Rachael Thomas

[Honorary Citizenship, April 12th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the honorary citizenship bestowed upon Malala Yousafzai today is a wonderful testament to this young woman's strength and perseverance. This long-awaited event is the result of our previous government's decision to award her honorary citizenship. It is an honour that has been extended to only five people previous to her.

At a very young age, she is a symbol of determination and hope for young people around the world.

I am extremely proud to see two different governments come together across many years, and even partisan lines, in order to support Malala's work and her message to the world. She exemplifies so much of what it means to be Canadian: Be brave, trust in our convictions, and stand up for those who need support.

Today, we honour Malala for her courage and with sincere hearts we thank her.

[2017 Curling Championships, April 10th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, between April 22 and 29, Lethbridge is ready to “wick and roll” as we host over 40 countries for the 2017 World Mixed Doubles and World Senior Curling Championships.

We are looking forward to bringing the tournament into the “house” at the new Crossings Ice Complex, a little more than a “stone's throw” away from the city centre.

I want to congratulate the Lethbridge Curling Club and the host committee for taking the “lead” on behalf of Lethbridge. I know they have been “hurrying harder” than usual to organize this event. Certainly no one could “skip” out on this. With Olympic berths and world titles on the line, we know it will be a “sweeping” success.

[Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, April 3rd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today in support of Bill C-307 to give the Minister of Health the authority to require tamper-resistant forms of drugs that are being tampered with and then used for criminal use.

Canada is in the midst of a massive public health crisis related to opioids. Codeine, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine have become household names, it seems, in the Canadian public, and of course this has a lot to do with the crisis at hand.

Whether it is diverted pharmaceuticals, fentanyl purchased over the Internet from China, or stolen horse tranquillizers, dangerous and lethal opioids are making their way onto the streets of Canada and the consequences are fatal.

The most alarming thing is how quickly opioids are growing, both in use and in the number of overdoses. To put things in perspective, the chief coroner of British Columbia told us at the health committee that illicit drug deaths involving fentanyl increased from 5% in 2012 to 60% in 2016.

This is not just a crisis that affects those who find themselves without a home. There are 55,000 Canadian high-school students who reported in September 2016 that they had abused some sort of opioid pain reliever in the past year.

In Ontario, in 2010, one in eight deaths of individuals aged 25 to 34 was found to be opioid-related. Families are being destroyed; lives are being lost; and all Canadians are experiencing reduced access to health and social services because of the resources required to look after this crisis.

For me, this public emergency hits close to home. Lethbridge is near the epicentre of this epidemic in Canada. Last fall, five men in my riding were arrested for possessing just over 1,000 fentanyl pills destined for the streets of Lethbridge. Several subsequent arrests resulted in police recovering hundreds more fentanyl-laced pills.

What has this meant for Lethbridge? Without being alarmist, we have seen organized crime in our city increase drastically, and the users of these drugs have made parts of Lethbridge no-go zones. There is a playground in my community where children used to enjoy playing regularly, and now it is known as "needle park". This is a place where children no longer play and parents no longer feel safe, because of the needles that are left on the ground.

Even for those not in direct proximity to drug dealers or opioid users, the effects of this epidemic are still felt. In Lethbridge, our first responders have all had to divert significant resources to address this crisis. This means that other crimes committed within our community are under-investigated or not investigated at all.

It also means that EMS responders are increasingly overworked as they respond to the spike in drug overdoses. It means that firefighters have to deal with increased risks when they respond to residential fires for fear that they could be dealing with a contaminated illicit drug lab or equipment thereof.

This is to say nothing of the increased burden on our social service agencies. Lethbridge has punched far above its weight when it comes to the Syrian refugees who have come into our community. This influx of refugees has stretched our resources to the max because of the lack of support from the Liberal government.

Many of these organizations have had to punch above their weight and are now starting to reach their breaking point. This is on top of the opioid crisis and the mental health crisis that results from the jobs crisis in Alberta.

My heart goes out to the mental health workers in my community for the remarkable work they are doing around the clock and the way they are trying to divert this issue. This crisis has a human face, as sons, daughters, husbands, wives, cousins, brothers, and sisters are all lost to lethal street drugs laced with these opioids. I recognize that the opioid crisis is multi-faceted, but Bill C-307 is one key step to cutting it off at the source.

Criminal enterprises have far too easy a time diverting legitimate pharmaceuticals to illicit street drugs. This is because the most common forms of opioid-based drugs are easily manipulated. Prescription pills can be ground down to snort, or the active opioid compounds can be extracted and used as a building block for different street drugs.

Tamper-resistant forms of these pharmaceuticals can take several forms to reduce the ability to manipulate and extract the drug. The physical properties of the pill can be used to make manipulation much more difficult, such as providing a drug that cannot be altered without neutralizing the opioid compounds, or a chemical can be included that counteracts the euphoric effect of the opioid if the drug is manipulated, either by grinding or by heating it, making the drug useless to street providers.

In June 2014, our previous Conservative government provided a notice of intent to industry. We announced that new regulations were coming that would require tamper-resistant formulations of specific controlled substances such as oxycodone. The intent of the former Conservative government was to reduce the diversion of opioids for illicit purposes to keep them off the streets. Sadly, the current government chose to overturn this decision, which has now had failed consequences on Canadians from coast to coast.

One youth who I had the chance to talk to in my riding took the opportunity to brag to me that he was taking his prescription drugs and selling them for $25 a pill. His chronic pain allows him lifetime access to these pills and it now serves as his main source of income.

Diverting these drugs to the illegal markets can be stopped. If we can stop this illicit secondary market for illegal pharmaceuticals, it will decrease one of the sources that make these street drugs so accessible.

I will be the first to admit that this is a complex issue and that this one change will not solve the entire problem. There are a whole host of changes required in order to stop opioids from ending up on our streets. Canada's physicians need to overhaul prescribing practices for opioids. Reducing the number of people with legal access to these drugs will also decrease the number of Canadians using illegal alternatives after their prescriptions end.

Furthermore, I am pleased to note that the government has taken a recommendation from Conservative members to now allow the Canada Border Services Agency to check packages smaller than 30 grams. This decision came out of a report that was written by health committee. The fact that this could not be done before allowed an unlimited supply of fentanyl to be mailed in small packages and enter our country so it could be sold on the street market.

I am also pleased the Liberals listened to health committee on the need to regulate pill press machines. These machines allow the toxic and deadly mishmash of chemicals in these street drugs to be pressed into professional-looking products that can easily be packaged and shipped. The new import controls on pill press machines is a good start, although more could be done.

Finally, we need to tackle the source of this problem at the root, which is the lack of treatment options for those who suffer from mental health problems. This makes them susceptible to using street drugs in the first place.

If the ongoing mental health crisis is allowed to continue in our city cores, on our reserves, and in our schools and universities, the drug crisis in our country will only continue to grow. The money in budget 2017 with regard to this issue is a good start, but a national strategy and further initiative is a must when it comes to mental health care in Canada.

Whether it is fentanyl, crystal meth, or the next street drug that is easily produced and cheap to buy, at the heart of all of these drug uses, this epidemic that we face, are people who are emotionally hurting. This is why the human face of this epidemic is so heartbreaking to acknowledge. These are vulnerable people who have chosen drugs because they do not have the support and necessary tools to take on life.

This is why I ask all members of the House to understand the further pain that opioids cause to Canadian families and to individuals. I ask members opposite to support this important legislation, Bill C-307.

[Business of Supply, March 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, we certainly are looking at a very different time than when the right hon. Stephen Harper was leading government. At that point in time, of course, as I mentioned briefly before, the economy of the world was facing a downturn. We struggled through that, which meant that yes, a deficit was created in this country.

At this point in time, we are not facing that same downturn on the world stage. We are not even facing a downturn within our own country, so there is absolutely no reason that the government should be taking on the amount of debt load or deficit that it is.

I should also note that the Prime Minister made a promise to Canadians to only incur $10 billion of deficit, and that number has grown quite significantly, now being over $30 billion. That is worth noting.

[Business of Supply, March 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his theatrical question.

There are a couple of points here. Number one, when the Conservatives became government, it should be pointed out that the Liberals were the former governing party and had just cut back drastically in spending on provincial transfers, particularly around health care. They may claim to show fiscal management, but what they really did was gut the money from the provinces that was rightfully theirs.

The second thing that should be noted is this. Within the Conservatives' first few years of government, we paid down over $40 billion of the national debt. That was done on behalf of the generations that were to come after us. That was done on behalf of the youth of this nation, and that is responsible leadership.

[Business of Supply, March 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in government, the world was facing a bit of an economic crisis. That said, it would be fair to compare economies from around the globe. Canada fared at the very highest point, so with regard to the hon. member's question, let us compare apples to apples here. At the end of the day, we left the current government with a surplus, and the Liberals took that surplus and let it spoil. They wasted it.

Now, today, my generation and the generation that comes after me is going to have to pay for the indecisions of the current government.

[Business of Supply, March 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Edmonton Manning.

Today my Conservative colleagues and I are calling on the Liberal government to take four very simple and very concrete steps going forward. These actions will benefit everyday Canadians.

One, we call for no further tax hikes on Canadian families, businesses, seniors, or students. Two, we call for immediate measures to encourage companies to hire young Canadians and address the youth unemployment crisis we currently face in our country. Three, we call upon the government to put a credible plan in place to return to a balanced budget by 2019, as was promised to Canadians. Four, we call upon the Liberals to halt all plans to sell Canadian airports to finance their reckless spending.

Today my Conservative colleagues and I are doing what we do each and every day in the House: we are standing up for Canadian taxpayers. We are standing up for those who work hard to make ends meet, to pay their mortgage, to put food on their table, to fuel their car, to care for their children, to enjoy life.

We are taking a stand for those who do not have a job but desperately desire to have one. We are taking a stand for the students who have invested countless hours of time and energy into earning a degree and who are now looking for meaningful employment. We are taking a stand for business owners who have taken risks for the sake of pursuing a dream and by doing so have created jobs and contribute to the well-being of our economy.

Today we are taking a stand for the young and the old and all of those in between. Not only that, we are taking a stand for the generations that are still to come after us, because when all is said and done, we recognize that the decisions we make today will impact those tomorrow. We must do all that we can to ensure a vibrant future for those who come after us.

Today we are calling on the government to join us in this endeavour, an endeavour that will serve each and every Canadian.

Although all points of the motion before us today are certainly worthy of attention, I will focus the majority of my time advocating on behalf of Canada's young people.

Since being elected by the people of Lethbridge 17 months ago, I have had the privilege of travelling from coast to coast to talk to young people across our country, and without exception, they have made one thing very clear to me: despite the finance minister's damning position on job creation for young Canadians, calling it “job churn”, it will not be tolerated by the rising generation. They are insisting that things can and should be different, and I agree.

Allow me to home in on my home province of Alberta for just a moment. It is no secret that Alberta is facing a jobs crisis. From 2015 to 2017, the unemployment rate doubled, going from 4.4% to 8.8%. Today 220,000 Albertans are out of work. Youth unemployment sits at 13.5%.

During November and December, I held six round tables throughout my province, where I talked to young people with regard to their job prospects. Overwhelmingly they reported feeling discouraged by the labour market and the lack of opportunities that are available to them. Many have worked hard to earn their degrees, and they would like the opportunity to use them. Others are seeking to save for their education, for travel, for a house. Others are looking for a job in order to provide for their families, and still others are just simply looking to pay the bills and get by.

The state of Alberta's economy makes it extremely difficult for young professionals. With a significant cohort of unemployed skilled workers who are now flooding entry-level positions, young professionals are actually faced with a huge disadvantage because there are qualified competitors now who are competing for a very small number of jobs. Meanwhile, statistics show that students who gain experience related to their area of study are 66% more likely to find a job after graduating, but unfortunately they are finding it extremely difficult to find co-op placements, paid internship opportunities, and summer student positions.

Although l have zeroed in on Alberta, the reality is that these problems plague Canada's young people in every corner of our great country.

In the fall I had the opportunity to meet with members of the students' union at the university in P.E.I. and with another student organization in Fredericton. Like those in Alberta, these students are also faced with very few job prospects, and they are feeling overwhelmingly discouraged.

Today more than 190,000 Canadian young people are unemployed and looking for work. As we all know, higher education comes at a cost. I believe it is good for students to invest in their training and education. We know that investment spurs greater responsibility and ownership. That said, I also recognize that students are graduating with increasingly large amounts of debt and need meaningful, well-paying jobs in order to be able to pay it off.

However, what concerns me just as much as the youth unemployment rate is the number of young people who are having to settle for part-time or precarious work. The Minister of Finance told Canada's young people that they will just have to get used to “job churn”. I disagree. By creating an environment of economic prosperity, the government can and should support businesses in their desire to grow and create meaningful and stable employment for those who are starting out in the labour market.

The Prime Minister promised to create “40,000 good youth jobs” each year from 2016 to 2018. Sadly, like most of his other promises, this one has not materialized. According to the final 2016 job numbers published in February, only 9,000 jobs were created last year for workers between the ages of 16 and 24. This is the net number after we account for the 40,000 full-time jobs that were lost from Canada's economy and the 49,000 part-time jobs that were created. In other words, all of the jobs that were gained by young people in our country were in the sphere of part-time work only.

The Prime Minister also promised to create 35,000 summer jobs for students through the summer jobs grant, as mentioned by our member who previously spoke. At the end of August 2016, Statistics Canada reported that when employment rates were compared year over year, there were 48,000 fewer jobs for young people than the year before. Coincidentally, the year before—when there were 48,000 more jobs—was when the Conservatives were in power.

Liberals also promised to invest $160 million to create co-op placements for students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and business programs. Shortly after making that promise, however, the Prime Minister relented and brought that number down to only $73 million, which is half of what he originally promised.

The federal government has two main responsibilities. One is to keep Canadians safe and the other is to facilitate an environment of economic prosperity. Today, my Conservative colleagues and I are calling on the Liberal government to live up to its mandate.

During our travels across Canada, one of the things Canada's youth have recommended to me is that the federal government provide a tax incentive to employers who are willing to hire young people. This, of course, makes sense, because it would empower job creators to do just that—create jobs. Specifically, these jobs would be targeted at those who are just entering the workforce.

Furthermore, when it comes to looking out for the economic well-being of Canada's youth, we are calling upon the government to champion our oil and gas sector, as this has significant economic benefit for young workers from across Canada.

Finally, we are calling on the government to balance the budget, as we know that sensible fiscal management is absolutely essential to secure long-term prosperity for Canadians from all generations, and especially for those who will inherit the outcomes of today's decisions.

My colleagues and I on this side of the House are calling on the Liberal government to act today and to act responsibly for the sake of those who inherit this great nation tomorrow.

[Taxation, March 9th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals continue to make life unaffordable for Canadian families. With previous tax hikes that have taken place, it leaves us wondering, with the minister saying that everything is on the table, what is next for our Canadian families.

Stories are coming out every day with regard to potential tax hikes that we could be facing in this upcoming budget. What I would like to know today is whether our children are in fact going to be kept safe.

I have asked this before and I am asking it again today. Could the Minister of Finance tell us that he will not touch the registered education savings plan?

[National Defence, March 8th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, our men and women on the ground and in the air serving in Operation Impact are still in the dark when it comes to whether or not the Liberals plan to pay or cut their danger pay. The deadline is fast approaching, and 300 more members of the Canadian Armed Forces may have their pay completely cut by this minister.

On multiple occasions, the previous Conservative ministers in this role reversed bureaucratic decisions that looked similar to this. Will the minister commit here and now to follow our example, and ensure that full pay is given to our brave men and women in uniform?

[Preclearance Act, 2016, March 6th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to talking about legislation versus process in this House, so far I have just spoken with regard to the legislation, and the questions I have been asked have had to do with process in this place. That tells me that perhaps we are a little out of touch with the average Canadian, because I think the average Canadian is far more interested in the legislation that we are discussing and the laws that we are putting in place that are actually going to serve everyday Canadians well. That is the discussion that should be taking place in this House. That is the discussion I want to have today. As far as the process is concerned, that is a discussion we need to have elsewhere.