44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 16, 2023 10:00AM
- Feb/16/23 3:12:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I share my hon. colleague's concern, which is one of the reasons why we partnered directly with the City of Toronto, in the form of an announcement of $12 million to address many of the social determinants that he mentioned in his question.
What this means is that local organizations will have a greater capacity to offer mental health services that can help address substance issues, that will provide them with the additional capacity to help people who are at risk, especially young people who need more training when it comes to schooling and careers.
We will continue to work very closely with the City of Toronto and municipalities across the country, so we can stop crime before it starts.
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- Feb/16/23 3:13:07 p.m.
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I wish to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of His Excellency, Ander Gil, Speaker of the Senate of the Kingdom of Spain.
Some hon. members: Hear, hear!
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- Feb/16/23 3:13:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, during question period, accused a member on our side of the House of deliberately engaging in disinformation.
The definition for “disinformation” in Oxford Reference states, “...dissemination of false information with the deliberate intent to deceive or mislead.”
I am asking for two simple things from you.
The first is that there are terms in the House that are considered unparliamentary under any circumstance. Therefore, I wonder if you could make a ruling in the future as to whether the term “disinformation”, when speaking of the terms used by members, is still parliamentary in the House.
The second is to have the minister retract her statement.
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- Feb/16/23 3:14:21 p.m.
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I want to thank the hon. member for his point of order. I will look into it further.
The hon. Minister of Agriculture.
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- Feb/16/23 3:14:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will retract my comments, no problem. I invite my colleague to share the entire quote, because I have a quote that is different from the one he has shared in the House.
I would love to compare notes with him.
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- Feb/16/23 3:15:20 p.m.
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I will look into that.
Let me talk first and then I will go to the other points of order.
I would like to have the attention of members. We are picking different words, and one of the things I want to see is more judicious use of words in the House, on all sides, during the questions and the answers. If we are going to start picking words apart, it could be a long process, not only for me, but for every one of you who brings a word that is questionable. Therefore, please be judicious with your use of words.
I thank the hon. member for Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola.
The hon. parliamentary secretary to the government House leader is rising on a point of order.
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- Feb/16/23 3:15:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in today's QP proceedings I think you will find that the Minister of Transport used the term “ambulance chasers”.
I would remind the minister and the government that we are all hon. members and I think you, Mr. Speaker, should rule on whether or not the use of such terms toward another member is parliamentary.
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- Feb/16/23 3:16:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, during question period you made reference to the gallery, after the Minister of Justice made his comments, but nowhere in his comments did he make reference to Susan Milgaard being in the gallery. In fact, I stood to applaud when I saw her there. The minister did not make reference to—
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- Feb/16/23 3:16:27 p.m.
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I think we are getting into debate. What happened is that you cannot do indirectly what you cannot do directly. When someone starts speaking, we have a rule of 35 seconds. Whether it is during clapping or a statement, I have to stop it after 35 seconds. Unless the House decides to change the rules, I have to stick to those agreements that have been made and implemented over time.
There were two things that took place there. One was something being done indirectly, and everybody was clearly looking up and clapping and it took up the time. Unfortunately, that is how it worked out.
Are there any other points of order? The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.
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- Feb/16/23 3:17:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not want to belabour the point, but I would like guidance for my own conduct in this place.
I agree with the hon. parliamentary secretary that the minister did not reference anyone in the gallery, and I agree that time taken up in applause does cut into speaking time.
I would find it difficult to know, if someone well known were in the gallery and we referenced that person who was earlier in the day at a press conference, whether that violates our rules.
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- Feb/16/23 3:17:46 p.m.
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- Feb/16/23 3:18:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the government House leader could update members as to the business for the rest of this week.
Also, as members of Parliament go off and enjoy Family Day in many parts of the country with their loved ones, as well as get back to work in their constituencies, could the government House leader update the House as to what we can expect with respect to legislation when we return from those constituency work weeks?
While I am on my feet, because his own colleague asked members of the Conservative Party to read the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, I was wondering if you would allow me to table the report, especially the part that says that most households will see a net loss resulting from federal carbon pricing under the Liberals' plan.
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- Feb/16/23 3:18:49 p.m.
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All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay.
Some hon. members: Nay.
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- Feb/16/23 3:19:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's very sincere effort, I am sure, to lay that on the record. I am sure he is in shock that there was not unanimous consent. However, my hon. colleague can rest assured that, when it comes to climate change, we will not allow inaction to be the rule of the day and that we will absolutely continue to take action to make sure climate change does not ravage this planet.
I do want to pick up on the second-last comment that the hon. opposition House leader made, which were comments with respect to Family Day. I hope that he, and indeed all members in the House, take time with their families and with their constituents, and that they return to this place in good health.
Tomorrow, we will resume debate on Bill C-34 to amend the Investment Canada Act at second reading.
Upon our return on Monday, March 6, we will call Bill C-27 on the digital charter, at second reading.
Tuesday shall be an allotted day.
On Wednesday, we will commence debate on Bill C-33 concerning the port system and railway safety.
Thursday will not only be the opportunity for my hon. colleague's favourite time of the week, another Thursday question, but we will also resume debate on Bill C-23 respecting historic places, at second reading.
On Friday, we will continue second reading debate of Bill C-26, the cybersecurity legislation.
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- Feb/16/23 3:20:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with limited time left in my speech, I want to highlight a couple of key points. One is the need for this injection of investment of almost $200 billion to support our health care system. Where I left off was that constituents in my riding have spoken about these needs in terms of mental health supports, supports for stroke survivors, support for family doctors and specialists, investments in long-term care and reducing emergency room wait times. Constituents wrote to me about the need for all of these supports and also for supports for personal support workers.
They also they spoke about transparency and accountability for these funds. This is incredibly important. It is why I am glad that, in these conversations with premiers and provinces and territories across the country, there are going to be action plans so that Canadians will be able to see what the plan is for using this funding. Then Canadians will be able to track that money, to see where it is being spent and whether it is effectively reducing wait times and supporting our health care sector.
This accountability is something that Canadians across the country have been asking for. We want to be there as a support and a partner to get our health care system back on track, but we are going to do so while making sure Canadians know exactly where these funds are being spent.
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- Feb/16/23 3:22:46 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I find it interesting. The government has failed over the last eight years, and certainly we have heard multiple times about provincial jurisdiction.
We also heard the Liberal Prime Minister talk very clearly in the House about the 7,500 doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners he was going to hire for Canada. I heard the member mention again today the federal support for doctors. I was in that sector for a very long time. Where are the 7,500 doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners? How many have the Liberals actually hired and when is this going to happen?
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- Feb/16/23 3:23:24 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am surprised that the member opposite does not realize that a $200-billion investment over the next 10 years is going to do just that. The Conservatives said that they support our funding, and they did not provide anything in addition, so perhaps the member should speak to his leadership.
The Conservatives do not have a plan. They do not offer a solution. All they know how to do is criticize. It is no wonder the Conservatives keep asking us to move out of the way. They cannot win elections on their policies.
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- Feb/16/23 3:24:05 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, this motion calls on the government to close loopholes in the Canada Health Act. One of the most egregious of these is that while the Canada Health Act prohibits extra billing, which means doctors are banned from charging patients more than the medicare rate for insured services, private clinics get around that by advertising and offering surgery to patients from a different province whom they then charge tens of thousands of dollars. This loophole needs to be closed.
Does my hon. colleague think that her government should agree with the NDP that the Canada Health Act must be amended so that provinces can no longer permit the odious practice of allowing the charging of patients for covered insurance services simply by allowing their citizens to cross a provincial border to get that surgery?
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- Feb/16/23 3:24:54 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, our commitment to a universal, public health care system is paramount. In fact, I support our proposals that ensure that all one needs is a health card, not a credit card, to receive health services.
However, let me remind the House that, since 2015, it was our government that has levied $105 million in health transfers. We held back for violations by provinces and territories for not providing the health care services under the act.
We are going to uphold the act and ensure provinces and territories allow public health care to thrive in our country.
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- Feb/16/23 3:25:52 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member for Vancouver Kingsway brought up a really important point with respect to a loophole that can be exploited in the Canada Health Act when it comes to provincial borders being manipulated for a person not to get access to public health care.
Could the parliamentary secretary directly answer the question that was just asked?
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