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House Hansard - 57

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
April 25, 2022 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 57 - Apr/25/22
Mr. Stéphane Lauzon (Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, Lib.)
  • Apr/25/22 2:13:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to a great man who recently left us, our national hero, Guy Lafleur. Guy Lafleur was born in Thurso, in my riding of Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation. The blond demon was always eager to get involved in the community. On the ice, his style was like none other. His speed, his skill, his explosiveness, his lightning-fast shots and his goal-scoring prowess were incredible and the stuff of dreams throughout my youth. I have only good memories of playing at the Thurso arena, where Guy played in his youth. Legend has it that, as a child, he loved hockey so much that he slept in his gear so that he could hit the ice the minute he woke up. He would sneak into the arena to go play his favourite sport before everyone else. On behalf of all Canadians and on behalf of everyone who, like me, was influenced by this childhood hero, we extend our deepest condolences to Guy Lafleur's family, friends and many fans. My thoughts are with all those who are mourning this great loss in Quebec, across Canada and around the world. Guy Lafleur, our very own number 10, will be missed.
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Mr. Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay, NDP)
  • Apr/25/22 2:14:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to two great Canadian athletes: Mike Bossy and Guy Lafleur. Every time they hit the ice, it made us feel that we were not watching a game, and that there was something magical and mystical about hockey. I remember, when I was a kid on the schoolyard, we would conjure the names of the great ones to try to gather their spirits. We would shout out their names, like Cournoyer, Savard, Keon or Mahovlich, but anyone who got to be Bossy or Lafleur was someone special. In my 20s, I fell in love with the young Edmonton Oilers and, God, I hated the Islanders. They were like this impenetrable wall. I hated them, but I could not help but admire Mike Bossy. Regarding Guy Lafleur, I have to say as a lifelong Leafs fan, every time Montreal beat Toronto, it was okay as long as Guy Lafleur was on the ice. In some ways, hockey and sports have become the domain of the super rich and sometimes seem megalomaniacal, but these two showed us that at the heart of the game was something very special: something that any kid could aspire to. They are with the angels today. I thank Guy Lafleur and Mike Bossy.
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Mr. Alain Therrien (La Prairie, BQ)
  • Apr/25/22 2:16:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I once had the opportunity to play with Guy Lafleur during one of his many legends tours. Guy Lafleur, the blond demon; Guy Lafleur, number 10; our Guy Lafleur, the last of the Mohicans, as I used to say to him. He was the most extraordinary yet down-to-earth guy. He was the kind of person who did not think he was anything special. He thought he was just like the rest of us, when he had every reason to have a huge ego. Pierre Foglia described Guy Lafleur as the greatest guy and the least screwed up by fame. That is what defines our heroes in Quebec. People like Maurice Richard, Jean Béliveau and Guy Lafleur are all humble guys that everyone can identify with. I must say that everyone could identify with Guy Lafleur. All the kids of my generation would scream “Lafleur scores!” after scoring a goal in the backyard or at the rink. Revered, adored, admired and, above all, loved by Quebeckers, Guy Lafleur was our idol, our last hero and the last of the Mohicans. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and to all Quebeckers. Let us all cheer together, one last time, “Guy! Guy! Guy!”.
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Mr. Richard Martel (Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, CPC)
  • Apr/25/22 2:17:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Quebeckers and Canadians across the country mourned the loss of Guy Lafleur. His performance on the ice was simply spectacular: more than 50 goals in six consecutive seasons, five Stanley Cups, including four consecutive championships, and every record the “blond demon” racked up over the years. He fired up the crowds and created excitement. He pleased his fans like no one else. His extraordinary feats followed him throughout his life off the ice. His community, his fans, and his audience were his top priority. There are no words to adequately describe the impact he had on Quebec society. Guy was an exceptional man. I offer my deepest condolences to the Lafleur family, his mother, Pierrette, his sisters, Lise, Lucie, Suzanne and Gisèle, his wife, Lise, and his sons, Martin and Mark. Guy Lafleur has left us, but our memories of him have never been more vibrant. May Guy rest in peace.
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Hon. Marc Garneau (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, Lib.)
  • Apr/25/22 2:18:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadian astronaut Bjarni Tryggvason died on April 5. He was a dear friend of mine for 38 years. He was the smartest engineer I ever met. He actually understood fluid dynamics and everything there was to know about how a plane flies. He was an accomplished pilot who taught me to fly and took me into the sky to do acrobatics until I was so disoriented that I begged him to stop. Bjarni was very proud of his Icelandic roots. He was one of the original six Canadian astronauts chosen in 1983. He flew aboard the space shuttle on mission STS-85 and successfully tested a device he and his team had designed. It was a vibration isolation mount that allowed the closest thing to pure weightlessness, and it is still used today. Canadian astronauts met for lunch last month and Bjarni was there. He told us about all his new projects. Two weeks later, his unexpected passing left us in mourning. Bjarni Tryggvason made a significant contribution to the Canadian space program. I invite all my colleagues to join me in celebrating his life and his contribution to our country.
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Mr. Luc Berthold (Mégantic—L'Érable, CPC)
  • Apr/25/22 2:20:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have travelled around the country over the past 15 days to hear what Canadians have to say. Inflation, at 6.7%, is driving up gas prices. Housing prices and rental costs are skyrocketing. Canadians are finding gas prices less and less affordable. Conversely, Liberal ministers spent a fortune over the past 15 days to promote the NDP‑Liberal budget, which will just sink Canadians further into debt. My question is a simple one. Why is the Prime Minister so out of touch with the reality of Canadians that he is doing nothing to help Canadian workers face this difficult crisis?
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Hon. Chrystia Freeland (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.)
  • Apr/25/22 2:20:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians understand that inflation is a global phenomenon, and I have some figures to back that up. Canada's most recent inflation rate is 6.7%. Inflation is 8.5% in the United States and 7.7% in the OECD. In the eurozone inflation is 7.3%. These rates are caused by COVID‑19 and Vladimir Putin. Canadians understand that.
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Mr. Luc Berthold (Mégantic—L'Érable, CPC)
  • Apr/25/22 2:21:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what Canadians understand is that this government is out of touch. It blames others instead of taking responsibility for doing what is right to help Canadians. That is the reality. An article in the Globe and Mail reports that the RCMP considered charging the Liberal Prime Minister with fraud over the infamous free trip that he and his family had accepted. My question is simple. Does the Prime Minister accept the fact that there are two justice systems in this country: one that applies to everyone and one that does not apply to the Prime Minister?
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Hon. Mark Holland (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)
  • Apr/25/22 2:22:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Conservative Party is playing politics. It is important to understand that this matter was resolved years ago, in December 2017, when the Ethics Commissioner released her report. The Conservative Party is well aware that the Prime Minister responded appropriately to these questions.
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Mr. Luc Berthold (Mégantic—L'Érable, CPC)
  • Apr/25/22 2:22:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in this case, what the reports of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner showed was the Prime Minister's lack of judgment on more than one occasion. The RCMP considered laying fraud charges, but laws prevented it from doing so. The only person who can authorize the Prime Minister to receive a gift is the Prime Minister himself. The Prime Minister cannot be above the law though. How many times did the Prime Minister meet with RCMP officers, and when did the most recent meeting take place?
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Hon. Mark Holland (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)
  • Apr/25/22 2:23:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is well aware that this matter was resolved five years ago. The Ethics Commissioner produced a report, and the Prime Minister's response to the matter was very clear. The global situation right now is very serious. Many important things are happening here in Canada and around the world, and I think it would be a good idea to ask questions about those things.
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Mr. James Bezan (Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, CPC)
  • Apr/25/22 2:24:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are talking about the RCMP here, not the Ethics Commissioner. Newly released documents from the RCMP reveal there may be reasonable grounds to believe that the Prime Minister committed the offence of fraud on the government, contrary to section 121(1)(c) of the Criminal Code. This was after the Prime Minister was found guilty of accepting luxurious Bahamian vacations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Mounties did not proceed with charging the Prime Minister because the Prime Minister may have granted himself a get out of jail free card. Did the Prime Minister give himself the power to break the law?
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Hon. Mark Holland (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)
  • Apr/25/22 2:24:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, five years ago, a report was done by the Ethics Commissioner. That report made all of the matters clear. The Prime Minister responded appropriately. Again, I will say I understand the party opposite wants to drag in partisan politics and play games, but I would say there are a lot of pressing issues facing this country. We just had a budget tabled that takes critical action on housing, indigenous reconciliation and the environment, and I would think those are important things to be asking about.
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The Deputy Speaker
  • Apr/25/22 2:25:28 p.m.
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I know we have been away for a couple of weeks and we want to talk to each other, but let us try to keep it down and respect the questions and the answers here at the same time.
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Mr. James Bezan (Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, CPC)
  • Apr/25/22 2:25:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would love to hear from the Prime Minister on this. His silence is deafening. The Prime Minister was found guilty under four sections of the Conflict of Interest Act. The only reason the RCMP did not charge him was that he is the Prime Minister, so there is one law for the Prime Minister and another law for all the rest of us. The RCMP said the Prime Minister was off the hook because he could have granted himself permission to accept the luxurious vacation gift worth $215,000. On what exact date did the Prime Minister act with impunity and grant himself the power to break the law? What is the date—
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Mr. Michael Barrett
  • Apr/25/22 2:25:55 p.m.
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Where is Justin? Come out with your hands up.
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The Deputy Speaker
  • Apr/25/22 2:25:55 p.m.
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I am going to put people on notice at this point. Let us keep it down so we can get the great questions and great answers. The hon. member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman.
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The Deputy Speaker
  • Apr/25/22 2:26:40 p.m.
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Are we ready for the answer? The hon. government House leader.
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Hon. Mark Holland (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)
  • Apr/25/22 2:26:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, at a time when we are seeing in Canada incredible economic progress, in fact 110% beyond where we were at prepandemic levels; when we see our GDP exceeding where we were at prepandemic levels; and when we see the challenges that are faced by Canadians here in Canada and around the world, I would expect that in question period we would—
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The Deputy Speaker
  • Apr/25/22 2:27:09 p.m.
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Order. We are on question number five. Do we want to continue? I would really like to get on with the next few questions. I am sure the Bloc Québécois will also want to ask some questions in a few minutes. The hon. government House leader may finish his answer.
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