44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 20, 2023 10:00AM
Madam Speaker, the member lamented that we were opposing and stalling their legislation. There is good reason for that: It is horrible legislation. It seems that what this bill is actually going to accomplish is to really muzzle Canadians from speaking, from sharing links and other news media. This is basically a muzzling of Canadians.
Does the parliamentary secretary not recognize that?
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Madam Speaker, I think the legislation that the member is referring to is Bill C-11; on that bill, the Conservatives said that we were trying to muzzle Canadians, that we were not going to let them upload their cat videos and things of that nature. It is about misinformation.
Of course that was absolute hokum, misinformation. I suspect that the Conservative Party made a lot of money on Bill C-11, in terms of fundraising, by spreading misinformation. I do not know how long that particular piece of legislation was held up for. I think it was a record in terms of how long it was held up in the Senate.
The bottom line is that this is good legislation. All they need to do is read their election platform to see what they told Canadians in the last federal election, recognize the true value of this legislation and support it. It is not too late. One can always flip-flop again and support this legislation.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Winnipeg North for his intervention—
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- Jun/20/23 1:53:43 p.m.
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I am going to interrupt the hon. member.
Order, please. Could members listen to the question being asked by the hon. member for Abitibi—Témiscamingue?
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Madam Speaker, I would like to talk about humility in the present context. I think this bill calls for that much-sought-after quality in our parliamentary debates. Humility is also about recognizing everyone's mistakes. In the present context, I think everyone agrees that the Bloc Québécois has contributed to and helped advance this legislative process.
However, it is nearly June 23 and we are down to the last minute. The government controls the order of business. The bill was sent to the Senate in February. Why has this been left to the last minute like this? Why did we not work on it earlier? If it was so predictable, why was the bill not fast-tracked through the order of business in the Senate so that it could be sent back to the House sooner?
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Madam Speaker, I think one has to look at it from the perspective of how the government has a finite amount of hours in which we can actually have government business come before the House. Opposition members know that. That is one of the greatest tools that an opposition member has. I was in opposition for over 20 years. I understand the tool.
At the end of the day, if one continues to bring up concurrence reports, to move motions that other members be able to speak and to bring up dilatory motions in order to prevent debate from taking place, it is destructive. I agree that it is not the Bloc that is doing it and that it is the Conservative Party; that is why I emphasize and focus attention on the Conservative Party's irresponsible behaviour so much of the time. It is a destructive force here on the floor of the House of Commons. I too enjoy a good debate.
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Madam Speaker, I rise on a serious point of order with respect to the right of the member for Lethbridge to speak during the debate that is currently on in the House.
At the end of the time provided to question the Minister of Canadian Heritage for his use of time allocation on Bill C-18, the online news act, there was a heated exchange between the minister and the member for Lethbridge. It is no secret that the member for Lethbridge is a fierce critic of the minister and has opposed his legislation every step of the way. She makes the point that Bill C-18 is the next step in the government's censorship of the Internet. The member has repeatedly argued that the minister is the one rewarding tech giants, as he will give them more power with Bill C-18. The minister accused the member for Lethbridge of using the talking points of tech giants in opposition to the bill. In response, the member for Lethbridge accused the minister of lying.
We know that term is unparliamentary, and I accept the decision of the Assistant Deputy Speaker to call her to order. It should also be pointed out that, when one member makes a false claim about another member, it is not uncommon for disorder to follow. The member for Lethbridge did the right thing when she said clearly, “I will apologize for using that word.” She went on to say, “He misinformed the House.” This is a matter for debate, although for my part, I agree with her.
The Chair took exception to that comment, informing the House that the member for Lethbridge would not be recognized for the remainder of the day. To be clear, the member did not accuse the minister of deliberately misinforming the House. She simply made the point that the minister was misinformed and brought that misinformation to the House. At most, this is a point of debate. It is not something that a member should be sanctioned for.
The irony is not lost on me that the member is being censored during debate on what amounts to a censorship bill. In my view, this is a heavy-handed response from the Chair, given the poor behaviour of Liberal members in recent days. The Chair has accepted apologies for behaviour that is far more egregious without Liberal members attracting any sanction.
We can take the member for Kingston and the Islands as an example. Last week, he gave me the middle finger when I called him out for denying a unanimous consent motion that called for Paul Bernardo to be put back in maximum security. That member gave the most insincere apology I can recall in the House. There was no sanction for him. In fact, later that day, he was given the floor in the debate.
Therefore, I would expect that the apology from the member for Lethbridge would be accepted by the House and that the Chair would allow her to participate in the debate this afternoon. Further, the House would benefit from even-handed application of the rules that is not seen to benefit one party over another. I would like the Speaker to clarify how the rules should be applied, regardless of who is presiding over the debates.
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- Jun/20/23 1:58:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order.
I was able to witness the whole process, in terms of what had taken place. There was no “heated exchange” between the two members; the minister was giving a response to a question, and he was constantly being heckled.
The Speaker at the time gave not one or two, but several warnings. They were not warnings about unparliamentary language; they were because the member continued to heckle, and she was warned to stop heckling. The unparliamentary language was only one part of it. She was actually told that if she did not stop heckling, then she would not be recognized.
It had nothing to do with the unparliamentary language. In fact, while the Speaker was making that ruling, I focused my attention on the member for Lethbridge, who did not stop talking. Reflecting on what took place, I do not think what the opposition whip has put on the record is fully accurate.
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- Jun/20/23 2:00:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on the same point of order.
I just wanted to make a point that the New Democratic Party would like to reserve the right to come back to speak to this issue at a later date.
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- Jun/20/23 2:00:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will speak to this now. In fact, when the Speaker thought the member was heckling and asked her to stop, she did not continue to do so. She was speaking to a colleague. However, when we consider the outrageous interruptions that came from the member who just spoke and the member for Kingston and the Islands during our leader's four-hour speech recently, when they would not allow him to even get through what he had to say minute to minute, we are talking about the acceptance of an apology that was given when demanded. It was accepted that the language that was spoken had been unparliamentary, and the apology was given. It is not consistent ruling for the member for Lethbridge to be told she cannot participate in debates afterward.
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- Jun/20/23 2:01:25 p.m.
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Not having been here in the chair when that was happening and not having witnessed it, I am hearing a he-said-she-said type of argument. I am going to need to go back, watch the video and consult with the table officers who were in the chamber to find out exactly what happened and how it evolved. I will come back at my soonest opportunity. Unfortunately, we do not have a lot of time left before the end of the year, and I am not sure how long it will take by the time we go through all the information, but I will be back as quickly as is humanly possible.
In the meantime, I want to remind all sides to please not call each other names or disrespect each other. Question period is coming up. Because both sides are so concerned with what is going on in the House, I am going to expect both sides to be very respectful of decorum, not shout at each other and be very respectful of the process.
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- Jun/20/23 2:02:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as we approach the recess for the summer months, I usually look forward to a time of peace and reflection and to enjoying good weather, but this summer will be different. Due to the baked-in increase in temperatures resulting from our addiction to fossil fuels and our failure to act, we are going to have a rough summer. To all of my colleagues and everyone in their constituencies, I hope that they are spared climate events that are terrifying.
We know that the rest of the summer will continue hot and dry, which means more forest fires. In some places, it will be hot and wet. The Atlantic basin is hotter than it has ever been, which suggests that we are going to have a worse hurricane season. We are looking at climate threats of all kinds, and at this point we can only ask that we take care of each other, fortify our communities in resilience, and finally act to address the climate crisis.
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Mr. Speaker, last month Bill S-211, the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, passed in the House and received royal assent. The bill is now law. It is designed to rid our supply chains of slave products.
Simultaneously, in the town of Markham, Shein, a company notorious for selling products made by slaves and child labour at cheap prices, opened up a 170,000-square-foot distribution facility. Ordinary citizens have been protesting on the streets of Markham against having such a company in their community.
It is intended that Bill S-211 will be fully operational by this time next year, and the executives of Shein will have to file a compliance transparency statement to the Government of Canada.
The additional question is this: How did a company of such a notorious reputation get a building permit for a 170,000-square-foot facility in Markham? Does no one care, or is “cheapest product, any place, any time” the law of this land?
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- Jun/20/23 2:04:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament of the riding that is home to Garrison Petawawa and the 450 Chinook Tactical Helicopter Squadron, it is my unfortunate duty to rise and acknowledge the training accident that occurred early this morning, involving four aircrew members of a CH-147 Chinook helicopter.
The training exercise was taking place at Garrison Petawawa along the Ottawa River, with the helicopter crashing into the water. At the time I received this information, two flight crew members had been rescued and two are unaccounted for.
As the representative of the close-knit military community at Garrison Petawawa, I know we all feel the effects whenever tragedy strikes any member of our military family. To the families of the 450 Chinook Helicopter Tactical Squadron and the families of the aircrew, the prayers and best wishes of the nation are with you at this time.
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- Jun/20/23 2:06:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday was National Sickle Cell Awareness Day.
Sickle cell disease is a debilitating, inherited blood disease that causes those impacted to suffer from chronic pain, fatigue, social rejection and discrimination. Thousands of Canadians suffer from it, and support and treatment options have not improved for decades. Research and increasing awareness are critical.
Last week I attended the Sickle Cell Parliamentary Breakfast, which was hosted by the African-Canadian Senate Group. There I heard first-hand what this community needs and how we can best support them. It was an incredibly moving experience.
I thank the passionate supporters of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Canada and the Sickle Cell Anemia Association of Quebec for their work in raising awareness and creating a national sickle cell patient registry in co-operation with the Ottawa Hospital. I encourage all of my colleagues to learn more about this disease and to support the efforts of groups working toward better treatment options.
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- Jun/20/23 2:07:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not want to brag, but I sincerely think that my riding is home to the most incredible people in Quebec, people who are committed and involved in their community. Among them are three exceptional individuals whose work I want to recognize today because they are retiring.
The first is François Picard, who is retiring on June 30 after 41 years of service in Quebec's weekly newspaper industry. I want to congratulate him.
The second is Sergeant Lionel Bourdon, from the Longueuil police department, who retired just a few days ago after, believe it or not, 58 years of loyal service. He now holds the record for longest-serving police officer in Canada.
The third is Hélène Bordeleau, from the Table Itinérance Rive-Sud, who has worked for community organizations that strengthen the social safety net for nearly 40 years.
Today, before all of my colleagues here, I want to tell them how inspirational they are and how much their work has done to change the lives of the people of Longueuil—Saint-Hubert. I sincerely thank them.
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- Jun/20/23 2:08:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the life of Boleslaw Julius Fujarczuk, who passed away June 6, in his 99th year, after a long and remarkable life.
From proudly serving during the Second World War to earning notable commendations such as the Polonia Restituta Cross, the British Defence Medal and the British General Service Medal to becoming a successful businessman and prominent community leader, Boleslaw lived an extraordinary life.
Although he was involved in many Polish organizations in Canada, his most notable involvement was in the founding of St. Maximilian Kolbe church and the John Paul II Polish Cultural Centre in my riding of Mississauga East—Cooksville.
Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his loved ones and the entire family at this trying time, in particular with his children Richard, Teresa and Theodore.
On behalf of the people of Canada, I thank Boleslaw Julius Fujarczuk for his services. May he rest in peace.
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- Jun/20/23 2:09:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the saying goes that we cannot choose our family. The family that was chosen for me includes my grandad Francis and my late grandma Betty, who passed five months ago.
Married for more than 71 years, they dedicated themselves to community and family. Grandma was a dedicated daily volunteer at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in Vanier, and grandad was dedicated in his work with the RCMP and CSIS.
An avid follower of politics and a proud Conservative, my grandad is my number one supporter and is counted among the family of members from all parties who are CPAC’s most loyal viewers. Today, he might have a better view than watching on CPAC, and I am so proud to have seen him and my dad Chris on Parliament Hill today.
Who is his family? They are Betty, Greg, Chris, Anne, Audrey, Brian, Elizabeth, Matthew, Sulin, Allison, Kyle, Jeffrey, Vanessa, Neil, Kim, Daniel, Alexandra, Daniel, Aubrey, Luke, Ama, Michaela, James, Nathan, Santiago, Beatrice, Jack, Maggie, Bentley, Paisley and Keegan.
We do not get to choose them, but I know he does not have to grin and...bear it...because it is a blessing to be counted as a part of this family.
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- Jun/20/23 2:10:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Newmarket—Aurora has once again been provided with an uplifting musical experience courtesy of Visual & Performing Arts Newmarket.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the “Three for the Show” concert series has hosted some of the most celebrated and gifted classical and jazz music talent on the scene today.
The concert and its 25 years of musical performances serve as a reminder of the essential cultural importance and historical significance of music in building whole communities.
My gratitude goes out to the gifted performers and to VPAN for providing a platform to the brightest and most gifted in the performance arts industry today and the most promising young musicians of tomorrow.
I thank VPAN and the Three for the Show committee of Erika Kerwin, Margaret Barkman, Judy Craig and Marcia Sinclair for their beautiful concert series.
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- Jun/20/23 2:11:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is officially the first day of summer. There is no better place to spend those long summer days than Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing.
Whether we are talking about festivals, powwows or fairs, people can attend events all over Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing.
Next week, Elliot Lake will celebrate Uranium Heritage Days with special events and activities leading up to Canada Day. Hearst continues to celebrate its centennial with tons of activities during homecoming week.
Do you love powwows? There is one almost every weekend, from Sheguiandah First Nation to Michipicoten First Nation.
Do you love boating or camping? There is no shortage of lakes, including Lake Huron and Lake Superior.
Winnie's Hometown Festival in White River is the perfect place to celebrate the world's most famous bear, and the Wiikwemkoong Annual Cultural Festival should not be missed.
People will also find several agricultural fairs from Providence Bay to Bruce Mines. For music lovers, the Go North Music Festival, the Manitoulin Country Fest and Rockin' the Rock are a must.
As you can see, Mr. Speaker, AMK is the place to be for fun in the sun, so come on over.
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