Dan Vandal

[Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2, December 5th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 was very well received in Manitoba, both in the rural areas and in the city areas. In fact, in the riding of Provencher in the village of St-Pierre, we received $3 million for a lagoon expansion. In the city of Winnipeg, we received $55 million for transit improvements, something that is direly needed for Winnipeg.

I am wondering if the hon. member could speak to the importance of transit improvements in large urban centres and how so very important that is for the future of moving people, moving goods, and increasing productivity for cities.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2, December 5th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I completely disagree with the hon. member's assumptions. Budget 2016 has been very positive for my province. One of the ridings that has benefited the most is Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, with $3.5 million for a new water treatment system in Gimli and $3 million for a new waste-water treatment facility in Selkirk.

Why does the opposition continue to vote against a budget that is so beneficial to the province of Manitoba, especially the rural municipalities?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2, December 5th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I wonder if the hon. Minister of Finance knows that budget 2016 has been very positive for Manitoba, in terms of infrastructure.

In the riding of Provencher, the village of St-Pierre has received $1.5 million for lagoon expansion. In the riding of Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, the City of Selkirk has received $3 million for water supply. In the riding of—

[Louis Riel, November 15th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, on this historic day, I would like to pay tribute to Louis Riel.

Today, the Government of Canada and the Manitoba Metis Federation signed a historic framework agreement setting the path toward reconciliation.

Tomorrow, Manitoba's Métis community will gather at the tomb of Louis Riel, in the cemetery of St. Boniface Cathedral, to commemorate the 131st anniversary of his death.

We have long recognized the important role that Riel played in creating our country. He is the Father of Manitoba, and his photograph now hangs alongside those of the premiers of Manitoba in the legislature.

Louis Riel is highly regarded as the father of Manitoba and is widely respected for his ability to build consensus among those around him. Tomorrow, I will join the Manitoba Metis Federation, l'Union nationale métisse, and the community to honour our Métis leader, a great Canadian, Louis Riel.

[The Senate, October 28th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I was so pleased to hear yesterday that the Prime Minister has recommended three notable Manitobans for appointment to the Senate. They will join many other proud Manitobans who are parliamentarians, and we are so happy to have them here.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions speak to how all Canadians can apply to become senators?

[Société franco-manitobaine, October 26th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, on October 13, I attended the annual general meeting of the Société franco-manitobaine. The francophone community members at the meeting were pleased with the return of the Mobilité francophone program for encouraging francophone immigration. It also indicated its desire to see the return of the court challenges program. The community talked about overcoming the challenges of recruiting francophone immigrants, an important issue being studied at the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

Tomorrow evening, the SFM will hold a special general meeting to vote on adopting a strategic plan, the result of the estates general consultations undertaken by the community a year ago. The goal is to ensure our vitality for future generations.

Ours is a tenacious, vibrant, and diverse community, and I am extremely proud to be a part of it.

[Paris Agreement, October 5th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the minister is aware that way back in 2008, under the former Harper Conservative government, in the Speech from the Throne, the government did indeed commit to implementing a price on carbon. The then Conservative minister for the environment said, “Carbon trading and the establishment of a market price on carbon are key parts of our Turning the Corner plan”. He further said that they would like to force industry to reduce its greenhouse emissions, set up a carbon emission trading market, and establish a market price on carbon.

Of course, like much of the plans under the former government, it went nowhere.

I wonder if the minister is aware that back in 2008 this was the position of the Conservative government.

[Paris Agreement, October 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I have noted some statistics and some valid scientific research that the previous government obviously did not respect from the Prairie Climate Centre and from the International Institute for Sustainable Development. It says that if we do nothing, if we keep emitting carbon at this rate, we are going to be experiencing increased droughts, increased flooding, increased forest fires, none of which is good for any sector in Manitoba or across Canada.

[Paris Agreement, October 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly do not agree with the premise of the question by the hon. member. We have gone to Paris in good faith. We have engaged the world to address climate change. We have brought the whole issue here for a vote. We have put all sorts of incredible details on the next step with an actual price on carbon pollution, which was announced by the Prime Minister today. We are working with provinces.

That is nothing like the previous government, who in its 2008 budget actually had a plan to address climate change but unfortunately no progress was made on that.

[Paris Agreement, October 3rd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, that is precisely why we are moving ahead with an implementation plan to address climate change. There is an organization in the city of Winnipeg called the Prairie Climate Centre that has determined that if our carbon emissions remain the same, Winnipeg and Manitoba will be experiencing 46 days per year of above 30-degree temperatures within the next 30 years. That is four times the current average of 11 days. That is going to mean extreme weather. That is going to mean increased droughts, increased flooding, increased forest fires. Those are all very good reasons to get serious about climate change, and that is why we are moving forward on this.