Stephen Ellis

[Petitions, February 1st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I present this petition on behalf of over 6,400 Canadians.

In Canada, we have one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the entire world, with an average of 12 Canadians diagnosed every day. It is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve. Therefore, MS can affect vision, memory, balance and mobility. An estimated 90,000 Canadians live with the disease, and most are diagnosed, sadly, between the ages of 20 and 49.

Researchers believe that MS is caused by a combination of genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors. In a recent breakthrough landmark study, a research team at Harvard University provided the strongest evidence to date that shows an association between the Epstein-Barr virus and the onset of MS. Researchers found that the risk of MS increased 32-fold after infection with EBV, Epstein-Barr virus, a virus that causes infectious mono and has long been suspected to be a risk factor for MS.

Therefore, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to ensure multiple sclerosis is a primary research priority for Canadians, by committing to funding MS research in partnership with the MS Society of Canada to focus efforts to pursue MS prevention and therapeutic strategies targeting Epstein-Barr virus and to improve our understanding of EBV in the MS disease course.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, January 30th, 2023]

With regard to the government and the commitment in the Liberal Party election platform to provide $3.2 billion to the provinces and territories for the hiring of new family doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners: (a) how much of the $3.2 billion has been provided to date for this purpose; (b) how many (i) family doctors, (ii) nurses, (iii) nurse practitioners, have been hired to date, as a result of this funding; and (c) what is the breakdown of each point in (b) by province or territory?

[Carbon Pricing, December 13th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the Government of Nova Scotia does not agree. The PC Party there has put out a no carbon tax for Nova Scotians petition for people to sign, because of the Liberal government's plan. It clearly realizes that the plan continues to fail over and again.

With the punishing carbon tax, Nova Scotians are going to pay $2,200 more in 2025 and $3,100 more by 2030. When will the failing Liberal government stop punishing and crushing Atlantic Canadians with the carbon tax?

[Carbon Pricing, December 13th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, what we will not support is the waste of the current Liberal government.

We know that Atlantic Canadians are suffering. They are going to pay $7,000 more this year to heat their homes, and the Liberal carbon tax plan is only going to make it worse.

The Government of Nova Scotia released its own plan this week, which will reduce emissions by 53% over the next several years. This goes well beyond the plan of the Liberal government, which we know continues to fail to meet emissions targets.

Will the Liberal government stop forcing its failed carbon tax plan on Atlantic Canadians?

[Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2022, December 7th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Certainly, the member for St. Catharines had a lot to say earlier, and we would like to request a quorum call.

[Finance, December 7th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, there are two billion dollars' worth of waste with respect to vaccines. The Liberal government would want us to believe that tracking these vaccines and their expiration dates is extremely difficult, because it has not been done before. In reality, quite obviously, thousands of businesses track their inventory every day. Once again, the government of inaction has failed Canadians. It is incapable of managing passports; it is incapable of managing border crossings, and it certainly cannot balance a budget.

Will the Liberal Prime Minister stand up and admit that his wasteful government is driving up prices for home heating, gas and groceries for all Canadians?

[Halifax Explosion, December 6th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, 105 years ago today, two ships collided in the narrows of Halifax Harbour. The collision between the French munitions ship, the Mont-Blanc, and the Norwegian ship, the Imo, resulted in the largest human-made explosion at that time. There were 1,782 people killed and an estimated 9,000 injured. Relief efforts came from across Canada and the northeastern United States. To make matters worse, these heroic rescue efforts were also hampered by a snowstorm.

The community of Richmond was devastated, as was the long-standing Mi’kmaq community of Turtle Grove. Lives of countless Haligonians were changed forever. Railway dispatcher Vince Coleman's heroic effort to stop incoming trains stands out. I quote, “Hold up the train. Ammunition ship afire in harbor making for Pier 6 and will explode. Guess this will be my last message. Good-bye boys.” He died at his post.

To this day, we send an annual Christmas tree to Boston as a token of our appreciation in our rebuilding efforts.

[Questions on the Order Paper, December 5th, 2022]

With regard to the dental care provisions in Bill C-31, An Act respecting cost of living relief measures related to dental care and rental housing: (a) were the provincial or territorial ministers of Health consulted on these measures, and, if so, what are the specific details, including (i) who was consulted, (ii) how they were consulted, (iii) the dates of the consultations; and (b) were the provisions on the agenda for any federal, provincial, and territorial ministers' meetings, and, if so, which ones and on what dates?

[Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2022, December 5th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, certainly we know that when we have the worst government, there is nothing worse than that, so there is no superlative for the worst.

The other important part is that my province of Nova Scotia actually had a plan for carbon pricing and was trying to reduce pollution. We know, very clearly, that it cost Nova Scotians less and it actually met targets. We all know from debate in the House over the many months preceding this actual topic, that the Liberal government is not meeting its targets, that it is 58th out of 63 governments around the world, yet it continues to say how great it is in meeting targets. I guess the question that would remain is this. Why would we want to adhere to the policies of a big, bossy federal government that then will make this policy on top of Nova Scotia's, which had a better plan, was cheaper and actually met targets?

[Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2022, December 5th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, a multitude of things come to mind.

I would like to thank the member for reinforcing the fact that, yes, the carbon tax is going to triple, triple, triple. Obviously, big government moves very slowly and it takes time for people to adjust. Therefore, the difficulty is that if we do not begin to turn the direction of this ship soon enough, the ship is going to crash into an iceberg, much like the Titanic did in spite of direct warnings.

The other thing is that to say things are not bad, we get into the scheme of superlatives and we think that things are bad, or that things are terrible or that they could be worse. They could be worse, but who would want them to be? What is the superlative of worse? Is it worser? Is it the worstest? Are they the worstest government?