SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 149

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
January 30, 2023 11:00AM
  • Jan/30/23 2:47:47 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Prime Minister, Canadians have never had it so bad while Liberal insiders like Dominic Barton have never had it so good. Dominic Barton was running a government advisory body while at the same time his company was collecting over $100 million in contracts on the side. Barton and his cronies at McKinsey had privileged access to the Prime Minister and were using that access to make money. The government has done so much for Dominic Barton and McKinsey and so little for struggling Canadians. Once again, will the government answer how much money in total it has given to McKinsey?
107 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:48:28 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the House that Public Services and Procurement Canada takes its role as the central purchasing department very seriously. We ensure value for money and quality of services for Canadians. Minister Fortier's focus will rest on the policy, while I focus on the circumstances of the contracts. I will be testifying, alongside my officials, at the government operations committee to give more thorough and complete answers.
72 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:48:56 p.m.
  • Watch
I know we are all excited to be back, but I want to remind hon. members that when they are referring to someone else in the chamber they are to refer to them by their riding or the position they hold and not their name. I know we have been away for a bit so I just want to remind everyone. The hon. member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan.
70 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:49:14 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, perhaps I can assist the minister in getting to the bottom of the circumstances around these contracts. The Prime Minister is a very close personal friend of Dominic Barton, who is the managing partner of McKinsey. Under Dominic Barton, McKinsey monitored dissident social media accounts for the Saudi government, had a corporate retreat down the road from a concentration camp in China and advised a pharmaceutical company to reward pharmacists for causing overdose deaths. We are the company we keep and the company the Prime Minister keeps is called McKinsey. Once again, how much money did the Prime Minister funnel to his friends at McKinsey?
107 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:49:57 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the House yet again that procurement contracts must adhere to Treasury Board policies and directives, which are intended to ensure that contracts are awarded in a fair, open and transparent manner. Given the volume of government procurement, controls are in place at various levels based on contract value, risk and complexity. Following recent concerns about contracts provided to McKinsey, we are undertaking a full review of all procurements with this company. Details are still being finalized but the intent will be to verify if these procurements were conducted in accordance with Treasury Board policies and directives.
102 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:50:38 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, two seasons of travel chaos left Canadians sleeping on airport floors, stranded in countries around the world and out thousands of dollars. The government has over 33,000 air passenger complaints before it and the folks who do manage to jump through all of the Liberals' hoops are having to wait over a year and a half to have their complaints reviewed. Despite all of this the government has not fined the airlines a single dollar for failing to compensate passengers. Why is it that Canada seems to have a minister for airlines but no minister for air passengers?
101 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:51:17 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to protecting passengers' rights. In fact, our government was the first government in Canada's history to pass a bill in this chamber to support passengers' rights. Of course, the last couple of years have been very difficult on the aviation sector because of the pandemic and because of the public health situation. We are working with the Canadian Transportation Agency to provide the resources they need. The chair of the Canadian Transportation Agency was at committee, where the hon. member got the chance to ask his questions.
94 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:51:56 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are dealing with the costs of the climate crisis while everyday costs are soaring. People are having to cut back on their already tight budgets, while huge grocery chains and oil and gas companies make billions. A windfall tax would force those rich CEOs to finally pay what they owe. With this, the government could put money back into the pockets of Canadians and invest in clean energy. Will the Prime Minister implement a windfall profits tax to make Canada more affordable for people instead of more profitable for billionaires?
93 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:52:34 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to ensuring that everyone pays his or her fair share in Canada. That is why our government implemented a 15% COVID recovery dividend levied on our largest banks and insurance companies. That is why our government has introduced a permanent 1.5% tax on the largest banks and insurance companies in Canada. That is why we are implementing a 2% tax on share buybacks. That is why we have put in place a luxury tax on planes, yachts and cars.
87 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:53:21 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-35 
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege to stand before the House for the first time. Earlier today, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development led off a debate on Bill C-35 to enshrine the Canada-wide early learning and child care system into law. My constituents all know so well how important access to affordable and inclusive child care is for our economy and women's empowerment. Could the minister please update the House on how Bill C-35 will ensure that affordable and accessible quality child care is here to stay?
97 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:54:06 p.m.
  • Watch
  • Re: Bill C-35 
Mr. Speaker, let me begin by congratulating and welcoming my newest colleague from Mississauga—Lakeshore to the House. I am thrilled to talk about Bill C-35 and the important work that it is going to do to ensure to Canadians, to families, to children, to women, to day care providers that the federal government is there for the long term. I have no doubt that his constituents in Mississauga—Lakeshore voted for him because they know that he is a hard worker and that the Liberal government is going to be there in tough times. I am glad for the support of the NDP and the Bloc Québécois. I hope the Conservatives will reverse their position—
124 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:54:48 p.m.
  • Watch
The hon. member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.
13 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:54:53 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years, breaking ethics laws has become as synonymous with those Liberals as higher taxes. Now, for a record fifth time, a Liberal minister has been caught breaking ethics laws. At a time when Canadians are struggling to afford to heat their homes and put food on their table for their families, the trade minister was finding the time and taxpayer money to line the pockets of her insider friend: another day, another lawless Liberal under the lawless Prime Minister. Will the minister do the right thing and cut a cheque to make restitution for her corruption?
100 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:55:34 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the commissioner has reviewed this issue and has reached his conclusion. To the House, I apologize. I regret that I made a mistake. I should have recused myself. At the time, it was quite urgent that we communicated with Canadians, particularly with small businesses, about those urgent supports that were needed, but I do regret that I did not recuse myself, and for that I apologize to the House.
71 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:56:06 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate but not surprising that the minister will not make it right after serving under the Prime Minister who has twice himself been found guilty of breaking Canada's ethics laws. Those Liberals exist solely for the purpose to hold on to power. They divide Canadians, pit neighbour against neighbour and line the pockets of Liberal insiders while they are at it. Therefore, will the Prime Minister today ask for the minister's resignation?
78 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:56:45 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years, yet again another Liberal patronage scandal. Not content with gifting lucrative government contracts to hateful anti-Semites, now the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion, the member for York South—Weston, handed $93,000 to a staffer's sister for public relations advice. It is not difficult to realize that handing over taxpayer dollars to a staff's family is a bad idea, yet here we are again. Will the minister do the only responsible and dignified action and pay back the money?
88 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:57:24 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, one of the most important duties of any member of Parliament is to communicate with their riding. That is why members of Parliament are permitted to use their operating budgets to hire service providers to help them communicate with their constituents. In this case, a small business in Toronto was hired by my constituency office to offer assistance in providing communication services to my constituents. Let me be clear: The rules were followed. The contract with this organization was publicly disclosed and the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has advised that there is no conflict of interest.
103 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:58:01 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, even after $50 million was spent on the ArriveCAN app, the Commissioner of Official Languages has reprimanded the government over the app's language issues. A Canadian travelling in the United States was unable to get the French version of the app, even though it is one of this country's two official languages. The government spent a fortune on a service that violated the rights of francophones. After eight years in power, will the government finally admit that it is incompetent, very incompetent?
87 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Jan/30/23 2:58:41 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with my colleague. When we launch services, it is essential that they be available in both official languages. That is exactly what we did with ArriveCAN. When the public raised some concerns, the Canada Border Services Agency made improvements to the service. We will continue to invest in providing service in both official languages, everywhere.
62 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border