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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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The Deputy Speaker

Nov/30/21 5:53:15 p.m.
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All members opposed to the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands moving the motion will please say nay. The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay. Hearing none, I declare the motion carried.

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Mr. Iqwinder Gaheer (Mississauga—Malton, Lib.)

Nov/30/21 5:53:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in this chamber to provide my reply to the Speech from the Throne. I would like to start off by thanking the good people of Mississauga—Malton who elected me their representative. I would like to sincerely thank my constituents, my supporters and volunteers who worked from sunrise to sunset and beyond to have me elected. I would like to especially thank my family without whom I could not take this seat in the chamber today. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to recognize the good work of the member prior, the Hon. Navdeep Bains, and thank him for his years of service. A faith in simple dreams, a quiet confidence, a profound optimism in better days to come, that we can work toward that better future without sacrificing our morals today, that is Canada. If we step away from this hallowed chamber, walk the streets others will not visit, see the faces others will ignore and speak to the individuals often left out, we can learn what our country needs and how it can move forward. If we listen, we will hear the voice of Abdul, who seeks only to bring honour to his house. He tells me that his father was persecuted for being a religious minority in their old country, that he escaped with his life to this beacon of hope we call home. Abdul’s father works on a factory line and after a long day’s work comes home, wanting to see hope and promise in his son’s eyes. His father only wishes to see his son get a good education and live a good life. Abdul is a good son, is good mannered and all we can really ask for in a young man. It is with an apparent but heartbreaking shame that Abdul told me some of his darkest thoughts, as he pulled me aside on the campaign trail. He told me that he struggled with those thoughts for years, that no one knew this and that if he shared this burden with his family and word got out, he would bring dishonour to his father's name. A silent mental health crisis exists among South Asian and ethnic communities. Mental health is deeply stigmatized in these communities. The children of immigrants face the challenges associated with straddling two different worlds. While trying to fit into a society that values individual expression, they navigate a culture at home where self-worth is determined by the validation of family and community. When seeking psychological services, they often are not understood and cultural nuances are ignored. It gives me hope that our Prime Minister understands this looming crisis. This is the first Prime Minister in our country's history who has established the role of Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. We will establish a new federal transfer to provinces and territories, the Canada mental health transfer, to help jurisdictions expand the delivery of equitable, accessible and free mental health services. We will invest an initial $4.5 billion over five years for this initiative. This funding will mean more access to psychologists, therapists, social workers, counsellors and other community supports. It will mean better care for young people like Abdul so he can go on to achieve everything he hopes for himself. If we listen, we will also hear the voice of Ghias, a recent immigrant to Canada. When I started on the campaign trail, a large part of me was worried immigrants would not connect with the plight of indigenous peoples, that they would be too focused on establishing their own lives here, buying a home, learning the language and securing themselves for future generations to come. When my family arrived in this country, that was certainly our focus. My father had left behind poverty and so much suffering. Would we be up to the task of taking on another burden? What could I expect from others when my family itself was having these questions? Ghias told me that from where he came, his language and customs were suppressed by the majority, that he was punished for speaking a different dialect and that he could not dance their traditional dance nor dress in their traditional garb. What Ghias said next was remarkable to me. Perhaps I had underestimated the immigrant spirit to take on more. Ghias told me that he sympathized with indigenous peoples and that he understood the pain. He told me that if he could enjoy the bounty this land had to offer, he was also willing to accept its darker history and work toward a better future. In the Speech from the Throne our Governor General stated: Reconciliation is not a single act, nor does it have an end date. It is a lifelong journey of healing, respect and understanding. As Canadians, we have a shared history and a common destiny. It does not matter if one came to Canada one month ago or one's ancestors came here a few hundred years ago, we must all carry the weight of this country's past. We should all desire to chart a path forward toward reconciliation, and we should make no mistake, because individuals like Ghias have a yearning to play a role in reconciliation and wish to walk the path toward reconciliation, to turn the country's guilt into action. If we listen to Canadian voices, we will hear one more voice, the voice of Sukhraj. Sukhraj was born in Canada, but his parents were immigrants. They both work in a plastics factory and are nearing the age of retirement. After a life of hard work and renting, they want to buy a home they can grow old in, a home they can watch their grandkids grow up in. As is common in many extended South Asian families, Sukhraj wants to pool his savings with his parents to afford the home and live with them. The combined income of his parents and his savings is barely enough to afford a modest home in the suburbs of Toronto. Sukhraj tells me that as time goes on, his desperation increases, and he becomes willing to place offers far surpassing the list price of the home. Time after time, he is outbid. When he finally does manage to place an offer that lands him a house he comes to see me. Teary-eyed and barely able to get out the words, he asks me to come to a corner of the campaign office and cries on my shoulder. The right to work toward a home is a right every Canadian should have. A place to call one's own should never be outside the reach of ordinary middle-class Canadians or those working hard to join the middle class. That is why this government has a plan around housing. Whether it is building more housing units per year, increasing housing or ending chronic homelessness, this government is committed to working for Canadians. Our plan is to ban foreign home ownership in our housing sector, to implement the proposed tax on non-residential, non-Canadian vacant homes, and to get together with our partners to ensure they can leverage our upcoming investments to build more housing supply as well as repair the existing stock. The housing accelerator fund will help municipalities build more and better, faster. The government will also help families buy their first home sooner with a first-time homebuyer incentive, a rent-to-own program, and by reducing the closing costs for first-time homebuyers. These policies will help people like Sukhraj buy that first home, so that when they do it is a moment of happiness and not just a moment of relief. The stories I have told, and the faces we have looked at, are not the stories of three individuals, but issues that affect all Canadians. Progress needs to be made. Progress must be made. In this chamber, we may disagree as to how to get there. As it has for more than 150 years, progress will come in bits and pieces, but if we put partisan rancour aside we can move forward. This is Canada.

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Mr. Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, CPC)

Nov/30/21 6:02:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member is new, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I do not know if he heard my question to a previous Liberal member regarding the first-time homebuyer incentive. The first-time homebuyer incentive was an election gimmick in 2019. The CMHC and the federal government said it would help 100,000 Canadians. The federal government's own numbers in February of 2021 show just over 9,000 people were helped. That is is 1.6% of the total number of homes that were sold and purchased by Canadians in 2020. Would he agree with me that this particular program, the first-time homebuyer incentive, is an election gimmick and a waste of time, that it has failed and that the federal government should move on this and adopt the Conservative housing proposals from this past federal election?

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Mr. Iqwinder Gaheer

Nov/30/21 6:03:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this government has a plan around housing. Whether it is building more housing per year, increasing the housing stock or ending chronic homelessness, this government is committed to working for Canadians. The homebuyer incentive is not an election gimmick. We have a minister of housing who will work to make it happen. That is our commitment. Whether it is the homebuyer incentive, a rent-to-own program or reducing the costs for first-time homebuyers, we will help new homebuyers buy that first home.

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Ms. Kristina Michaud (Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ)

Nov/30/21 6:04:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech. I would like to hear him talk about workers, and more specifically about the fate of those who have lost their jobs. I had an interview request this morning in my riding. There are EI applications sitting on desks at the department and not being processed. These applicants are calling members of Parliament to try to get some follow-up, because they have been without a source of income for months. They tell us that when the officials answer them, they ask them if they have done everything possible to find a job. It is quite alarming to see this kind of thing. I would like to know whether my colleague agrees with what his government's officials are saying.

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Mr. Iqwinder Gaheer

Nov/30/21 6:04:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning of the pandemic, this government has been focused on supporting Canadians from coast to coast to coast. That is why we created the Canada emergency response benefit, the Canada emergency wage subsidy benefit and the Canada emergency rent subsidy, which have helped so many in my riding of Mississauga—Malton. These benefits have helped many small businesses keep their doors open and helped the hard-working residents of Mississauga—Malton put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads and pay for necessities. Our government was there for Canadians at the start of the pandemic and will continue to support Canadians as long as it takes as we recover.

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Ms. Lisa Marie Barron (Nanaimo—Ladysmith, NDP)

Nov/30/21 6:05:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member. Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith has been providing essential services to urban indigenous people for over 50 years. Since COVID, the Tillicum Lelum staff have seen a shift in the supports required to meet the needs of community members. Their youth safe house, for example, has seen increased numbers and an increased complexity of needs, and for the young moms program, numbers have been increasing. Day after day, Tillicum Lelum staff are seeing low-income families who need and deserve affordable, safe and accessible housing. Could the member clarify to the constituents of Nanaimo—Ladysmith, including those accessing vital services from Tillicum Lelum, when the government will do what is needed to ensure everyone has a place to call home?

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