, I congratulate the RCAF on its centennial, and I invite everyone to join me for Air Force Day on the Hill, at five o'clock today, at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building.

Hong Kong-Canada Business Association

[Chandra Arya, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of attending the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association Ottawa Chapter's annual event celebrating the 40th anniversary of HKCBA and Asian Heritage Month.

I would like to thank Frank Eng, the president of the Ottawa Chapter, and Jesse Zhang for organizing this successful event and for inviting me.

For many years, I have attended various events organized by this organization. This year's program included a workshop with Mark Kruger, who was a previous IMF representative for Canada and a senior policy director for the Bank of Canada.

Participants included Sonja Chong, the national chair; Joseph Chaung, the national vice chair; Jodi Robinson, executive director, China Trade and Investment at Global Affairs Canada; several elected officials; and over 150 business professionals.

Human Rights

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 40 years ago, June 1984, was seared on the Sikh psyche. The Indian army stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar, as well as countless other gurdwaras. A religious holiday, where thousands of pilgrims would be visiting, this day was chosen to maximize damage to Sikh lives. The result of the carnage was such that the bullet-riddled bodies of pilgrims, men whose hands were still tied behind their backs, were being thrown in trucks by the hundreds to be mass cremated. This included babies and even elderly who were weak but still alive.

The sacred pool had turned red with their blood. The surrounding holy buildings damaged, the marble floors cracked under the heavy army tanks. The library that contained centuries of text was burned to ashes.

Over days and days, this terror was unleashed upon these innocent lives. No one could come and go. No help came. They were imprisoned and easy, vulnerable targets. There is no justification for this attack.

Micheline Labelle

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Micheline Labelle was a long-time champion of the separatist cause. She passed away on April 16 at the age of 84. Friends and loved ones may pay their respects to her family on Saturday.

Micheline Labelle was one of modern Quebec's great intellectuals, and her kindness and open-mindedness left an indelible mark on all who crossed her path.

She obtained a Ph.D. in anthropology from the Université de Montréal. Her enduring interest in the problems of racism and discrimination led her to create an international observatory that attracted the support of partners such as the Grand Council of the Crees and the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes, an association of organizations serving refugees and immigrants. As a professor emeritus in UQAM's sociology department, she left her mark on generations of students and was awarded the Thérèse Casgrain equality prize in 1989 for her dedication to equality.

She was a lifelong advocate of secularism, and we must honour her memory by fighting that good fight.

Royal Canadian Air Force Centennial

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

Mr. Speaker, today is Air Force Day on Parliament Hill. It is an opportunity to highlight the incredible work of the Royal Canadian Air Force, or RCAF, as it celebrates its centennial year.

For 100 years, members of the RCAF have served Canadians here at home and around the world. We thank them for their incredible dedication to Canada. RCAF aviators have participated in missions around the globe, including the Second World War, the Cold War, as well as NATO and NORAD operations.

Today, our government is making the largest investment in the RCAF since the Second World War. The RCAF represents the very best of Canada, and its members can count on our unyielding support. Today and always, we thank all current and former members of the RCAF. It is because of them that the RCAF has a reputation for professionalism, dedication and excellence.

Sic itur ad astra.

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, Canada is in trouble. The OECD calculated that Canada's economic growth will be the worst of nearly 40 advanced economies for this decade and for three decades to come.

Of course, the Liberal solution to any problem is to tax and tax. The Liberals' capital gains increase is their latest tax grab. They say that it will only affect 0.13% of Canadians, but this is the same government that tells us we get back more in the carbon tax rebate than we pay in carbon tax. It is laughable.

At a time when Canada desperately needs investment, growth and innovators, the government is pushing them out the door. This is not the answer.

A future Conservative government will make work pay again. We will celebrate success, not demonize it. We will build a path to prosperity and eliminate those dream-crushing barriers along the way. We are on the side of hope, growth and prosperity, and the Liberals are on the side of decay, decline and poverty.

Super Locker Award

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, each month a student at Notre Dame College School in Welland is awarded the “Super Locker”. This honour is awarded to students who perform simple acts of kindness at their school and throughout their community.

Today, I am proud to congratulate Samantha Calderon, Dezaray St Jean, Jose Palma Alfaro, Stacey Imotsikeme, Nicole Berry, Rachel Taylor, Anasofia Gonzalez, TJ Joseph, Serena Hounslow, Ava Menary and Luca Giancola for receiving the Super Locker award this year.

These remarkable students demonstrate the importance of helping each other, showing compassion and, most important, spreading kindness, inspiring others to strengthen our responsibility to our citizenship based on the values handed down to us by previous generations of Canadians. Whether it is a warm smile, small acts of generosity or a word of encouragement, we can always make a positive difference.

Let us join the Fighting Irish in congratulating these students, and let us reaffirm our commitment to spreading kindness to make the world a better place.

Dartmouth Cove

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my hometown of Dartmouth rests on the shores of Halifax harbour, on beautiful Dartmouth Cove.

Two years ago, a proponent applied to use Dartmouth Cove as a dump for pyritic slate from construction sites to infill nearly seven acres of this cove, a cover where important marine research and activities take place and where evidence clearly shows that fish and other species are flourishing. The local councillor made it very clear that this infill would be a moonscape, not zoned for development.

Dartmouth spoke out. We continue to speak out against this infill for the sake of infill, because Dartmouth Cove is not a dump for someone's fill.

Now the proponent is threatening to sue me if I speak out. I was elected to represent the people of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour to be their voice. It is my job to bring their concerns to Ottawa, to advocate, to stand up and to speak out. Dartmouth Cove is not a dumpsite for someone's fill. I will not be silenced.

Taxation

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Speaker, at a time when food insecurity is skyrocketing and millions are lining up at food banks, the government is bringing forward a punishing capital gains tax hike that would disproportionately affect family farms and small business. According to the Grain Growers of Canada, it will amount to a 30% increase on what farmers have to pay Ottawa when they pass on their family business to their son or daughter.

The Conservatives have fought hard to preserve family farming, including by passing Bill C-208 in the last Parliament, but the Liberals are trying to undo it with a punishing capital gains tax hike. It is like they are trying to outlaw family businesses. If families cannot afford to farm, it will lead to more industrial farming and higher food costs.

Why is the government trying to kill family farms when all they want to do is put high-quality, affordable food on our tables? How is any of this fair?

National Day Against Gun Violence

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

Mr. Speaker, gun violence is a public health issue that includes suicide, gender-based violence and gun crime.

Last Friday was National Day Against Gun Violence. In 2022, I worked with the Toronto Raptors' John Wiggins to create a day that would honour those killed by gun violence and would commit to eliminate gun violence in all its forms.

Last year, the Prime Minister declared the National Day Against Gun Violence would be observed in Canada on the first Friday in June. Last year, we joined the Toronto Raptors and many community organizations that advocate for community safety and anti-gun violence.

This year, I hosted a round table with Halton MPs to hear from local organizations that are doing great work with youth in our community, with funding through the building safer communities fund. I was pleased to see MPs and community organizations across the country recognize the National Day Against Gun Violence with events raising awareness on the issue.

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, farmers and small businesses are the backbone of the Canadian economy, particularly in rural Canada, yet after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, it continues to try new ways to divide Canadians.

The Prime Minister is hiking taxes on farmers again, but we are in the middle of a food price crisis. What the Liberals fail to understand is that after 40 years on the family farm, the blood, sweat and tears that go into being successful is not about to fund the Prime Minister's socialism experiment with the NDP. It is about filling a need in a community. It is about feeding a hungry world.

Growing a farm or a business is about providing jobs and dignity for people. I talked to Alan, a 74-year-old farmer back home who is looking to sell some farmland for his retirement. Thanks to the proposed Liberal changes to capital gains, he will lose over $500,000 from his retirement. If the family farm cannot survive, big industrial multinational conglomerate billionaires will take over. However, that is what the Prime Minister wants.

How is that fair for Canadians?

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, 93-year-old Liz Diachun, who will have to pay $40,000 in capital gains because she was trying to gift land to her grandson and daughter, has a message for the Prime Minister. She is not rich. She does not have an extra $40,000. She is trying to help her family. She would like to know which bank would lend a 93-year-old $40,000.

Peter from Peterborough also has a message for the Prime Minister. He wants to know why the Liberals think it is okay to change the rules that dictate his retirement plan. He purchased an investment property in 1986 that was supposed to be his retirement. Now, because of the Liberals' increase in capital gains, he no longer has enough money to retire.

The Liberals claim they want tax fairness for every generation. How is destroying the retirement of Canadians fair?

Indigenous Affairs

[Michael McLeod, Liberal, Northwest Territories, NT]

Mr. Speaker, 16 years ago today, our country experienced an unprecedented moment. National leaders of the indigenous organizations of Canada stood on the floor of the House to receive formal apologies from the Prime Minister and leaders of every political party. It was a historic day of non-partisanship, as we heard apologies to 80,000 survivors for the harms caused by more than a century of Canada's residential schooling policies for indigenous children.

The promises made on that day were a commitment to working together toward reconciliation. As elderly survivors leave us, it is essential that we keep alive the promises that were made to them, their families and their communities.

To mark this occasion, my constituent, Dr. Marie Wilson, is in Ottawa for the official release of her book North to Nowhere: Song of a Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner. As we read the book, let us all remember the solemn promises made by each of our parties and let us renew our determination to keep those promises.

Ted Farron and Ted Boomer

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, two community champions in my riding were both named Ted. We mourn the passing of James Edward “Ted” Farron and Ted Boomer, both Windsor icons.

Ted Farron was a long-time local business owner of Farron's Gourmet Butcher Shop, but known in the boxing circles. He and his wife Michelle supported endless causes like hospice and recruiting physicians. He was one of only four civilians to be made an honorary member of the firefighters association. I first met Ted when he hired a person from my supportive employment program that I ran.

Ted Boomer is also synonymous with Windsor's Bluesfest, founding the event in 1995 and bringing in top performers to Windsor Essex for decades, like Ace Frehley from Kiss, Nazareth, Iggy Pop, Jeff Healy and Gord Downie, to name a few. I got to know Ted when he and his wife Louise brought the Bluesfest to downtown and gave us international fame.

Both Teds were local community boosters and will be missed by many. My condolences go to their families and friends, who can take comfort in knowing their local legacies will live on. I know that I, and many others, remain influenced by their character and contributions.

Maéli Grignon

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there are some people who never cease to amaze, and Maéli Grignon is one of them. Her future career in science is sure to be a resounding success. At just 15 years old, she has already won a Technoscience award as well as a bursary from the Université de Montréal when she last took part in the Quebec final of the Expo-sciences competition.

Her favourite subject is none other than the famous Higgs boson, and she is just as excited to talk about it as she is to explain it. It is an honour to have her with me on Parliament Hill today, accompanied by illusionist Luc Langevin, who has been the science fair's spokesman for the past 10 years. A science enthusiast himself who studied for a Ph.D. in biophotonics, he was Maéli's inspiration and piqued her interest in physics from a very young age.

I thank Mr. Langevin for continuing to bring us his magic as well as a passion for science. I hope that Maéli will soon fulfill her dream of visiting CERN, but above all, I hope that her career, which I will follow with interest, is nothing short of exceptional.

Health Care Professionals

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, when someone gets sick and needs treatment, what do they do? They go to a doctor. Unfortunately, after nine years of the costly NDP-Liberal coalition, Canada is hemorrhaging doctors at an alarming rate. The changes to the capital gains tax are having deep impacts on Canada's already struggling health care system, and the situation is only getting worse.

According to the Canadian Medical Association, the risk of already overstretched physicians' leaving the profession or reducing their hours in response to heightened taxation is real. Over six million Canadians do not have access to a family doctor, and as someone who lives in a rural area that is short on health care professionals, I can say it will be frightening to see family doctors, dentists and chiropractors leaving Canada in droves

Doctors warned about the impacts of unnecessary and harmful tax, but they were ignored. It will be regular Canadians who will lose access to diagnosis and treatment, ultimately paying the price for the government's incompetence. With Canada already lacking 30,000 family doctors, and more leaving every day, it is clear that the NDP-Liberal government is simply not worth the cost.

Retirement Congratulations

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on a cool September day in 1993, my very apolitical grandfather took me excitedly to a campaign office. As we approached the office, he said, “Remember this day; you are helping elect a woman who will show Canada the value that refugees can bring and what we Ismailis will do for Canada.” That campaign office belonged to Mobina Jaffer. While she would not win that election, she would eventually be named to the other place, where she would take her rightful place as a trailblazer in Parliament.

Mobina Jaffer has been a champion for women's and children's rights and human rights; a proud African; a proud Ismaili Muslim; a proud mother, daughter, grandmother and wife; and a proud Canadian. Senator Jaffer's time in the other place has been all about improving the quality of life of others, all with humility and good humour.

As her time in the other place comes to an end and she returns home to her beloved B.C., we express our gratitude to her husband, Nuralla, and her children and family for sharing her with Canada. I thank her for her wisdom and her kindness that she has shown to me and to so many others. She has left her mark on Canada, leaving it a better place every single day. The value that refugees bring, and what Ismailis and all of us can do, is what she has exemplified every single day of her remarkable career.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Colleagues, before we begin oral questions, I would like to remind you of the importance of ensuring that your earpiece is either on your ear or in your desk.

That way we can make sure to provide the safest environment for our interpreters.

Taxation

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, nine years ago, the Prime Minister promised that he would engage in out-of-control spending and that a rich guy on a hill, not the middle class, would pay for it. Nine years later, what is the reality?

Nine out of 10 members of the middle class are paying more taxes. The wealthiest have doubled their net wealth, according to a video released by the Prime Minister a few days ago, and the majority of middle-class young people cannot even buy a home. Given that he has already broken this promise, why should we believe him now?