House of Commons Hansard #47 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-14.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Admissibility of Committee Amendments to Bill C-4 Mr. Perron raises a point of order on the admissibility of Bloc Québécois amendments to Bill C-4's GST exemption for first-time homebuyers. He argues they do not require a royal recommendation, as they lower revenue. 1100 words, 10 minutes.
Bail and Sentencing Reform Act Second reading of Bill C-14. The bill aims to strengthen bail and toughen sentencing, targeting repeat violent and organized offenders. It expands reverse onus provisions and restricts conditional sentences for sexual offences. While the government emphasizes public safety and Charter compliance, the opposition deems it insufficient, arguing previous Liberal laws caused current problems. Other parties express concerns about judicial discretion, the bill's impact on marginalized groups, and provincial resource implications. 47400 words, 6 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Canada Health Act Second reading of Bill C-239. The bill aims to amend the Canada Health Act to strengthen accountability by requiring provinces to develop and report on frameworks for timely health care access. Critics argue it adds more red tape, duplicates existing reporting, disrespects provincial jurisdiction, and fails to address the federal government's underfunding of health care or the shortage of health professionals. 7100 words, 1 hour.
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers and Canadians went to the polls a few months ago, and the people of Quebec elected twice as many Liberals as Bloc Québécois members.
I knocked on hundreds of doors and spoke with hundreds of people on the phone, and no one asked me for a referendum. People said that they want life to be more affordable, that they want a budget to build Canada, and that is exactly what we are going to deliver next Tuesday.
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister is welcome to join the yes camp when he finally realizes that that is where he belongs.
Until then, he is not the one who gets to decide what is important to Quebeckers. Quebeckers themselves will decide what is important to them, including their future as a nation. The Quebec nation deserves to make all of its choices on its own, like any other nation on this planet.
If the minister is confident about Quebeckers' commitment to Canada, he should not be afraid of democracy.
If he is confident that he would win in a future referendum, why does he not simply repeal the Clarity Act?
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, we are facing very significant global challenges.
On this side of the House, we believe, as most Quebeckers do, that we are stronger if we face these challenges together, rather than apart. If the Bloc Québécois wants to continue to focus on division, it is free to do that. On this side, we will continue to focus on unity and on the fact that we are stronger together than apart.
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers are a people like any other, neither better nor worse. We might be a little cooler though.
Like all peoples of the world, Quebec deserves to be sovereign at home, it deserves to have its voice heard in the world, and most importantly, it deserves to make all of its own democratic choices.
The Clarity Act undermines this principle. English Canada retains the right to oversee our democracy.
When will the government repeal this colonialist legislation?
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, it is rather interesting to hear the Bloc member talk about all peoples when the Quebec government just tabled a draft constitution without even consulting Quebec's indigenous peoples. Quebec did not even have the decency to sit down with the first nations and ask if they could talk before tabling a draft constitution. That is not how collaboration works.
On this side of the House, we believe that Canada is stronger when it is united. We believe in reconciliation with indigenous peoples. We consult with indigenous peoples on all of our environmental legislation.
That is how we will move our country forward.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are going without food because of high prices, the Prime Minister's friends are reaping the rewards of government largesse.
When he created the new defence investment agency, the Prime Minister quickly called on his friend Doug Guzman to fill the position of CEO. He gave him a salary of nearly $700,000. After all, with the Liberals, a friend is a friend.
Now that he is spending taxpayers' money, not Bay Street money, can the Prime Minister stop asking young Canadians to make sacrifices to make his friends rich?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, the only question on everyone's lips is this: Will the Conservatives ruin Christmas for Canadians by triggering a snap election? The last election was only six months ago. We were given a mandate, and we will present a plan to build the strongest economy in the G7, a strong Canada, with housing and job opportunities for young people from coast to coast to coast.
Will the member ruin Christmas, or will he support our young people by supporting our budget?
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government House leader is something else. He is putting the burden on the opposition parties to support the type of mismanagement we have seen from the Liberals for the past 10 years, while he is presenting Canadians with a bunch of nonsense.
The government House leader should instead be asking himself whether his government is prepared to present a budget that is affordable to make life affordable for Canadians. That is the question.
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. That is the question. Yes, we will present an affordable budget. We will present a budget that lays the foundation for a strong economy and that guarantees a future, housing and training opportunities for our young people across the country.
The only question is this: Will the Conservatives trigger a Christmas election like a bunch of grinches, or will they take the opportunity to build a strong Canada with the best economy in the G7 for Canada's young people?
Tamara Kronis Conservative Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of the Liberal government, Liberal elites and insiders have never had it so good.
The Prime Minister told Canadians they need to sacrifice. He promised he would spend less, but instead he spends more. The latest example is that the head of the Prime Minister's new defence investment agency, who has never served, will draw a $700,000 salary. Meanwhile, rent has doubled, food banks are breaking records and seniors are living in their cars.
How much more do young Canadians have to sacrifice so that the Prime Minister can hire his buddies?
Wayne Long LiberalSecretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the party opposite has been for the last four months, but we have been travelling the country, listening to Canadians.
On November 4, we will table a generational budget. We will spend less on government operations. We will invest more in Canada. We will invest more in Canadians. We will invest in infrastructure, defence, national projects and housing.
On this side of the House, we believe in Canada. We will build our country and our economy into the strongest economy in the G7.
Tamara Kronis Conservative Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Mr. Speaker, the member should tell that to the 700,000 kids lined up at food banks. How much more do they have to sacrifice for Liberal insiders?
Canadians need a government that puts ordinary families first. While Canadians are sacrificing, the Prime Minister is handing out $700,000 salaries to his high-flying buddies like Halloween candy.
When will the Prime Minister stop using taxpayer dollars to line his friends' pockets and finally give Canadians an affordable budget for an affordable life?
John Zerucelli LiberalSecretary of State (Labour)
Mr. Speaker, how about the Conservative Party apologizes to all the kids who benefit from the national school food program? The Conservatives called it “garbage” last week, and they claimed that it does not feed a single child.
On the contrary, the program feeds 400,000 kids every year, helping them to learn, to focus and to be ready for a full day of school. This is about giving every child an opportunity, no matter where they live, and no matter where they learn.
I ask the members opposite, now that this is known, will they correct the record and apologize, or will they ruin Christmas with a Christmas—
The EconomyOral Questions
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of the Liberal government, Liberal elites and insiders have never had it so good. The Prime Minister promised to cut high-priced consultants, but he has already broken that promise. In three years, spending on consultants soared more than 30%. The Prime Minister said he would do things differently. According to him, differently means spending more than a record $26 billion on consultants, another broken Liberal promise.
Will the Prime Minister cut the costly consultants so Canadians can afford to eat?
Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions
Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River Saskatchewan
Liberal
Buckley Belanger LiberalSecretary of State (Rural Development)
Mr. Speaker, I reject the premise of the question, because we all know, on this side of the House, that the Conservatives never gave a dang about low-income people and never will.
I will point again to a memo to the Conservatives: First, Canadians do not want a Christmas election, and second, I would ask the Leader of the Opposition—
Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions
Buckley Belanger Liberal Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Mr. Speaker, as the Conservatives speak about the challenges in this country, I am going to ask the Leader of the Opposition what he got as severance when the current member for Carleton defeated him at the polls. How much did he take?
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes, ON
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister and the Liberals are asking Canadians to make sacrifices, and Canadians are lined up at food banks in record numbers, the Liberals' use of well-connected friends and high-priced consultants is driving costs up, as in the benefits delivery modernization programme, which the Auditor General says has ballooned by an additional $1.3 billion and could hit as high as $8 billion.
Canadians cannot afford the Liberal government. We are seeing layoffs from coast to coast to coast like we have never seen before.
Why are Canadians being asked to make sacrifices while the Liberals continue to reward well-connected Liberal consultants?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, this is coming from the member who, when asked about his leader's comments on the RCMP, said that he had a lozenge in his mouth.
Will the member take out his lozenge, go talk to the Leader of the Opposition and say, “Don't be a grinch and don't cause a Christmas election, but vote for the budget and make Canada the best economy in the G7”?
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes, ON
Mr. Speaker, I can say that a lot of Canadians feel sick after the Liberals continue to inflict on them their out-of-control spending on consultants. Last year alone, over $20 billion was spent on well-connected Liberal insiders getting contracts. This year, I think the number is going to go as high as $25 billion.
Instead of asking young people to make sacrifices, why will the Liberals not cut out their well-connected friends, put Canadians first and deliver a budget Canadians can actually afford?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, notwithstanding the member's choice of cold remedy, we will be putting a budget before the House next week. The member will have an opportunity to vote for opportunities for young people, for UTIP grants to unions so we can create unionized skilled trade jobs on major projects in this country, for funding for science and education, and for giving a raise to our military personnel.
I ask the member to please vote for the budget and to not to cause a Christmas election.
Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, our forestry industry and its workers came to Parliament Hill to demand that Ottawa support them at long last in dealing with the Americans. They are calling on the federal government to advance them 50% of any future countervailing duties that have to be paid.
This is a no-cost measure, considering that the U.S. tariffs are illegal and that our producers will eventually be reimbursed. However, it is critical for the survival of our sawmills. Yesterday, the minister showed some openness. It is up to her to act on that openness. Will she respond favourably to the industry's legitimate request?
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question.
Just last Friday, my colleague from Les Pays-d'en-Haut and I visited the Crête Group plant in the Laurentians to discuss federal assistance.
The Business Development Bank of Canada is providing $700 million, and another $500 million is available for business modernization. Softwood lumber is a key sector all across Canada. We will be there to support it during these difficult times.
