Damien Kurek

[Opposition Motion—Pharmacare, March 12th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member's comments, and the story she shared about her dad's cancer is a touching one. I know I have similar stories in my family.

I would like to make a brief comment. She mentioned that pharmacare would result in free things for Canadians. The reality is that this is simply not the case. We see ballooning administration costs and bureaucracies that would keep the actual front-line services from getting the resources that they need.

My question for the member is quite simple. I have a number of small business owners, pharmacists, in my constituency who are very concerned about the current status of being able to access the medications that are prescribed to patients today. They are terrified. I use the word “terrified” because that is the word that was shared with me. These are small-town health care providers and pharmacists on the front line. They are terrified that they will not be able to access the drugs because of bloated government bureaucracy that would be the result of a national pharmacare strategy.

[Public Safety, March 11th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety refuses to stop his plan to give needles to prison inmates. This is Liberal hypocrisy at its finest. The government is quick to punish law-abiding gun owners while at the same time literally giving convicted felons a weapon while they are in prison.

Will the Prime Minister commit today to listening to those on the front lines of Canada's correctional institutions and immediately stop the prison needle exchange program?

[Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement Implementation Act, March 10th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague across the floor asked what Conservatives would have done differently. There are far too many things to list in a question, but certainly one of the things that should have been done was to treat our negotiating partners with respect. There are a number of examples, whether it was the Prime Minister in a press conference or the then foreign affairs minister attending an event, that seemed to draw the ire of the people they were sitting down at the negotiating table with.

To answer his question, that is one thing that would be done differently, among a whole host of other things. How does the member think it was appropriate to basically insult the people our negotiators had to sit across the table from and try to get an agreement done? In some cases, insults had been flying hours before.

[Criminal Code, February 27th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, it seems that the bill goes far beyond the scope of the court decision. That is a big concern, but my question is about the consultation period.

There was a tremendous amount of response. I had dozens of constituents who wished to get involved but, for one reason or another, were unable to participate in the consultation process. Why was the consultation process so limited in terms of time and only online? Many challenges have resulted from what I think was an inadequate consultation period on such a serious issue.

[Emergency Debate, February 25th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I believe I am of the same generation as the hon. member, being 29 years old when I was elected this past October. I am very pleased to be one of the young members of what is a very young caucus. We take very seriously the reality that is facing our children, and my two children.

The reality is that the Canadian energy industry is by far and above the best source of clean, ethically sourced energy petroleum in the world, yet the attitude of the Bloc and the way it is approaching this debate is like the parable of removing the speck out their brother's eye when there is a log in their own.

[Emergency Debate, February 25th, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I know that the word “viability” has been used a lot and certainly there are jurisdictions around the world where there is significant viability in the energy industry.

I wonder if the member for Regina—Lewvan would have questions as to why investment is happening in the energy industry around the world, but it cannot seem to happen here in Canada.

[Emergency Debate, February 25th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I just learned that this can be the case in emergency debates. For those of us who are new, this is something new.

Alberta has demonstrated that it is a world leader in energy production, yet the member seems to want to relitigate the process that Teck aced. Is the member aware of all the ways that Alberta has led the world in making sure that we have ethical, environmentally friendly energy?

[Emergency Debate, February 25th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, this is an incredibly serious issue. I have tens of thousands of energy workers in my constituency who looked at this as a bellwether for the province's future. The fact that this company saw that market conditions, created by the Liberal government, had destroyed its capacity to build a project is incredibly concerning. For the member to relitigate some of those aspects of—

[Emergency Debate, February 25th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would ask the member to clarify something. She made a reference to there being Albertans in this House who were not fighting for the best interest of Albertans. While I am—

[Emergency Debate, February 25th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, I will make a comment and follow it with a question.

Alberta oil, much of which flows through my constituency of Battle River—Crowfoot, goes through a small town called Hardisty. The western Canada select price is approximately $36 a barrel. Most of that oil goes to the United States, where in west Texas it is mixed off, with the various processes involved, and sold for approximately $50 a barrel.

Is the member aware that the 60% of oil Quebec imports from the United States is actually in part Alberta crude that comes from the oil sands?