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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 7

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 30, 2021 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 7 - Nov/30/21
Mr. Jake Stewart
  • Nov/30/21 5:18:56 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, any member of the House would be against barbaric and ancient practices that are harmful to human beings. However, like any member of the House, I will be taking a good look at the bill and I will probably vote to send it to committee. I am in favour of it going to committee at this point in time. However, with respect to the word “conversion”, this is a great conversion to the reality that the Liberals are killing our energy sector. While the cost of housing went from $450,000 for the average cost of a Canadian home to now $750,000 just over the Liberals six years in government, that is the conversion we want to talk about in here.
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Mrs. Caroline Desbiens (Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix, BQ)
  • Nov/30/21 5:19:57 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I congratulate my colleague from Miramichi—Grand Lake. I heard him talk about Canada being a beacon in many areas. Well, it is certainly not a beacon for environmental protection. We in the Bloc Québécois have been looking at this issue for a long time now. We have been calling for a profound, necessary and urgent energy transition for several months, if not years. We are experiencing an unprecedented and indescribable climate crisis. What does his government want to do with oil energy? What does it want to do to improve the environment while investing in oil energy?
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Mr. Jake Stewart
  • Nov/30/21 5:20:48 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, sometimes what gets lost is how many things we use that are made from petroleum, oil and gas. I will not deny in the House that at some point in time we may be able to store enough energy to use it, but I do not think I will ever see it. I am a salmon fisherman. I was the 14-year-old kid diving off the 14-and-a-half-foot boat and digging the beer bottles out of the bottom of the Miramichi River because I loved it that much. I care about the environment and every day I think about it, but our country was built on natural resources, and we are a world-renowned leader in the development of those industries. We need to shift, yes, but it is going to be much slower than the people on the other side of the floor and the Bloc are talking about today.
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Ms. Laurel Collins (Victoria, NDP)
  • Nov/30/21 5:21:53 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I heard the member speak about the need for support for small businesses. One of the groups of small businesses that has been left out of the throne speech, but also left out of pandemic supports for the past two years, are start ups. These people poured their life savings into their businesses, only to open during a global pandemic. Could the member speak to how we desperately need to save start ups and that we support these hard-working small businesses?
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Mr. Jake Stewart
  • Nov/30/21 5:22:27 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the Conservative Party of Canada was asking for the CEBA to be reorganized so it would include supports for start-up businesses, which are often the backbone of our economies. In Miramichi—Grand Lake, start ups are one of the most important things that fuels the Miramichi city, which then funnels out into the rural communities of Blackville, Boiestown, Rogersville and the surrounding areas. The Conservative Party of Canada agrees with the member. We were asking for those supports, and we are hoping the Government of Canada will be able to open their eyes and put those supports in there.
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Mr. Frank Caputo (Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, CPC)
  • Nov/30/21 5:23:13 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, my heartfelt congratulations on your appointments. Weykt. It is a profound honour to rise in this honourable House for the first time and to be surrounded by colleagues. I look forward to what we can all get done. While at the end of the day we may agree to disagree on certain things, I look forward to working with everybody in the House for the betterment of all Canadians. My parents came to Canada in 1952 and 1957, respectively, yet their son stands before you speaking to the House for the first time. It is not something that I will soon forget. With that, to my colleagues in the House, I want to say: [Member spoke in Italian] [English] That is about all the Italian I know. First, I want to thank my wife, partner and best friend who is watching on CPAC, I hope: Odette Dempsey. I thank my children who have sacrificed so much. To the voters of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, I will do my best to earn and retain their trust. Thanks to my parents, Alba and Joe Caputo, and my sisters, Ellie Bradley and Rosie Caputo. Thanks as well to my staff who, by helping me, are helping Canadians: Stephanie Rennick, Michael Friesen, Anita Price, Brenda Thompson and Tracy Gilchrist. I hope in this speech to speak to the wonderful people in Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo communities such as Savona, Clearwater, Barriere, Forest Grove, 100 Mile House, 108 Mile Ranch, 70 Mile House, Blue River, Vavenby, Clinton and Kamloops. I would be remiss if I did not start my maiden speech with a point on reconciliation given that the thrust of our current discussions really started in my riding in May of this year. I was stunned to find out about the 215 previously undiscovered and unmarked graves. I can tell the House that I went to that monument and I wept like I had not wept before. It was with that in mind that my first phone call after the election was to Kukpi7 Casimir's office of the Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc, to recognize what had been discovered. I am committed to reconciliation, both personally and as a member of Parliament. It was with that in mind that one of my first letters was an invitation to Pope Francis to visit Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo. I will now recognize Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your appointment as well. Reconciliation was touched on in the Speech from the Throne, and really embodies two components. Moving forward with reconciliation, we are looking at righting past wrongs, but as the hon. Leader of the Opposition stated today, it is also about building economic prosperity to move forward. This is why I was so pleased to see a “by indigenous, for indigenous” component in the Conservative policy during the last election. By my count, the word “veterans” only appeared once in the Speech from the Throne. Veterans are an area of passion for me. Freedom is not free. It is the work of veterans, some of whom stand over my shoulders here, that has entitled me to speak freely in the House, to live freely, to worship freely and to think freely, so I thank those veterans. Because of their sacrifices, we can be people who agree to disagree. My love, compassion and desire for the best for veterans was really solidified and meant so much when I was named shadow minister for Veterans Affairs. This is why it was such a significant honour in that role to spend a day with people from our local legion and Anavets. I look forward to working with the hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs to lower wait times and to address issues that are germane to that portfolio. Prior to my election to the House, I was a Crown prosecutor and taught at our local law school. It is through that lens that I viewed the Speech from the Throne. On my reading, I did not see the word “victims” in the Speech from the Throne. Victims of crime are all across the country, and in my work as a prosecutor, I focused on the discrete area of Internet and sexual offences against children. It was not work that I enjoyed, but it was work that I found fulfilling. It is work that somebody has to do. I had the privilege of working with people throughout my riding on this point, and hope to table a Private Member's Bill to speak about victims and recognize the harm done to victims of sexual offences. I implore the House, when it is the right time, to change the name of child pornography to child sex abuse material. Pornography implies consenting adults choosing to perform acts. Children do not do this. Children cannot consent. We need to call it what it is, and that is child sex abuse material. I hope to have the unanimous consent of the House when I do so. Regarding those victims, I hope that we as a House and as a society can start thinking about these types of offences differently. For instance, the maximum sentence for break and enter, for robbery or taking something by force from somebody is life imprisonment, yet the maximum sentence for sexual assault of an adult is 10 years and of a child is 14 years. Stealing property by force has a higher maximum sentence than stealing somebody's sexual inviolability without consent. I will call on the House to change that. I have been repeatedly contacted by people in my riding about crime. Downtown Kamloops has seen a significant change since the Zora decision on bail. The House has not responded to that decision. I am hearing from people in my riding, particularly on Victoria Street. I have met with people from business associations and other people who are just living in the area, and they want something done about the fact that our bail provisions, in their eyes, are simply not protecting Canadians. I spoke earlier in my Standing Order 31 presentation about softwood lumber, and I call on the Liberal government to negotiate vigorously. I would have expected that a proactive, rather than a reactive, solution would have been taken so that one of our vital resources and one of our greatest elements of trade would have been protected. With that, I wish to thank the students of Thompson Rivers University where I was teaching a sentencing course with the venerable Judge Koturbash. I am sorry I cannot be with them; however, I was called to the House, which is one of the greatest honours of my life.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Lib.)
  • Nov/30/21 5:32:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member concluded with remarks about a very important issue that I concur with: the issue of trade. Trade and the economic activity it creates are overwhelmingly positive for us as a nation. We have recognized this since 2015. If members check the records, they will find that no government has signed more trade deals than this government. I take a great deal of pride in that fact because we have been out in the world, making sure that Canadian-made products have access to markets. That helps support Canada's middle class. It helps support a stronger, healthier economy. I am wondering if the member could provide his thoughts on the bigger picture of trade and how he could incorporate that in the years ahead.
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Mr. Frank Caputo
  • Nov/30/21 5:33:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I personally look at just about everything and where it is made before I purchase it. I went to great lengths to find boots that were made in Canada. On the question of trade and on the question that the hon. member asked, the Conservative government was one that brought in, I believe, over 40 trade agreements. The problem we have is that our greatest trading partner is not listening to us. A friendly trading partner, an ally, would not be doubling our tariffs six days after a meeting. I cannot imagine talking to a best friend and then six days later having a bombshell like that put on me.
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Mr. Sébastien Lemire (Abitibi—Témiscamingue, BQ)
  • Nov/30/21 5:34:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on the answer given by my Conservative colleague. What should be done under the circumstances? What is happening in the U.S. is scandalous and very worrisome. What solutions does the Conservative Party propose? After an election campaign and a throne speech as empty as the Liberals' campaign speeches, what are the Conservatives proposing?
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Mr. Frank Caputo
  • Nov/30/21 5:35:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the first thing that we need to address is our relationship with the United States. Unfortunately, we have allowed that relationship to wither away. As a Conservative, I implore our Prime Minister to immediately address this and to let President Biden know that we need the tariffs to be removed. Free trade is the best avenue.
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Ms. Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, NDP)
  • Nov/30/21 5:35:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member for his maiden speech. He spoke passionately about sexual crimes. Here in Canada, sadly, the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls' situation is not getting any better. I still recall the time when the Harper administration actually said that it was not a Canadian problem but, rather, that it is an Indian problem. Now we have the inquiry. The Liberals said that they were going to take action on the calls for justice, but very little has been done. Would the Conservatives support a full implementation of all 231 calls for justice for missing and murdered indigenous women and girls?
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Mr. Frank Caputo
  • Nov/30/21 5:36:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I had occasion to prosecute a recent offence involving a missing woman, somebody who had been missing for 19 years, so this is a matter that strikes close to my heart. I believe that justice should be sought in all circumstances when it comes to any missing and murdered indigenous woman and any missing woman, period. I will note for the benefit of this House that it was the Conservative government that started the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It is along those lines that I hope, as a member of Parliament, to work with my colleagues, so that we will see justice for all Canadians.
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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz (Davenport, Lib.)
  • Nov/30/21 5:37:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Mississauga—Malton. It is a true honour and pleasure for me to rise for my first time in this 44th Parliament to respond to the Speech from the Throne on behalf of the residents of my downtown Toronto riding of Davenport. It is the honour and privilege of my life to be serving Davenport for a third time, and I want to thank the voters in my riding for putting their trust in me once again. Before I go any further, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg people. I was very moved when I heard our Governor General read the Speech from the Throne. It is a speech that reflects the unprecedented times we have lived through over the last almost two years. It outlines the challenges and opportunities of the current moment, and it articulates a great hope for our future. Our federal government has laid out our priority areas: building a healthier society, growing a more resilient economy, taking bolder action on climate change, creating safer and more inclusive communities, moving faster on a path of reconciliation and fighting for a secure, just and equitable world. I will speak to each of these key areas, focusing on the priorities for Davenport residents. Coming off of an election just over a couple of months ago, the concerns of the residents in my riding are still fresh in my mind. Members may not know this, but 43% of Davenport residents are first generation Canadians. They were born in another country. Davenport residents understand how lucky we all are to live in Canada, which offers free access to safe and effective vaccines that fight COVID-19, including boosters. Indeed, more than 86% of eligible Canadians over 12 are fully vaccinated, and I cannot tell members how many Davenport parents are so relieved that vaccines are now available for children ages five to 11. They support the standardized Canadian proof of vaccination for domestic and international travel. They also support the mandate of vaccinations for federal and federally regulated workers, as well as the mandatory vaccines for everyone travelling within Canada by plane, train and ship. We of course are all worried about the latest variant, omicron. I am glad our government has taken a number of immediate steps to try to slow down the spread of this variant. These steps are needed until we can find more information about it and better tailor our actions. We do not know yet how fast it is spreading, but we do know that vaccines will make a big difference. While our number one priority is to finish this fight against COVID-19, the Speech from the Throne also highlights our government's commitment to improving our health care system overall. For Davenport residents, this includes more focus and a lot more resources for mental health and addictions treatment, clearing the backlog of delayed procedures and testing, and much more funding and oversight for long-term care homes. We will and must deliver on all this vital and important work. We cannot talk about spending on health care and/or the many programs and priorities we have without mentioning the need for a strong economy, one that works for all Canadians. There are a lot of positive signs in the Canadian economy as we try to move our way into the post-COVID world. Today, we heard from Statistics Canada that the third-quarter GDP growth in Canada was 5.4%, which is great. We also know that we recouped over one million jobs since the pandemic started, and that both small businesses and large corporations, who were able to pivot from the strong foundation our emergency supports provided, are working hard to adjust and adapt to a new global economic reality and to be competitive. There are two key things that are important to Davenport as it relates to a resilient economy. One is for Ontario to join the national child care plan. We need parents to be able to get back to work and contribute their best selves. This cannot happen if child care is unaffordable and if they are worried about who will take care of their children. We know that affordable, accessible, quality child care increases women's participation in the workforce and improves Canada's overall economic growth and performance. The other is ensuring that we tackle the current housing affordability crisis. This is also critical to the future economic success of our nation. The Speech from the Throne highlights our federal government's strong commitment to housing, including increasing affordable housing, ending chronic homelessness and giving Canadians hope that they can afford to live in our big cities and one day will be able to afford to buy an apartment, condo or home. No matter what else happens, Davenport residents are steadfastly and unequivocally committed to faster and bolder action on climate change. I would say this is the number one issue raised at the doors during the last election. Urgent, aggressive climate action is at the very top of the list of priorities for Davenport. In Toronto, we worry as we see the devastating impacts of climate change on the west and east coasts of our country. Climate change is happening faster than was predicted, and we are scared for our lives, for our future and for our kids' and our grandchildren's futures. Our federal government has committed $100 billion to implement a comprehensive and aggressive climate action plan, which includes over 100 measures. In six years, we have moved aggressively, but we have to go even faster, and we have to move even more aggressively. It will take the best efforts and hard work of every level of government, the private sector and of every Canadian to move to a low-carbon future and economy. There are tough times ahead, but as an eternal optimist and a believer that we can incentivize, educate and inspire each part of Canadian society to step up and do their part, I believe that we will emerge from this generational challenge a stronger and even more prosperous nation. Davenport residents are proud of Canada's aggressive climate action plan, but there are key areas where they would like to see even more action. One is eliminating fossil fuel subsidies faster, and another is moving as fast as we can on creating a just transition act for workers, making sure that no worker region is left behind in this process. We must help high-emitting sectors transition if we want our climate plan to be successful and if we truly want to achieve our net-zero target. Safer communities and a more diverse and equitable society are also important for Davenport residents. In terms of safer communities, three priorities are top of the list for Davenport. Luckily, all of them are highlighted and listed in our Speech from the Throne. The first is to tackle gun violence. This means everything from addressing the root causes of gun violence to banning handguns, to ensuring our border security has the resources it needs to keep guns from entering our country. Tackling violence against women is the second urgent priority. In the Speech from the Throne, our federal government has committed to a 10-year national action plan on gender-based violence and to continue to support organizations providing critical services. We have allocated $600 million over five years to achieve this plan and, since 2015, committed over a billion dollars to support violence prevention, create shelters for women and families, support crisis hotlines and many other steps. The third priority is the need to continue our battle to fight hate, racism and discrimination. Davenport is home to so many different cultures and religions. We have a vibrant Muslim community, a growing Jewish community, a Caribbean community that has been in Davenport for over 40 years, and multiple Asian communities. We are so blessed. Diversity is indeed our strength, and it is one of the many reasons why Davenport is such a special riding. The commitment to continue combatting hate and racism with a renewed anti-racism strategy is an important one, and it is also included in our throne speech. A final note is the importance of championing the LGBTQ2S+ community. I am proud that yesterday, our Minister of Justice reintroduced Bill C-4, a strengthened bill to ban the harmful practice of conversion therapy. Everyone in Canada should feel safe and be valued equally, no matter their background, race or religion. As my time winds down, I want to speak about the importance of reconciliation to Davenport. My constituents ask me about our government's work, and they press me to make sure we are doing everything we can and moving as fast as we must. They want us to move fast to implement all 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. They want us to move fast on implementing the recommendations of the calls for justice for missing and murdered indigenous women. They want us to eliminate every last long-term drinking water advisory in indigenous communities, and they want indigenous peoples to have control over their child and welfare services. I will end by speaking on the final section of our throne speech, which is about the role that our country plays on the world stage. As our Speech from the Throne says, “In the face of rising authoritarianism and great power competition, Canada must reinforce international peace and security, the rule of law, democracy, and respect for human rights.” Our success as a nation and our future prosperity depend on open borders, unfettered supply chains, deep partnerships and engaging in the world in a way that promotes peace, equity and prosperity for all. Canadians returned us to the House of Commons with a clear message to all Parliamentarians to work together. This Speech from the Throne presents an excellent plan and a way forward to a more equitable, compassionate and prosperous Canada.
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Mr. Marc Dalton (Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, CPC)
  • Nov/30/21 5:47:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member for Davenport on her re-election. The Liberals have spent tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure in the past number of years. They get an A for promises, but an F for actually accomplishing it. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has found very little evidence of infrastructure happening. This is especially important in B.C., where I am located. With the floods, there is an immediate need. I recognize that climate change is very important to deal with, but at the same time, we have these needs right now. Could the member comment on the lack of infrastructure being accomplished, both in B.C. and maybe in Toronto?
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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz
  • Nov/30/21 5:48:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I too worry about the pace of our infrastructure progressing in our country. We work very closely with the different levels of government, the provinces and municipalities, and often it gets caught up in some of the bureaucracies and red tape. It is something that concerns all of us. The commitment to great infrastructure investment is a solid one, a real one. We do want to move forward on these important infrastructure projects not only in B.C., but right across the country. The member is right that we have to do better in terms of getting shovels in the ground much faster.
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Ms. Kristina Michaud (Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ)
  • Nov/30/21 5:49:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. Even though the throne speech was very short, there was still a small section on safety and a mention that the government would make the buyback program for assault-style assault weapons mandatory, which I welcome. No pun intended, but the Liberal Party has switched targets. At first, it did not want to put that in the bill that it introduced in the last Parliament. However, there is another problem: the trafficking of firearms, in other words, handguns. There have been fatal shootings in Montreal. I would like to know what my colleague thinks of our proposal to create a joint task force to combat firearms trafficking at the border.
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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz
  • Nov/30/21 5:49:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, gun violence impacts us all and there are a number of steps that we need to take in order to aggressively combat gun violence in our country. It is not just a ban on handguns, it is also ensuring that there are enough resources and attacking the root causes of gun violence in our society. It is also ensuring that our border officers have enough resources and technologies to be able to prevent guns from coming into our country. It is a whole number of steps that are going to be required in order for us to address gun violence and reduce it in our country.
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Ms. Jenny Kwan (Vancouver East, NDP)
  • Nov/30/21 5:50:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member spoke about the importance of reconciliation and the need for action with regard to the TRC and the calls for justice by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, as per the constituents from her community. In the throne speech there was no mention of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's recommendations, and no mention of the calls for justice by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. On top of that, there was no mention whatsoever of the urgent need for an urban, rural and northern “for indigenous, by indigenous” national housing strategy. What action will the member take to ensure that her government and the Prime Minister undertake what her constituents want her to do here, which is to take action on the TRC's recommendations, the calls for justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and to ensure there is a “for indigenous, by indigenous” national housing strategy?
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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz
  • Nov/30/21 5:51:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, whether we mentioned it once or 10 times in the Speech from the Throne, I can assure the member, as well as everyone in the House, that implementing every single one of the 94 recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a top priority for our government, as well as implementing all of the calls for justice in the report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. We have allocated a significant amount of money to make sure that those recommendations are implemented. It is something we are all seized with and we are determined to make great progress on in this Parliament.
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Mr. Mark Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands, Lib.)
  • Nov/30/21 5:52:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I believe you would find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion. I move: That a take-note debate on the softwood lumber dispute with the United States be held on Wednesday, December 1st, 2021, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, and that, notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice of the House: (a) members rising to speak during the debate may indicate to the Chair that they will be dividing their time with another member; and (b) no quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.
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