44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 4, 2022 10:00AM
- Feb/4/22 12:04:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to answer the hon. member's question. He is right to point out that businesses need access to workers and they need access to them quickly. I would respond by pointing to the fact that last year we welcomed the greatest number of permanent residents, including those under economic migration streams, in Canada's history.
Just this Monday, I also had the opportunity to make an announcement that included $85 million to reduce processing times, with a specific focus on work permits.
To respond to the member's question about whether I had the opportunity to meet with the minister responsible for ESDC, we will be chatting this afternoon, as we often do, to work on programs that will get workers into Canadian businesses more quickly, because we know the economy can flourish if we give it the opportunity to gain access to the labour that it needs.
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- Feb/4/22 12:05:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on January 28, it was reported that Rideau Hall paid out $277,592 in confidential settlements, as well as running up legal bills of nearly $170,000 in the same year. Former governor general Julie Payette had resigned for presiding over a “toxic workplace”.
How much more hush money has been paid to those who endured the intolerable workplace at Rideau Hall and, specifically, when was the Prime Minister made aware of it?
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- Feb/4/22 12:05:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would advise my colleague, first of all, that all questions pertaining to legal matters of the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General are best directed to that office.
However, I also want to advise the House that our government remains firmly committed to every Canadian having a safe and healthy workplace, and the Prime Minister has made a commitment to provide such a workplace to Canada's public service. We welcome Her Excellency the Right Hon. Mary Simon's commitment to foster a positive environment at Rideau Hall as she and her staff continue to undertake important work in the service of all Canadians.
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- Feb/4/22 12:06:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week marks the 26th anniversary of the designation of the month of February as Black History Month thanks to a motion moved by the Hon. Jean Augustine in this Parliament. This is a month to celebrate, remember and recognize the many contributions made by Black Canadians and their accomplishments.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion (Diversity and Inclusion) please update us on how the government will be supporting Black History Month?
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- Feb/4/22 12:07:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this year the theme for Black History Month is “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day”.
Our government supports Black Canadians through investments in a number of areas, including building capacity in Black communities, supporting young Black Canadians, providing culturally focused mental health programs, and supporting entrepreneurship and anti-racism strategies.
During Black History Month, I invite everyone to join us in celebrating and recognizing the many contributions Black Canadians have made to our Canada.
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- Feb/4/22 12:07:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the pandemic has impacted transportation. Canadian communities are facing damaging cuts to public transit that impact thousands of seniors, workers and students who rely on it every day. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities are calling on the federal government to invest urgent funds to keep public transit running for people and to address the climate crisis. Last November, the NDP made the same call, and we have not yet heard back.
When will the Liberals act to ensure our public transit remains viable for the people who rely on it?
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- Feb/4/22 12:08:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that many Canadians, including those living in remote areas and indigenous people, depend on public transit for transportation. The minister sent a letter to my provincial counterparts earlier this year and the federal government is ready to support provinces where public transit is concerned.
I understand that the importance of this service for Canadians is top of mind. We will continue to advocate for them and work with provincial and industry partners to find a solution.
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- Feb/4/22 12:09:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
There have been discussions among the parties and, if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion:
That a take-note debate on the opioid crisis in Canada, be held on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, and that, notwithstanding any standing order, special 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; (b) the time provided for the debate be extended beyond four hours, as needed, to include a minimum of 12 periods of 20 minutes each; and (c) no quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.
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- Feb/4/22 12:10:00 p.m.
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All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion please say nay.
It is agreed.
The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion, please say nay.
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- Feb/4/22 12:10:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. The first report is entitled “Safe Haven in Canada: Special Immigration and Refugee Measures are Urgently Needed for the People of Hong Kong”. The second report is entitled “Immigration in the time of COVID-19: Issues and Challenges”.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to each of these two reports.
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- Feb/4/22 12:11:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 107(3), I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Liaison Committee, entitled “Committee Activities and Expenditures: April 1, 2021 - August 15, 2021”.
This report highlights the work and accomplishments of each committee, as well as detailing the budgets that fund the activities approved by the committee.
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-230, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (intimidation of health care professionals).
She said: Mr. Speaker, over the past two years, we have seen just how important our health care system is and how critical the medical professionals who work in that system are to Canadians. We need to create a work environment for medical professionals that protects them, supports them and encourages them to continue in the critical work they do.
I rise today to introduce a private member's bill entitled the “Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act”. Medical professionals are facing increasing pressure to participate in assisted suicide, and this is causing many to question their ability to work here in Canada.
The bill proposes an amendment to the Criminal Code that would protect medical professionals from intimidation or coercion to participate in medically assisted suicide, in the same way that workers are protected from intimidation or coercion if they want to form or be part of a union.
I encourage all my colleagues to support this bill's speedy passage and thereby demonstrate their deep commitment both to our amazing medical professionals and to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-231, An Act to amend the Competition Act (vehicle repair).
He said: Mr. Speaker, I am proud to present a bill I think all members of Parliament will support, similar to what has happened in the past. I thank the member for Timmins—James Bay for his help on this issue for the last number of years.
This bill would do three major things. The first is that it would amend the Competition Act to authorize the Competition Tribunal to make an order requiring vehicle manufacturers to provide independent repair shops access to diagnostic and repair information and to service parts on the same terms and manner as the manufacturers make that information and those parts available to their own authorized repair providers.
Second, it would update the voluntary agreement that is still in place since 2009 in my original legislation to include the rights of digital software that will cover future innovations and technologies as we move to zero-emission vehicle standards in electric vehicles.
Lastly, and most importantly, it would ensure consumers have the right to choose where they get their vehicles fixed, help the environment by making sure vehicles with emissions are stronger and also cleaner, and be good for public safety as vehicles on the road would be repaired, in order and in the best condition possible.
I look forward to this legislation hopefully having the same fate as my previous attempt, which resulted in Parliament acting on this important issue.
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- Feb/4/22 12:16:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations and I hope that, if you seek it, you will find consent for the following motion. I move:
That the House express its gratitude to all parliamentary staff who continue to do the indispensable work needed for Parliament to function efficiently and safely through these difficult circumstances.
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- Feb/4/22 12:16:39 p.m.
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All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay.
Hearing no dissenting voice, it is agreed.
The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say no.
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- Feb/4/22 12:17:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.
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- Feb/4/22 12:17:31 p.m.
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Is that agreed?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
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- Feb/4/22 12:17:57 p.m.
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We did have a few moments for questions and comments for the member for Chatham-Kent—Leamington, but I see we are moving on from that.
The hon. member for Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner.
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- Feb/4/22 12:17:57 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-8
Mr. Speaker, before I begin today, I just want to take a moment to thank our former leader, the member for Durham. He worked hard for the Conservative caucus and for the country. He served in the military, and as an MP in cabinet and opposition leader. I thank him for his service and dedication to our party and country, and I thank Rebecca and his family for their sacrifices.
I am pleased to rise today to speak on Bill C-8.
Expectations were high after the unnecessary election that cost taxpayers over $600 million, which was called during a pandemic in an attempt by the Prime Minister and his government to further their own self-interests. However, the results were clear. Canadians, 67% to be exact, voted against giving the Liberals more power and overwhelmingly against the corruption scandals and overreach by the Liberals by a 2:1 margin.
What have we seen since the election? The Prime Minister took a vacation during the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. He delayed the return of Parliament by 60 days and he broke his promise to deliver action in the first 100 days. Instead of rebuilding the country at a time of crisis, the Prime Minister has repeatedly alienated western and rural Canadians. He has played the worst kind of divisive politics and attempted to label those who disagree with him as being hateful. No responsible person, let alone the leader of our country, should ever throw around words like “misogynist” or “racist” so casually and recklessly.
No one knows how easily the Liberals will sacrifice good, hard-working people than Albertans. Almost every year, the Liberals have squeezed more and more of Alberta's jobs out of the province. They then killed four pipelines with their no more pipelines act. They have ignored the cries of indigenous communities who rely on resource development agreements. They have created political problems with key trading partners that hurt farmers in the west and have sought to fight Alberta's provincial government at their return. The irony is that their drive is to make a green, clean energy grid, but the likelihood is of that is delayed, even by a decade or more, as many energy companies who invested heavily in renewable energy and new technologies left the country or simply pushed their investments to another location.
While providing some money in the economic and fiscal update for COVID testing, for business loans and school ventilation was good, the update was silent on the top demand from provinces for the last two years. They needed new funding for health care. The pandemic has strained health care workers, hospitals and the overall system to the point of near breaking, with thousands if not tens of thousands of delayed surgeries and procedures. There is no doubt that there will be many more preventative measures that have been missed and undetected illnesses that will demand emergency action instead of early intervention. All of that will drive up health care costs, with health care costs all but guaranteed to increase.
Provinces are on even more shaky financial ground. For example, Newfoundland has already had a bailout of sorts while other provinces could even be headed towards economic crisis after the debt piled on during the pandemic. With the excessive spending before and during the pandemic, the federal government is not well positioned to help. According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, one-third, or about $177 billion, of pandemic spending was unrelated to the pandemic response plan, which is about six years of military spending, six years of health care in Alberta or more than double provincial and territorial transfers.
I come from a riding with a large rural economy where farmers have endured extreme hardships from a severe drought and the impacts of the pandemic. Our agricultural sector is critical to our trade, our international relations, our domestic economy and our rural economy for that matter.
Farmers and rural Canada were ignored in the throne speech, and we do not know why. For the last five years, they have paid enormous carbon tax bills, some in the tens of thousands of dollars. Their costs have been driven up, and the costs of food products in Canada are continuing to rise.
These costs hurt farmers who cannot compete with America or other countries in costs. The prices hurt Canadian food manufacturers who want to use Canadian farm products, but they also have to do with the high cost of buying from U.S. competitors. They hurt small business owners who face higher downstream costs, as well as continually higher costs from employment taxes, the GST, etc. Who do they pass those costs on to? It is to consumers: to families, with higher grocery bills.
The government made a promise to improve, and to help farmers and everyone who consumes Canadian farm products. Conservatives provided a clear policy option in Bill C-208 that would have eliminated carbon taxes for on-farm activities. That exemption would not have required new administration costs. It would not have increased costs for businesses to track and calculate those expenses.
The Minister of Finance, who is from downtown Toronto, had a better idea. Instead of a simple solution that was easy to understand, practical to implement and would cut costs, she would create a complex tax regulation that could change on a political whim. It would not reduce costs at all and would ultimately keep prices higher for consumers, while providing little to no relief for farmers.
According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, instead of tens of thousands of dollars less in taxes, farmers will get a rebate of between $1.47 and $1.73 per $1,000 spent on eligible farm activities. The generosity of the government to the farming community is amazing. Who determined those eligible farming activities? It was the government. What is eligible? We do not know. It is entirely up to the minister and the government.
There are many serious issues facing Canada right now that need immediate action. We have a drug addiction crisis. We have a violent crime and criminal gang shooting crisis. Canada is increasingly alienated by our allies, while facing greater global pressures and hostility. Our military is lacking key trades, trained personnel and equipment, and plans to meet its increased mandate.
Inflation is quickly eating away at working-class and lower-income Canadians. Anger, resentment and division are increasing at an alarming rate across the country, spurred on by the indifference and rhetoric from even our Prime Minister. Small businesses are struggling to hang on, and are unable to find workers. Canadian shelves are emptier and have fewer options than ever before. Worker losses and capacities increase and decrease the supply of goods.
Private-sector investment has dropped massively since 2015 and has hit records lows, suggesting Canada could face significant competitive challenges in the years ahead. Our consumer energy prices are among the highest in developed countries, and our housing prices are some of the top in the world.
We need better from the government. We need the government to swallow its pride and stop slapping band-aid solutions onto its broken policies in an attempt to address the problem. Crime is up, and the witch hunt on law-abiding firearms owners, while ignoring gangs and gun smuggling, needs to end before we can actually address crime. Inflation is up, due in large part to unchecked, uncontrolled and wasteful spending by the Liberals. We need a plan to get back to balance and to manage spending properly.
If we fix the policies that created these issues, we can begin to solve the problem. However, without acknowledging their mistakes and their failures, the Liberals will never be able to govern Canada to better days. They will be forever stuck trying to distract Canadians with social media campaigns, hashtags and undelivered commitments.
Better is possible. The people of my riding, and all Canadians, deserve to be heard and respected by their government. They deserve a clear economic recovery plan for their communities and our country. They deserve a plan to manage inflation, reduce crime, reduce everyday costs and deal with our national security. Canadians should not have to wait the better part of a decade for that to happen.
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- Feb/4/22 12:27:51 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-8
Mr. Speaker, I followed my colleague's speech with interest. I have some questions for him. I heard him repeatedly say that we should spend less and do more. I also heard him say we should spend more, and in other cases do less. It was a meandering speech, one that did not really settle on any solutions except to urge the government to do more. The policies we have put forth over the last couple of years have saved innumerable lives and innumerable businesses. They have ensured that people can go back to work.
What are the savings the member is looking for? Where are we supposed to cut costs? Which program would he have cut in order to find austerity and a solution that, frankly, does not exist right now?
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