Julie Dzerowicz

[The Environment, May 27th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be speaking to the motion today on behalf of the residents of Davenport.

Climate change, transitioning into a low-carbon economy and finding ways to live sustainably are key issues for my riding.

Before I go any further, I am very pleased to be sharing my time with the member for Cloverdale—Langley City.

Here is why I am particularly excited about the motion coming before the House and having an opportunity to speak before the members.

Within my riding, I have a large group of environmentalists. Most people care about climate change and what is happening. They have said that there is a sense of urgency around climate change. The fact that we have a government motion on climate emergency is very fitting and exactly articulates the feeling within Davenport today.

I also like the motion because it indicates that we have to do more, beyond everything we have done. We open a door to say that we have more to do moving forward. I wanted to mention those two points as I begin my remarks today.

I love hosting sessions within the community because I like hearing directly from Davenport residents. The first climate action town hall I held was on March 27. It was an informative session. The Minister of Environment and Climate Change has been going across the country and I have been sharing her presentation with the residents of Davenport, giving them a sense of all the actions we are taking to combat climate change. I have had a very lively exchange with them. Here are some of the points and questions they have raised.

Some of them said that we had a good plan, that we had good policy and that we needed to implement all of it. Some of them said that we needed to do more more and go faster.

Many people felt that we needed to be more urgent in our communications, to make people feel that we were acting urgently and we understood that this was a top-of-mind issue for many Canadians.

Many of them asked for more action on plastic pollution, particularly the youth. I have been to many classrooms within my riding and for many students, this is a top-of-mind issue.

Just as an aside, I have a lot of members of the community saying that they do not want us to use coffee cups from any type of local supplier if it is not 100% recyclable. I love that there is that level of interest within the community and that level of awareness for us to be conscious about what we are buying and using.

Many knew we were trying to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, but they were looking for us to go faster.

Some in my community were okay with our buying a pipeline, but some said that it felt counter-intuitive to our objectives in moving to a low-carbon economy.

The main point they made was that they wanted us to not wait for a perfect plan, but to move forward on a really good plan. That is exactly what I feel we have and I am proud of all the actions our federal government has taken.

I decided to invite a panel of experts to do a second session to answer many of the questions that came up during my climate action town hall at the end of March. I invited a wonderful, well-known lawyer. I invited an academic. I invited an expert in the insurance industry because I wanted to have a clear sense of the costs of climate change.

Before I go into some of the insights they provided, one of the key points is that our conversation on climate change has changed substantially over the last three and a half years. I remember going to doors trying to convince people that we needed a plan to combat climate change. Now I feel like the conversation has shifted. It is not whether we should be combatting climate change; it is what steps we should take, how fast we should go and what should we do. It is an important distinction to make. Finally everybody is on side, that we have to take immediate and urgent steps on climate change. Now we just have to figure out how much more is that moving forward.

Getting back to part two of my climate action discussion in Davenport, one of the first questions I asked the panellists was whether the the federal government has the right plan in place to fight climate change. The members of the panel had a lot of wonderful things to say. They said it was a good plan, that the current government has done more to reduce GHG emissions than all of the previous governments had done in 30 years and that we have been fighting for action to happen. They mentioned that we are further ahead than we ever have been. They also mentioned the key areas that we are a leader in, such as carbon storage. We are also one of the top countries in the world as a leader in clean energy.

There was also a lot of lobbying of our Minister of Public Safety and his initiatives with respect to a national flood strategy, including assembling a round table on flooding, as well as initiating and putting resources into the mapping of flood plains across Canada. I think a lot of people felt this was going to be a game changer and much needed information as Canadians learn to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change moving forward.

We also had quite a conversation about the price on pollution. One of the key comments in that regard was that a price on pollution is absolutely needed because companies need incentives to innovate. Businesses also need certainty on the price on pollution or carbon pricing. They also mentioned that it is very good to have this price on pollution because they know that they have to be competitive not only across Canada but also around the world.

Furthermore, they indicated that there were some challenges they felt they wanted us, as a federal government, to be looking at. Some of the key areas where we really need to make progress include buildings and transit. They indicated that it is hard for the federal government to show results without support and action at the provincial level. I know that while we had all the provinces and territories sign onto a pan-Canadian framework, unfortunately over the last year there have been changes in government and I think we have had a lot more challenges trying to bring on side a number of the provinces that previously were on side with our pan-Canadian framework.

There was also some additional conversation in Davenport on the need for additional dollars for a disaster mitigation fund in places like Toronto. Davenport, for those who do not know, is in downtown west Toronto. Our sewage and wastewater system was built for flooding that might occur once every hundred years, not once a year or every two years. Therefore, everybody is looking at how we can adapt, mitigate, reinforce, and put additional resources into place and rethink the infrastructure we currently have in place.

Sometimes there are conversations that come up and we wonder where they will go. One of the key things that came out of the discussions was that some members of the committee said that they sometimes feel a little scared with all of this climate action and wonder what they can do. We had wonderful conversations about what we can do individually in our respective ridings and lives to make a change and have an impact on fighting climate change. I know I have a minute left, so I will list these. I think we can look at our transportation choices, whether we take more public transit or ride a bike versus being in a car. If we need a car, we should look at whether or not we should buy a zero-emissions vehicle. We can also be making choices around food and what we buy, whether it is local food or what kind of food we buy. Our energy sources can also be a way that we can have an impact. Our waste footprint is another way we can look at having an individual impact.

As members can tell, the conversation in Davenport is strong and robust. I am very proud of the actions we have taken at the national level on climate change. They are urgent. It is important. Moving forward, I know we are going to do more.

On behalf of the residents of Davenport, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak today.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, nearly seven years ago, the Harper Conservatives made irresponsible and shortsighted changes to the asylum system that forced tens of thousands of refugee claimants into limbo for years. Thirty-two thousand people who were seeking Canada's protection were denied a timely hearing and spent as long as eight years with uncertain status, unable to move on with their lives. Davenport groups like FCJ Refugee Centre have been advocating on their behalf. Can the minister update the House on what has been done to address the legacy refugee backlog?

[Anne Marie D'Amico Foundation, April 29th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember nearly one year ago, on April 23, all those who were affected by the Toronto van attack, a deliberate and cowardly act that claimed 10 lives and injured 16 others.

The first victim identified was Anne Marie D'Amico, a resident from my riding of Davenport. She was described by her brother as a fighting spirit, someone who would go the extra mile showing she cared. She always did things that had enormous impact because she did everything with her whole heart.

Inspired by her character and in remembrance of her spirit, the D'Amico family has started the Anne Marie D'Amico Foundation, with the goal to promote positive change to help end violence against women. This year's donations will support the North York Women's Shelter in building a new state-of-the-art shelter and community hub, which will house up to 40 women and children impacted by violence.

One year on, we as Canadians must continue to stand together against violent acts like these and always keep those, like Anne Marie D'Amico, who have been impacted in our hearts. We will remember.

[Petitions, April 11th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure, on behalf of Davenport residents, to present e-petition 1923. It is signed by over 20,000 Canadians. It relates to firearms and the fact there is a huge proliferation of handguns in our cities, the fact that there is also a proliferation of military assault weapons being sold to civilians in Canada, and the fact that many of these handguns and military assault weapons are ending up in the hands of violent criminals as a result of illegal sales, theft and diversion.

The petition calls on the Government of Canada to implement a ban on the civilian ownership of handguns and military assault weapons. I would like to refer this petition to the government for its careful consideration.

[Fridays for Future, March 19th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, I attended my first Fridays for Future rally in downtown Toronto. Fridays for Future is a movement that was started by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg, who skipped school to protest the lack of action on the climate crisis. This protest has turned into school strikes every Friday by youth across Europe and around the world, including here in Canada. In Toronto, over 200 youth and parents attended the rally to send a clear message that Canadians want action on climate change.

I spoke about what our federal government is doing to tackle climate change, which includes putting a price on pollution, making historic investments in public transit, phasing out coal, transiting to 90% green energy by 2030, and investing $1.3 billion in biodiversity, among many other actions.

Unlike the Conservative Party, which has no plan to fight climate change, we are taking action. As Greta has said so eloquently, “Yes, we do need hope...but the one thing we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere. So instead of looking for hope, look for action. Then and only then, hope will come.”

[Alleged Interference in Justice System, February 28th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that this government has very strong values that we continue to uphold every single day. We never forget why we are here. It is about 37 million Canadians. It is about making sure that we create a better life for them both today and tomorrow.

In terms of ethics and values in this case, our Prime Minister has steadfastly said that there has not been any inappropriate pressure ever applied. He has been very clear about the unique role of the Attorney General. The Prime Minister has disagreed with the characterization of the events as stated by the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville.

In terms of jobs, I talked a lot about jobs, because it was important for me to state the importance of jobs in our economy in this debate. I do not think that is the only important element, but it is a key element that we need to keep in mind.

[Alleged Interference in Justice System, February 28th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I have the great pleasure of serving with the member on the environment committee, and it is an honour to serve with him. He talks about transparency. I would say that we have done so in a number of ways. We have waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence so that the member for Vancouver Granville could speak to this issue at the justice committee.

I believe there is a very clear route for information to get out. We also have the Ethics Commissioner investigating this. He has absolute authority to compel witnesses under oath to speak as well as to have documents brought forward for the investigation.

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will have a lot of information. I think the best way for us to have a public inquiry is to have the public make a decision about the information they hear and make their own conclusions.

[Alleged Interference in Justice System, February 28th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, the health of our economy and the importance of jobs to this country is absolutely relevant to the issue at hand with respect to SNC-Lavalin. It is extremely important to understand the importance of SNC-Lavalin, how many jobs there are and what we are trying to do on the economy, which absolutely preoccupies this member and this government every single day. It is therefore important for Canadians to hear this.

Shifting back to why this is important for 37 million Canadians, a healthy economy is critical. Under our plan and all the initiatives our federal government has introduced, Canada is one of the best places to invest. Our corporate tax rate remains competitive. We have the lowest small business tax rate in the G7, and we have one of the strongest records of growth in the G7.

In our fall economic statement, we took further action to support business investment in Canada, drive innovation and encourage businesses to create more good, well-paying jobs for the middle class.

In the face of U.S. tax reforms, our government is taking action to support Canada's competitiveness and encourage businesses to create more good, well-paying jobs for the middle class. Our targeted, measured and fiscally responsible approach will support business investment in Canada; help make Canada the most globally connected economy in the world; make it easier for Canadian businesses to grow; help Canadian innovators add value, succeed and grow; and remove barriers to trade within Canada.

It is also important to note that given our government's focus on jobs, we have also taken a clear stance that unethical business practices should have no place in the Government of Canada's business dealings. We do not and we will not stand for it.

The fact is that corporate wrongdoing imposes significant economic and social costs. It also places barriers on our economic growth and significantly increases the cost and risk of doing business. Additionally, it undermines public and investor confidence.

I want to assure Canadians that protecting the integrity of our public programs and services is one of our highest priorities. We have a robust and effective integrity regime that is run by Public Services and Procurement Canada. It helps foster ethical business practices, ensures due process for suppliers and upholds public trust in our dealings.

By ensuring that Canadian businesses continue to compete and succeed, we are building on our proven plan to grow the economy by investing in jobs for the middle class.

[Alleged Interference in Justice System, February 28th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak in this very important emergency debate. This is an issue that is very important to the residents of my riding of Davenport, and indeed to all Canadians. I am glad we are here this evening. It is important for every member, for every party and for anyone who wants the chance to speak to be able to do so, because we are faced with a serious situation that concerns many Canadians.

I am going to start by agreeing with something that the Minister of Foreign Affairs said so eloquently this morning on the radio. I agree with it completely. I believe that the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville spoke her truth as she had wanted to at the justice committee yesterday. As an aside, I also want to personally very much say that I value the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville. I value her as part of our caucus. I value her leadership on so many issues of importance to this government and I hold her in absolutely high regard.

Having said that, I am also in strong agreement that the Prime Minister would never have applied improper pressure, that the Prime Minister has always been very aware of and very clear on the unique role of the Attorney General and would never have exerted inappropriate pressure on the former attorney general. I also very much believe our Prime Minister when he says he completely disagrees with the characterization of events as stated by the member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville. I wanted to state this up front so it is very clear where I stand.

The rest of my time will be spent speaking to our government's efforts to focus on creating well-paying jobs for our families of today and tomorrow and also on how, even through the course of all of this going on over the last few weeks, we continue to remain focused on 37 million Canadians and making their lives better and making this country better. We will never lose sight of why we are here in this venerable chamber.

As our Prime Minister has said, our government will always stand up for Canadian workers and the importance of the rule of law. We will focus on jobs and growing the middle class and strengthening our economy.

In fact, our platform in 2015 set out our plan to create jobs and to help Canadians get the training they need to find and keep good jobs. Since November 2015, Canada has gained over 800,000 jobs, nearly three-quarters of which are full time. We know that job numbers fluctuate in the short term, and that is why we are focused on our long-term plan for economic growth and a stronger middle class, giving Canadians the support they need to find and keep good, well-paying jobs.

We are also proud that we have created over 70,000 Canada summer jobs. This is an enormous accomplishment that will give our youth the best start in their careers and their work life. This has amounted to a tripling of the amount of money we have spent on Canada summer jobs in my working-class riding of Davenport since we have come into office. It means a lot to the youth, and I know it will have a big impact on their lives.

Getting back to overall jobs, provincially the largest gains within Canada have been in Ontario, in British Columbia and also in Quebec over the last year. The three industries that saw the most growth in employment over the last year were utilities, with an 8.3% increase; transportation and warehousing, with almost 8%; and business, building and other support, with an almost 6% increase. The gains in employment were concentrated not only among youth aged 15 to 24 but also among men aged 55 and over.

Moreover, between January 2018 and January 2019, the average hourly wage among all workers increased by 2%. This is super-important in ridings like Davenport in cities like Toronto, where the cost of living continues to increase. It is really great to see that we have success in terms of increasing wages.

There were of course discussions about the potential loss of 9,000 jobs in communities across the country, including the possible impact on pensions, in the SNC-Lavalin affair that has been dominating the news. It is the job of any prime minister to stand up for Canadian workers, and I would say it is the job of all parliamentarians to stand up for Canadian workers, for Canadian jobs and for our economy.

In her appearance before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the former attorney general even confirmed that it is appropriate to discuss job impacts in this particular situation. There have been suggestions that this government only cares about jobs in Quebec, and this is absolutely not the case. We care about jobs right across the country, in every province and territory.

Indeed, it is important to note that SNC-Lavalin does not have offices only in Quebec. It has offices across Canada. In British Columbia, it has offices in Kelowna, Nanaimo, Nelson and Victoria. In Alberta, it has offices in Calgary, Fort McMurray, Edmonton and Grande Prairie. In Saskatchewan, it has offices in Regina and Saskatoon. In Ontario, it has offices in Sarnia, Toronto, London, Mississauga and Burlington. In Quebec, it has a number of locations: Gatineau, Laval, Longueuil, Montreal and Val-d'Or. In Newfoundland and Labrador, it has offices in Corner Brook and Mount Pearl. Finally, in Nova Scotia, it has offices in Antigonish and Halifax. The government rightly cares about any decision that impacts families, livelihoods, jobs and communities right across the country.

Let us not forget the impact of SNC-Lavalin on indirect jobs. We are not taking into consideration the many thousands of indirect jobs that are created by SNC-Lavalin in other industries that are at the heart of our economy.

Jobs matter not only as a way to ensure our livelihood but also as a way to contribute to our national tax base. This enables us to create programs like the highly successful Canada child benefit, which is the most significant public policy innovation since universal health care. It contributes to helping families with the high cost of raising their kids and to making a real difference in the lives of families in the middle class and those working hard to join it.

The new Canada child benefit, as we have said many times before, is simpler and tax-free, and it is targeted to income. It provides support to those who need it most. Nine in 10 Canadian families are better off under the new system, and receiving the single targeted benefit is helping to lift 300,000 children out of poverty. In addition, it helps middle-class parents buy their kids school supplies and sign them up for activities. We continue to hear from Canadians about the positive impact the Canada child benefit is having on their lives.

Indeed, we have been hearing great news over the last few days from Stats Canada, which shows very clearly that in fact 800,000 Canadians have been lifted out of poverty since we came into government, with almost 300,000 fewer children living below the poverty line compared to—

[National Defence Act, February 28th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question. I am the member for Davenport, although many people do confuse me with the hon. member for Toronto—Danforth, and that is okay. However, I did want to correct it for the record.

I would say that self-harm is absolutely something that was brought to the attention of the committee. It was mentioned and we questioned whether there were some adjustments that we could make to Bill C-77 to address all of the concerns around self-harm.

The context of the bill did not allow us to address that particular issue, but we recognize that we need to continue to adapt our approach to care and to those suffering from mental health issues. That is why our minister invited the national defence committee to study the issue of suicide and self-harm within the Canadian Armed Forces, with a view to providing our government with recommendations related to these challenges, specifically as it relates to self-harm.

We have acknowledged that this is an issue. There was an impassioned plea by a mother who was affected by a Canadian Armed Forces member impacted by this particular issue. We made a commitment to look at it and we will continue to take this very seriously moving forward.