SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 191

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 4, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 191 - May/4/23
The Deputy Speaker
  • May/4/23 11:56:53 a.m.
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I have a point of order from the hon. deputy whip of the Conservative Party.
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Mr. Chris Warkentin
  • May/4/23 11:56:58 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there have been ongoing demands today for the hon. members in the Liberal caucus to withdraw the comments they made about the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. They continually said that he was briefed about this two years ago and that he did not inform his family, the Conservative caucus or anybody about it. It is unconscionable, and the members across the way should be gentlemen, stand up and apologize.
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/4/23 11:57:22 a.m.
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I was just getting here so I did not know the context of what was going on, but the hon. member for Winnipeg North has the floor.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • May/4/23 11:57:40 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is important that we recognize a couple of facts. The first is that we are not just talking about China. The second issue is that many members of Parliament, and we are talking about 49 members of Parliament in 2022, and there were members of Parliament before— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/4/23 11:58:04 a.m.
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We have a point of order from the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • May/4/23 11:58:04 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is very hard to be able to think when I am being— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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Ms. Leah Gazan
  • May/4/23 11:58:09 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is the second time I have risen in the House today. We are talking about the state of democracy. My colleague just spoke about how what is going on is impacting her as a Chinese woman in this country and the importance of working together in a non-partisan way across party lines to deal with it. In the midst of this, I have to listen to members across the way name-call each other. There are young people here. We are talking about democracy, about the fact that we have a right to have different opinions in this House. We still have an obligation to be respectful, including to this member, who shared personal stories. I am deeply offended, and I would like people in the House to remember this and to act like civilized beings, because we are all supposed to be here fighting for democracy together.
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/4/23 11:59:08 a.m.
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That was not a point of order. I appreciate the sentiment, of course, of making sure that our debate remains civil and calm. I know many of the debates that come before us are extremely important, as this debate is today. I just want to make sure that the debate continues in a respectful manner. On a point of order, the hon. member for Foothills.
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Mr. John Barlow
  • May/4/23 11:59:35 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on the point of order from my colleague, I do agree that her colleague gave an excellent speech talking about the impact on Canada's Chinese community, as well as the impact that it is certainly having on her and her family. The point of all this is that we have members across the floor who are victim-blaming the member for Wellington—Halton Hills, saying the information he has provided is not credible. What kind of message is that sending to Chinese Canadians when we should be standing up for them here, fighting on their behalf and saying that not only members of Parliament but also every Canadian should be protected? It is clear that they are making a choice on the other side of the floor. I am not trying to be overly partisan, but that is what is happening. Rather than standing on the side of a Canadian and his family who have been obviously threatened, they are choosing to attack him as a victim by victim-blaming and gaslighting. That is not the message we should be sending to Chinese Canadians or any Canadians. The government should be standing up for them, rather than defending an agent of Beijing.
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/4/23 12:00:37 p.m.
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Again, we are descending into the debate that we are actually having here today. Still on the same point of order, the hon. member for Battlefords—Lloydminster.
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Mrs. Rosemarie Falk
  • May/4/23 12:00:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on this point of order, the double standard is so frustrating. As members of Parliament, we are being told to stop being partisan and that we are hyperpartisan. What is happening on the other side? They are accusing the member for Wellington—Halton Hills for knowing about this for two years when that is not true. Can we all put the partisanship aside, actually work together and stand for this democracy?
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • May/4/23 12:01:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I think the Conservative Party needs to review what has taken place in the last number of question periods and then look in the mirror. There has been a politicization of the issue. If we were to stand up now and elaborate on those things, I think it is very disruptive to the member who just gave a speech. I would like to be able to start over and—
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/4/23 12:01:53 p.m.
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All right. We are still on the point of order. I had said this would be the last point of order, but I will allow another. We could do this all day and not debate the bill. That is what we are falling into, by the looks of it. The hon. member for Battlefords—Lloydminster.
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Mrs. Rosemarie Falk
  • May/4/23 12:02:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what I was referring to. If we rewind the tapes to earlier today, that specific member said that the member for Wellington—Halton Hills had known for two years and he has done nothing about the issue. That is not true. That is misleading Canadians, and it is misleading this House. It is unconscionable that he is doing that. Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/4/23 12:02:53 p.m.
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Order. That’s enough. We are going to have one more round of this, and then we will move on to the questions and comments that we originally planned to do. The hon. member for Kingston and the Islands.
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Mr. Mark Gerretsen
  • May/4/23 12:03:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yes, the member from the NDP who spoke gave a very passionate speech about dialing back the partisanship on this. I would completely agree with her. I think that what we are trying to convey is that accusations that the Prime Minister has known about this for two years are completely false as well. If we listen to what is being said on both sides, in the interest of genuinely dialing back the partisanship on this, perhaps we can all start from a point of not making those assumptions.
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/4/23 12:03:58 p.m.
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The hon. member for Oshawa.
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Mr. Colin Carrie
  • May/4/23 12:04:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I need to bring my point of order forward. The member for Vancouver East just gave probably one of the most important speeches we will hear today. She spoke from her heart. I have to say that, in this House, I have known the member for Wellington—Halton Hills since 2004. He is honourable. Today, we are debating a government that has ignored this entire issue for two years. Chinese Canadians are being victimized and bullied by a government, and this member is blaming the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. Victim-blaming is totally unacceptable. We need to support our members, who are speaking from the heart. This is affecting them each and every day. They need to apologize for that outrageous behaviour.
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The Deputy Speaker
  • May/4/23 12:05:32 p.m.
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With the debate we are having today, I understand the passion. The hon. member for Winnipeg North was making a comment and was going to be asking a question. I do not know if the hon. member had finished. The hon. parliamentary secretary.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux
  • May/4/23 12:06:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member for Vancouver East gave a very passionate speech, as we have all attested to. We very much value and appreciate her comments. It is not just about China. There are other countries. An attack on one member is an attack on all members of the chamber. When death threats are made against members, all members universally acknowledge that we have to do what we can to fight for our democracy. Does the member believe that the special rapporteur has any role at all in looking at this and reporting back to the government?
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