Tracey Ramsey

[Petitions, June 19th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, the second petition I am presenting today is about funding feminist women's organizations.

Again, the petitioners call attention to the fact that women's organizations are the most underfunded in Canada's non-profit sector, that the funding is insecure, competitive and is taking time away from women who are helping other women.

The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to dedicate the political and financial support, resources and funding to meet Canada's long-standing international and constitutional commitments on women's equality.

[Petitions, June 19th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present an e-petition on Cameroon. Over 500 citizens have signed this.

The petitioners bring attention to the fact that there are increasing restrictions on human rights in Cameroon; the government's violent policy of having the army and police open fire on civilians; and several years of deadly repression of the English-speaking populations that are repeatedly condemned by organizations such as Amnesty International.

The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to condemn all human rights violations against civilian populations in Cameroon and to prevent any human catastrophe that may be perpetrated by the Cameroonian government.

[Government Priorities, June 18th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians depend on services like health care, education and supports for children with autism. Instead of properly funding them, Liberal and Conservative governments across this country keep telling Canadians to expect less and slashing services. Meanwhile, rich corporations have avoided paying $26 billion in taxes. Why are they getting away with it? Imagine the services Canadians could receive with that money.

Will the Liberals ever have the courage to stand up to rich corporations, or will they continue to watch and do nothing as Canadians struggle?

[International Trade, June 17th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister goes to meet with Donald Trump in the U.S., he has shut down debate on a trade deal that will impact Canadians for generations to come.

The Liberals' promise of a full debate on the new NAFTA is now just another broken promise. The cost of medication, copyright extension, corporate powers over our regulatory bodies, dairy farmers losing out and jobs are all at stake.

On the TPP, the trade committee had over 400 witnesses on a cross-country tour. How many witnesses will we have at the prestudy on the new NAFTA tomorrow? There will be 12.

Why are Liberals trying to silence stakeholders and keep Canadians in the dark?

[Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation Act, June 13th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that the government House leader does not know what legislation has been passed in this House.

I can reassure her that in this Parliament, and she could go back and look it up for herself, the New Democrats supported the Canada-Ukraine deal and other deals as well. If she would correct her statement, I would appreciate that.

The other thing is the Prime Minister and the minister promised that we would have a full debate, not the closure we are seeing today. Again, Liberals are not being truthful and not just with parliamentarians but with all Canadians.

At the committee on TPP, we had over 400 witnesses. We have two meetings left in this Parliament and we will be lucky to get 16 people through there. This is the most important trade relationship that we have. We cannot afford to have this messed up.

I want to say one other thing about what is happening in the States. This is not moving in tandem. The Democrats have not put this on the floor and will not put it on the floor until the provisions on labour, the environment, the cost of medications and the enforceability are improved. This is something they have done. It is not a Pandora's box. They have a precedent for it under Speaker Pelosi.

The Liberals are not being truthful here today. I want to know why the Liberals have been misleading Canadians and saying that they are allowing debate, when they are shutting it down and there will not be enough witnesses at committee.

[Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation Act, June 13th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, this is just really incomprehensible at this point. We are talking about the largest trading relationship we have and millions of jobs in our country, but we are not going to be able to have a proper debate on this agreement.

In response to a question I asked one day in the House, the Prime Minister said the bill would have a full debate in the House, yet here we are. The Liberals are using the undemocratic tools of the Harper Conservatives and ramming through legislation.

This piece of legislation, of all pieces of legislation, deserves to have the full amount of time. Rushing this through would not benefit Canadians in any way. The agreement would increase the cost of medication and jeopardize jobs.

Why have the Liberals been so dishonest? Why are they putting working people in jeopardy by ramming through this legislation?

[Petitions, June 12th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present petitions, signed by hundreds of signatories, calling on the government to better fund feminist women's organizations.

The petitioners highlight the need for reliable, long-term, stable operational funding and direct investment to help women. They say that the current program funding from the Government of Canada is insecure and competitive and takes workers' time away from helping women. The petitioners call on the government to immediately provide secure, multi-year core operational funding to feminist women's organizations.

[International Trade, June 12th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, Liberals are not being honest with Canadians about the new NAFTA. They are rushing through a deal that will make drugs like insulin more expensive, when Canadians already cannot afford their medication.

Why is the Prime Minister caving to Donald Trump and big pharma? People with diabetes, Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis depend on their government to stand up for them and not rush through a trade deal that will make their medication more expensive.

Why is the Prime Minister choosing to stand up for big pharma over vulnerable Canadians?

[International Trade, June 11th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, today, again, the minister called the new NAFTA a “win-win-win”.

Only Liberals would call increasing the cost of medication for vulnerable Canadians a win. Oh wait, now I know what she meant. I know who is winning. It is big pharma.

Are the Liberals so desperate to get a deal that they caved to Trump and big pharma again?

The PBO study on drug costs in the new deal revealed that it will cost $169 million in the first year alone. Can the minister explain to Canadians suffering from Crohn's and diabetes why she wants them to pay more for their medications?

[Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation Act, June 11th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague has done incredible work on the steel file as well. We sit on the steel caucus together. It really has been a team effort, certainly working with labour and all the stakeholders to see the removal of the tariffs.

However, as the member points out, in the agreement that we have, the tariffs are not actually gone. They could still be imposed at any time. The surge is completely undefined. Some of my Conservative colleagues talk about the importance of certainty and businesses being able to know what they can expect. However, we have undefined terms. I have asked the minister this question directly in question period, and I have not received an answer from her. I do not believe there is an interpretation or a joint understanding of what “surge” means.

There are loopholes that one could drive a truck through in removing these tariffs. There is a lot of uncertainty and fear on the ground that those tariffs could come back.

There is another piece that we gave up. Everyone knows that we did not just reciprocate on the tariffs but we had that secondary list, trying to impose some pressure. We have given up that ability. We can reciprocate, but we cannot have any further tariffs on the U.S.

We have actually given up quite a bit in achieving velocities and there is no certainty for people who work across the steel sector, steel producers or steel manufacturers like Atlas Tube in my riding.