44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 13, 2021 11:00AM
- Dec/13/21 2:48:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, thousands of migrants are fleeing persecution and seeking refuge in Canada. They are not illegal, just desperate.
The Liberals decided to help a Liberal Party donor make money at these people's expense. Rather than resolving the situation, the Liberals are writing cheques to a friend to lease land near Roxham Road to house asylum seekers. However, all the Liberals had to do was withdraw from the safe third country agreement with the United States, and the problem would be solved.
Why would the Liberals rather give gifts to their friends than help the most vulnerable?
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- Dec/13/21 2:49:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, transparency and accountability are critically important to our government. The rental agreement was negotiated based on fair market value to arrive at a competitive price. Given the location of the hotel and its proximity to the border, this was an ideal location for CBSA to use for this purpose. Our government is delivering open, fair and transparent procurement processes, while obtaining the best value for Canadians.
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- Dec/13/21 2:50:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know the importance of child care to helping reduce costs for families, to help supports parents getting back to the workplace, and to support jobs and opportunities.
Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development provide the House with an update on the work that our government is doing to establish programs across the country, particularly in light of today's good news?
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- Dec/13/21 2:50:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today, we announced that the ninth province and territory, New Brunswick, signed onto the Canada-wide early learning and child care agreement.
This is fantastic news for families in New Brunswick who are going to see a 50% reduction in fees within the first year and getting to $10 a day by year five. We are going to increase the number of spaces by 3,400. Unlike the members opposite, we know child care is good for families, it is good for kids and it—
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- Dec/13/21 2:51:07 p.m.
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The hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.
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- Dec/13/21 2:51:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister says he does not think about public finances, we know he is telling the truth. He just renewed a five-year contract with a Liberal friend to lease land near Roxham Road without a call for tenders.
Will the Prime Minister show some transparency and tell us how much taxpayers will have to pay for that five-year contract?
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- Dec/13/21 2:51:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will repeat what I told the Bloc Québécois.
The lease was signed at fair market value, and if we are talking about partisanship, then it is important to point out that the same donor made donations to the Conservative Party for eight years.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Dec/13/21 2:51:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I was expecting that answer from the minister. I would respond that since 2015, he has been donating to the Liberal Party.
What we are seeing right now is that the contract, the kickback, is very high.
We would like to know why we are maintaining a five-year contract for the land on Roxham Road.
Does the government intend to let the Roxham Road problem go on indefinitely?
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- Dec/13/21 2:52:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if he is thinking of kickbacks, does my colleague have something on his conscience? If he does, perhaps he should answer for what he himself did for eight years.
The government signed the lease at fair market value.
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- Dec/13/21 2:52:36 p.m.
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Before we continue, I will remind the members that parliamentary language must be used in the House. We must respect each other, but we also need to remember that we should not cast stones if we live in glass houses.
The hon. member for Elgin—Middlesex—London.
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- Dec/13/21 2:52:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's youth are in the middle of a mental health crisis. Fewer than half of youth survey respondents now report excellent or very good mental health. That is down 20% from pre-pandemic days. Increased substance use and heightened anxiety are on the rise for youth struggling with their mental health. We need to reverse this trend.
What concrete steps is the government taking to uplift our youth and put them back on track for success?
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- Dec/13/21 2:53:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think that the Integrated Youth Services is probably the furthest along in our quest for national standards on mental health and wraparound services that wrap around each young person with their unique needs. I am very excited for places like Foundry in British Columbia. These are excellent programs, and I look forward to working with the member and all members of this House to make sure that all young people are able to get the services they need.
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- Dec/13/21 2:54:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is a national crisis. Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of a unanimous House of Commons motion to take “immediate action” on an easy-to-remember, 24-7 three-digit suicide prevention hotline: 988. Since that unanimous vote, 4,000 Canadian lives have been lost to suicide. In their darkest, most desperate moment, Canadians should not have to do a Google search to find help that would save their lives.
By what date will Canada finally have an operational three-digit 988 suicide prevention hotline?
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- Dec/13/21 2:54:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his ongoing advocacy for mental health. The three-digit number will be a very important asset as we go forward. It is, as members know, being reviewed by the CRTC, but we need to make sure that when people call that number, it is hooked up to the most appropriate services. We are also going to change the idea of mental health first responders to make sure this is not responded to by a wellness check with disastrous consequences.
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- Dec/13/21 2:55:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, experts expect food prices to rise by 7%. Meanwhile, Ottawa wants to cut back the guaranteed income supplement for 183,000 senior workers, many of them among the poorest seniors who received the Canada emergency response benefit. Grocery bills will be going way up, yet the government is clawing back an average of $3,500.
In committee on Thursday, the Minister of Finance confirmed that she was actively seeking a solution and would have more to say in a few days. That takes us to tomorrow's economic update.
Will the Minister of Finance be announcing a solution in the update?
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- Dec/13/21 2:56:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know things have not been easy for seniors throughout the pandemic, but we have been there for them. We have delivered up to $1,500 directly to the most vulnerable seniors. We increased old age security, and we will increase the guaranteed income supplement by $500 per year. The government acted rapidly for people with emergency benefits like the Canada emergency response benefit.
We know some of our more vulnerable seniors have been affected, and we are working on solutions. We have always been there for our seniors, and we will always be there for them.
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- Dec/13/21 2:56:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the cost of groceries has increased 7%, but the income of seniors under the age of 75 has not increased at all because the government is denying them the old age security pension increase they deserve. This basically forces seniors, whose health is often fragile, to cut back on the food they buy. I know that the finance minister understands perfectly well that freezing the pension of those under the age of 75 when prices are skyrocketing impoverishes them.
Given that reality, why is the government so determined to have two classes of seniors?
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- Dec/13/21 2:57:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have always been there for seniors. I am happy to talk about our record. One of the first things we did was restore the age of eligibility for OAS and GIS to 65 from 67. We have enhanced the CPP. We have raised the GIS for single seniors. We have invested billions of dollars in home care. We have invested in building 7,000 new affordable housing units for seniors. On this side of the House, we are always going to support seniors.
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- Dec/13/21 2:57:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, fish have tails and oceans have currents, but the government does not seem to know that. The latest move by the government sees it virtue signalling again, and pushing that we cover 50% of our oceans with marine protected areas by 2050, when this Prime Minister will be drawing CPP.
Will the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans stand with coastal communities and stop threatening their livelihood to earn from the sea with these top-down Ottawa MPA targets, yes or no?
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- Dec/13/21 2:58:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, fishers and fisher communities are very important to our government, as is conservation of the oceans. That is what marine protected areas are about.
We are working with communities, and indigenous communities, to develop marine protected areas. They will be the nursery area for restoring fish and having an abundance of fish that will serve our fishing communities for generations to come.
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