44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 17, 2022 10:00AM
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the House began debate on second reading of the online streaming act.
During the debate, certain opposition colleagues raised interesting questions, even though others practised their leadership race speeches.
Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us what Bill C-11 proposes to do?
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her absolutely outstanding work and her truly excellent question.
The objective of the bill is to ensure that broadcasting companies continue to invest in Canadian culture, in our culture. That is all. In real terms, that means more Canadian artists, more Canadian movies, shows and music. With this bill, we are laying a foundation and building the next generations of Canadian creators, the next Weeknd, the next Denis Villeneuve, the next District 31. We introduced this bill because we are proud of our culture, proud of who we are and proud of our identity.
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- Feb/17/22 3:05:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' made-in-Canada housing crisis has gotten out of control. It is the same situation across the country, including in my community of York—Simcoe.
Working Canadians have been priced out of the housing market with no hope in sight. Home builders are stopping the construction of new homes. Liberal inflation has caused prices for materials to skyrocket. There is no way for builders to know the fair market value of a home that would not be ready for at least two years.
Why is the Liberal government making it even harder for Canadians to own a home?
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- Feb/17/22 3:06:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are not really serious about housing affordability because every single time we have brought a measure here to enable Canadians to be able to afford a home, they have voted against it, including the first-time homebuyers incentive and all the measures that we have brought in. They even voted against imposing a vacancy tax on foreign-owned non-resident properties.
The Conservatives are not serious. They are full of rhetoric, and Canadians see through them. We will take additional measures to improve the first-time homebuyers incentive and turn more Canadian renters into homeowners. Let us see if they vote against that.
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- Feb/17/22 3:07:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, $400 billion in newly created cash has driven up consumer prices, and constituents in my riding, especially seniors, cannot afford their basic necessities. In addition to rising consumer prices, electricity and heating bills are increasing due to the carbon tax, which will increase again on April 1.
When will the Liberal government finally quit making false promises and create a real economic plan for all Canadians, especially those who are struggling to meet their basic needs?
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- Feb/17/22 3:07:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservative MP began his question talking about government spending, which he seems to deem excessive.
I would like to remind him that he, together with every single Conservative member, actually ran on an election platform proposing higher spending in 2021-22 than the Liberals did. They proposed a $168-billion deficit. We proposed a $156-billion deficit.
Could the party of flip-flops tell Canadians what they stand for today?
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- Feb/17/22 3:08:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with more than 1.3 million unemployed Canadians, 200,000 jobs were lost in January alone. At the same time, our businesses are struggling to fill almost one million jobs. Canada's economic recovery is in jeopardy. Canada has the fifth-worst job recovery in the G7.
Hard-working people of Brantford—Brant are asking this: When will the Prime Minister stop putting his ideological agenda above prudent economic decisions?
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- Feb/17/22 3:08:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is a bit rich to hear the Conservatives talk about their support for Canadian workers and Canadian jobs. Let me just point out one moment of abject Conservative failure. It was before Christmas when we knew omicron was coming and we knew Canadian workers and businesses needed support, but the Conservatives voted against that measure.
When it comes to jobs, Canada recovered 101% of the jobs lost to COVID. In the U.S., it is just 87%.
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Mr. Speaker, some working low-income seniors in this country have had a challenging time making ends meet during this pandemic, which is why they turned to what most Canadians did, the CERB and other pandemic benefits. While we are going to be supporting people who suffered drops in their GIS and allowance compensation payments, the Minister of Seniors' mandate letter also called on us to look forward. It called on us to assure seniors that we have their backs even more.
Can the minister tell this House how she has done that?
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for London West for her advocacy for seniors in her riding.
The member is right. We committed to ensuring seniors' eligibility for the GIS and allowances would not be impacted by receiving pandemic benefits. The House yesterday unanimously passed Bill C-12. I want to take this opportunity to thank every member in the House for making that happen. I look forward to seeing it make its way through the other place. It is clear for seniors with the greatest needs that we will always have their backs.
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- Feb/17/22 3:10:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 1.5 million Ukrainians have been displaced from their homes since Russia invaded in 2014. Now, as Russia amasses troops and armaments and threatens further invasion, the Ukrainian people need Canada more than ever. There is a looming humanitarian disaster in Ukraine, and thousands of Ukrainians are seeking refuge in Canada.
We saw this government fail to protect Afghans. We cannot let this happen again. Will the minister uphold Canada's responsibility to Ukrainians? Will the minister ensure humanitarian aid and better support for those Ukrainians who are fleeing violence?
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- Feb/17/22 3:11:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is no situation that we are more seized with right now than Ukraine, our solidarity with the Ukrainian government and the people of Ukraine. We have also been very clear that we are standing with Canadian citizens who are in Ukraine regarding any possible humanitarian crisis that could extend following a possible incursion.
Right now, however, our mission is to de-escalate Russia's total disrespect for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We will stand with the people of Ukraine, whether it is militarily, through humanitarian assistance or by helping every Ukrainian who is in trouble.
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- Feb/17/22 3:12:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I recently met with representatives from the Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities, which represents over a quarter of a million students from U15 universities that annually conduct $8.5 billion of research and contribute more than $36 billion to our economy. Like most students I meet with in Spadina—Fort York, there is a shared concern: crippling student debt. The average lifetime interest on a Canada student loan is $3,000. Due to the pandemic, the government waived the interest for two years. More must be done.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion inform the House when the government will permanently eliminate interest on Canada student loans?
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- Feb/17/22 3:13:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, young Canadians and students must be at the centre of our recovery, and we are proud that our response during the pandemic was one of the largest youth support packages in the world. During the pandemic, our government waived the interest on Canada student loans and Canada apprentice loans for two years, because we knew young people were among the hardest hit by job losses. That is why we are committed to permanently eliminating the federal interest on CSL and Canada apprentice loans, supporting over one million students.
We are also committed to increasing the repayment assistance threshold to $50,000 for Canada student loan borrowers. We will continue to be there to help Canadians transition into the workforce.
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- Feb/17/22 3:13:43 p.m.
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I am afraid that is all time we have for today. I know this week has been very difficult, very emotional and very heated, and I want to thank members for today because it was very nice to see everyone being respectful.
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- Feb/17/22 3:14:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the member for Northwest Territories, but I have even greater respect for our employees, the interpreters. Today, the Board of Internal Economy ruled on the issue of members who speak in the House without using a microphone that is appropriate for the interpreters. We know that injuries are occurring when members, either in committee or in the House, are not equipped with a good microphone.
We are prohibited from speaking when naked. Similarly, we should not ask a question without using equipment that protects our employees, the interpreters.
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- Feb/17/22 3:15:05 p.m.
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The hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby is absolutely right. When members rise to speak in the House or from their homes, they must use the equipment approved by the House.
The member for Northwest Territories worked with our technicians to get a microphone that works for him. It is important to give members who are not wearing a headset some consideration and hope that they have worked with our technicians to ensure that their microphone is working, which is what the member for Northwest Territories did. If the interpretation is not working or if there are any sound issues, that is something to be dealt with immediately.
I do not know if we need to release the name of everyone who has worked with our technicians. All members who speak virtually must ensure that the equipment they use is approved by the House.
The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.
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- Feb/17/22 3:16:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations among the parties, and I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: Whereas there is an urgent humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, that this House call on the government to proceed with due diligence for the Canadian non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan and assure them that they will not be prosecuted even though a terrorist organization is leading the Afghan government, and that the NGOs' operations will not jeopardize their charitable status, and to allow the humanitarian and civil society organizations to conduct their co-operative and humanitarian assistance work in the areas most at risk.
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- Feb/17/22 3:17:05 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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- Feb/17/22 3:17:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague from the NDP rose on a point of order, and we are certainly sympathetic to the member for Yukon. However, the easiest way we can resolve the situation with interpreters is to get back to normal Parliament so that we are all here.
The debate we are having in this place, whether we agree or not with the invocation of the Emergencies Act, is probably and arguably one of the most important debates we are going to have in a generation, or at least my generation. As the eyes of the nation are upon us, I ask the government House leader what the business of the House will be.
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