44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 10, 2023 10:00AM
- Mar/10/23 11:45:25 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, in April, Canadians will see the biggest tax increase in 40 years on beer, wine and spirits. Last week, I spoke with Jorg and Anette Engel, constituents who own a small distillery, who are worried about what this tax means for their livelihood.
We are in an affordability crisis, and a tax hike this large will make things worse. The Liberals escalator tax on beer, wine and spirits is going to cost small business owners tens of thousands of dollars.
Will the Liberals fix this tax, and stop this tax hike to help Canadians already feeling the squeeze?
100 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:46:06 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, our government supports small craft brewers from right across the country. Most of us probably have small craft brewers that are in our ridings. That is why we have decreased taxes on small businesses, not once but twice, including reducing the rate of taxes for small businesses from 11% to 9%. Last year's escalator equated to about one penny for every five cans of beer sold.
We will continue to work with the brewers in the craft brewing sector to make sure that they are supported and that their businesses continue to grow.
96 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:46:38 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, indigenous people in Canada often face challenges in accessing health care, particularly finding a doctor or finding nurses in rural and remote areas. In addition, first nations, Inuit and Métis should, like all Canadians, be able to receive health care without encountering prejudice or racism.
Can the Minister of Indigenous Services update the House on what our government is doing in partnership with indigenous communities to improve their health care?
74 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:47:13 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I have heard, and I am certain that my colleague has seen in his practice over many years, the experiences that indigenous people have in our health care systems, every single day, that are rife with racism and with systemic discrimination. That is why I am so pleased that the Prime Minister announced a $2-billion indigenous health equity fund that will help to end the systemic discrimination that members of our communities all across the country are facing, like Joyce Echaquan.
I want to thank the Prime Minister for this inclusion, and I want to thank the member for his work in this space.
107 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:47:52 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, in July 2020, Katie Telford, the Prime Minister's chief of staff, testified before a House of Commons committee on the We Charity scandal. In May 2021, she testified before a House of Commons committee with regard to sexual misconduct. Now the Liberal government is preventing her from again testifying under oath before a House of Commons committee.
When will the Liberal government end its filibuster, and allow the Prime Minister's chief of staff to testify on Beijing's foreign interference?
84 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:48:25 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, as I have said before, the work that PROC is doing on this file has included recalling witnesses, ministers, public servants and members of the national security committee, all to talk about this very important issue because we take it so seriously.
It has already been confirmed in the House that the leader of the opposition sees this as nothing more than a partisan issue. While we are focused on ensuring that our institutions are strong, Conservatives continue to play games at committee and to take political cheap shots, instead of doing the work that Canadians sent them here to do.
103 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:49:04 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, the chief of staff is the nexus for sensitive communications in the Prime Minister's office. She came to the finance committee to testify on the Prime Minister's WE Charity scandal. She came to the defence committee on former general Vance's sexual misconduct because the Prime Minister would not. Even if she missed the CSIS briefing on Beijing's interference into election scandals, she would have been advised by the national security advisor.
Will the Liberals end their filibuster and allow her to come to committee?
90 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:49:46 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, it is very clear that we have had apolitical, professional civil servants, who have made it very clear to all Canadians that the outcome of the 2019 and 2021 elections were not influenced in any way by international interference. In fact, if we take a look at what we have done, in contrast to what the Conservatives have done, we will find that the Conservative government failed in its responsibilities, while we continue to live up to ours.
80 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:50:22 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, the cold winds of election interference have been blowing in Canada, and the Prime Minister has been caught up in their wintery blasts. The Greek storyteller, Aesop, tells about a contest between the wind and the sun. Who was stronger? Who could remove the traveller's cloak? In the end, the sun won and was able to expose the traveller.
The Prime Minister needs to open the shutters, allow the sun to remove the cloak of secrecy and to expose the truth of Beijing election interference. Will the Liberals end their filibuster and let the Prime Minister's chief of staff testify on Beijing election interference?
108 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:51:01 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I have a fairy tale to talk about, as well, on this issue. This week, the Leader of the Opposition said that of course the previous Conservative government did nothing about foreign interference, because it was not to its partisan advantage to do anything about it.
While the Conservatives have clearly demonstrated that they want to play games and to not take this seriously, we feel that their actions are reckless, when it comes to national security. That is why we are going to do the serious work, at committee and in the House, to ensure our institutions are strengthened.
102 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:51:41 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, when it comes to interference in Canadian elections, this Prime Minister's trust is somewhat selective.
He says he trusts the parliamentarians sitting on the secret special committee that will prepare a secret report. However, when asked to let his chief of staff, Katie Telford, testify before a public parliamentary committee, he refuses outright.
Why is the Prime Minister refusing to let his chief of staff, Katie Telford, testify?
71 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:52:14 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I would remind the House again that the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians is not a secret committee. I would also provide this House with a list of some of the things we have done.
We appointed an independent panel to review the 2019 and 2021 elections, and it found that both of those elections were free and fair.
The Prime Minister announced that he is going to appoint an independent expert as special rapporteur, to review the elections and to see if there were any gaps that we need to fix.
Today, we announced that we would have a foreign influence registry—
108 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:52:53 a.m.
- Watch
The hon. member for Jonquière.
7 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:52:54 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, on March 1, Paper Excellence got its hands on Resolute Forest Products, a forestry industry giant that controls 25% of Quebec forests.
If a buyer were to revitalize Resolute, which was investing very little in modernizing its facilities, that would be a good thing. However, an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which includes CBC/Radio-Canada, gives us cause to doubt.
Paper Excellence has ties to Asia Pulp & Paper, a corporation with dubious practices that is financed by the Chinese government.
We want to know if the government did the necessary checks to ensure that the Chinese government is not indirectly controlling one-quarter of Quebec's forest resources.
115 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:53:39 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, the member opposite knows full well that all foreign investments are reviewed under the Investment Canada Act, and this transaction is no different.
In the case of Paper Excellence's takeover of Resolute, it was subject to a national security review process. Not only that, the member will be pleased to know that, as part of that review process, the investors committed to maintaining existing Canadian patents, to maintaining facilities in Quebec and to adhering to Canadian employment and environmental laws.
Due to the confidentiality provisions of the Investment Canada Act, we cannot comment further.
97 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:54:14 a.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, that is not the issue, but all right.
Better forestry development, increased processing and new products to replace oil will be key to having a prosperous and renewable carbon-neutral economy.
However, that is not the business model of Asia Pulp & Paper. It does as little processing as possible and sends kraft pulp directly to China. The jobs and value added are in China.
What conditions did the government impose on Paper Excellence to protect our paper mills and to ensure that Quebec's forests generate profits in Quebec, and not in China?
96 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:54:55 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, the acquisition of Resolute Forest Products by Paper Excellence was subject to the provisions of the law governing national security reviews of investments. As part of the review process, the investor made significant commitments to Canada, including guaranteeing high levels of investment in the facilities in Quebec, maintaining existing Canadian managers and complying with Canadian labour and environmental laws.
Because of—
64 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:55:32 a.m.
- Watch
The parliamentary secretary's time is up.
The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.
14 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:55:35 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, after eight years of Liberal governance, all Canadians are paying more for everything, especially the necessities of life. Take housing, for example. Renters are paying twice as much as they were eight years ago. Homeowners' mortgage rates have doubled in eight years. That is down to Liberal management. For eight years, the Liberals did absolutely nothing to control spending, and that led to the inflation we are experiencing now.
Will the government accept responsibility for this? Will the Prime Minister step aside so we can get on with fixing things?
92 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/10/23 11:56:23 a.m.
- Watch
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
Inflation slowed in Canada last month.
Speaking of Canadians' rent, I cannot for the life of me figure out why the Conservatives voted against a direct benefit we offered Canadians specifically to help them make ends meet.
We are here to support Canadians.
52 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
