John Aldag

[Community Service, May 28th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible work of a Cloverdale—Langley City resident, Dollie Greensides. In 1960, Dollie joined the Cloverdale Ladies Auxiliary, which was part of the Cloverdale Legion, two organizations with a rich history since 1927.

Since joining the ladies auxiliary, Dollie has served as treasurer, secretary, sergeant-at-arms and president. She has been instrumental in selling 50-50 tickets for many years and speaking to school children during the annual poppy campaign. For her outstanding service to the community, Dollie was awarded a life membership in 1985 and a meritorious service award in 1995. This is the highest medal in the ladies auxiliary.

Today, we can still find Dollie carrying colours to the branch general meeting, volunteering at the annual Christmas bazaar and serving beans at the Cloverdale Rodeo. Recently, Dollie was recognized for her 60 years of service to the Cloverdale Ladies Auxiliary at a special ceremony, surrounded by ladies auxiliary members, friends, and family. Past presidents and members spoke about Dollie's numerous accomplishments and awarded her with a 60-year service pin and bar.

My thanks to Dollie for all of her great service.

[The Environment, May 27th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know if I can limit my comments to 30 seconds or less for all the great work that is happening in British Columbia and in my community.

One of the really interesting things happening in a couple of areas in B.C. is carbon capture. There is some great work being done on the whole field of carbon capture where we can take carbon from the air and store it. It can be used, and it is a really innovative way of dealing with the issue of carbon in our atmosphere.

There are lots of things happening and companies are investing in them. This is technology and know-how that can be used in many other applications.

[The Environment, May 27th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, these are the types of discussions we need to continue having on how we can move forward on this transition. It is really important that we take the lessons from what others have done. The investments we are making as a government are one important way of doing the transition.

We are investing money in my home province in things like transit to get people out of their cars and to move in greener ways. I recently read that we have more people in Canada now working in the green economy than in the oil sands. These are the types of investments to develop innovation and pursue research that will help us move forward. Our government is supporting these.

I believe this will help Canada develop the innovation that is needed to work to our advantage as we export that knowledge, technology and know-how internationally. There is lots of work that our government is doing and I am really proud to be part of it and continue what needs to be done.

[The Environment, May 27th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, these are the kinds of public policy discussions that we need to continue to have in Canada.

The fossil fuel industry has been an important economic driver in Canada, but we need to start making changes in order to meet those 1.5°C targets. Work is being done to phase out the fossil fuel subsidies.

The recent report by the commissioner of the environment called for even more work to be done in identifying what fully constitutes the range of subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, and that those need to be addressed.

To the member's question, we need to continue acting on and meeting the targets that have been set for phasing out subsidies to this industry. We need to also recognize the importance that the industry has in Canada's economy. In order to fuel and fund the transition to a clean economy, we have to pay for it somehow. That is where the actions we are taking as a government are helping to grow the economy, but also moving in that transition toward a greener and cleaner economy in Canada.

[The Environment, May 27th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, it is a real pleasure to be part of the debate we are having this evening on an issue that is very, very important to the constituents of Cloverdale—Langley City and me.

Climate change, I think we all know, is a real and urgent crisis driven by human activity that impacts Canada's environment, biodiversity, health and the economy. The science is clear: Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time and it calls for drastic action. If we follow the path we are on, Canada's greenhouse gas emissions will continue to rise and we will see more and more serious effects from climate change.

ln my own riding, we are already seeing these effects. Every summer, my riding is blanketed with smoke from the fires in the interior of British Columbia and Alberta. This is particularly hazardous to our at-risk populations. Furthermore, reduced summer rainfall has led to strict water restrictions across the Lower Mainland, and appears to be getting worse with each passing summer.

Flooding is also a significant risk for my riding of Cloverdale—Langley City and our surrounding communities. ln fact, the Vancouver Sun in a 2018 article estimates that flooding could affect "1,500 residents, hundreds of jobs, millions in revenue, more than $1 billion in assessed property value and more than $25 billion in truck and rail traffic." This flooding along with other negative effects of climate change will lead to five times higher insurance costs. Further, the loss of biodiversity and the increase in invasive species will have significant negative effects on the beautiful natural spaces that constituents in my riding enjoy.

On a national level, Canada is warming at twice the global rate. This poses significant risks to the health and well-being of communities across Canada. Since 1948, Canada's annual average temperature has warmed by 1.7°C, with even higher temperature forecast of up to 2.3°C in the north, the Prairies and northern British Columbia. According to Canada's changing climate report, if global emissions continue at these high rates, average Canadian temperatures could increase by as much as 6.3°C by 2100.

It is predicted that increased temperatures will result in more high volume precipitation, lower ice levels, rising water levels and harmful effects on our oceans. Even today Canadians are feeling the effects of climate change, with more extreme weather events, longer and more extensive heat waves, fewer cold spells, and thawing permafrost and loss of ice cover earlier than ever before.

We also know that climate change disproportionally affects women. ln developing countries, women farmers account for 45% to 80% of all food production. Climate change has affected traditional food sources and the ability of these women to provide for their families.

Climate change also poses a large threat to indigenous peoples. Arctic local food sources, both wildlife and infrastructure, are significantly threatened. Just last week, Old Crow in the Yukon, a community I have personally had an opportunity to visit, declared a climate change state of emergency. When CBC News interviewed officials in this community, they said that the traditional way of life in Old Crow is under threat from climate change. Chief Tizya-Tramm said that climate change is dramatically altering the landscape of Old Crow, directly putting his people's culture in jeopardy.

This situation is shared across our great country. It is not just the story of Old Crow, but the story of us all. Climate change is the greatest threat to Canada and the world's prosperity.

A recent UN report says that one million species face extinction as a result of climate change. While this report is very saddening, it does have a very small silver lining. We still have time to act, but we have to act now. Fighting climate change and protecting biodiversity go hand and hand. We cannot continue down the path of business as usual. If we want a future for our children, we must take drastic measures to reduce our emissions and fight climate change.

After a decade of inaction by the previous government, we have changed course and adopted policies that will address climate change. We have put a price on pollution in jurisdictions that do not have one so that our kids will have a cleaner and healthier Canada. ln my home province of B.C., we have had a price on pollution for over 10 years now and can see that pollution pricing is an effective policy tool to lower emissions and grow the economy. B.C, is a leader in lowering greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, B.C.'s economy has grown faster than Canada's. Let me remind this House that the B.C. carbon tax was implemented by a centre-right provincial government. ln reality, pollution pricing works. lt proves that we can grow the economy and reduce emissions.

We have also set the goal to conserve 17% of Canada's land and fresh water by the end of 2020. By the end of 2017, we had reached 10.5% of our 17% conservation goal, and over the next two years, Canada is aiming to conserve an additional 650,000 square kilometres of land and fresh water to reach our goal. That is conserving a space nearly the size of the province of Saskatchewan, where I was born and raised. To protect these natural spaces, we have invested $1.3 billion, which is the largest investment in nature conservation efforts in Canadian history.

Further, we are phasing out coal and investing in clean technology, home retrofitting and public transportation.

On a more local level, the Township of Langley received a grant of $119,200 from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities for the development of a climate change adaptation plan.

Last week, I participated in a public consultation session with constituents in the Township of Langley. lt was well attended with many youth in attendance, who worry not only about their future, but also that of our planet. This is why the climate emergency motion is so important. Canadian youth are worried about climate change.

That is why our government is acting to address climate change with an additional $2 million from the federal gas tax fund. It is being secured for TransLink, to cure congestion and create more accessible transit options for commuters in Cloverdale-Langley City and surrounding communities.

A few days ago, the Prime Minister announced $1.47 billion in funding for 200 new SkyTrain cars to replace aging cars and increase capacity, as well as other improvements through the metro Vancouver region.

A decade of inaction by the previous government led to little protection for fish and waterways, Canada's withdrawal from the Kyoto protocol and cuts to Environment Canada. The Conservatives did not have a plan and do not have a plan for the environment. In order to have a plan for the economy, one must have a plan for the environment. If members do not believe me, they just need to walk a few blocks down the street to the Bank of Canada. Recently, it identified climate change as among the top weak spots for the economy and our financial system.

If other parties in the House were truly stewards of the economy, they would address climate change and vote for this motion. However, they may choose to blame others instead of making real progress on this issue, and that would be unfortunate for us all.

We need to take action to support clean growth and meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Declaring that Canada is in a national climate emergency requires that we commit to meeting emission targets under the Paris Agreement, and making deeper reductions in line with the agreement's objective of holding global warming below 2°C and pursuing efforts to keep global warming below 1.5°C.

Recently, I signed the environmental rights charter. I believe that everyone should have the right to a healthy environment, including clean air and water. This motion is the first step in signalling to the rest of the world that climate change is a top priority for Canada and that we will adopt policies that address this imminent threat. We remain committed to climate change and will continue enacting policies that both grow the economy and align with the emission reduction targets of the Paris Agreement.

I have heard others in the House talk about the importance of getting this right and doing it now. I have children. We have heard others speak of the importance of this to Canadian children. That is why I am pleased to rise today and speak in favour of the motion.

[Committees of the House, May 6th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 20th report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, entitled “Main Estimates 2019-20”.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2019, No. 1, April 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from B.C. for his advocacy for our west coast fisheries.

I note that the member discussed many of the great programs our government has funded and rolled out. It is a level of investment that has been needed for many years.

Yes, there is always a frustration with programs not being designed and implemented as quickly as possible, so I would offer this in response to his question.

All members in this House want to see the west coast fishery and fish stocks survive for the long term. Therefore, we will work with our government to make sure these programs and their funding are delivered to those who could make a difference with respect to these very important issues in British Columbia and for Canadians.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2019, No. 1, April 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, the question from the member opposite raises really good questions about how we have a timely and well-trained workforce in today's society.

As I noted in my comments, I had discussions with local business groups, such as the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce. The members there indicated that they struggle with a workforce that is keeping track and on top of the current job requirements. There are existing training programs, many of them delivered through the provinces and territories, as my colleague noted.

However, federal funding flows through to the provinces and territories and supports much of this retraining. The program we are discussing is another example of that. It is an opportunity for the federal government to support businesses and Canadians in order to keep their skills relevant. Instead of having to take time off, not knowing if they will be coming back to an employer, this provides support for those skills through the employment insurance program.

The business community was also very interested to hear that there will be employment insurance relief for small businesses to support this new program. I think everybody will be very delighted as more details become available.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2019, No. 1, April 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for this opportunity today to speak to Bill C-97, the budget implementation act.

With budget 2019, our government would continue to invest in the middle class and in communities across Canada, such as Langley City, the Township of Langley and the city of Surrey, all located within the riding I represent, Cloverdale—Langley City.

Whether it is helping Canadians buy their first home or investing in clean energy and public transit, budget 2019 focuses on the current challenges faced by everyday Canadians and would address them in meaningful ways that would give help where people needed it the most. I will be speaking on measures that would address those issues today.

Budget 2019 is our government's fourth budget and would build on the work and progress our government has in made these past four years.

Today Canada's economy is one of the fastest growing in the G7. Since 2015, Canadians have created more than 900,000 new jobs. Thanks to the middle-class tax cut and the tax-free Canada child benefit, families in the riding of Cloverdale—Langley City have more money in their pockets to help make ends meet. However, it is important to recognize that there is still more work to do, and we need to get on it now. Budget 2019 is a good next step that would help ensure that all Canadians share in this growing prosperity.

The biggest issue I hear about at doors in Cloverdale—Langley City is housing. Everyone needs a safe and affordable place to call home, but today too many Canadians are being priced out of the housing market. This budget would help address this issue in several ways.

To start, budget 2019 proposes to invest $300 million to launch a new housing supply challenge. The housing supply challenge would invite municipalities and Canadians across the country to propose new ways to break down barriers that limit the creation of new housing.

We would also expand the rental construction financing initiative, helping to build more affordable rental options for Canadians so they can live near where they work or study, and we are tackling homelessness across the country through the reaching home strategy.

A new rental building project in my riding, with 100 units, had more than 2,000 people apply for those units, demonstrating the need for significantly more rental options in Cloverdale—Langley City.

Budget 2019 proposes an additional $10 billion over nine years, extending this program until 2027-28. This would help create 42,500 new rental units across Canada, with a particular focus in areas of low rental supply.

To address the difficulty young families may have buying their first home, through Bill C-97, budget 2019 proposes a new first-time homebuyer incentive. With this extra help in the shape of a shared equity mortgage through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Canadians could lower their monthly mortgage payments, making home ownership more affordable. The incentive would provide funding of 5% or 10% of the home purchase price for existing or new homes respectively, with no ongoing monthly payments required. The program is expected to help approximately 100,000 Canadians buy homes they can afford.

Additionally, budget 2019 proposes to increase the homebuyers' plan withdrawal limit to $35,000 from $25,000. The homebuyers' plan allows first-time home buyers to withdraw from their registered retirement savings plans to purchase or build a home without having to pay tax on the withdrawal.

I am excited about what our investments in infrastructure through budget 2019 would mean for communities across the country that need funding to get local projects done. Through budget 2019, we would ensure that infrastructure funding would get to those who have shown that they are willing and able to get projects done: our local and municipal governments.

We would invest a one-time top-up of $2.2 billion, through the federal gas tax fund, to get infrastructure funding in the hands of those who would ensure that it was invested in jobs to build our communities. This funding would address short-term priorities in municipalities and first nation communities. Cloverdale—Langley City would receive an additional top-up of approximately $2,041,652.03. With 95% of this money going toward TransLink, our regional transit infrastructure, it would help deal with a much-needed expansion in support of a growing network for our growing population.

Working with provinces and territories, the government has approved more than 33,000 infrastructure projects for communities across Canada, supported by federal investments of approximately $19.9 billion. In my riding, these investments will mean better highways, cleaner parks and new community centres. In fact, just last week I welcomed the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities to my region for a joint funding announcement with the provincial and municipal governments for major improvements to the Trans-Canada Highway.

The $235.5-million investment will upgrade the stretch of highway between 216th Street and 264th Street and will include new high occupancy vehicle lanes, a new underpass and a new truck parking lot. This is an important step in addressing a significant pinch point in the regional transportation network in the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley.

Through Bill C-97, budget 2019 proposes measures that would make life more affordable for Canadian seniors and that would empower those who want to stay active and involved in their communities. Our government would increase the GIS exemption from $3,500 to $5,000 per year to give more of our fixed-income seniors the choice to continue to work without being penalized. We would begin proactive CPP enrolment at age 70 to ensure that no seniors missed out on benefits they were entitled to.

We would increase transparency and launch an initiative to change corporate laws to increase oversight and grant the courts a greater ability to review payments made to executives in the lead-up to insolvency, protecting workplace pensions from predatory practices.

Budget 2019 proposes significant additional funding of $100 million over five years, with $20 million per year ongoing, for the new horizons for seniors program so that it can continue to improve seniors' quality of life and better promote their active participation in the community. Many organizations and seniors have benefited from the new horizons for seniors program in Cloverdale—Langley City. With these enhancements, even more seniors would benefit from additional programs.

I would also like to highlight the work we are doing to address the opioid crisis. Through budget 2018, we provided $231.4 million over five years for measures to help address the growing problem, such as one-time emergency funding of $150 million for provinces and territories for multi-year projects to improve access to evidence-based treatment services.

Budget 2019 would build on this work and proposes to provide additional funding of $30.5 million over five years, starting in 2019-20, with $1 million in ongoing funding, for targeted measures to address persistent gaps in harm reduction and treatment. This funding would support efforts to expand access to a safe supply of prescription opioids, protecting people with problematic opioid use from the risk of overdose and death. It would also support better access to opioid overdose response training and to naloxone, a life-saving medication that can stop or reverse an opioid overdose, in underserved communities.

I recently spoke with the hard-working members of the Langley City Fire Rescue Service, who battle this opioid crisis on a daily basis. They agree that continued investments in the fight to end opioid overdoses and deaths is needed.

Budget 2019 is a budget that would work for everyone. Through this budget, we would implement new programs that would help Canadians progress in their careers, address the growing price of medication and advance our plan to grow a clean economy. I would like to go over these briefly.

First, budget 2019 would introduce a new Canada training benefit, a personalized, portable training benefit to help people plan for and get the training they need. Through this measure, Canadians would get four weeks of training every four years, up to $1,000 to help pay for training, income support to help with everyday expenses and the security of knowing that they would have a job to come back to when their training was done. At a recent meeting with the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce the need for a well-trained workforce with relevant skills was discussed. The Canada training benefit would help address this need of business.

Through budget 2019, we would lay the foundation for the implementation of a national pharmacare program while we await the final report of our advisory council on its full implementation. We would do so by creating the Canadian drug agency, a national formulary, and a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases.

Finally, budget 2019 would take the next steps in our plan to grow a clean economy and make life more affordable for Canadians. These steps would include deploying new recharging and refuelling stations and working with manufacturers to secure voluntary zero-emission vehicle sales targets to ensure that vehicle supply meets increased demand.

We would also introduce a new federal purchase incentive of up to $5,000 for electric battery or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This would help make zero-emission vehicles a realistic option for more Canadians by making them up to $5,000 cheaper, by building the infrastructure to support them and by encouraging new investments in zero-emission vehicle manufacturing here in Canada. To support businesses' adoption of zero-emission vehicles, budget 2019 proposes that these vehicles be eligible for a full tax write-off in the year they are put to use.

Our government has a plan, and that plan is working. Through budget 2019, we would invest in our communities and support those who need it the most. While there is still more work that needs to be done, budget 2019 would be another step in the right direction. This is a budget that I am proud to stand behind, and I urge every member of this chamber to do exactly the same.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2019, No. 1, April 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to hear my colleague speak so much about all the work being done to support seniors. In my riding of Cloverdale—Langley City, there are a number of seniors, and many important measures in this bill will support them.

Could the member speak to the seniors population in her riding and how some of these measures will help advance the well-being of seniors?