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Mr. Jeremy Patzer (Cypress Hills—Grasslands, CPC)

Dec/8/22 2:05:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to honour my Sindhi friends Sufi and Muzafar, and to recognize Sindhi as one of the ancient languages of the world and one worth preserving today. While Sindhi is recognized as an official language in the province of Sindh, in Pakistan, it is not recognized as an official language by the Consulate of Canada to Pakistan, in Karachi, nor by the High Commission of Canada to Pakistan, in Islamabad. This lack of recognition of a prominent regional language is resulting in a barrier of communication between the Canadian consulate and high commission and the Sindhi people. This needs to be changed. The Sindhi people deserve to have consular services in their native tongue. For this reason I am calling on the Canadian consulate in Karachi and the high commission in Islamabad to consider recognizing Sindhi as an official language and to provide their services to the people in the Sindhi language. Sindhi is a rich, beautiful language and it ought to be preserved. Mehrbaani.

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Ms. Patricia Lattanzio (Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, Lib.)

Dec/8/22 2:06:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to congratulate Roberto Luongo, former Florida Panthers goaltender, on his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. A native of my riding of Saint-Léonard who also grew up on my street, Roberto Luongo is known for his on-ice butterfly style of goaltending and remains one of only three goaltenders in history to have played over 1,000 games in the NHL. He is a recipient of multiple awards, mentions and trophies. He has appeared in three Winter Olympics and won gold twice, in Vancouver in 2010 and in Sochi in 2014. Beyond his considerable hockey skills, Roberto Luongo is also a man with a big heart who has actively participated in multiple fundraisers for charitable causes and who has sponsored events for underprivileged children. Lou, as he is affectionately called by his devoted fans, continues to inspire our constituents who skate and hold their hockey practices in the arena that proudly bears his name. Auguri to Roberto Luongo, our number one hockey player.

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Mr. Taleeb Noormohamed (Vancouver Granville, Lib.)

Dec/8/22 2:07:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on Monday, I was proud to announce a new investment of $25 million to revitalize the Jewish Community Centre in my riding of Vancouver Granville. For generations the JCC has been the centre of Jewish life, and it has been the place where people of so many different communities have learned to swim, have gone to day care and attended seniors programs. The new JCC will be at the heart of Vancouver Granville with more than 500 units of affordable housing, expanded day care spaces, an aquatic centre, a theatre and so much more. It will also house the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, which, at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise, will be an important weapon in the fight against hate and ignorance. The JWest will be a place of gathering, of learning and of helping us understand one another. Above all, it demonstrates the incredibly generous contribution of so many in the Jewish community in Vancouver in building a place where all of us can belong.

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Mr. Warren Steinley (Regina—Lewvan, CPC)

Dec/8/22 2:08:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Regina hosted two major events over the past month. The 109th Grey Cup took place in the heartland of Canadian football. Even though Canada's team was not playing, Rider Nation still rolled out the red carpet and hosted an amazing Grey Cup week. It was a great game between Winnipeg and Toronto. Yes, Toronto still has a team. Over 33,350 fans packed Mosaic Stadium and watched the Argos squeak out a win over the Bombers. Sorry to the members from Winnipeg. Next up was the 51st edition of the Canadian Western Agribition. People from across Canada and abroad came to see the best of the best of beef genetics, and the Maple Leaf Finals Rodeo was sold out every night. It was great to see the enthusiasm for Canadian agriculture, with over 100,000 people going through the gates at Agribition. It was a joy to walk through the barns and the trade shows and see the buzzing of activity. If they have never been to Agribition, I ask members to please make the time next year. It is a world-class show. These two events prove once again that Regina is the best place in Canada to host a party.

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Mrs. Élisabeth Brière (Sherbrooke, Lib.)

Dec/8/22 2:09:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the amazing performance of the Sherbrooke CEGEP's Volontaires, who won the college football division 2 Bol d'or last month. The team, which took home the title for the first time since 2010, played a great defensive game, as usual, and led a forceful offence. I congratulate all of the players and coaches. Sherbrooke is making a name for itself on Canada's sports scene thanks to our athletes and sports teams. Our government is taking action to make sports more accessible in Canada. Thanks to the leadership of my colleague, the Minister of Sport, our government is providing $25.3 million in financial support over three years for gender equity in sports. What is more, budget 2022 proposes an investment of $16 million over three years to support measures to create a safer sports system. Together, let us continue to support our athletes by ensuring that national sport policies and practices reduce the risk of harassment, abuse and discrimination and create a safer and more inclusive sports system for everyone.

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Mr. Larry Maguire (Brandon—Souris, CPC)

Dec/8/22 2:11:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as families look forward to gathering for the holidays, rising food prices will buy them less while costing them more. There is a cost of living crisis for millions of Canadians, and the Liberal carbon tax is only fuelling more inflation. New data show a family of four will pay nearly $1,100 more for groceries next year. By the end of 2023, families will have paid almost $16,300 just to put food on their tables. On top of that, farmers of a typical 5,000-acre farm will have to pay $150,000 in carbon tax per year once the Liberals triple it. Farmers need to dry their grain and heat their livestock barns. They are getting punished for no fault of their own. Every time the carbon tax goes up, the cost of transporting food also gets more expensive. To help struggling farmers, it is time the Liberals reined in their inflationary spending and axed the carbon tax once and for all.

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Mr. Dane Lloyd (Sturgeon River—Parkland, CPC)

Dec/8/22 2:12:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Champion Petfoods, with facilities in Parkland County in Morinville, is state of the art and provides jobs for hundreds of Albertans. Its naturally sourced Orijen and ACANA pet food brands are internationally recognized for their quality. Since February 2022, after an avian flu outbreak in Canada, China, Champion's largest market, placed restrictions on Canadian pet food exports. It did not do the same for the United States despite similar issues with the avian flu. The World Organisation for Animal Health has recognized that Canadian pet food products are safe, yet China maintains its unscientific restrictions on Canadian exports. It is the only country in the world to do so. This represents an existential threat to thousands of Canadian jobs and billions in Canadian exports. This government needs to stand up to Beijing and protect market access for world-class Canadian products. It is time for the Minister of International Trade to step up to the plate and end this absurd ban on Canadian pet food.

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Ms. Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Hochelaga, Lib.)

Dec/8/22 2:13:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the circus world is in mourning. Today I want to lift the curtain and give you a look behind the scenes at a pillar of the circus community in Quebec and Canada. Jan Rok Achard was a visionary who was unfortunately not well known to the general public. He led the National Circus School of Montreal for 13 years. He co-founded TOHU and the En Piste group, Canada's only circus arts alliance. Jan Rok Achard professionalized the art of the circus in Quebec and across the country by creating a structure around the milieu. He actively worked to innovate the art form and help it reinvent itself. He also helped propel it to international success and global recognition. The circus was his life. Jan Rok Achard passed away last week at the age of 79 after a long illness. I offer my condolences to his family, and I join the entire circus arts community in their grief. Let us honour his memory and remain mindful of his vision of the circus arts.

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Mr. Brian Masse (Windsor West, NDP)

Dec/8/22 2:14:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, border communities have suffered disproportionately during the pandemic and have yet to fully recover. Partly this is due to the shutdown of NEXUS centres, which has created an over 300,000-person backlog. NEXUS allows commuters, workers and travellers into the U.S. and Canada to cross rapidly, which is essential to the trade between both of our countries, the largest economic relationship in the world. In addition, the Windsor border blockade was a threat to our national economy. It cost municipalities nearly $6 million in policing costs to remove it. The federal government has yet to reimburse the city, leaving local taxpayers on the hook for a national security action and thus becoming a delinquent deadbeat. Even on Bill C-21, the Liberals have demonstrated ineptitude by not providing the necessary resources for our CBSA officers to stop gun smuggling. Ignoring our border communities is poor short-term policy that will have long-term consequences for our economy.

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Ms. Monique Pauzé (Repentigny, BQ)

Dec/8/22 2:15:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today, December 8, is World Climate Day, a reminder of the very real threat of global warming and the need to take action to limit its effects on the planet. What are we seeing today? An increase in carbon, extreme temperatures and methane; shrinking boreal, equatorial and tropical forests; forest fires; acidification and lower oxygen levels in the oceans; melting glaciers and Arctic ice; drought; extreme flooding; declining biodiversity; food insecurity; climate refugees by the millions, and so on. The government is giving billions of dollars to help adapt to climate change. Money is good, but reducing our greenhouse gases is better. I sometimes feel that here in Canada, just getting the government to understand the urgency to act would be a win.

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Mr. Jamie Schmale (Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, CPC)

Dec/8/22 2:16:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, more and more people are finding themselves on edge as they struggle to feed their families during this Liberal-made cost of living crisis. Grocery prices are up by 11%, rising at the fastest pace in 40 years, and are expected to rise another 5% to 7%. One in five families are skipping meals, with 1.5 million people using food banks in a single month. In Ontario, first-time food bank usage is up a whopping 64%. Nine in 10 are tightening household budgets as consumer debt rises 8.2%. The average credit card balance for Canadians is at a record high of $2,100. RBC estimates households will have to allocate 15% of their incomes to just debt servicing alone. As well, earlier this week the Auditor General confirmed what Conservatives have been saying all along, which is that this cost of living crisis has been made worse by the Liberal government’s wasteful spending and absolute refusal to put any controls in place. Canadians are out of money, the Liberals are out of touch and the Prime Minister and his costly coalition have broken Canada.

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Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Whitby, Lib.)

Dec/8/22 2:17:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Don Mitchell, the former mayor of Whitby, who served our town for over 30 years. He made the difficult decision to not seek re-election and to retire this year. Don was first elected in 1991 as a councillor and moved on to serve as mayor for over eight years. As a lifelong resident of Whitby and a lover of history, Don always worked to promote and preserve the rich history and heritage of our town while aiming to build modern and complete communities, both healthy and sustainable. Don stood up for what he believed in and was relentless in his commitment to preserve the environment and address climate change. Under Don's leadership, Whitby became a more inclusive, sustainable and healthy place to live. I have no doubt his legacy as mayor has left its mark on Whitby. On behalf of the people of Whitby, I want thank Don for all he has done for our community. He embodies the spirit and dedication it takes to build strong and more resilient communities, and I hope he looks back proudly on his work for Whitby and knows he made a real difference. I also want to wish him and his wonderful wife Liz all the best as they embark on this next chapter. Happy retirement to my friend.

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Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Calgary Forest Lawn, CPC)

Dec/8/22 2:19:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, enormous deficit spending by the Prime Minister caused the Bank of Canada to hike interest rates for the seventh consecutive time this year. An average mortgage will cost Canadians an extra $7,000 in interest payments alone. The Prime Minister's reckless spending has already driven up the cost on gas and groceries, and his failed energy policies will make home heating costs double. He will further pile-drive Canadians financially when his failed carbon tax increases this year. Why will the Prime Minister not stop his wasteful inflationary spending and axe the failed carbon tax so Canadians can keep the heat on this winter and food on the table?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Dec/8/22 2:19:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are nothing if not consistent. They continue to ask us to stop being there to support Canadians. They opposed the child care agreements we signed with the provinces, which we are enshrining into law with legislation we are bringing in to today. They opposed the dental supports for low-income Canadians to make sure kids have the best start in life possible. They opposed the rental supports we moved forward with to deliver for Canadians. They stood against the kinds of supports we were flowing to Canadians through the dark times of the pandemic. We will continue to be there for Canadians and remain fiscally responsible, because that is what Canadians expect.

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Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Calgary Forest Lawn, CPC)

Dec/8/22 2:20:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is easy for the Prime Minister to sit in his ivory tower, blame everyone else and spend even more of Canadians' money to cover his own inflationary mess. His inflation tax is going to cost Canadians an extra $3,500, according to the Governor of the Bank of Canada. The Prime Minister is the architect of sending 1.5 million Canadians into a food bank, half a million of whom were children. He is responsible for one in five Canadians skipping meals. He keeps failing, and Canadians continue to be on the hook for it. When will he understand that Canadians cannot afford any more of his failures and just want to eat and heat their homes?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Dec/8/22 2:21:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives say they stand with Canadians, but then they stand in opposition to measures that ensure Canadians can send their kids to the dentist. They stand in opposition to measures that will give families paying a large amount of their low incomes on rent an extra bit of help. They stand against, and continue to stand against, child care fees that have been cut in half across the country. That is not only giving opportunities for kids to get the best start in life and not only supporting parents when the cost of living and payments are so high, but it is ensuring that our economy grows as people participate fully in our growth.

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

Dec/8/22 2:21:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister continues to keep his head in the sand when it comes to people's home heating bills. Someone from my community reached out to me recently saying they had to make the tough decision of whether to pay for their Fortis home heating bill or buy groceries. He chose to heat his home, even though the bill went from $46 a month to $163 a month. He said that now he has to go to a food bank just to feed himself, the same food bank he used to donate to. Why is the Prime Minister tripling down on increasing carbon taxes for everyday Canadians who cannot even heat their homes now?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Dec/8/22 2:22:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have heard from Canadians right across the country that they are facing difficult times. We know how important it is to be there for Canadians, which is exactly what we are doing as a government despite Conservative politicians opposing that. We are there with dental supports. We are there with rental supports. We are there by cutting child care fees in half. I was just in the hon. member's province a few days ago to make the announcement that child care fees have been cut in half, saving families hundreds and even thousands of dollars a month. We will continue to stand with Canadians despite Conservative opposition.

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Mr. Richard Martel (Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, CPC)

Dec/8/22 2:23:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians woke up yesterday morning to news that is the stuff of nightmares. The Bank of Canada announced an increase in the interest rate, the seventh increase in a year, thanks to the Liberals and their inflationary spending. For a family with an average mortgage, that represents $7,000 more in interest per year and then they still need to heat their home. We know that the carbon tax applies to residential heating. Will the Prime Minister cancel this tax so that Canadians do not freeze in their own homes?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Dec/8/22 2:23:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are all concerned about the rising cost of living for Canadians, but on this side of the House we are providing help to Canadians. The Conservatives continue to oppose it. We are there with help for dental care for children, we are there with help for low-income renters, we are there to ensure more affordable child care across the country. We will continue to be there for people, even though the Conservative Party continues to vote against our measures to help people.

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