Rachael Thomas

[Taxation, October 26th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we are not against families. We are for families. Let us talk about those folks. Let us talk about those ordinary Canadians who are working hard to make ends meet, those folks who are raising their kids, those folks who are trying to pay their bills, and those folks who are driving their children to hockey games, etc. These are the folks who watched their heating bill double over the last year. These are the folks who are going to watch their heating bill go up by another 30% this winter. These are the folks many of whom cannot afford the $100 extra a month that is going to be.

Will the Prime Minister exercise some compassion and take away his plan to triple—

[Anti-Semitism, October 18th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, silence. That is what Canadians heard from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Canadian Heritage after it was discovered that more than $500,000 was granted in public contracts to a public anti-Semite racist and bigot. Silence. Deafening silence.

This individual has tweeted some of the most heinous and vile things imaginable. He called Jewish folks human bags of feces. He said that they should be shot in the head. I see a smirk across the way, and that is shameful. He labelled Black and indigenous people as house slaves. He repeatedly called francophone speakers frogs. This is who the government hired to teach Canadians about anti-racism.

All of this horrific and shocking news was made evident, but what is perhaps most abhorrent is the fact that the Prime Minister did nothing for one month. There was a whole month of deafening silence. The point—

[Carbon Pricing, October 17th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I understand the Liberal talking points and so do Canadians. They have heard them again and again. They are rather disingenuous and incredibly repetitive.

The reality is, to the Canadian families that are struggling to make ends meet, those talking points do not make the difference. What makes the difference is when the government exercises responsibility and cuts back on taxation to make life increasingly affordable for Canadians.

I will ask this again on their behalf: Would the government exercise some compassion, and would the Prime Minister commit today to ending his plan to triple the carbon tax?

[Carbon Pricing, October 17th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is spending like a drunken sailor. As a result, inflation is excessive and Canadians are finding it difficult to make ends meet. As a result of that, many Canadians are cutting back on the amount of healthy food they are purchasing and consuming.

Now the Prime Minister is planning to triple the carbon tax, which would again increase the cost of groceries, home heating and gasoline for people's vehicles. In other words, the cost of living would hike up once again.

Will the Prime Minister exercise some compassion and, for the sake of Canadians, stop his plan to triple the carbon tax?

[Petitions, October 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I too rise today to present a petition calling on the Parliament of Canada to enshrine in the Criminal Code the protection of conscience rights for physicians and other medical professionals.

Of course, Canadians are calling for protection because there are incidents of coercion or intimidation with regard to medical assistance in dying and making sure that those services are provided. Not every practitioner should be obliged or forced to make this recommendation, so Canadians are calling for their protection going forward.

The petitioners are asking that subsection 2(a) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects freedom of conscience, be respected in this regard.

[Sport, October 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I did not ask whether there was still support for hockey in this country. I recognize that it is a national sport and that we are proudly behind it. However, we should not be proudly behind the behaviour that has been exhibited by members of the team.

I am asking the Prime Minister why, for four years, the so-called feminist government did absolutely nothing when it had the power to do something and had the information in its hands.

[Sport, October 5th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, in 2018, the government was made aware of a horrific allegation. It was an allegation with regard to gang rape by eight members of the Hockey Canada team. The government was made aware but chose to do nothing, absolutely nothing. Canadian tax dollars continue to flow to the organization. Zero accountability was put in place. It was swept under the rug until four years later.

Why did the government fail to act when it first came to light?

[Angus Beef, October 4th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, it is a tremendous honour to represent the people of Lethbridge and have the opportunity to stand for them today.

One of the things that we are extremely proud of in my riding is the production of Angus beef. It is our goal to fill more plates with this healthy protein and sheer tastiness.

The cattle breed is hardy and originates from Scotland. That is a long way away. The meat is known to be tender, juicy and packed with flavour. It is enough to make one sing, actually. Perhaps that is because these cattle tarry on green pastures for long hours in May.

While an Angus steak is great on the grill, people can also fast fry it in their kitchens, should they choose. However, people should make sure they do not cram the pan; then that is not good.

Sadly, many Canadians are blocked, unfortunately, from being able to taste this beef because they just cannot afford it. Personally, I think that is rude.

While the government wants Canadians to start eating small critters for their protein, I believe that more Canadians should have access to beef, but for that to happen, the government needs to put Canadians first and stop “Justinflation”.

[Foreign Affairs, October 3rd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about murder. Surely that deserves more than simple, empty words from the minister opposite. We are talking about a 22-year-old Iranian woman who was killed because she neglected to wear her hijab properly. The entire world is watching, Canadians are calling for action and the government has empty platitudes to offer. Surely we can do better.

I am calling on the government and asking this on behalf of Canadians: When will the IRGC be determined a terrorist organization?

[Business of Supply, September 29th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, I believe what the member is referring to is something that is very procedural. There is the substance of something brought forward and then there is the process. We disagree with the process. We absolutely stand for Canadians who live with a disability. We are talking about a population within this country who lives on a small government stipend. They do not have an opportunity to go get a job or earn an extra wage right now, but they have to make those same dollars stretch even further due to the government's poor policies.