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Jun/23/22 1:13:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, but I do not share his opinion. I think that, despite his verve and bombastic style, the member for Kingston and the Islands has a lot to offer to this House. We are in favour of having debates in the House, but perhaps not on the eve of Quebec's national holiday, when everyone in our ridings is celebrating.

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The Deputy Speaker

Jun/23/22 1:13:21 p.m.
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Since no one else wants to speak, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. Have a great summer to members who may not be here later on. Is the House ready for the question? Some hon. members: Question. The Deputy Speaker: The question is on the motion. If a member of a recognized party present in the House wishes to request a recorded division or that the motion be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

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Mr. Gérard Deltell

Jun/23/22 1:14:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded division.

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The Deputy Speaker

Jun/23/22 1:14:27 p.m.
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Call in the members.

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Call

The Speaker

Jun/23/22 1:59:53 p.m.
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I declare the motion carried.

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Mr. Chandra Arya (Nepean, Lib.)

Jun/23/22 2:00:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 37 years ago day, Air India Flight 182, operating on the Montreal-London-Delhi-Mumbai route, was blown up mid-air from a bomb planted by Canadian extremists. It killed all 329 passengers and crew members, including 268 Canadian citizens. The bombing of this Air India flight is the largest mass killing in Canadian history. It was the deadliest act of aviation terrorism in the world until 9/11. Canada is a pluralistic country, and we honour the fallen. In this National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, my sympathies are with the families of the victims, who still experience pain.

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Hon. Judy A. Sgro (Humber River—Black Creek, Lib.)

Jun/23/22 2:01:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today I want to acknowledge the tremendous work of representative Winston Wen-yi Chen, the tenth representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada since it was established in 1992. He is a friend of many parliamentarians. Representative Chen assumed his duties in Ottawa four years ago, and it has been a fruitful partnership ever since for both Canada and Taiwan. Representative Chen is now assuming a new post, and I would like to thank him for his friendship and his dedicated work in nourishing and promoting Taiwan-Canada relations. Representative Chen has been serving in various roles in Canada for over 10 years. He helped launch the exploratory discussions on the Canada-Taiwan foreign investment promotion and protection arrangements. He also facilitated timely and generous donations of masks and gowns from Taiwan to Canada in response to the pandemic. These are just a few highlights. I know that for representative Chen, Canada has become more than a job. It has also become his family. He was married in Canada, and his children were born here. He fell in love with both our land and country. I thank representative Chen on behalf of all of us, as part of the friendship group, and wish him the best of success and many more years of service to come.

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

Jun/23/22 2:02:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I too would like to pay tribute to trade representative Winston Chen from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canada. He is leaving his post after four years. We will all miss his dedication, thoughtful ideas and sense of humour. Mr. Chen worked hard to strengthen the already robust ties between Canada and Taiwan. In addition to over $6 billion in bilateral trade every year, Taiwan is a democratic country that shares many of the same values and goals on the world stage. In an increasingly unstable world, developing closer ties with like-minded peoples is all the more important. Mr. Chen really came through for Canada during the pandemic when he and his team helped with the donation to Canada of over 500,000 masks from Taiwan to Canada. His dedication to Taiwan’s participation on an international level was impressive, as well his work on establishing more resilient supply chains. These will serve both our countries, as well as many others, in the years to come. We thank Mr. Chen for his hard work improving the relations between Canada and Taiwan, and we wish him all the best in his future career. Zhù ni wèilái hao yùn.

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Ms. Kristina Michaud (Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ)

Jun/23/22 2:04:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge and congratulate all of my young constituents in Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia on the end of their school year. On the eve of Quebec's national holiday, thousands of students are filing out of school for a well-earned vacation. Their heads are filled with new ideas, and their hearts are filled with magnificent plans. High school graduates can finally celebrate together at prom to mark the end of this important chapter of their lives and the beginning of something even better. I encourage these dear friends to savour every moment. Their worlds are opening up, and opportunities abound. I want them to have new experiences, live life, show off their new knowledge, be proud of who they are and, most importantly, of where they come from. Our beautiful region is bursting with all kinds of talent. I want them to keep doing us proud, as I know they can. I wish them a happy national holiday and a great summer vacation.

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Mr. Sameer Zuberi (Pierrefonds—Dollard, Lib.)

Jun/23/22 2:05:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an important leader and friend who will soon be leaving our community. Rabbi Mark Fishman has served as Beth Tikvah's rabbi since 2013. Our synagogue in Dollard is home to one of the most vibrant Jewish communities in Canada, a community I am honoured to serve. Whether he was organizing family fun programs, such as the Purim carnival, bringing the synagogue's hanukkiah to the homes of the celebrating, delivering sermons and programs online during COVID, or recently travelling to Poland to assist Jewish refugees fleeing Ukraine, Rabbi Fishman's contributions and legacy are numerous. I would like to thank the rabbi for his service to the West Island Jewish community and society at large. Our community is losing a great leader. I am looking forward to working with his successor, but I will miss our thoughtful conversations. I thank him for his years of service, and I really wish Mark and his family the very best.

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Hon. Rob Moore (Fundy Royal, CPC)

Jun/23/22 2:06:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is cause for celebration in my riding of Fundy Royal this week as our communities come together to congratulate the class of 2022. I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to all of the graduates as they celebrate this milestone with their friends and family. They can proudly reflect on the last few years they have spent learning lessons both within and outside of the classroom. These lessons have formed a strong foundation for them to now build their futures upon. From here, they will take what they have learned and go off to make their mark on our communities, our province, our country and indeed the world. I look forward to seeing their many great accomplishments. I send my congratulations once again to the class of 2022.

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Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Whitby, Lib.)

Jun/23/22 2:06:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, whether supporting homeowners to retrofit their homes, get into an electric vehicle or ride an electric bus, working together at all levels to green our lifestyle will save us money, build a stronger economy and protect the planet we cherish. Last week, I was ecstatic to hear that Infrastructure Canada’s zero-emission bus strategy is reaching my community. An MOU was signed by the Canada Infrastructure Bank and Durham Region that will see as many as 100 battery electric buses purchased by 2027. This investment of $68.2 million is repayable low-interest financing and builds on the previous investment by our government of $43 million to fund the rapid bus transit route to better connect our region. The replacement of the current diesel-powered fleet will reduce operating costs and save 8,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year. To date, the Canada Infrastructure Bank has invested over $1.5 billion toward more than 5,000 zero-emission buses across Canada. That is progress.

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Mr. Sukh Dhaliwal (Surrey—Newton, Lib.)

Jun/23/22 2:08:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate an amazing run of 32 years for the City of Surrey’s manager of culture Liane Davison, who retired earlier this year. As Surrey has grown from a rural community to one that will soon become British Columbia's largest city, Liane's dedication and passion were at the heartbeat of the city’s arts and cultural landscape. Our population has grown dramatically over Liane’s tenure, and whether it was exhibitions of local artists, presentations of innovative and interactive art, or the acquisition of significant works from artists across Canada, she has left an indelible mark. I thank Liane Davison for her contributions in enriching all of our lives in Surrey.

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Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC)

Jun/23/22 2:09:09 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-21

Mr. Speaker, once again, the government is bringing forward firearms legislation that will impact lawful gun owners and not do nearly enough to address gun crime. The arbitrary handgun ban in Bill C-21 will do nothing to stop gun smuggling, nor will it prevent gang violence. However, there are some measures of this bill the Conservatives support, such as the provision to keep firearms out of the hands of those who have committed domestic abuse. Despite the Conservatives' efforts to fast-track these pieces of the legislation, the NDP-Liberal coalition teamed up to block it, which I believe revealed their goals to be political rather than practical. On this side of the House, our approach will always be to stand up for common sense measures to ensure that Canadians are safe and that guns are out of the hands of our criminals, instead of the soft-on-crime approach from the government.

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Mr. Kody Blois (Kings—Hants, Lib.)

Jun/23/22 2:10:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, hockey is a Canadian pastime that bring us together and makes us proud, particularly when our national teams represent our country on the international stage. That is exactly what happened this month when the national women’s under-18 team won a gold medal in Madison, Wisconsin, beating our arch rivals, the Americans, in a back-and-forth three-to-two game. I am sure I speak on behalf of my colleagues in congratulating all the players, staff, and management involved in winning the world championship. As a Nova Scotia member of Parliament, I would highlight that we punch above our weight in hockey talent with players such as Olympic gold medalist Jill Saulnier, Blayre Turnbull and NHL stars Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, who are truly some of the best players in the world. I want to celebrate our next generation of stars: Avi Adam, a forward who lives in Wolfville, and, Lucy Phillips, a goaltender originally from Fall River. We are proud of their hard work in making the national team and for their dedication to bringing home a world championship gold medal to Nova Scotia. Well done.

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Mr. Greg McLean (Calgary Centre, CPC)

Jun/23/22 2:11:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government is failing on so many basic matters. It is failing to provide passports to Canadians. It is failing Afghan refugees, who assisted our brave men and women in a war zone. It is failing to process immigration applications. There are now millions of files that are behind. Frontline government employees are now simply resorting to telling their frustrated clients to call their MPs, just as the minister for Service Canada has recommended. One can imagine the significant increase in call volumes to our offices. Our caseworkers are doing their utmost to fill the void. The people of Calgary Centre and I are extremely lucky to have Shaney Pap in my office. There is not a week that goes by that I do not get glowing comments about the invaluable assistance she has provided. The volume of files she handles is immense and broad. While the government is working at half speed, often from home, Shaney has stepped in to ensure that people who need essential services are getting them. Today, I join my constituents in thanking Shaney for all she does for us.

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Mrs. Cheryl Gallant (Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, CPC)

Jun/23/22 2:12:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, starting this July, the NDP-Liberal coalition is taking its first step to increase the retirement age to 75. The decision by the NDP-Liberal coalition to practise age discrimination by creating separate classes of the aged in the amount paid out for old age security has made seniors' worst fears realized. The socialist coalition is shifting the financial burden onto the backs of seniors to pay for Canada's excessive debt. Seniors see this age discrimination as an effort to force Canadians under 75 to remain in the workplace and continue paying taxes for the “tax, borrow and wasteful spending” Liberal policy of high inflation. It is robbing seniors of their lifetime savings for what should be their golden years. Inflation erodes the worth of savings. This is a massive societal shift. People are being forced to work longer and are needing to work longer. The socialist coalition needs to be held accountable for left-wing inflation policies that are robbing Canadians of the retirement they have been dreaming of.

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Mr. Taleeb Noormohamed (Vancouver Granville, Lib.)

Jun/23/22 2:13:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today is the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism. Thirty-seven years ago today, Air India Flight 182 was blown out of the sky, which killed 329 innocent souls. These were 268 Canadians, including moms, dads, grandparents, friends and 82 children, who would never come home. To this day, this remains the single largest act of terrorism perpetrated against Canadians. It was the result of a conspiracy conceived, planned and executed in Canada. Despite the advocacy of the victims' families, who have battled racism, discrimination and indignity, few Canadians know about this tragedy. We do not learn about it in schools. We hear little about it in the media. It cannot be this way. This is, and must always be, remembered by the House and all Canadians as a Canadian tragedy. As we remember, let us reflect on the words carved into memorials for the victims from Vancouver to Bantry, Ireland: Time flies. Suns rise and shadows fall. Let it pass by. Love reigns forever over all. May love always reign forever over all.

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Ms. Laurel Collins (Victoria, NDP)

Jun/23/22 2:14:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees provides mental health counselling, specially trained interpreters and culturally appropriate trauma services. Ukrainians fleeing Putin's war have been arriving on Vancouver Island, and many are understandably traumatized. While the federal government is providing settlement services, there is no funding for mental health support. These victims of war should be covered by the interim federal health program. Organizations such as VICCIR were already responding to increased demands, and now are providing mental health supports without funding. In addition, there is a serious issue with clinical counsellors in B.C. not being able to register as providers with the interim federal health program, no matter how qualified and experienced they may be. The IFHP needs to provide consideration for professional equivalencies. These issues negatively impact refugees who struggle to find providers. I want to say a huge thanks to the counsellors, the interpreters and the staff at VICCIR. I thank them for their incredibly important work.

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Ms. Andréanne Larouche (Shefford, BQ)

Jun/23/22 2:15:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am awfully proud that one of our wonderful homegrown organizations has gained recognition outside Quebec. At the annual Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada awards, La Brunante won the small co-operative of the year award, which recognizes the unique impact of a co-operative on a community. Established in 2003, La Brunante is a fantastic model of a solidarity housing co-operative for seniors in the village of Racine in the Eastern Townships. The model has gained momentum. Over the years, La Brunante has forged an international reputation, even giving three presentations on seniors and aging to the World Health Organization. I had a chance to visit the co-operative, where I witnessed how well the “aging in place together” model works. Seniors there have opportunities to share their knowledge and know-how. By helping one another, seniors continue to feel useful. I have to hand it to two of La Brunante's founders, Gaston Michaud and his partner, Mariette Bombardier. They have enabled so many seniors to grow old with dignity. I heartily congratulate them on this well-deserved award.

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