Emergency Preparedness Mr. Speaker, last summer's wildfires devastated communities across Canada. The Minister of Emergency Preparedness has admitted that the upcoming wildfire season will be even worse. Canadians want their government to take decisive action. According to last week's Abacus poll, 74%
February 29th, 2024House debate
Agriculture and Agri-Food Madam Speaker, preliminary estimates of the direct economic impact on the wine industry in the Okanagan Valley from last month's freeze are on the order of $450 million in one valley. That does not take into account the indirect impact on the tourism sector: motels, hotels, resta
February 27th, 2024House debate
Agriculture and Agri-Food Madam Speaker, I asked in question period a couple of weeks ago about the catastrophic damage that was suffered by the wine and soft fruit sectors in the southern interior of British Columbia in the middle of January. As I have said before in this place, that region and in partic
February 27th, 2024House debate
Committees of the House Mr. Speaker, as my colleague across the way mentioned, this is a global situation where the vast majority of scientific research is now published in English. It has become the lingua franca of science in the world. There is very little we can do about that trend in Canada. Howeve
February 9th, 2024House debate
Committees of the House Mr. Speaker, I want to compliment my hon. colleague on his work in our science and research committee. He is a very strong advocate for research. He and I have been pressing the Liberal government to provide more sufficient support, especially for graduate students. That is not w
February 9th, 2024House debate
Agriculture and Agri-Food Mr. Speaker, everybody knows that my riding makes the best wine in Canada but January's extreme cold snap caused widespread damage to grape and fruit crops for the second year in a row. Some grape growers have experienced 100% loss of their vines. On top of that, smoke taint fro
February 9th, 2024House debate
Teck Resources Mr. Speaker, the federal government has recently announced plans for several major electric vehicle battery plants backed by billions of dollars in investments. Canada has the critical minerals, cobalt, nickel, lithium, to make these batteries, but a big link in future supply cha
February 9th, 2024House debate
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Mr. Speaker, I saw that tweet from Elon Musk, and I would disagree with him in saying that it is not the only thing we need, but it is the first thing we need. It is the easiest, cheapest way to bring down our emissions and help solve the climate crisis. We will need to do everyt
February 5th, 2024House debate
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Mr. Speaker, I would simply say that Ukraine is looking to the world for support in its struggle against Russia. It is looking to the world for fighting the war now and rebuilding later. What is noticed around the world is when countries have divisions within their parliaments an
February 5th, 2024House debate
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Mr. Speaker, I would simply say that I would rather we have a culture in this place where Parliament is asked about free trade agreements and negotiations before they happen, which is what I mentioned in my speech about the minister telling us here in Parliament when her team is
February 5th, 2024House debate
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Mr. Speaker, there is a lot in that question. I would first say that there is nothing in this free trade agreement that forces a carbon tax or carbon pricing on Ukraine. Ukraine already has that. However, there is a statement in the agreement that says that nothing in this agree
February 5th, 2024House debate
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Mr. Speaker, free trade agreements, or fair trade agreements as we like to promote them in the NDP, are beneficial to both parties. They have to be, or nobody would sign them. The reason Ukraine would like us to sign this bill, as the ambassador put it when she was before the int
February 5th, 2024House debate
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise here today to speak to Bill C-57, the new Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. I have already spoken at length about the bill, but I would like to speak once again, more briefly, about some of the highlights so far. First, I would like to mention
February 5th, 2024House debate
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague across the way for a very good speech that called out the quite inexplicable opposition that the Conservatives have to this bill. The Conservatives talk about hearing only what we want to hear, but they are not hearing the Presid
February 5th, 2024House debate
Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, 2023 Madam Speaker, I would agree with some of the other questioners about this false narrative that the mention of carbon pricing in this free trade agreement has anything to do with forcing Ukraine to put a price on carbon, because Ukraine already has a price on carbon. It has had o
February 5th, 2024House debate