44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 31, 2023 02:00PM
- May/31/23 2:13:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I remind the government that Atlantic Canada exists east of the Laurentians, and Atlantic Canadians are between a rock and a hard place.
Last year, Newfoundland and Labrador's Liberal premier, Andrew Furey, stated, “Further cost increases at this point will only provide diminishing returns in terms of decarbonization while placing undue economic burdens on the people of this province.” All Atlantic premiers agreed, but the Prime Minister did not listen, so here we are in 2023, and Atlantic premiers are demanding that carbon tax 2.0 not be placed on fuel. They know it will have a devastating effect on fuel prices, which, in turn, will increase the cost of goods imported into the region. Carbon tax versions 1 and 2 will cost households in my province, when fully implemented, an extra $2,166 a year. Carbon tax 2 will be placed even on fuel that fishermen use to land their catch.
It is time for the Prime Minister and his Minister of Environment to listen to the Atlantic premiers and scrap the carbon tax. Atlantic Canadians are not picking up what the government is laying down.
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- May/31/23 2:14:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that Beijing interfered in the last two federal elections. The Liberals' response was to use their Trudeau Foundation friends to cover it up. The NDP's appearance of standing up to foreign interference is like a bad group-work partner: They arrive late, do nothing, copy others and then boast that the best ideas were their own. I guess the NDP is just an empty “bewoke” suit.
Just yesterday, after the bark and bluster of an NDP motion calling for the resignation of the special rapporteur, the NDP leader walked out of the House right into a media scrum, and dismissed calls to end this Canadian coalition nightmare.
If the New Democrats were serious about wanting to restore confidence in our electoral system, they would do what Canadians are asking: get out of the way and let Conservatives fix what the Liberals have broken.
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- May/31/23 2:15:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on June 2, Italians celebrate Festa della Repubblica. This festival marks the victory of democracy and the will of the people over autocracy and oppression.
With peace in Europe undermined by the invasion of Ukraine, we must cherish and remember to commemorate these types of victories. For the Italian diaspora and friends of Italy, this day is also an opportunity to celebrate Italy's rich history and culture. Italians have chosen Canada as their home, bringing with them a spirit of resilience, hard work and commitment to family values. They have contributed to Canada's growth and prosperity.
I invite all MPs to join the Festa della Republica celebrations in the Speaker's dining room tomorrow, from noon to 1:30 p.m., for a little taste of Italy.
Viva l'Italia! Viva Canada!
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- May/31/23 2:16:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability recently released a report on gender-based violence and murder in Canada. The “#CallItFemicide” report, 2018 to 2022, shows gender-based violence and murder are on the rise, and the numbers are chilling.
The report notes a 27% increase in the number of women and girls killed by a male accused compared to 2019. Young women aged 25 to 34 are more likely to be victims. The report also states that one in five female victims killed by a male accused was an indigenous woman or girl.
The “#CallItFemicide” report shows exactly why Parliament needs to take the national action plan to end gender-based violence seriously. There is also a dire need to ensure that the funding for the indigenous shelter and transitional housing initiative is allocated, which would go a long way to protecting indigenous women from dangerous situations.
Let us immediately do all that we can to end gender-based violence.
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- May/31/23 2:18:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to recognize the 25th anniversary of the Maison des familles de Mercier-Est.
The family unit is the foundation of society and the future of Quebec. The Maison des familles de Mercier-Est has been anchored in La Pointe-de-l'Île since 1998. It is a vital organization.
I would like to thank its director, Véronique Coulombe, as well as the entire team and the participating families. The Maison des familles de Mercier-Est is an essential resource and the only organization for families in that neighbourhood.
Through workshops, one-off interventions, support and referrals, the staff members work tirelessly to combat isolation. They create communities and support networks by fostering the enrichment—
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- May/31/23 2:19:01 p.m.
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I will ask the member to start his speech again, and I am going to ask everyone else to whisper and speak much more quietly.
We are trying to hear what hon. members have to say, but we are really having a hard time.
The hon. member for La Pointe-de-l'Île.
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- May/31/23 2:19:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to recognize the 25th anniversary of the Maison des familles de Mercier‑Est.
The family unit is the foundation of society and the future of Quebec. The Maison des familles de Mercier‑Est is a vital organization that was established in La Pointe-de-l'Île in 1998.
I would like to thank its director, Véronique Coulombe, as well as the entire team and the participating families. The Maison des familles de Mercier-Est is an essential resource and the only organization for families in that neighbourhood.
Through workshops, one-off interventions, support and referrals, the staff members work tirelessly to combat isolation. They create communities and support networks by fostering the enrichment of the parenting experience. They have helped hundreds of families develop their potential where they live. They help give the children of Mercier‑Est equal opportunities.
I want to thank the whole team at the Maison des familles de Mercier-Est, and I wish them a happy 25th anniversary.
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- May/31/23 2:20:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this May, Canadians celebrated Asian Heritage Month.
One in five Canadians, including my family and many members of the House, traces their roots back to Asia. Asian Canadians have made significant contributions going back to Confederation. In fact, Confederation would not have happened if it were not for the back-breaking labour of Chinese railway workers, who built the railway that laid the constitutional foundations of this federation. Today, the Asian community is a cherished part of our Canadian family. From business to politics, the academy, arts and charity, Asian Canadians play leading roles in Canadian society.
Let us remember the sacrifices Asian Canadians have made. Let us stand in solidarity with Asian Canadians against racism and discrimination, and let us celebrate Asian Canadians for the contributions they have made and continue to make to our home and native land.
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- May/31/23 2:21:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is with great appreciation that I rise today before you and the entire House to pay tribute to a good, kind and gentle man from Gatineau, Quebec, who has dedicated 38 years of his life to serving his country. He spent 10 of those years in the Royal Canadian Air Force, while the last 28 years were spent protecting us, the MPs, and all those who come to the House.
I am talking about the man who is sitting in the Sergeant-at-Arms' chair today, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Michel Denault.
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- May/31/23 2:22:52 p.m.
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We all know this man, but what many may not know is that on that terrible day in October 2014, he faced the danger unarmed, ready to give his life to back up his colleague and keep us safe. He disobeyed a direct order to stay back, because that is just who he is. He put our well-being above his own, not just on that day, but every time he entered this place.
Michel Denault's dedication and altruism are not often mentioned, but today I want to recognize just how hard he has worked during his career in the House of Commons. More importantly, I want to thank him.
On behalf of all parliamentarians, I sincerely thank Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Michel Denault. We wish him a happy retirement. I want him to know that he will be sorely missed.
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- May/31/23 2:24:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, how many police stations is Beijing operating here in Canada?
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- May/31/23 2:24:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as you well know, it is completely unacceptable for a foreign government, especially the government of China or others, to interfere in the lives and concerns of Canadians, whether in relation to our citizens, our democracy, our educational establishments or our government institutions. We will continue to ensure that protecting Canadians is a priority. The RCMP is currently following up on all of these police stations.
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- May/31/23 2:25:05 p.m.
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- May/31/23 2:25:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition knows full well that the RCMP is conducting investigations and taking action against these illegal acts in Canada.
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- May/31/23 2:25:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister admitted that there were police stations. His government said that all these stations had been shut down. We found out that is not true, that at least two were still operating and that his government had given taxpayer money for those police stations. I will ask my question for the third time: How many police stations is Beijing operating here in Canada? How many?
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- May/31/23 2:25:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I said, the RCMP has been tasked with conducting the necessary investigations and laying charges in due course against those attempting to interfere in our democracy. If the Leader of the Opposition is so curious about the details of foreign interference, then he should accept the briefing that has been offered to him by the intelligence services. Then he would no longer not know the details and he could learn about the serious issue of foreign interference. I encourage the Leader of the Opposition to get informed.
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- May/31/23 2:26:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, the number of police stations controlled by a foreign dictatorship in Canada is not a detail. It would not be a detail if any government had foreign police stations operating on our soil.
Second of all, all Canadians deserve to know the answer. The government claimed that it had shut down all these police stations. Now we know that there are two in operation and that the Prime Minister's government has given taxpayer money to help fund them.
My simple question is this: How many of Beijing's police stations are operating on Canadian soil today?
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- May/31/23 2:27:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as Canadians well know, the government takes extremely seriously the issue of foreign interference and has done so since 2015, when we brought in significant measures to counter foreign interference. We continue to do so. The RCMP is quite rightly charged with the responsibility for investigating and following up on these reports of Beijing-funded police stations but, indeed, if the Leader of the Opposition is so—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- May/31/23 2:27:40 p.m.
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I must interrupt the right hon. Prime Minister.
I just want to remind everyone of this: The way it works is that you ask a question and then you listen to the answer, whether you like it or not. You cannot keep asking the question over and over again while the person is speaking. I wanted to point that out.
The right hon. Prime Minister.
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- May/31/23 2:28:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if the Leader of the Opposition continues to have questions on foreign interference, as many Canadians do, I would suggest that he actually take our security agencies up on the offer they have made to him of being briefed on all the intelligence related to foreign interference. That way, he does not have to hide behind, to quote the report on this, “a veil of ignorance”, and he can actually work from the facts.
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