44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 15, 2021 02:00PM
- Dec/15/21 3:13:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will admit to regularly being surprised by the depths the Conservatives will stoop to—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Dec/15/21 3:13:56 p.m.
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Order, please.
I just want to remind the hon. members in the House that we are here to debate policies, not attack people.
The right hon. Prime Minister has the floor, if he wants to answer that.
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- Dec/15/21 3:14:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have to admit it is surprising to see the extent to which, even during a global pandemic and even during a time when Canadians face increased costs of living and are worried about the omicron variant, these Conservatives find new ways to stoop low on personal attacks.
Let them continue to focus on me. I can handle it. What we are going to focus on is being there for Canadians every step of the way. We will be there to support Canadians through the rising costs of living. We will be there to support them through this omicron variant. We will be there to have Canadians' backs regardless of the noise produced by the Conservative Party of Canada.
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- Dec/15/21 3:15:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this pandemic has exposed what parents in my riding of Saint John—Rothesay have long known: Without access to affordable child care, parents and mostly mothers cannot work. I am proud that earlier this week our government signed another agreement, this time with my province of New Brunswick, to provide accessible, affordable and high-quality $10-a-day child care to the people of Saint John—Rothesay.
Can the Prime Minister update the House on how $10-a-day child care will change the lives of Canadian families?
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- Dec/15/21 3:15:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the outstanding member for Saint John—Rothesay for his advocacy for families in his riding.
For Canadian families, child care is not a luxury, it is a priority. Our agreement with New Brunswick will improve child care for all children in the province no matter where they live. By 2026, fees in New Brunswick will average $10 a day, rather than the current $35 a day. We will ensure children have the best start in life, while improving access to high-quality, affordable, flexible and inclusive early learning and child care.
I will remind the Conservatives who are shouting at me right now that they moved against that in the last election, and we got it done for New Brunswickers.
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- Dec/15/21 3:16:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in this very difficult time, the Liberal government has cut the help that the most vulnerable seniors in our country rely on. We have received numerous calls from seniors across this country who are telling us they cannot afford to pay for groceries, they cannot afford to pay their rent and they are worried they are going to lose their homes; many of them already have. The response from the Liberal government is a vague promise for a one-time payment sometime in the future. That is not acceptable and that is not a solution.
When will the Prime Minister understand how serious this is and fix it?
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- Dec/15/21 3:17:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning, our government's priority has been to be there for the most vulnerable, including our seniors. That is why we worked hard to strengthen income security for seniors, including with increases to the GIS. We know seniors accessed income support because they needed it during the crisis. They should not be penalized for that now. That is why we are making a major investment through a one-time payment for seniors whose benefits have been affected. We will always be there for seniors across this country.
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- Dec/15/21 3:17:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians with disabilities are disproportionately living in poverty across the country. It does not have to be this way.
Last summer's election call put a halt to Bill C-35, which would have created a Canada disability benefit, a guaranteed basic income for Canadians with a disability. While I was glad to see the Liberals promise to move forward with this benefit in their most recent election platform, it was not in the throne speech or in yesterday's economic update.
When will the Liberals do what they said they would do? Are they willing to fast-track the design and implementation of the Canada disability benefit so our neighbours living in poverty do not have to struggle through another three years?
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- Dec/15/21 3:18:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians living with a disability face higher levels of poverty and marginalization than just about any other group in Canada. That is why we have committed to moving forward with a Canada disability benefit. We continue to work hand in hand with stakeholders and community members. We need to make sure that nothing about them happens without them. That is why we are working in partnership with them to do that. We look forward to having the member opposite's support as we move forward on that.
I will take my remaining seconds to wish to everyone a very merry Christmas, happy new year and happy holidays.
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- Dec/15/21 3:19:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
I will take this time to say that the Government of Saskatchewan and its legislature has unanimously passed a motion that I hope the House passes right now.
There have been consultations with the Minister of Justice and House leaders, and I believe you will receive the consent of the House for the following motion. I move that, notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House, the motion in my name, the member for Regina—Lewvan, listed on the Order Paper under Business of Supply, with respect to the amending of the Saskatchewan Act in the Constitution, be deemed adopted.
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- Dec/15/21 3:20:05 p.m.
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All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay.
Some hon. members: Nay.
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- Dec/15/21 3:20:38 p.m.
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- Dec/15/21 3:20:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
If you seek it again, you will find unanimous consent. I am sure the member for Winnipeg North spoke out of turn and meant to agree with the motion. He is the only one who said no.
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- Dec/15/21 3:20:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
This member knows better than that. We cannot ask for a unanimous consent motion after you have already entertained one.
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- Dec/15/21 3:21:44 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-3
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in relation to Bill C-3, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-215, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (illness, injury or quarantine).
He said: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce, in both official languages, this employment insurance bill. Canadians confronting serious illness need more than 15 weeks of sickness benefits to recover before going back to work. This bill will support Canadians while they go through the recovery process and get better.
I know I can count on members to debate this bill wisely and constructively.
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-216, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to enact the Expungement of Certain Drug-related Convictions Act and the National Strategy on Substance Use Act.
He said: Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to introduce the health-based approach to the substance use act. I would like to thank my colleague, the hon. member for Vancouver Kingsway, for seconding this proposed legislation, for his tireless advocacy for evidence-based drug policy and for this bill, which was tabled by the very same member in the 43rd Parliament.
We all know the situation is dire; over 20,000 Canadians have died of overdoses in the last five years, and in the shadow of COVID-19 the opioid overdose epidemic has rapidly worsened across Canada. Decades of criminalization, a toxic illicit street supply and a lack of timely access to harm reduction, treatment and recovery services has caused this escalating epidemic. It is time to treat substance use and addiction as the health issues they truly are, and to address stigma and trauma. This bill would provide a comprehensive approach to do just that by decriminalizing personal drug possession, providing for record expungement, ensuring low-barrier access to safe supply, and expanding access to harm reduction, treatment and recovery services.
I call on all parliamentarians to support this bill and these urgent and necessary steps to address Canada's overdose epidemic.
This bill would save lives.
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- Dec/15/21 3:25:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to present this petition signed by over 4,500 Canadians calling on Canada to act immediately to make vaccines available to the global south. They are calling on Canada to finally add COVID vaccines to the list of essential medicines not subject to patent protections, as is allowed by Canadian law. They ask that Canada allow Bolivia to complete its purchase of COVID generic vaccines from Biolyse, a pharmaceutical manufacturer based in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Forty-five hundred Canadians have a clear message to the send to the government today. They want their government to put people's lives ahead of the profits of big pharmaceutical companies. Canada needs to drop the facade on the world stage and find ways to produce vaccines for the world in our own country.
This petition was signed by 4,500 Canadians. Like all members of the House, they are sick and tired of living with this pandemic.
If Canada does not do its part to vaccinate the rest of the world, the cycle of virus variants and mutations will never end. The government must be there for the rest of the world and do everything it can to fight the virus. That means using the tools at its disposal and authorizing vaccine production for export to developing countries. We must act now.
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- Dec/15/21 3:27:12 p.m.
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I want to remind the hon. members that presenting a petition should be very succinct. It is not getting into a debate in the House.
The hon. member for Kings—Hants.
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- Dec/15/21 3:27:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of constituents in my riding who are petitioning the government to introduce just transition legislation. They note in the petition that they are looking for a 60% reduction in emissions below 2005 levels to wind down the fossil fuel industry and bring an end to fossil fuel subsidies; to create new public economic institutions to expand public ownership of utilities; to legislate protection of workers, indigenous rights, sovereignty and knowledge; and also to expand the social safety net and new income supports in lieu of a transition to a low-carbon economy. I am happy to present this on behalf of constituents in my riding.
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