COVID-19 Protests  Madam Speaker, I want to ask my colleague why the Prime Minister has put all of his eggs in one basket and will not go out and speak to the truckers. The truckers have given him an option. The associations I have spoken to in the trucking industry have said that if they had had a test available, they would have taken a test and if that proved they were negative, they would go to work.

COVID-19 Protests  Madam Speaker, the member, as well as his predecessor in the speech before his, indicated that they did not know who they should go and talk to in the trucking organizations or among the individuals who are out on the streets here and across Canada. First, they would have to make the offer.

COVID-19 Protests  Madam Speaker, the latest news that I heard over the weekend was that Alberta had 91% vaccinations, and 87% of its population was vaccinated with two vaccines. I think the member needs to catch up on the reality that it is at least tied or maybe ahead of the rest of Canada in regard to vaccinations in Alberta now.

COVID-19 Protests  Madam Speaker, the fine constituents of Brandon—Souris believe that these peaceful protests are allowable, but the occupation of downtown Ottawa has been going on for some time. The reason it has been, let us face it, is because the Prime Minister will not go out and talk to the protesters.

COVID-19 Protests  Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleague that there needs to be a solution to this protest that has been taking place. I have been involved in many debates on Parliament Hill, and as a lobbyist in my time as a farm leader I came to Ottawa many times to make my point, but we made it and went home.

COVID-19 Protests  Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heightened awareness of just how divided Canadians have become. This emergency debate is predicated on that very reality. A lot of people are angry right now. On any given day, I hear from people who think that we have too many restrictions, and I also hear from those who want further restrictions imposed.

Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021  Madam Speaker, I want to ask my colleague from the Bloc a question with regard to small businesses. He and a member from the NDP, both of whom are in the House today, supported and helped me with Bill C-208 on qualifying small businesses and interfamily transfers last summer. I wonder if he could just remind my colleague from Winnipeg North that major accounting firms in Canada said that passing this bill did more for small businesses in Canada than probably any other finance decision for those qualifying small businesses in the last 25 years.

Irvin Goodon  Madam Speaker, west Manitoba lost a giant with the passing of Mr. Irvin Goodon on December 28. Mr. Goodon was a husband, father, grandfather, businessman, community builder, and writer, and a proud member of the Métis nation. Growing up in the Turtle Mountains, Irvin was instantly connected to the land.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, it is déjà vu. I want to thank my colleague from Winnipeg North for his fine question, but I would have thought he was asking me that question on the years of the Harper government, which signed more trade agreements than any government in the history of Canada. He is absolutely wrong when he says that the Liberals have signed more than the Harper government did, and they still have not gotten them all implemented.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague and his Bloc cohorts for the work they did with me on that particular bill, as well as Guy Caron, the previous interim New Democratic leader who brought the same bill forward, which the Liberals killed in 2017 and tried to kill again in the 2021 session.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to stand in the House for the first time since the election to provide a speech. It has been since last fall, so I want to thank the citizens of Brandon—Souris for allowing me the privilege of representing them here in the House of Commons again.

Questions on the Order Paper  With regard to government analysis on the impact of the Bank of Canada's low inflation target on the Manitoba economy: (a) has the government done any projections on the impact of maintaining the low inflation target on Manitoba's economy, and, if so, what are the results of such projections, broken down by economic indicator; and (b) has the government done any projections on the impact of abandoning the low inflation target on Manitoba's economy, and, if so, what are the results of such projections, broken down by economic indicator?

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, I noted in my colleague's presentation today that he was talking about the inflationary value of housing over the last two decades, when Canadians are most concerned about it happening in the last three years. I just read a report this morning that it has even gone up 26.6% in the last year in many areas of Canada.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, the issue is that the government has said it will bring 40,000 Afghans who supported us in our armed forces and helped our efforts in Afghanistan, but only 10% of them are here. We do not even know where that number of 40,000 comes from or whether it covers the number of people who have to get out of the country.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I would just say to my hon. colleague from Winnipeg North that the probable reason there would be some confrontation here, if there were, and it is our view that there is not, is that there is not any information on the table. The government has had that information since last spring.