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May/19/22 1:56:15 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, there is a very easy answer to the question, because Canadians continue to see the hypocrisy from the Liberal government. I went to Europe with the immigration minister, and we were maskless there. Whether it was on planes or trains, we were all maskless, yet when we boarded the plane to come back to Canada, we had to put on a mask because of the government's weird policies that are outdated now. Just this morning in the House, a picture was taken of people from all parties without masks on. How can the member ask any type of question when it comes to mandates or restrictions, when his own party members do not even follow their own set rules? That is what I ask this member.

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Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC)

May/19/22 1:57:16 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to pick up on something we have been talking about throughout this debate, which is the inconsistency and hypocrisy we are seeing from the Liberal government. I am wondering if the member can elaborate on his frustration that we cannot get a straight answer on what data or science it is following in order to continue the use of these mandates.

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Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan

May/19/22 1:57:44 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague used the word “frustration”. A lot of people were frustrated that when a fourth wave of COVID was ravaging this country, the Prime Minister called a very selfish election and put the entire country into a health crisis. He was okay with doing that. At the same time, he was abandoning the Afghan interpreters who served Canada and kept our troops safe. It totally shows the hypocrisy within the government. The government was okay with all of that, yet when it comes to locking down people who made health choices that are not the same as the Prime Minister's or those of the Liberals, they must be punished. However, he was okay with launching everyone, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, into a selfish election. What ended up happening is he spent the most amount of money on a election for an expensive cabinet shuffle. Hypocrisy runs rampant within the government, and Canadians see it all.

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Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

May/19/22 1:58:55 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to grab the opportunity to correct the record. I do not support the Liberal budget; I voted against it. There is an idea that I continually support the Liberals. I am a Green Party member, not an NDP member.

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Mr. Paul Chiang (Markham—Unionville, Lib.)

May/19/22 1:59:24 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, as parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion, I am proud to stand in the House today to recognize May as Asian Heritage Month and to thank Canadians of Asian heritage for their immense contributions to our country. In Canada, diversity is a fact and inclusion is a choice. There is still work to be done to make Canada a country that is truly equal for everyone. For the last two centuries, immigrants have come to Canada from East Asia, Southern Asia, Western and Southeast Asia, bringing with them rich heritage representing many languages, ethnicities and religions. While the Asian community itself is very diverse, we are also united in helping build stronger communities and standing up to hate and discrimination in all its forms. I have been proud to celebrate Asian Heritage Month with friends, colleagues and constituents this month, and I look forward to continuing to represent Canadians of Asian heritage in the House.

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Mr. Len Webber (Calgary Confederation, CPC)

May/19/22 2:00:32 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, abroad, drought, conflict and war leave millions hungry every day. Much of this suffering is completely avoidable. My daughter is currently working in Ukraine with the United Nations World Food Programme. They do wonders, under the most dangerous conditions, just to get someone in need their next meal. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, they have fed 3.7 million people there alone. Millions in Ukraine and around the world will go hungry this year because of Putin's war. Russia's war, waged by a megalomaniac leader, will drive up food costs around the globe. Already we are seeing the effects, and it will get much worse later this year, with the first missed crops. Quashing the Russian war machine is the fastest and quickest way we can help reduce the number of hungry around the world. Let us do our part to reduce world hunger.

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Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde (Orléans, Lib.)

May/19/22 2:01:35 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, last week I met with representatives of Nova Oculus, a Canadian company that has developed a promising new medical device to treat age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. This incurable disease is the leading cause of blindness for more than two million Canadians over the age of 50. Nova Oculus is currently awaiting regulatory approval from Health Canada for a new form of AMD treatment that uses microcurrent technology in a waveform applied directly to the retina. In the recently completed clinical trials, participants saw immediate results and optimal visual improvement after just four four-minute treatments. They saw improvements in their ability to watch television, recognize faces and function in their environment. Our government recognizes that one of the most important issues affecting seniors is when they cannot remain in their homes and maintain a good quality of life. That is why I commend Nova Oculus for its passion and determination to give Canadian seniors with AMD the ability to improve their vision and enjoy the golden years of their lives.

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Mr. Luc Thériault (Montcalm, BQ)

May/19/22 2:02:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today, May 19, we are celebrating World Family Doctor Day. I want to congratulate them all for the essential work they do at the heart of our health care system. Family doctors are the closest to patients, with whom they build personalized and lasting relationships focused on prevention. It takes a special person with a lot of empathy and compassion to play this role at the crossroads of medical science. They are on the front line and they deserve to be commended for the crucial role they play, especially after years of dealing with the pandemic and having to constantly adapt to new data with unending dedication. We need more of them, of course. To get there, the least we can do is start by sincerely thanking them. I thank family doctors from the bottom of my heart.

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Ms. Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Hochelaga, Lib.)

May/19/22 2:04:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, one of the international hubs for cellular therapy research is located at the heart of Hochelaga. The Centre of Excellence for Cellular Therapy is one of the only centres of this scale in Canada. I congratulate Dr. Denis Claude Roy and his team for their exceptional work and their commitment to changing the lives of many patients. The research seeks to do nothing less than healing the unhealable. Cellular therapy involves using living human cells as medicine to destroy cancerous cells, replace a defective immune system or, one day, eliminate leukemia. It is a real revolution in medicine, and it is opening the door to innovative treatments for illnesses such as Alzheimer's, genetic illnesses, heart failure and other diseases. Cellular therapy is the medicine of tomorrow, and it is happening in Hochelaga.

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Mr. Luc Berthold (Mégantic—L'Érable, CPC)

May/19/22 2:05:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today I wish to pay tribute to a great Canadian entrepreneur who recently passed away. Renaud Fournier is the perfect example of the economic diversification of Thetford Mines. In 1960, the asbestos mines and its “white gold”, as chrysotile fibre was then called, were vitally important to the local economy. It was at this time that Mr. Fournier founded his tinsmithing and metal welding shop. Back then, the mines were his only customers. He quickly became indispensable, and thanks to his hard work, he was able to realize his entrepreneurial ambitions. Over the next six decades, Fournier Steel Works became Les Industries Fournier and, today, Fournier Industries Group. Renaud Fournier was a visionary investor. His reputation in the mining industry is now worldwide. Developing new products allowed him to diversify his production. In 1999, he prepared his succession and, thanks to him, Fournier Industries has maintained its role as a major economic developer for the Thetford Mines region. On behalf of my colleagues in the House of Commons, I extend my condolences to his wife, Janine, to his children, Pierre, Daniel, Brigitte and Josée, and to all the employees of Fournier Industries.

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Mr. Chandra Arya (Nepean, Lib.)

May/19/22 2:06:15 p.m.
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[Member spoke in Kannada and provided the following translation:] Mr. Speaker, I feel happy for the opportunity to speak in my mother tongue, Kannada, in Canada’s Parliament. For a person from Dwaralu village in Sira taluk in the Tumkur district of Karnataka state, India, getting elected as a member of Parliament in Canada and speaking in Kannada is a proud moment for about 50 million Kannadigas. In 2018, Canadian Kannadigas celebrated Kannada Rajyostava, or state day, in Canada’s Parliament. I close my statement with a few words of emotion poetry written by national poet Kuvempu and sung by the emperor of actors, Dr. Rajkumar: “Wherever you are, whatever you are, be a Kannadiga.” [English]

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Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Milton, Lib.)

May/19/22 2:07:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again a community has been absolutely devastated after a white supremacist opened fire in a Buffalo supermarket, killing 10 and injuring three more. Most of the victims were members of the Black community. We have to acknowledge the pain, the fear and the trauma that Black communities here are experiencing as a result. This was an abhorrent hate crime motivated by anti-Black racism and the so-called “white replacement theory”. Some on this side of the border were quick to say that this happened across the border and we do not have the same issues as the United States, but Buffalo is only a 90-minute drive from my riding of Milton and events like this do happen here in Canada. The Afzaal family was murdered in London only a year ago. This far right wing, violent extremism is the greatest threat to public safety in North America, and it disproportionately impacts Black and Jewish communities, Muslims, indigenous people and other people of colour. Canada is not immune to white supremacy. One ideologically motivated hate crime is one too many. We must find ways to put an end to these hate-fuelled attacks. I refuse to accept that they are inevitable in today's society. We are leaders. In the House, we are obligated to denounce hateful rhetoric at every turn unequivocally with our words and our actions, but also with better policies and better laws. Thoughts and prayers are not making our communities safer.

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Mr. James Bezan (Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, CPC)

May/19/22 2:08:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, traditionally, Vyshyvanka Day is a time to celebrate Ukraine's rich culture and traditions and share them with the world, but this year it is a time to stand with Ukraine in solidarity. Today, while we enjoy our peace and security here at home, often taking them for granted, our beloved Ukraine suffers from the illegal and unjustified full-scale invasion by Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have already been bravely fighting and sacrificing their lives for 87 days to protect the basic values that we all believe in. It is time to ask ourselves this: What is the cost of not supporting Ukraine in this fight? It means that dictators and despots around the world can redraw the lines on a map by force and get away with it. Ukraine is valiantly defending against the Russian invaders. Canada must match this bravery by providing what Ukraine needs the most: more lethal weapons. If we believe in protecting dignity, freedom, democracy and human rights, then we must recognize that this is our fight as well. Canada must always stand with Ukraine. Slava Ukraini. Heroyam slava.

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Mr. Francesco Sorbara (Vaughan—Woodbridge, Lib.)

May/19/22 2:09:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadian Innovation Week is a five-day celebration recognizing and supporting Canadian ingenuity across all sectors. We salute entrepreneurs and innovators who are changing the world one idea at a time. Canadian innovators are well positioned to take on and overcome challenges, including our most pressing global challenge: climate change. The city of Vaughan is an example of thriving innovative creativity. As a key hub for the manufacturing and food processing sectors, Vaughan is home to Canada's first smart hospital and new business incubators. Innovation is essential to our society and our economy. Innovators and entrepreneurs strengthen Canada's innovation ecosystem, and we will always be there to help them improve and be more competitive.

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Hon. Andrew Scheer (Regina—Qu'Appelle, CPC)

May/19/22 2:11:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, inflation is not like the weather. It is not something that just happens like a snowstorm in May. The inflation that Canadians are suffering from today is a direct result of the deficits the Prime Minister racked up, bankrolled by the money printing of the Bank of Canada. When the Prime Minister ran out out of other people's money to borrow, he turned to the bank, and the governor was only too happy to oblige. The Bank of Canada created over $400 billion in brand new money to purchase the government bonds to pay for the out-of-control Liberal spending. Any time we get more dollars chasing fewer goods, we get inflation. The decision to bankroll the government's deficit spending undermined the bank's independence. It has one main mandate: to keep inflation at 2%. It has completely failed and Canadians are right to demand accountability. To restore the bank's independence, the leadership at the bank needs to stop acting like it is the Prime Minister's personal ATM. As Milton Friedman said, “Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon”. We cannot expect the Prime Minister to know that. He brags that he does not even think about monetary policy.

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Mr. Frank Caputo (Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, CPC)

May/19/22 2:12:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, next week marks one year since the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the former Kamloops residential school. The announcement sent shockwaves through the country and around the world. It opened up the eyes of thousands of Canadians and others to the horrors of residential schools. I offer my deepest condolences to residential school survivors. I thank those who have shown incredible bravery by sharing their stories. Their experience matters, their voice matters and their history matters. The Secwépemc have a word for those who never returned from residential schools: le estcwéý, translated as “the missing”. At this time, our country grieves alongside those who lost a friend, family or loved one. May eternal light shine upon le estcwéý. They will never be forgotten.

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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz (Davenport, Lib.)

May/19/22 2:13:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to rise in the House today to honour the winner of the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing, which was presented at the 35th annual Politics and the Pen gala earlier this week. This year's winner, who was from a super talented lineup of finalists, was Joanna Chiu, a Canadian journalist who won for her debut novel, China Unbound: A New World Disorder. I want to thank the sponsors and the amazing Politics and the Pen organizing team for putting on such a fun evening and for raising $300,000 for the Writers' Trust of Canada, a very important organization that advances, nurtures and celebrates Canadian writers and writing. I also want to give a special shout-out to China Unbound's publisher, House of Anansi Press, based in my Toronto riding of Davenport. Canada has such a rich literary culture and so many talented writers. It is important for us to recognize and honour their work and their contribution to political discourse both in Canada and abroad. Congratulations to the Writers' Trust of Canada for hosting a successful event and to Joanna Chiu for this fantastic achievement.

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The Deputy Speaker

May/19/22 2:15:23 p.m.
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While I am standing up, I will make a comment for anyone in the lobbies or outside the lobbies. Let us tell our friends who happen to be out there to keep the noise down, because it does bleed over into this chamber. As much as we are having fun and laughing at certain jokes and being happy to see each other, we are having serious moments here in the House of Commons. The hon. member for Churchill—Keewatinook Aski.

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Ms. Niki Ashton (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, NDP)

May/19/22 2:15:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today I want to pay tribute to Clif Evans, who passed away earlier this month. Clif was known for being many things: a hotelier, the mayor of Riverton, MLA for Interlake, ministerial assistant to former minister Steve Ashton in the NDP government and, most recently, an invaluable member of our constituency team. Clif accomplished a lot. He was a strong mayor and an MLA who fought for all his communities, his legacy including flood protection, highway improvement and support for fishers. Clif was a proud New Democrat. Even though he was on the receiving end of a PC vote-rigging scandal in the 1990s, he had an incredible ability to reach across the partisan divide. He was proud of his work with the Association of Former Manitoba MLAs. What we will always remember about Clif is how he connected with people and how he was welcomed in so many rural communities and first nations, where he was like a member of the community. Clif was also a great mentor and a mentor to many. Clif was one of my mentors. I was proud to work with Clif Evans and proud to have known him. He will be missed by many.

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Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)

May/19/22 2:16:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on May 20 we celebrate World Bee Day. This year, this day is especially significant because many of our beekeepers lost a large percentage of their bees, with mortality rates of up to 80%. No producer can afford such a loss. Producers held a press conference yesterday to sound the alarm. They need support. Higher temperatures due to climate change are having a devastating impact and producers are asking for emergency assistance. We must be there for them. We must also find long-term solutions to save our precious pollinators. Our crops depend on them. That is why I moved a motion in that regard in committee. Bees play a key role in the environment, agriculture and food. It is our duty to protect them.

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