SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 178 - Apr/17/23

Apr/17/23 1:55:58 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, after eight years, Canadians cannot afford to live. It is a tax-and-spend government. William, a senior in my riding, wrote to me: “The cost of no name chips is $1.33 per bag if you buy 3 at No Frills. Walk into a Shoppers Drug Mart the same bag in the same package is twice the price or more. Walk into a Zehrs that same bag is 1&3/4 more. At Sobey's or Metro, a small plastic cup the size of a small coffee with 8-10 grapes in it you'll spend $7.00. The cost of 6 muffins is now $7.99, a year ago they were 4.99. I'm a pensioner living on $1750 a month. If I didn't own my home, I'd be screwed.” He is not alone. I am hearing this from people all over this country, from all the people reaching out to my office and from the Canadians I talk to in the places I go. We are billions of dollars in debt, or trillions actually, and future generations are worried about their future because we are not prosperous. The Liberals have driven up inflation. They have driven up the cost of living. Canadians are feeling hopeless, and Conservatives are going to bring back hope for Canadians.

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Ms. Marilyn Gladu (Sarnia—Lambton, CPC)

Apr/17/23 1:57:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's great speech. In her speech, she was talking about average Canadians who are struggling. Could the member comment on the debt level of the average Canadian and where that is going?

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Ms. Lianne Rood

Apr/17/23 1:57:28 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, we hear from families that they are less than $200 a month away from bankruptcy. I constantly, on a daily basis, hear from people in my riding, which is a rural riding, and they talk about the carbon tax and how it is affecting their everyday lives. They share that they feel this is unnecessary and it punishes rural Canadians, especially where we live, in Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, where we do not have public transportation available. In fact, one of my constituents, Marilyn, wrote to me with an excellent summary of the carbon tax: “I have noticed on my bills for natural gas home heating that they are charging HST on the federal carbon tax. To me, that seems like usury and I believe that it is also illegal. Adding a tax upon a tax is getting out of hand.” I fully agree. The Liberals continue to tax Canadians when they hurt the most. The carbon tax unfairly punishes rural Canadians and does nothing. The current government has done nothing and it has not met a single one of its environmental targets with this tax.

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Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)

Apr/17/23 1:58:35 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I know my colleague has a keen interest in agricultural issues. I have a technical question for her. We are currently working on Bill C-282 in committee. This is a bill that was overwhelmingly supported by the Conservatives. Now we are witnessing a filibuster. I would like her opinion on that. Does she think it is okay to filibuster? If the Conservatives are now against the bill, should they not just vote against it and own that position rather than blocking House proceedings?

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Ms. Lianne Rood

Apr/17/23 1:59:10 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, what I am hearing from my constituents is that they are hurting and the cost of groceries has gone through the roof. The Liberals are promising a grocery rebate in this budget, but really it is just a GST rebate rebranded as a grocery rebate, and that would not do anything to help Canadians who are struggling right now. We need to offer Canadians some hope, and I have been championing a grocery code of conduct to help Canadians' grocery prices go down by holding our big grocers accountable for their actions and how they nickel-and-dime farmers, which, in turn, passes on extra costs to consumers. We will continue to support Bill C-234, which would remove the carbon tax for on-farm use and the restrictions on fertilizer, because we need fertilizer to grow food. We will not support restrictions on fertilizer. We need to make a real difference. The NDP-Liberals want to leave people hungry. They like big socialist governments where that has happened before. If we are not careful, we are going to see serious problems in our agriculture industry in the near future.

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Mr. Wilson Miao (Richmond Centre, Lib.)

Apr/17/23 2:00:38 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, on April 8, I had the honour of attending S.U.C.C.E.S.S.'s 50th golden anniversary celebration. It was my privilege to celebrate this important milestone with local community supporters and leaders, who generously donated over $500,000 during the gala's festivities. Founded in 1973, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is one of the largest diverse, inclusive and multi-service non-profit charitable organizations in Canada. Over the past 50 years, this organization has provided vital assistance to help immigrants settle and integrate into Canada's diverse society. Through its service across Canada, I am proud to know that many of my constituents in Richmond Centre have greatly benefited from its services and programs. As we celebrate this significant anniversary, let us reflect on its important work of bringing people together, and let us continue our commitment to support newcomers and Canadians.

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Mr. Marc Dalton (Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, CPC)

Apr/17/23 2:02:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, six million Canadians do not have a family doctor, and countless others are forced to wait month after month, sometimes years, because of staffing shortages. We do not have enough doctors. We do not have enough nurses. It does not have to be this way. Recently, I met Bill at an event I held. Bill is an immigrant from Europe and a brand new Canadian. In Europe, he was a surgeon, but not so here in Canada. There are 20,000 immigrants in Canada who are doctors but are not practising, and 30,000 nurses. Bill could not make it through because of the maze of regulations and the gatekeepers. I met some who are Uber drivers. What a disappointment for them. What a loss for Canada. This has to change. The human anatomy is the same across the world. A Conservative government will deal with the gatekeepers and will make a way for immigrant doctors and nurses to practise.

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Ms. Joanne Thompson (St. John's East, Lib.)

Apr/17/23 2:02:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week I visited the dental clinic at The Gathering Place, a street-level community centre in St. John's East. This visit held particular significance, as I have spent many years there as a volunteer, board member, fundraiser and executive director. I saw first-hand the connection between oral health and mental and physical well-being: vulnerable older persons, malnourished because oral disease prevented them from a diet other than soft liquids; young people with advanced tooth decay, too embarrassed to smile or enter the workforce; and deaths from self-medicated overdose to relieve oral pain. The dental program at The Gathering Place was realized through a team of dedicated dentists and hygienists, who donate their time and expertise to ensure that the most vulnerable have access to oral health care. Now, the Canadian dental care plan in budget 2023 will ensure that all Canadians who need to access dental care can.

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Mr. Luc Desilets (Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, BQ)

Apr/17/23 2:03:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week, we commemorated the 106th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which was waged in 1917 during the First World War. No less than seven different Quebec-based regiments were active in Vimy, in northern France. Among them, was the legendary 22nd Battalion, the only French-speaking unit in the entire British army. Under the orders of their brave and brilliant commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas-Louis Tremblay, the soldiers of the 22nd Batallion were tasked with eliminating pockets of resistance and clearing the enemy trenches after the initial assault waves. The 22nd Battalion took more than 500 prisoners during that successful operation. Vimy was a hard-fought victory because the soldiers from Quebec and Canada who served there suffered more than 10,600 casualities, 3,600 of which were fatal. Let us never forget the price we had to pay, and have to pay, to overcome tyranny.

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Mr. Brendan Hanley (Yukon, Lib.)

Apr/17/23 2:05:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, born in the year that Canada became a nation, Joe Boyle is Yukon's version of Indiana Jones, with a touch of James Bond. Joseph Boyle came north from Ontario in 1897, found gold and struck it rich. A gold-rush millionaire, “Klondike Joe” went on to launch industrial-scale gold mining in the Yukon. In 1905, he sponsored the legendary Dawson City Nuggets hockey team in their journey by dog sled, bicycle, ship and train to challenge the Ottawa Silver Sevens for the Stanley Cup. When war broke out in 1914, Boyle recruited a 50-man machine gun battery of Yukon gold miners to fight for the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In the years to follow, Boyle reorganized allied Russia's military supply system, ran a network of spies for the British secret service, rescued Romanian royals from newly Bolshevik Russia and helped rebuild Romania after the war. In later years, he became an intimate friend, perhaps a lover, of Queen Marie of Romania. His early death 100 years ago makes us wonder what more he might have done. Joe Boyle, the man with the heart of a Viking, dreamed and lived big: another Yukoner who made his mark on the world.

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Mr. Chris d'Entremont (West Nova, CPC)

Apr/17/23 2:06:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week we celebrate National Volunteer Week, and I want to acknowledge and thank all the incredible volunteers across West Nova's communities for their many contributions. It is without a doubt that our volunteers are an important part of the backbones of our communities. They offer so generously of their time to help others. Our volunteers have the backs of our citizens no matter what, and they continuously step up for the betterment of our communities. Without the extraordinary contributions that volunteers make in our communities, our sports, cultural, community and recreational events would not be possible or nearly as successful. Thanks to their dedication, generosity and ability to adapt to all kinds of situations, our volunteers are an inspiration to everyone, and I am very proud of them. I would like to take the opportunity to thank my volunteers, each and every one of them, for their generosity, their time and their cheerfulness, which greatly contribute to the well-being of our community. Our volunteers make our communities and country a better place, and they deserve our utmost gratitude and respect. I wish a happy National Volunteer Week to all.

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Mr. Maninder Sidhu (Brampton East, Lib.)

Apr/17/23 2:07:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this past Friday the Sikh community celebrated Vaisakhi. Vaisakhi is the holiest day in the Sikh faith and marks the birth of the Khalsa. During this time of year, Sikh communities across Canada celebrate at their local gurdwaras and local community centres. April is also a time for us to celebrate Sikh Heritage Month, when we recognize and celebrate the contributions Sikh Canadians have made to Canada. The first Sikhs arrived in Canada in 1897, and since then the Sikh community in Canada has played a pivotal role in science, business, social services and so much more. In Peel Region, organizations such as the Seva Food Bank, Sewa Meals for Humanity and SOCH Mental Health contribute to our community by keeping the values of Sikhism at their core. These values are equality, selfless service and generosity, to name a few. Canada is the first country in the world to recognize Sikh Heritage Month, and I encourage everyone to take a moment to learn more about the vibrant history of the Sikh community in Canada. Please join me in wishing everyone celebrating a very happy Vaisakhi and Sikh Heritage Month.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North, Lib.)

Apr/17/23 2:08:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this budget reflects in a very real way what Canadians expect their government to do. We can talk about the grocery rebate to support well over 10 million Canadians, or we can talk about the expansion of the dental care program to cover yet more Canadians. I want to highlight the strong support in this year's federal budget for skilled trades workers. We are actually doubling the tradesperson's tool deduction. That is a significant commitment to people in the trades. Further to that, the Prime Minister has been conducting town halls throughout Canada. Just last week, in the city of Winnipeg, at the Manitoba Building Trades Institute site on McPhillips Street, we had an open town hall to talk about the budget and ensure that ongoing future budgets reflect what Canadians expect.

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Hon. Tim Uppal (Edmonton Mill Woods, CPC)

Apr/17/23 2:09:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the government's soft-on-crime policies, Canadians do not feel safe to walk on the streets or use public transit. An Edmonton police officer wrote to me, saying, “The most startling pattern development I have noticed recently is an increase in random, unprovoked assaults on innocent citizens. The constant struggle of the 'catch and release' of criminals for my profession cannot be overstated.” As reported by the National Post, police officers are being shot and killed on duty at unprecedented rates, and record numbers of Canadians are being randomly attacked by people they have never met. The government is doing nothing to stop it. ln fact, it is making things worse by releasing violent criminals back onto the streets, sometimes in the same hour they were arrested. A Conservative government would bring back mandatory jail time for violent crimes. We would crack down on easy access to bail, and we would keep violent offenders where they belong, which is behind bars.

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Mr. Chandra Arya (Nepean, Lib.)

Apr/17/23 2:10:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, April is Sikh Heritage Month, which recognizes the immense contributions that Sikh Canadians have made to Canadian society. We also celebrated Vaisakhi, which marks the creation of the Khalsa and the Sikh articles of faith. Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi, is an important festival for many Hindus, too. This month I had the honour to host two Ugadi events on Parliament Hill. Ugadi, which was on March 22, is the new year for the Kannada- and Telugu-speaking Hindu communities. On April 14, Tamil Hindu Canadians celebrated their new year, Puthandu. I wish all of these communities a very happy and prosperous new year. It is a privilege to live in this wonderful country where we can celebrate and share our faiths and our festivals.

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Mr. Larry Brock (Brantford—Brant, CPC)

Apr/17/23 2:11:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister's chief of staff emphasized that there was nothing he had not read or was not briefed on. However, as expected, no explanation was provided for his absence of action. For example, over the last six years, NSICOP reported on the influence of foreign interference and made recommendations to the Prime Minister. Global Affairs identified Beijing campaigns aimed at discouraging Chinese Canadians from voting Conservative. The Prime Minister and ministers were briefed on Beijing's interference network, which involved at least 11 candidates. The director of CSIS was repeatedly asking the Prime Minister for legislative changes. What did he do in response? He did absolutely nothing. It is clear that upholding Beijing's objective to defeat Conservatives was more important for the Liberals than prioritizing the security of our democratic institutions, which only intensifies the demand for an independent inquiry to openly investigate foreign interference in our country.

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Mrs. Rachael Thomas (Lethbridge, CPC)

Apr/17/23 2:13:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, based on Bill C-11 and Bill C-18, we know that the government is committed to censoring what people can see, hear and post online. However, what has just come to light is that it is so committed to this that it has actually gotten a head start. It has been trying to censor social media platforms for quite some time. Thanks to the question put forward by the member for Niagara West, we now have documents, which have been tabled in the House of Commons, and they show that the government pressured social media platforms 214 times in a 24-month period to get them to take down content. Sometimes this was valid due to impersonations or copyright violations, but many times it was simply because the government found the content to be embarrassing. If adopted, Bill C-11 would take this type of pressuring tactic and make it legal, which means the social media companies would not be able to push back. They would simply have to comply. Canadians deserve to have their freedom of speech protected. The government needs to back off from censoring speech. We will be calling for an emergency debate.

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Mrs. Élisabeth Brière (Sherbrooke, Lib.)

Apr/17/23 2:14:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is playoff time in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. After sweeping the Blainville Armada, the Sherbrooke Phoenix will now face the Drummondville Voltigeurs. The famous “route 55” rivalry is back. Having finished in third place after a record year, the Phoenix team is ready to give the Voltigeurs a lesson in how to play hockey. It is off to a good start. I am so confident that the Phoenix will be victorious that I am taking up the challenge issued by the member for Richmond—Arthabaska to the member for Drummond. If the MP for Drummond accepts this challenge, he will come and eat poutine at the Louis Luncheonette in Sherbrooke while proudly wearing the Sherbrooke Phoenix jersey. If by some miracle the Voltigeurs win, I will go to Drummondville to admit defeat. That said, I agree with the member for Richmond—Arthabaska: Poutine comes from Victoriaville. May the best team win. Go Phoenix, go!

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Ms. Rachel Blaney (North Island—Powell River, NDP)

Apr/17/23 2:15:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding of North Island—Powell River, every community I serve is in desperate need of housing. The top three reasons for housing insecurity are a lack of affordable rents or mortgages, low wages and housing in major need of repair with no resources to fix it. Indigenous people are four times as likely to be unhoused. People with core housing needs in my riding are single-income families; those who live on a fixed income, such as seniors and persons living with disabilities; lone-parent households; and indigenous households. This issue requires a real partner in the federal government, and our region is simply not seeing that. My constituents have ideas, such as redesigning the reaching home program's rural and remote funding stream. My communities have sent meaningful and thoughtful feedback. I urge the government to listen to it; prioritize rural, remote and indigenous communities; define affordability based on local realities, not market values; invest in non-market housing; and make capital investments into the upkeep of aging properties to keep people housed.

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Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)

Apr/17/23 2:16:30 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-282

Mr. Speaker, I remember last February 8 when all the parties voted in favour of including supply management protection in international agreements. All the parties voted for Bill C‑282. I know that some people remember that. Maybe it is time that the political parties remembered too. At this time, in committee, the Conservatives are filibustering to block Bill C-282. They keep stalling, slowing down procedures and generally wasting time. They are doing everything they possibly can to undermine a bill they actually voted for. It is such a sad spectacle, when the very future of Quebec agriculture hangs in the balance. I am calling on all Quebec members from every party. All of the parties promised to protect supply management and voted in favour of this vital bill. My Quebec colleagues, Conservatives and Liberals alike, all gave farmers their word. I can assure them that our farmers remember. Today, the time has come for them to honour their word.

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