House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2025, with 29% of the vote.
Opioid Crisis in Canada February 8th, 2022
Madam Chair, all evening, we have heard horror stories, but we have also heard some potential solutions.
As my colleague was saying, we also need funding, beds and resources. Education is important for stakeholders and for families, starting in early childhood. This will require an enormous amount of time, money and commitment.
The topic we are debating tonight is unfortunately one that comes up often. Where is the commitment? When will the government turn words into real action?
Business of Supply February 8th, 2022
Madam Speaker, we agree that Saskatchewan should get its due from Canadian Pacific, because it has been owed for a long time. As I was saying earlier, Canadian Pacific received free land and tax exemptions, among other benefits.
Furthermore, I hope someone has been in touch with the Senate, and that no one in the other place has a vested interest in Canadian National that would make it possible for CN to avoid paying taxes in Saskatchewan.
I hope everyone in the Senate realizes that these taxes are owed to the people. CN has had enough benefits.
Business of Supply February 8th, 2022
Madam Speaker, naturally I find the idea of opening the Constitution and finally discussing the taboo of opening the Constitution extremely interesting.
It made me think. Canadian Pacific enjoyed tax breaks, free land and so forth for many decades. What about now? How many other companies have advantages that we know little or nothing about?
Does my colleague believe that it would be a good thing to study this issue so that no other taxpayer has to go through what Saskatchewanians are currently experiencing?
Business of Supply February 8th, 2022
Madam Speaker, my colleague's speech was very technical. I will put it in terms that people can better understand. Basically, Canadian National, or CN, is asking for a reimbursement of taxes paid that is equivalent to 0.3% of its sales annually.
In 2021, that equalled $8 billion dollars, which is significant. The annual amount requested by CN represents approximately $290 for every Saskatchewan taxpayer, including children. How is it fair that a multi-billion company that was granted land for free and exemptions until 1966 is asking for more?
Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021 February 3rd, 2022
Mr. Speaker, my colleague spoke about the problems with postal service, and it brought back memories of when I lived on the North Shore.
Canada Post has a service called Solutions for Small Business, and I was wondering if there is any way to improve it. Furthermore, how are medications, food and other goods shipped to my colleague's riding?
Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021 February 3rd, 2022
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his empathetic speech.
I remember all too well what it feels like to put back a can of juice, telling myself that we will drink water. I know what it feels like to skip buying bread, telling myself that we have a bit of flour and we will make crepes with water for lunch this week. I know that feeling, and it happened to me not so long ago. I thank him for his empathy. I know what it means to count every penny in order to be able to pay the rent.
Now there are people, not only families, but seniors who worked their whole life, who lived through other inflation crises, including those of the 1970s and 1980s. They are living on pensions that have increased by barely $13 a month during a period of more than 10 years. Last year, they got an increase of 61 cents, after a cut of several dollars.
How can we really help these people deal with the current crisis, in terms of both the pandemic and inflation?
Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021 February 3rd, 2022
Madam Speaker, over the past few months, we have noticed that the housing construction programs have created certain problems, to say the least. For example, subsidies were given to private companies that ended up charging $2,200 a month for housing, which is not affordable. That is worse than a mortgage plus taxes, electricity and heating.
What concrete action will be taken to ensure that these problems, which seem to benefit some companies and some segments of society more than others, never crop up again?
Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021 February 3rd, 2022
Madam Speaker, inflation does not happen overnight.
It is a slow process that generally occurs over 12 to 18 months when there is a crisis like the one we are in. It can also take 12 to 18 months for deflation to return things to normal, and there are ways to get there.
I would like my colleague to talk about his suggestions for how to bring about deflation, which would let Canadians and Quebeckers better live within their budgets.
Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021 February 3rd, 2022
Madam Speaker, my colleague's speech was very interesting.
My background is in education, where we use the sandwich method to talk about the successes and challenges we observe. We start with the bread, a positive comment, such as, the Liberals do an excellent job of highlighting their own qualities. Next up is the baloney, and there is a reason it is called baloney: there is something about it that is not quite right and could be a lot better. Last is another slice of bread.
In this case, there is not much to the sandwich if we are talking care. If I look at Maslow's hierarchy of needs, right at the bottom is food and housing security, but we have been short 50,000 units a year for 30 years.
When will meaningful new investments be made in affordable social and community housing?
Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021 February 3rd, 2022
Madam Speaker, when I was talking about having a long-term vision and planning for future generations, I was also thinking about public transit. We need to think about the most vulnerable people. People who take public transit are those who made the choice not to have a car or who cannot afford a car. To help these people, we need to set money aside each year to improve public transit.