44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 8, 2023 11:00AM
- May/8/23 2:51:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, during National Nursing Week, we recognize the critical role nurses play in our communities.
Last weekend, I travelled to Newfoundland and Labrador for important discussions on health care. I learned that there are 750 vacant nursing positions in that province. Ninety per cent of nurses experience burnout, and 85% believe that understaffing is creating unsafe conditions for patients.
Nurses called on the government to include an emergency retention fund in this year's budget, but no help was delivered. When will the Liberals finally provide this crucial support for Canada's nurses?
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- May/8/23 2:52:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we recognize that Canadians are proud of our health care system, but it is not meeting expectations these days. That is why we made a $198.6-billion investment in our health care system back on February 7, and we expect that is going to help with things like the human resources and health care challenges that my colleague and friend has articulated so well.
I am glad that the member is meeting with nurses; I have been too. We recognize that it is a very challenging role in the health care system, and we have to do more to make sure that they are supported. This includes retention and better recruitment; we also have to take care of those who are working in that sector. We recognize, especially now that it is Mental Health Week, that there are repercussions for them.
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- May/8/23 2:53:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Mississauga—Erin Mills, I have heard from many constituents and small businesses about the need for urgent financial support.
Can the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance please update the House on how budget 2023 is going to help Canadians in my riding of Mississauga—Erin Mills and across Canada with reduced credit card fees for small businesses, incentives to build a greener economy and support for student loan interest?
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- May/8/23 2:53:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Mississauga—Erin Mills for all her hard work on behalf of the residents of Mississauga.
Our budget presents a prudent fiscal plan that supports Canadians and Canadian businesses, lowers costs, increases tax deductions and lays the foundation for a prosperous economic future for generations to come. That is great news for Canadians. However, disappointingly, the Conservatives voted against this just last week. While their priority is on partisan games, our priority will be on supporting Canadians.
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- May/8/23 2:54:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is spreading misinformation, saying that the member for Wellington—Halton Hills was briefed by CSIS two years ago about his family being targeted by a Beijing diplomat.
The Prime Minister knows this to be untrue. In fact, it was the Prime Minister who knew about it for two years, did nothing and kept the member in the dark. Now that he is resorting to victim blaming, how much lower can the Prime Minister go?
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- May/8/23 2:54:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in this chamber, it never ceases to amaze me how absurd the suggestions can be from the Conservative Party on this issue.
Of course we have regard for the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. Of course we have regard for the safety and security of all members in this chamber, so that we can exercise our constitutional responsibilities by representing our constituents and doing so free and clear from any foreign interference.
That is why we are putting in place all the authorities and the transparency that are necessary to do that. It is far past the time at which the Conservatives need to abandon their rhetoric on this. They need to roll up their sleeves and get behind the hard work, so that we can defend our democracy.
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- May/8/23 2:55:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for two years, the Prime Minister covered up that a Beijing diplomat targeted the family of the member for Wellington—Halton Hills.
Then, when it became public, he falsely claimed that he knew nothing about it. Now the Prime Minister is spreading misinformation in a disgraceful attempt to impugn the character of the member, who is a victim of the Prime Minister's inaction.
Will the Prime Minister show any level of decency? Will he apologize to the member and Canadians for this disgusting display?
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- May/8/23 2:56:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives can shout all they want, but that will not detract from the work that the government is doing to defend our democracy. It will not detract from the work we have done in setting up a committee of parliamentarians, which the Conservatives continue to play Jekyll and Hyde in. One week they sit on it; the next week they do not.
The Conservatives need to abandon these types of political tactics and do the hard work, roll up their sleeves and make sure that we protect this chamber as a place that is sacred, where we can have debates in the interest of all Canadians. That is what the Conservatives need to do, not continue along the lines of this hopped-up rhetoric.
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- May/8/23 2:56:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, rather than expel a diplomat who targeted an MP's family, the Liberal government did nothing for two years.
Last week, the Prime Minister peddled a narrative that it was the member for Wellington—Halton Hills who in fact knew and said nothing. Nobody in this chamber is debating that a Beijing official engaged in threats against a sitting member of this House.
When will the Prime Minister stop misleading Canadians to cover up for his failures, and expel the Beijing diplomat today?
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- May/8/23 2:57:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is really important to say that no one is misleading the House in this matter.
There are steps that need to be taken, always, if we are going to expel a diplomat. It is due process. Conservatives might say that we do not need to follow the rule of law. They do not need to say that, on that side of the House.
On this side of the House, we will always do due diligence, follow the evidence, follow the rule of law and make the right decision at the right time. The House can rest assured of that.
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- May/8/23 2:57:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on the weekend, two former senior Liberal ministers stated that many people in Ottawa knew what was happening with the Conservative member and China, and yet the Prime Minister keeps saying that he did not know. All of Ottawa knew, except the Prime Minister.
As members know, the Standing Orders prevent me from saying what I think of the Prime Minister's attitude, but the one thing I can do is ask questions.
When will this government take action in the interest of all Canadians by expelling this so-called Beijing diplomat?
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- May/8/23 2:58:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague knows full well that we will make the necessary decisions at the right time.
It is also important to remember that we are the only government that has taken the threat of foreign interference seriously. We put in place measures and strengthened them for the 2021 election.
We are obviously concerned about the situation of our colleague from Wellington—Halton Hills. That is exactly why we gave intelligence agencies further instructions.
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- May/8/23 2:59:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, at their convention, the Liberals came up with a solution to the Chinese interference issue: stop the media from reporting on it. This was literally one of the resolutions that the Liberals passed last weekend.
As they see it, the problem is not that China helped or threatened members and their families; the problem is that the media talks about it. It is disgraceful.
To slough off the burden of dealing with Chinese interference, the Liberals have proposed a solution worthy of the Chinese Communist party.
Can they assure that House that any consideration of this solution is out of the question?
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- May/8/23 2:59:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the thing about the Liberal Party is that its members can disagree on things. Our government has always respected, and will always respect, the independence of the press. Journalists need to be able to freely report the news as they see it. They need to be able to ask the tough questions and report on the facts as they see them. A free and independent press is fundamental to our democracy and is guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is also the best defence against disinformation.
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- May/8/23 3:00:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that is not what the resolution said.
Last week, the Prime Minister blamed CSIS for failing to inform the member for Wellington—Halton Hills that he was the target of threats from China. That is false. CSIS warned the Prime Minister's Office as early as 2021. The top security adviser to the Prime Minister confirmed this to the member. Why is this important? It is important because, once again, when it comes to Chinese interference, the Prime Minister is telling the opposite of the truth. What he has been saying since day one flies in the face of the truth. He has no credibility to get to the bottom of this.
When will there be an independent public inquiry?
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- May/8/23 3:00:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as my colleague is well aware, we appointed an independent special rapporteur, the Right Hon. David Johnston. He is working on this as we speak. He has been reviewing all of the issues presented by the intelligence agencies for several weeks now. He has full and free access to the necessary information. We look forward to hearing his recommendations before the end of May. They will be precisely what my colleague's question is all about.
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Mr. Speaker, one of the mass casualty commission's recommendations directly reflects the Liberal ban on firearms, Bill C-21. This bill would add firearms without consultation, and even use this tragedy to its advantage. The opposition was fierce; however, a revamped version has reared its ugly head. What we know clearly is that the monster from this tragic event was not a legal gun owner, and nor were his guns legal. In a recent op-ed, the authors state that the focus should be on securing the border, providing mental health support and diverting at-risk youth from gangs.
When will the Prime Minister start addressing violent repeat offenders and stop attacking grandpas who own a hunting rifle?
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Mr. Speaker, respectfully, that is exactly what the government is doing. Last week, I was very proud to see that members of our caucus had put forward amendments to Bill C-21 that would strengthen the national ban that the government put into place on AR-15 style firearms, which have absolutely no legitimate recreational purpose in any of our communities. It is only the Conservatives who continue to put forward policies that amount to legalizing AR-15 style firearms. That is the wrong path. They need to get behind Bill C-21 so we can save lives.
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- May/8/23 3:02:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP-Liberals are at it again. The minister wants to talk about saving lives, but, under his watch, we have seen a violent wave of crime across the country. The Liberals have failed to fix the broken bail system. They are failing to address violent repeat offenders. What they are doing is bringing forward a confiscation plan that would only hurt hunters and sport shooters. In fact, I received a text this morning from Chief Rudy Turtle, a former NDP candidate, who told me that he is against any gun law that would impact their traditional practices.
When is the coalition finally going to target criminals and not—
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- May/8/23 3:03:38 p.m.
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The hon. Minister of Public Safety.
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