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Mr. Randeep Sarai (Surrey Centre, Lib.)

Dec/6/22 2:04:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today marks 66 years since the death of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, who was an Indian economist, politician, social reformer and jurist. A leader in India's path toward independence, Dr. Ambedkar has been widely recognized as the principal architect in the drafting of the Constitution of India. A champion of civil rights, Dr. Ambedkar strongly campaigned against social discrimination, choosing to step down from his position as India's first minister of law when cabinet refused to pass the women's rights bill. As a lifelong scholar, Dr. Ambedkar earned his masters degree at the London School of Economics before being awarded his Ph.D. from Columbia University. In 1952, Columbia University presented him with an honorary doctorate for his service as “a great social reformer and a valiant upholder of human rights.” Today we recognize and honour his legacy and praise those who continue his work both here and in India, promoting social equality and justice.

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Mr. Philip Lawrence (Northumberland—Peterborough South, CPC)

Dec/6/22 2:05:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, children represent the best part of humanity. They are imaginative, resilient and inquisitive. They bring joy to even the most difficult of circumstances. They give us hope in the face of the biggest challenges. The responsibility of the rest of us is to ensure they live up to their potential. Unfortunately, far too often we have not lived up to that hallowed responsibility. We must never again allow the government to violate that sacrosanct relationship between parent and child, as we have seen in the devastating consequences of the residential school program. However, in spite of all these challenges, I remain incredibly optimistic because of the blessing that children bring. It would be incredibly inappropriate for me to acknowledge my children in the gallery, Margaret and James. It would be even more inappropriate to say that I love those guys, so I will not do that.

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Ms. Lisa Hepfner (Hamilton Mountain, Lib.)

Dec/6/22 2:06:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mary Long, the founder of Hamilton Tax Help, a free low-barrier tax clinic that has helped Hamiltonians access almost $7.2 million in critical federal benefits last year alone, $1.6 million in my riding of Hamilton Mountain. Mary is set to retire at the end of this month after an inspiring career. Whether it was through her 17 years at Family Services Hamilton, as president of her OPSEU local, as a former director of labour services at the United Way of Hamilton & Halton or as the first woman to be elected president of the Hamilton and District Labour Council, Mary has consistently sought out opportunities to respond to the needs of the community. At age 55, she returned to school to study social service work. She is a Mohawk College Alumnus of Distinction, as well as a fellow Women of Distinction Award winner. I wish Mary a wonderful and well-deserved retirement. I thank Mary for her commitment and service.

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Mrs. Sophie Chatel (Pontiac, Lib.)

Dec/6/22 2:07:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I visited some food banks in my riding and met Amélie, a passionate volunteer. She showed me large freezers full of wild game meat. Are my colleagues familiar with the Chasseurs généreux program organized by Food Banks of Quebec and the Fédération québécoise des chasseurs et pêcheurs? Through this program, hunters donate a portion of their wild game meat for those most in need in our communities right across Quebec. I want to thank all the hunters in the Gatineau Valley. I would also like to acknowledge the butchers' contribution. Thanks to them, families in need will be able to celebrate Christmas with a traditional meal.

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Mr. Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, CPC)

Dec/6/22 2:08:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker,'Twas the night before Christmas and no one could afford a house. Some people were blaming a fellow named Klaus.The Prime Minister said he would have people's backs. But it turned out his real plan was to triple the tax.The holidays are here. There is a gift shopping tradition. But things are more expensive, thanks to the costly coalition.So instead just rest, stay home and take a nap. Try to forget about the ArriveCAN app.If you hear the sound of a reindeer's hoof, then it is Santa, not Stephen, up on the roof.Santa reaches down inside of his sack. He knows what the people want is to have their freedoms back.But if you hear the sound of a convoy truck, then the message for Liberals is: end the mandates.Jesus was born with a hope to save every sinner even the ones who attend the press gallery dinner.At Christmas we celebrate the joy that we find and proclaim peace and love to all “peoplekind”.This might be not as a good as Cuzner's last riff. I just hope it will not get me shot by journo Dale Smith. 'Twas the night before Christmas. Inflation is the worst. The Conservatives have a leader who will put the people first.

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Ms. Joanne Thompson (St. John's East, Lib.)

Dec/6/22 2:10:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the holiday season is upon us, and back in St. John’s East many will celebrate together and welcome home loved ones, celebrate the annual mummers festival and have a little fun on Tibb’s eve. This is also a time to reflect on the true meaning of the season. We can welcome an international student away from home for dinner. We can reach out to friends and neighbours who might be alone and find this season hard, or volunteer or donate to local charities and not-for-profits to ensure that Santa does not miss any households this year, or thank our essential workers and those working away from home or connect with our diverse communities and understand their own unique traditions. During this time of year, however we choose to celebrate, this is a time, I am sure we can all agree, that should be full of kindness and compassion

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Mr. Stephen Ellis (Cumberland—Colchester, CPC)

Dec/6/22 2:11:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 105 years ago today, two ships collided in the narrows of Halifax Harbour. The collision between the French munitions ship, the Mont-Blanc, and the Norwegian ship, the Imo, resulted in the largest human-made explosion at that time. There were 1,782 people killed and an estimated 9,000 injured. Relief efforts came from across Canada and the northeastern United States. To make matters worse, these heroic rescue efforts were also hampered by a snowstorm. The community of Richmond was devastated, as was the long-standing Mi’kmaq community of Turtle Grove. Lives of countless Haligonians were changed forever. Railway dispatcher Vince Coleman's heroic effort to stop incoming trains stands out. I quote, “Hold up the train. Ammunition ship afire in harbor making for Pier 6 and will explode. Guess this will be my last message. Good-bye boys.” He died at his post. To this day, we send an annual Christmas tree to Boston as a token of our appreciation in our rebuilding efforts.

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Mr. Gérard Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent, CPC)

Dec/6/22 2:12:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 33 years ago, on December 6, 1989, 14 women were murdered. They were murdered because they were women. They were murdered because they were at university. They were murdered because they were studying engineering. It was the ugliest form of cruelty. The words “Poly” and “Polytechnique” will always and forever be associated with this tragedy. This tragedy concerns us all and serves to remind us how fragile life is. How many times have we looked the other way? How many times have we pretended not to hear? How many times have we let out a nervous laugh? We have a duty to stop pretending and start taking direct and concrete action. We have to start approaching people, to guide them towards help, or to report them. We cannot sit back and do nothing. We owe it to the 14 victims of École Polytechnique. We must never forget.

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Mrs. Brenda Shanahan (Châteauguay—Lacolle, Lib.)

Dec/6/22 2:13:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every December 6 for the past 33 years has served as a sorrowful reminder that violence against women happens every day. The Polytechnique tragedy shook our collective conscience and brought the lives of 14 brilliant young women to an abrupt end. It is our duty, one and all, to remember this shocking event. Violence against women is not always obvious, but it is always devastating. I would like to take this opportunity to salute organizations such as Re‑Source, Quartier des Femmes, and the CALACS, the sexual assault centre, along with many other organizations in Châteauguay—Lacolle that do such essential work in our communities to counter violence against women. I thank them for their engagement and their conviction. As a society, we must keep working to make sure that tragedies like what happened at the Polytechnique never happen again and that the lives of thousands of women in Canada do not turn tragic. I remember.

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Mr. Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, NDP)

Dec/6/22 2:15:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on December 6, 1989, a man entered a classroom at École Polytechnique with a semi-automatic rifle. He separated the men from the women and killed 14 female students. These 14 bright young women were cowardly murdered because they were women. It is a horrible, misogynistic, sexist and hate-filled crime. Hate continues to kill, even today. We see evidence of this violence and toxic masculinity every day. Recently, four indigenous women were murdered in Manitoba. Last year, there were 26 femicides in Quebec; that is 26 women who were murdered. This year there have already been 14 femicides. We have seen the equivalent of another Polytechnique this year alone. Not only must we change our culture, we must also work together to better protect women who are victims of violence. Chronic underfunding forces shelters to turn away thousands of women because they have no room. The memory of these 14 students whose lives were taken must motivate us to do better for all women.

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

Dec/6/22 2:16:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I was not yet born when tragedy struck at the Polytechnique. I did not know the women who fell in the hail of bullets fired by a misogynistic gunman. However, like the women and men of my generation, I am an heir to this event. It is a legacy that comes with a certain responsibility. We have a duty to do everything in our power to ensure that Quebec never again experiences such a tragedy. That is why we are strongly in favour of tighter gun control. That is why we strongly support banning assault weapons. It will not solve everything. It will not guarantee that there will be no more tragedies, but it will reduce the risk. We need to take steps in the right direction. Banning assault weapons is a step in the right direction. Above all, we must fight misogyny and violence against women and normalize equality for all. Today is December 6, 2022. Thirty-three years after the Polytechnique massacre, we must remember and we must take action.

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Mrs. Tracy Gray (Kelowna—Lake Country, CPC)

Dec/6/22 2:17:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the difference between what I am hearing from my residents in Kelowna—Lake Country and from the Liberal government could not be more far apart. While local seniors tell me they are choosing between gas and groceries, a Liberal minister said he is “sick and tired” of people complaining about heating their homes in cold weather. Canadians are sick and tired of a carbon tax plan that has missed every target and left Canada as 58th out of 64 countries on climate performance. People are worried with the latest “Canada's Food Price Report”, which says a family of four will pay more than $1,000 extra in 2023. A Conservative government will axe the tax to lower the costs of basic essentials like food, gas and home heating. We will end wasteful government spending to stop the Liberals' made-in-Canada inflation. We will invest in Canadian innovation, mineral exploration and electric infrastructure to build the cleaner, greener and affordable future that we all want.

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Mrs. Sherry Romanado (Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, Lib.)

Dec/6/22 2:19:26 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-224

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to welcome members of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, who are here as part of their annual fire chiefs on the Hill days. Over the coming days, many of us will have the opportunity to talk to these fire chiefs about the main issues fire departments across the country are facing, including challenges around recruiting and retaining firefighters when climate and health crises are on the rise. Another issue that is of particular importance to me is the risk of cancer among firefighters. I am proud to have the support of the CAFC and other stakeholders for my private member's bill, Bill C-224, an act that would establish a national framework for the prevention and treatment of cancers linked to firefighting. This, as members know, was referred to the Standing Committee on Health last June. It is my hope that all members will work together to ensure this legislation is passed soon, and send a clear message to our firefighters that their health and safety is a top priority for all of us.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Dec/6/22 2:20:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today our thoughts are with the victims of the terrible École Polytechnique tragedy. Women lost their lives just because they were women. We remember their lives. We remember how talented they were. We remember how tragic this is for their families. We are working to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. Would the government like to share its thoughts on this subject?

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Hon. Pascale St-Onge (Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Lib.)

Dec/6/22 2:21:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. Obviously, today, everyone's thoughts are with the families of the victims, the 14 women who were murdered in the École Polytechnique massacre. Obviously, our government wants to do more to better protect women. That is why we have a very important bill to get more assault weapons off the streets. We invite all parliamentarians to work with us to strengthen this bill and better protect women across the country.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Dec/6/22 2:22:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today the Auditor General showed that there was terrible waste. According to her, the government wasted at least $4.6 billion. Moreover, it is believed that another $27 billion was wasted, and that should be investigated. The government even paid 1,500 inmates with CERB money. Why did the government waste that money and cause massive inflation on the backs of Canadians?

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Hon. Diane Lebouthillier (Minister of National Revenue, Lib.)

Dec/6/22 2:22:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government did not hesitate to take action to help Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic and we made the right choices. We thank the Auditor General for her work and we thank her for confirming that our COVID-19 benefits were well targeted and effective. The report clearly indicates that these benefits helped the economy bounce back quickly and contributed to fighting poverty. Canadians know that we had their backs and will continue to be there for them.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Dec/6/22 2:23:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government is now exposed for having wasted massive sums over the last several years. According to the Auditor General, there is $4 billion of known waste and another $27 billion of suspected waste. There is $60 million of spending that is under criminal investigation. There were 190,000 people who quit their jobs and therefore were not eligible to receive the CERB benefit but did anyway. They even sent the CERB to 1,500 prisoners. Why did the government waste so much and make Canadians pay the price?

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Hon. Carla Qualtrough (Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Lib.)

Dec/6/22 2:23:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General found, very clearly, that CERB and our individual benefits achieved their intended goals of getting money to Canadians quickly, of allowing Canadians to stay home safely and of avoiding severe social and economic consequences. We, as a Parliament, approved an attestation-based approach. We knew from the beginning that there would be postpayment verification. We are working methodically through that, and I can assure all Canadians that we are on top of this.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Dec/6/22 2:24:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we already knew that the government paid billions of dollars in wage subsidies to profitable corporations that were able to pay out dividends to their wealthy executives. Now we know they also paid $15 billion to companies that did not have a significant revenue drop, so they were able to pocket the cash at the expense of the Canadian people. This is the same government that gave money to Loblaws and other wealthy corporations, always at the expense of the working class. Why do they always take from the have-nots and give to the have-yachts?

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