44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 16, 2023 10:00AM
- Feb/16/23 2:15:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this Black History Month, let us continue to honour the legacy and contributions of Black communities in Canada.
I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the invaluable work done by the various Black-led organizations in Saint‑Léonard—Saint‑Michel, including the Association haïtiano-canado-québécoise d'aide aux démunis, the Centre Lasallien, Compagnie Théâtre créole, and Maison d'Haïti, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary. All of these organizations devote their heart and soul to welcoming, educating and integrating immigrant families to Quebec and helping them prosper.
I also want to recognize Maison d'Haïti for its community-based initiatives, which allow participants to have a say and actively participate in the community. This unique approach encourages the empowerment and growth of every individual affected by their work.
Long live Maison d'Haïti, and happy Black History Month to everyone.
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- Feb/16/23 2:16:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as we gather in our communities to celebrate Black History Month, I proudly rise today, as a past recipient and past co-chair, to recognize the current board members, volunteers and community sponsors of the John C. Holland Awards, hosted annually by the Hamilton Black History Council.
Co-founded in 1996 by Marlene Thomas and Evelyn Myrie, and hosted alongside various community groups and local sponsors, this celebration is named in the spirit of Reverend J.C. Holland, who was the first African Canadian to be named “citizen of the year” in any community in Canada.
A special thanks goes to this year's council members: Marlene Thomas, Doreen Johnson, Jeff Holland, Sajah Stiller, Cherie Warner-Richard, Michael Highgate, Nicole Virgin, Michelle Schivbarran, and Terri Bedminster, the J.C. Holland Awards event chair.
I congratulate all of this year's incredible John C. Holland Awards nominees and selected winners, and I thank them for their contribution to our community, the city of Hamilton and indeed all of Canada.
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- Feb/16/23 2:17:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are celebrating Aerospace on the Hill, and I would like to share the words of the late Jean Lapierre: “Aerospace is to Quebec what the automobile is to Ontario.” A true pillar of our economic nationalism, its innovation and vibrancy make us shine on the international stage.
Aerospace is a fundamental strategic sector. Greater Montreal is the third-largest aerospace hub in the world, after Seattle and Toulouse. A hotbed of research and development like this must be supported by a comprehensive, sustainable and coherent policy. Every state fortunate enough to have such an industry within its borders has such a policy, except Canada.
In the short term, Ottawa must at least take advantage of the next budgetary process to correct its ineffective and inaptly named luxury tax. It has been condemned by both business and labour, and it is appalling how much it is crippling us compared to our competitors. Long live aerospace, a homegrown gem.
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- Feb/16/23 2:18:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion a healthy and restful retirement.
After eight years, he has sadly become one of the busiest people in all of Ottawa under the Liberals. Just this week, there was another Liberal guilty of ethics violations, and he joins a growing list of ethically challenged Liberals: the former minister of finance, guilty; the Minister of Infrastructure, guilty; the Minister of Trade, guilty; and the Prime Minister himself, guilty and guilty.
Mr. Dion said it best about these continued Liberal scandals: “The act has been there for 17 years, for God's sake.” To the next ethics commissioner, I offer this advice: “Bring some Red Bull. You'll need the energy to keep up.”
After eight years, Canadians are tired of the scandals, tired of seeing Liberal insiders get ahead as they fall behind, but there is hope. If the Prime Minister will not hold his team to account for their failings, not to worry. They can step aside, because Conservatives are united and ready to lead and clean up their mess.
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- Feb/16/23 2:20:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today I would like to welcome the members of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada who are joining us to mark Aerospace on the Hill.
The aerospace sector represents a vital part of Canada's economy. In 2021, it represented over $24 billion in GDP and over 200,000 high-quality jobs for Canadians. It is a sector of growth and innovation.
My riding of York Centre is home to a proud aerospace history, from the early days of De Havilland Canada, almost 100 years ago, to CFB Downsview. We have seen planes big and small, and we have built them, including the iconic Beaver, Twin Otter and Dash 8. We are now home to the Centennial College's aerospace campus, the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies and the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research hub.
As co-chair of the aerospace caucus, I know we celebrate this sector, which provides countless growth opportunities as we transition to the next generation of sustainable aviation, aerospace excellence and innovation.
Let us thank them for all they do.
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- Feb/16/23 2:21:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, eight years of inflationary deficits fuelled by Liberal waste and corruption have caused an incredible hardship for our Canadians.
To fight that Liberal inflation, the Bank of Canada has massively hiked interest rates. Higher interest rates mean higher mortgage payments, meaning people have to pay more to the bank just to live in the house they already own. In fact, the average mortgage payment for a typical home in Canada has soared to over $3,000 a month.
Will the Prime Minister take responsibility and admit that it was his waste and corruption that is causing this cost of living crisis, or will he get out of the way and let Conservatives fix his mess?
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- Feb/16/23 2:22:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the thing we recognize is that Canadians need help. We have delivered the Canada housing benefit, which is already investing close to $2,500 on average for vulnerable renters across the country. On top of that, we introduced a one-time $500 top-up to go to almost two million renters.
What did the party opposite do despite the rhetoric? Not only did it vote against it, in the fall the Conservatives played procedural games in the House to delay much-needed rental supplements to almost two million Canadians.
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- Feb/16/23 2:22:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals would love to fool us into thinking all that spending actually went to Canadians, but in fact they were stopping and helping their friends and insiders all along the way.
That Liberal law-breaking means that while Canadians are struggling, Liberal insiders have never had it so good. While 20% of Canadians are skipping meals, the trade minister gave a $23,000 contract to her best friend. While the rent on a typical apartment has soared to over $2,000 a month, the housing minister gave $93,000 to his staff's family's PR family.
After eight years of breaking ethics laws, are there any Liberals who will hold their political masters to account, or is helping their friends and insiders why they got into politics in the first place?
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- Feb/16/23 2:23:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a lot of things have changed since the Conservatives were in power, one of them is Canada's unemployment rate, which under their watch was 7%; it is now 5%. The number of people who are living in poverty is now 2.7 million less.
When we look at our record on child care, the Leader of the Opposition actually said at the time that he was proud that he cancelled the child care agreement that was supposed to have happened, and it was killed when he came into power. Instead, we delivered that. We are delivering real help to Canadians across the country.
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- Feb/16/23 2:24:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals gave wage subsidies to profitable businesses which turned around and gave their CEOs bonuses. They let fraudsters and scam artists keep the CERB money that they stole. Now the Liberals have been found guilty of breaking ethics laws six times.
The Prime Minister's own law-breaking is so bad that the Ethics Commission has had to call him out, saying he did not think anybody would have imagined a situation where the Prime Minister himself would be found breaking the law, “It’s a funny situation to be in.” I do not think he meant “ha ha” funny. It is not funny to make Canadians struggle while Liberal friends and insiders get rich.
Why is treating taxpayer money with respect never the lesson those Liberals learn?
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- Feb/16/23 2:24:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of those Conservatives talking down our economy and talking down Canada.
In terms of good news, let us celebrate. This morning I was celebrating project arrow, the first 100% Canadian-built electric vehicle. That is what we are capable of in Canada. It is about innovation. It is about leadership. It is about bringing Canadians up as opposed to bringing Canadians down, as they do every day.
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- Feb/16/23 2:25:16 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-5
Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government is facing mounting criticism over Bill C-5, and for good reason.
Quebec's justice minister, Simon Jolin-Barrette, tabled a motion in the National Assembly with the support of all members. The motion calls on this Bloc-centralist-Liberal government to amend the law stemming from Bill C‑5 to make sexual assault offences ineligible for community sentences. We are in this position because of the complicity of the Bloc Québécois.
Will they do the right thing and protect women instead of helping criminals?
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- Feb/16/23 2:25:51 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-5
Mr. Speaker, as a government, we have acted on several fronts to ensure that victims of sexual assault are treated with dignity and respect.
Several bills, including Bill C-3 and Bill C-51, have made substantial reforms to Canada's sexual assault laws to do just that, protect victims. These are some of the most progressive laws in the world. We have invested in programs that help victims of sexual assault.
That is our priority. We will continue to support victims of sexual assault.
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- Feb/16/23 2:26:30 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-5
Mr. Speaker, it is as though the minister always does things right.
Yesterday, the media reported on the case of Sobhi Akra, who pleaded guilty in January 2022 to sexually assaulting eight women between October 2017 and November 2018. Bill C‑5, the brainchild of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice, who got some help from our Bloc Québécois friends, could make it possible for this criminal to serve his sentence in the comfort of his own home.
Quebec has also pointed out that Bill C‑5 is a setback for the fight against sexual violence. I do not know where the minister is going with his answers, but it is obvious that there is a serious problem with Bill C‑5. We have said so from the outset. The Bloc Québécois supported the Liberals, but it is time to reconsider.
Is the Minister willing to change Bill C‑5 for the sake of the women?
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- Feb/16/23 2:27:13 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-5
Mr. Speaker, as the Attorney General, it would be inappropriate for me to comment not just on a case that could be appealed, but on a case where there is not yet a final decision. I will not speak about that case.
What I can say to Canadians is that the purpose of Bill C‑5 is to address systemic racism against indigenous and Black people in the system, and to set aside a system that did not work under the Conservatives.
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Mr. Speaker, in today's episode of West Island story, the Liberal house is burning.
It just keeps going. Every day, we learn that another Liberal member from Quebec is opposed to modernizing the Official Languages Act. It is even spreading to cabinet. At first, it was just a smoke show, but now it is a fire. The suspense is killing me.
Will there be a free vote on this bill or will all Liberals have to vote as one? If they vote as one, will they vote for or against? We are confused.
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Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear: Our commitment has not changed. Our government stands firm. We will do everything to protect and promote French across the country, including in Quebec, and protect our official language minority communities.
I am following the work of the committee closely. Our bill will expand the powers of the Commissioner of Official Languages. It will ensure that employees will be able to work and obtain service in French in federally regulated private companies in Quebec as well as outside the province in regions with a strong francophone presence.
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Mr. Speaker, the “West Island story” actors keep spouting nonsense.
Canada is an anglophone country, says the member for Westmount. French is not in decline in Quebec, says the member for Saint-Laurent, in between two trips to Greece. I cannot support Bill C‑13 because it contains certain Conservative and Bloc amendments, says the member for Mount Royal.
These are Liberal government members. Will they vote in favour of the Liberal government's Bill C‑13?
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Mr. Speaker, I do not see what he is worried about, because the Bloc members will vote against a bill designed to strengthen French in Quebec and across the country and give the Commissioner of Official Languages more powers.
The Bloc Québécois-Conservative coalition is going to try to bring down a bill that is good for French everywhere.
We will take a stand and continue to fight for French everywhere in Canada.
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- Feb/16/23 2:30:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, everyone in our country should be able to find a job that pays the bills, a home that is in their budget and build a good life for themselves and their families, but sadly that is not the case—
Son hon. members: Oh, oh!
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