44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 19, 2023 10:00AM
Mr. Speaker, is the member aware that the bill would give federal cabinet the power to cancel a petroleum drilling project on a whim at any point, overreaching provincial jurisdiction and disrespecting indigenous interests?
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Mr. Speaker, this is what I know. When the bill was announced, I was in the foyer and partook in the announcement. I also know that the minister from Nova Scotia was at the announcement and represented Nova Scotia's interests. I know Nova Scotia is on board with this. I have also had the opportunity to speak to chiefs from my province from the indigenous communities, and they are on board with this. I know the petroleum board itself is on board with this.
This is a partnership between the federal government, the province, indigenous people, Nova Scotians and Newfoundland and Labradorians. This is a good thing. If there are issues with it, let us get them worked out at committee and move this along.
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Mr. Speaker, I will repeat the question I asked previously. I know how passionate the member is about the protection of marine environments, especially shorelines.
Can she guarantee that no project, not even for an offshore wind farm, will be undertaken in marine protected areas and that no marine area boundaries will be rearranged to accommodate some developer?
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Mr. Speaker, that is a good question.
Before this bill was introduced, we worked for months with Nova Scotia, with Newfoundland and Labrador and with other stakeholders. I am confident that we will be able to work together to improve the bill in committee.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member for Halifax West's support for offshore wind and for climate action. My question is about being cohesive.
As she likely knows, environmental and indigenous groups are continuing a legal challenge of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change's decision to approve Bay du Nord. Bay du Nord is Canada's first-ever proposed deepwater oil drilling project off the coast of Newfoundland. It is expected to produce a billion barrels of oil and 400 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. This new fossil fuel infrastructure is what the UN Secretary-General calls “moral and economic madness”.
Will the member bring her same passion to opposing Bay du Nord?
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Mr. Speaker, I have the same passion that my colleague from Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook has, except I also have my own Lebanese and Arabic kind, which I am not going to go through here.
I believe the environment and the economy work together, and I believe this is a good piece of legislation for Nova Scotians and for Newfoundland and Labrador. It is one that has been built on. When it is passed, both provinces will still have to pass their own provincial laws. I know that both provinces are waiting for this to happen. I urge parliamentarians to take it seriously, as I know they all do, and pass it along to committee, because this is good for the provinces and the country.
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Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House today to speak to this particular bill. It is good to be back in the House after our break. It was not really a break but constituency time, with very busy summers for a lot of us. It is good to see so many familiar faces on all sides of the aisle and to have this discussion.
Today, I rise to speak to Bill C-49, an act to amend the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act and the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act and to make consequential amendments to other acts. It has a lot to do with Atlantic Canada. The bill would have direct effects on development throughout the region of Atlantic Canada.
A lot of things about the bill may be well-intended, but the realities of it, as it is written, could have devastating consequences for the resource sector, and not just in my region. It would have an echo effect across the country. It is very important that we get the balance right and that we take the time get the bill right and fix it. If we cannot fix the bill, we should do everybody a favour and make sure that it does not pass in its current form. Without amendments and without these concerns being addressed, the bill could lead to a lot of unintended consequences that could be devastating economically throughout the region and for much of the country.
I come from the beautiful province of New Brunswick. It is an outstanding province. In fact, it is a place where half has not yet been told and its potential has not nearly been realized. Part of realizing the potential we have as a province and as a region is about unlocking the key to ethically and environmentally responsible extractive resources and the development of our natural resources, and getting those resources to market. It can be a pathway to our region's prosperity, and it must not be overlooked. However, the consequence of passing bad legislation is that it could hamper development and lead to more hurdles for our resource developers and those in the area of green, innovative technologies and resource development, such as tidal, wind and solar. If we do not get the bill right, it could have unintended consequences that would hurt future development in those areas, which are critical to our energy security going forward.
We know that if we do not get energy security and food security right, inevitably it will directly affect national security. It is so important that we get these questions right and make sure that we pass bills that enhance our energy and food security, not hamper them. This bill, as it is written, would cause a lot of hurdles for developers as they look at coming into our region and potentially investing in not only the new areas of resource development and extraction but also the existing ones. If we put in place further bureaucratic hurdles and do not correct what is wrong with the bill, we are sending a message to investors in the resource sector to not come to Atlantic Canada, because they would never get through the bureaucratic, regulatory maze and all the requirements. At the end of the day, if they do happen to get through all the hurdles, the government could shut them down at any time at the whim of any particular minister, because the bill as written puts unbelievable power in the hands of a federal minister.
I do not believe the bill will lead us to work collaboratively enough with the provinces, the key stakeholders or those who are going to be directly affected by the decisions we would make. We have seen this already with the enactment of the marine protected areas and some of the enforcement around them. What can happen is that, at the whim of a particular minister, a certain area of our ocean could be blocked off and there would be no more development or fishery. This would bring devastating consequences to our harvesters, to those in the fishing sector and to those in the energy sector.
We need to get this right. We need to make sure that we address the concerns that will be laid out throughout this debate and fix the bill. If the bill cannot be fixed, we must not pass it, because the consequences of it going through could be devastating to a region that already has tremendous economic headwinds against it.
We have huge potential, and I speak on behalf of fellow Atlantic Canadians. We do have a great love for the environment and a great care for our natural resources. We believe we can do both. We can protect our environment and responsibly develop our resources. We can do it hand in hand and not at the cost or devastation of one sector.
It is time we got the balance right, and this bill does not get the balance right. I challenge our friends on the other side to go back to the drawing table and fix what is wrong with this bill, which is going to bring devastation to the resource sector of this country.
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- Sep/19/23 1:59:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is good to be back in Ottawa with all my hon. colleagues, and it is always an honour to rise in this chamber on behalf of the people of Richmond Centre.
Over the summer, I had meetings with constituents on matters such as affordability, housing, health, public safety and, of course, climate change. I was pleased to update them on the work our government has done and is doing.
Through those meetings, I saw inclusivity and genuineness. I saw that we all want to make Richmond a better place in every aspect. I am proud to serve as the member for Richmond Centre and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the community, city and provincial partners and my friend and colleague, the member for Steveston—Richmond East, for their continued service and championship for Richmond.
Most importantly, I thank my constituents for sharing their inputs and priorities and for their continued trust and support. There is more to be done, and let us continue to work alongside one another. Together we can build a better community for everyone.
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- Sep/19/23 2:01:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to say thanks to the residents of Portage—Lisgar for entrusting me to be their member of Parliament. It is a distinct honour and privilege to be in this chamber and to represent my friends and neighbours, and I recognize the responsibility I have to be their voice in Ottawa. The concerns they shared with me at doorsteps, at community meetings and at various events in the past number of months have stuck with me.
Today in this House, I reaffirm my commitments to them, including my pledge to oppose the NDP-Liberal government’s carbon tax. After eight years under the Prime Minister, life has become unaffordable for so many Canadians. The Liberal government's carbon tax on the farmer who grows the food and the trucker who ships the food is a tax on all who buy the food. Now the Prime Minister wants to quadruple that tax.
The Leader of the Opposition will axe the tax, so everyone pays less and brings home more.
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- Sep/19/23 2:02:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to rise, particularly as the only female member of Parliament from Nova Scotia, to raise awareness of the distinct health needs of women and advocate for improving access to services.
Today I want to highlight the Orchid Gala, which was organized to support the creation of the Deanne Reeve Pelvic Health Suite at the Dartmouth General. Deanne Reeve lost her life to a late diagnosis of cervical cancer, and the suite will focus on gynecology and urology services, reducing wait times and increasing patient comfort. Up to 40% of women will experience pelvic floor dysfunction in their lives, and this expansion will ensure that they have a place to turn for care in the Halifax regional municipality.
Although hurricane Lee cancelled the gala this weekend at the last minute, the organizers worked with the United Way to deliver the prepared dinners to people in need in our community and reach their fundraising goal.
I thank Sheri Morgan, Liz Rigney and all the sponsors for their advocacy. I am honoured to have been included, and I look forward to what is next.
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- Sep/19/23 2:03:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, finally. After the Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Reserve in my riding of Manicouagan, our fabled Anticosti Island has now become a UNESCO world heritage site.
This recognition is first and foremost the result of the hard work and dedication of the people of the municipality of Anticosti, the Minganie, the Innu nation and the Côte-Nord. Thanks to their vision, pride and generosity, our country-within-a-country has gained international recognition.
I sincerely thank everyone, near and far, from Port-Meunier to Montreal, who contributed to this recognition: Mayor Hélène Boulanger, former mayor John Pineault, reeve of the Minganie RCM Meggie Richard and her predecessor, Luc Noël, and utshimau Jean-Charles Piétacho. Tshinashkumitin.
This is a very moving moment. People of the Côte-Nord love this age-old island, its history, beauty, immensity and its thousands of deer. This is such a proud moment. Our cherished jewel will now be protected for all time.
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- Sep/19/23 2:04:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am humbled to rise and pay tribute to Monique Bégin, a member of Parliament who was a pioneer in the House for many years. She played an important role in improving the lives of all Canadians.
She was the executive secretary of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada. Fifty years ago, she was one of the first three women from Quebec to be elected to the House. She was a leading advocate for women's progress, an academic who worked to create opportunities for women and who defended our universal health care system without fail.
She should be an inspiration to all girls, all women and all Canadians, as well as to other women MPs like me who have the privilege of serving in the House.
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- Sep/19/23 2:05:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is the honour of a lifetime to be able to serve the hard-working people of Oxford. Oxford is a great community full of doers. We have the best farmers, the best auto workers, amazing truckers and great Canadians who want to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
However, after eight years of the Liberal-NDP government, Canadians are working harder and harder, but they are barely getting by. The dream of home ownership is now fading away. The cost to buy a home, mortgages, rent and the amount needed for a down payment have all doubled.
Nine out of 10 young Canadians now believe they will never own a home. That is not the Canadian dream. Even if someone is fortunate enough to have bought a home, now the coalition’s carbon tax is making families and seniors choose between heating and eating.
Who will pay the cost of the Liberal-NDP government? That is right: We all will. The Liberal-NDP government is not worth the cost.
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- Sep/19/23 2:06:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to acknowledge Mr. Jimmy Lai, a 75-year-old U.K. citizen imprisoned in Hong Kong. Mr. Lai is a well-known supporter of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement and the founder and owner of Apple Daily, which was one of Hong Kong's most popular Chinese language newspapers until its forced closure in June 2021.
Since 2020, Mr. Lai has been imprisoned in Hong Kong for exercising his right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest, his advocacy for democracy in Hong Kong and his journalism and writings. He is currently awaiting trial under the controversial national security law and sedition laws in relation to various Apple Daily publications. He is at risk of facing life imprisonment.
No person should be prosecuted for standing up in defence of universal human rights, freedoms and democracy. I stand in solidarity with Jimmy Lai, and call for his immediate and unconditional release.
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- Sep/19/23 2:08:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like everyone to listen up as I share the wisdom of Nodin Outten-Joseph, a graduate from Kapapamahchakwew Wandering Spirit School in my community. Nodin is a national winner of the Your Voice is Power competition for his work on coding to make music.
He stated that his work “Represents the need for the voices of Black and Indigenous Peoples to be listened to by those in positions of privilege and power”, so we should listen up.
About his experience, he said, “As I crafted the elements of my song I learned that in the act of responsibly interweaving Indigenous language into music, the music itself becomes a vehicle for activism and an intrinsic creator of equity”.
He said that his music includes a profound power found in diversity, as well as a desire for the destruction of colonial structures and world views. This is a destruction that does not end in death, but in rebirth.
I would like to congratulate Nodin. I thank him for his strong voice and power.
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- Sep/19/23 2:09:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise proudly today as the newest member for Calgary Heritage. My deepest thanks go to my family, friends and volunteers whose shoulders I stand on. Most importantly, my gratitude is with the great people of Calgary, for whom I will never forget the core mission, which is to serve them, to fight for them and to restore the promise of Canada for them.
The carbon tax is an attack on our way of life. It is an attack on the many Calgarians I have met who are wondering how they are going to put food on the table. The prosperity they need rests with our energy sector, yet the very tax crushing them comes from right across the aisle.
To all my friends back home, I have a message: Hope is on the way. We will axe the tax, get our resources and ingenuity to market and replace woke nonsense with common sense. We will restore the promise of Canada by firing the Prime Minister and hiring our Conservative leader to bring it home.
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- Sep/19/23 2:10:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, “I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try.” Terry Fox asked us to carry on when he was unable to complete his Marathon of Hope for cancer research.
This past Sunday in Oakville, I joined about 1,200 people, including Canada's National Para Ice Hockey Team captain and gold medallist Tyler McGregor, to take part in the 43rd annual Terry Fox Run. Tyler lost his leg to the same cancer as Terry did, but he was given an 80% chance of survival. He is living proof that Terry Fox-funded research dollars make all the difference.
I want to thank my volunteer committee members; the Town of Oakville; our top teams, Team Darrell and Team Win/Primal/BronteRunners; and our volunteers, our sponsors and everyone who took part and donated to see Oakville raise $150,000 this year. I thank Canadians for continuing Terry's dream of a world without cancer.
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- Sep/19/23 2:11:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this government, everything feels broken. The NDP-Liberal coalition has made life impossible for many Canadians. Groceries, housing—everything is expensive, and the half-measures proposed by this government will make no difference whatsoever.
Canadians do not need out-of-touch, insensitive politicians who do not care about their everyday concerns and struggles. Canadians want and need a leader who lives in the same world as they do, who can empathize and understand their reality. Canadians want a leader who speaks from experience.
The leader of the Conservative Party of Canada was raised in a modest environment and has the ability to connect with people. He was right when he said, “It doesn't matter who you know or where you're from, but rather who you are and where you're going”.
That is the kind of leadership we need. It is just common sense.
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- Sep/19/23 2:12:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, everything feels broken in Canada. Under the NDP-Liberal government, Canada is unaffordable, unsafe and more divided. The Liberals have vastly expanded the size of the federal government while driving participation in the entrepreneurial economy to record lows.
The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost, but we can put the pieces back together by giving Canadians, newcomers and entrepreneurial-minded Canadians a foundation for success. We are going to build a Canada with a competitive tax regime and a labour pool that meets the demands of today's market. Instead of brushing off small businesses and labelling them as tax cheats, we are going to support them by creating an environment where they can thrive. We will be a government that spends within its means, leaves more in the pockets of hard-working Canadians and lets Canadians get ahead.
We are going to bring back the Canada we know and love. Let us bring it home.
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- Sep/19/23 2:13:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House to recognize some remarkable constituents in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell.
Yesterday, we held a ceremony to honour 20 outstanding individuals who have dedicated hours upon hours to improving the communities they call home.
Volunteerism is at the heart of our communities. Without volunteers there would be no music concerts, baseball leagues for our young people, fundraising for social causes, francophonie monuments in our villages, and so on.
I want to thank those who took the time to nominate the following people: Bernard Boulerice, André Brisson, Elizabeth Caddell, André Chamaillard, Robert Deguire, Paul Emile Duval, Reine Hébert, Liette Hotte, Alain Hupé, Connie Johnston, France Lamarche, Denis Tardif, Murielle Lanthier, Pierre Leroux, Don McDougald, Benoît Paré, Nicole Picard, Francis Lauzon, and François and Rachel Sigouin. I thank them very much for their contribution.
I congratulate them.
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