Lloyd Longfield

[Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act, May 3rd, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member down the way for her intervention and for coming to the environment committee to take part in some of our discussions.

Some of those discussions were centred around the Senate amendments. She mentioned clause 9, and I think proposed paragraph 46(1)(k.3) mentions the tailings ponds, which is included in our legislation. We are also including multiple chemicals from different sources that can add to the cumulative effects on vulnerable populations, which again would apply to situations such as we have in Kearl in the tailings ponds.

The bill as written, and amended by the committee, is now covering situations around tailings ponds, which can be detrimental to human health. Could the hon. member provide her thoughts on the watch-list we have created and the management of it?

[Automotive Industry, April 26th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, workers and families in southwestern Ontario still remember the Ford plant in St. Thomas, Ontario, being shuttered in 2011. It put thousands out of work, and it left the region's once thriving auto sector on life support. These types of closures were just all too common under the Harper Conservatives, which is one reason why this week's historic announcement with Volkswagen has come to them as such welcome news. Of course, not everyone in this chamber welcomed this historic investment.

While Conservatives may choose to attack the deal, could the Prime Minister update the House on what it means for our communities, our economy and our environment?

[Parkinson's Awareness Month, April 19th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, Parkinson's is a complex disease that affects over 100,000 Canadians, with 6,600 new cases diagnosed each year. My wife, Barbara, is one of those cases and one of these Canadians.

Parkinson's is one of a group of progressive neurological diseases that have no cure and affect both young and old. People with Parkinson's can show tremors or muscle stiffness or rigidity. They can have slow movement, soft speech, small handwriting, depression, loss of smell or changes in thinking ability. Parkinson's affects each person differently and can be very hard to diagnose.

I would like to thank Parkinson Canada, Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario and our local care partner support group for all the help they have given over the past year to my family. Parkinson's is more than one can see.

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month.

[The Budget, April 18th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, the member mentioned the interest rates being applied by the federal government. Interest rates are applied by the Bank of Canada, and the federal government responds through policies and programs like those we have in budget 2023, which are targeting the vulnerable people affected by interest rates. In fact, this morning, we had great news that our inflation rate is down to 4.3%, which is down from 8.1% last June. Even more impressive was that gasoline prices have actually fallen, year over year, for the second consecutive month.

Could the member tell the House how targeting programs working with the Bank of Canada to get inflation under control is precisely what this budget is doing?

[The Budget, April 18th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, the member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour got my attention when he talked about the clean technology businesses in his riding. As he knows, we have a lot of clean technology happening in Guelph. The Nova Scotia Innovation Hub, according to its website, is one place that is capitalizing on opportunities created by growing global demand for low-carbon products and processes.

Could the hon. member comment on the great opportunity we have that is being supported by this budget?

[The Budget, April 18th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, the hon. member across the way cited in his speech several media references. I wonder if any of those media references were from the CBC, and whether the CBC reporting on our budget gives us the critical input we need to see the benefits and downfalls of the current budget.

[Business of Supply, March 20th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I have two process questions for the member.

The actions of committees are independent. Should the House be involved in making decisions on who is invited, and where the committees do their work? There is also this place, a place of partisan debate, where we make points politically versus looking at the overall outcomes.

There is, in one case, an independent committee with its studies. In the other case, there is an independent inquiry into how democracy is being protected in Canada. How important it is to keep distinguished the different roles of the different groups within the House.

[Housing, March 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, we know that there have been significant roadblocks to building housing supply at the municipal level. The system simply is not working. That is why I was pleased to join with the Prime Minister and Minister of Housing to announce further federal leadership to help get more homes approved and built through the new housing accelerator fund.

Could the minister please tell the House about the details of this new program and what it means for Canadians?

[Ontario's Greenbelt, February 14th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the greenbelt is a vital part of Ontario's ecosystem and protects thousands of acres of wetlands, forests and watersheds. It is also home to several farms located on some of Canada's best agricultural land.

When protecting our climate, we need to be consistent across orders of government. Developments of the greenbelt that are proposed in the province of Ontario conflict with federal legislation, such as species-at-risk legislation and impact assessment legislation, and infringes on the Rouge National Urban Park.

Canadians are feeling the impacts of climate change, which is why, since 2015, our government has protected over 290,000 square kilometres of land as part of our historic commitments and investments in nature conservation. As we continue our path to net-zero emissions by 2050, now more than ever, it is important that we protect areas such as the greenbelt.

[Business of Supply, February 7th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, what we are working on is the transition for businesses. That includes transitioning from the rebates we have been offering to oil and gas and accelerating them by two years so we can move faster and attract more international investment into Canadian industries, including oil and gas, which is still a very important industry for Canada that we cannot lose. We have to transition the jobs and transition the economy, and we have to provide greener opportunities within that industry.