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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 152

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 2, 2023 10:00AM
  • Feb/2/23 2:43:39 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the minister responsible has already answered that question, but let us set the record straight in terms of who is actually standing on the side of Canadians. That is our government. What have the Conservatives done? They voted not once, not twice, but three times against tax cuts for Canadians. That side of the aisle voted against eliminating interest on apprentice and student loans. They voted against a federal minimum wage, and they voted against expanding the Canada workers benefit. Who stands on the side of Canadians? We do. Canadians know one thing. When the chips are down, Canadians cannot count on Conservatives.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:44:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we do know the government stands on the side of those Canadians who work for McKinsey. However, on this side of the House we speak for the vast majority of Canadians who are concerned about $100 million in contracts and the public service not knowing what work was done. After eight years, more Canadians than ever are suffering because of the opioid crisis, but the government continues to defend its friends. McKinsey's managing director, Dominic Barton, claimed to have no knowledge of the relationship with Purdue Pharma. Did the Prime Minister or government ministers have any conversations with McKinsey staff about the opioid crisis? Yes or no.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:45:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, what Canadians absolutely know is that the Conservative plan, when it comes to opioids, is dangerous, it is reckless and it would put people in harm's way. What Canadians do know is that when it comes to standing with them, we have stood with them, whether it was when we came into office and put in important measures to lift people out of poverty or whether it was during the pandemic when we were there in their darkest hour. Now, when it comes to inflation, we put forward targeted measures that are helping Canadians every day. They know we stand with them.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:45:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every government uses private sector legal or technical services from time to time. What we have here is a Liberal government that has completely lost control of government over the last eight years. The Prime Minister has handed his governance responsibilities over to multinational corporations like McKinsey. Instead of wasting billions of dollars on these companies, the Prime Minister could have invested here with our best talent. Why did the Prime Minister throw the federal public service under the bus?
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  • Feb/2/23 2:46:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we have an outstanding public service, and we trust the public sector employees we work with every day. We are investing in Canadians to ensure that our economy continues to grow and that programs are properly designed to help Canadians who need them most. All of these programs are administered by our wonderful public sector workers.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:46:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are making tough choices about what they can and cannot afford because grocery prices are so unbelievably high. Today, Loblaws decided to stop the price freeze they put in place under considerable public pressure. This proves that grocery CEOs can control what people pay. The government has to take a stand against the corporate greed that is hurting Canadian families. Enough is enough. When are the Liberals going to put in place a windfall profits tax against corporate greed and put that money back into the pockets of Canadian families, who need it?
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  • Feb/2/23 2:47:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to say to all Canadians that we agree with the member. Enough is enough. That is why we took action. That is why, way back, I wrote to the Competition Bureau to ask them to investigate to make sure there were not any undue practices. I also spoke to the CEOs to tell them to do what is right to help Canadians at their time of need. We will continue to push them to lower prices for Canadians.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:47:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, seniors across the country are struggling with the rising cost of living. There is a bar of dignity that we should all expect in Canada, and far too many of our parents and grandparents are living below it. Yesterday, the government denied my motion to get more financial help to all seniors, regardless of age. All seniors have to pay for food, rent and medication. They deserve dignity. Why does the Minister of Seniors not agree?
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  • Feb/2/23 2:48:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP knows that older seniors are more likely to outlive their savings. They are more likely to be unable to work, be widowed and have increased health care needs. This increase helps seniors over 75, of which 50% have a severe disability, 59% are women and 40% are widows. Last fall, we doubled the GST tax credit for seniors 65 and over, which will put an extra $225 back in their pockets. We will always provide support for seniors, and we will continue to deliver for them.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:48:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first nations children thrive when they can stay with their families in their communities and be surrounded by their culture, and this is an area where the Yukon has made significant progress. It has been three years since the act respecting first nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families came into force. Could the Minister of Indigenous Services inform the House how the government's work with first nations partners is advancing on this key priority?
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  • Feb/2/23 2:49:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I give my thanks to the member for Yukon for reminding us that nothing is more important than keeping families and children together. On Tuesday, I joined Chief Glenn Hudson and Minister Rochelle Squires in Manitoba to sign a historic coordination agreement that is going to put Peguis in the driver’s seat to determine the best way to protect children and families. This means the next generation has a better chance. I am so proud to be part of a government that understands that keeping families together is of utmost importance.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:50:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this Prime Minister, everything feels broken in Canada, including the bail system. Violent crime has increased 32%. Gang-related homicides have increased by 92%, and five Canadian police officers were killed in the line of duty this year. Bail for violent repeat offenders has become a revolving door. When is the Liberal government going to take responsibility for its actions and stop this catch-and-release bail justice system?
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  • Feb/2/23 2:50:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve to be and to feel safe. We all have a role to play in protecting our communities. The laws on bail are clear: If an accused person poses a serious risk to public safety, they should not get bail. At my direction, since the month of October past, federal officials have been working with their provincial and territorial counterparts to develop ways to best keep Canadians safe. We are open to that discussion. We are open to participating with the provinces to help in the enforcement of bail conditions. We are looking for lasting solutions.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:51:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will ask the minister to tell victims, in light of those five police officers, what he just told me. Most Canadians do not live in homes surrounded by walls and gates, and they do not have the security detail of the Prime Minister. That is a luxury that Canadians do not have. With a 26% increase in crime in New Brunswick over the past five years, rural Canadians are also negatively impacted. These failed, soft-on-crime, Liberal bail policies are making Canadians feel less safe. When will the Prime Minister put victims ahead of criminals?
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  • Feb/2/23 2:51:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I take offence to the idea that any of us are less empathetic towards victims, particularly in these very cases. Our heart goes out to those victims. With respect to the bail system, I have been working with my officials across Canada, the provincial and territorial counterparts, precisely to see where we can improve the bail regime. We know that Canadians need to feel safe, and we are moving forward in a positive direction, appreciating that it is a complex issue and a shared area of responsibility with the provinces. With the provinces, we will find a solution.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:52:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, well, Canadians take offence to a government that will not listen to the pleas of all 13 premiers, who have seen violent crime go up by 32% in the last eight years. Out of 44 shooting homicides in Toronto last year, half were committed by someone who was out on bail. In a single year in Vancouver, 40 people were arrested 6,000 times. After eight years, in this Prime Minister, career criminals have never had a better friend. Does this justice minister honestly stand by his claims that our broken bail system is working?
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  • Feb/2/23 2:53:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, cherry-picking statistics and taking high-profile cases and using them for political purposes does not help us to attack the challenges that the bail system presents to us. As I have said, we have been working on that question since the month of October with our provincial counterparts. We are looking at solutions that can be fixed in the law, but we are also looking at the kinds of things that the provinces can do in the administration of the bail system. British Columbia has taken a leadership role. I met with the attorney general for British Columbia yesterday to go over what B.C. was doing. Ontario is interested, and so are the provinces. We will work together—
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  • Feb/2/23 2:54:05 p.m.
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The hon. member for Fundy Royal.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:54:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not need victim blaming. They need leadership and action. Which stats would the hon. minister wish that we were not cherry-picking? Violent crime is up 32%. Gang-related homicides have increased by 92%. Of 44 shooting-related homicides in Toronto, half of the accused were out on bail, and 40 offenders have been arrested 6,000 times. If the minister has some stats that he would like to share, we welcome them. Until then, we need to get our heads out of the sand and take action We need to listen to the police, communities and the premiers and reform this failed Liberal bail system.
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  • Feb/2/23 2:54:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier today in the House of Commons, statistics from the Toronto police over the past few years show that offenses committed while individuals are out on bail have gone down over the past two years. We appreciate that Canadians need to feel safe and Canadians have a right to feel safe— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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