44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 7, 2023 10:00AM
- Nov/7/23 3:18:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 85,000 British Columbians still rely on oil to heat their homes, an extremely polluting fuel that is up to four times as expensive as natural gas.
Recently, the Government of Canada announced a new affordability package that would help Canadians ditch expensive and polluting oil furnaces for heat pumps. This would save them money on their home heating bills and fight climate change.
The Premier of British Columbia, David Eby, was seen at the premiers meeting, proudly donning an “I love heat pumps” shirt.
Can the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources provide an update to the House on the progress being made to bring this important affordability measure to British Columbians?
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- Nov/7/23 3:19:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the question from my colleague and neighbour. I recognize his ongoing advocacy for the environment and the people of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country.
Canada works best when Canadians work together. We are reaching out, proactively, to every province and territory to discuss participation in this important program to address affordability issues in a manner consistent with fighting climate change.
We have had very good discussions with Premier Eby and Minister Osborne. I expect we will have good things to say for the people of British Columbia in the very near term.
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- Nov/7/23 3:19:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Winnipeg's Christmas Cheer Board is anticipating record demand for its hampers because of the cost of living crisis. There have been 19,000 requests so far this year.
While big corporations are jacking up food prices, the Liberals throw up their hands and the Conservative leader, the corporate champion from Carleton, stays silent.
The Christmas Cheer Board does not know if it can meet the demand for help. Will the government support the NDP's bill to lower food costs and give Winnipeg families the help they need?
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- Nov/7/23 3:20:31 p.m.
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I would like to remind all members that referring to a particular member using a mock title is not considered parliamentary.
The hon. minister.
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- Nov/7/23 3:20:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from my colleague. We know that, right now, many Canadians are having a hard time putting food on the table.
That is exactly why we continue to do the hard work on this side of the House to support Canadian families and organizations doing that work. Whether that is from the community services recovery fund or whether that is the work that we are doing to develop the national school food policy among our partners, we are here to support Canadian families.
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- Nov/7/23 3:21:37 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, the gap for first nations infrastructure is at $350 billion.
The government committed to end the gap for first nations by 2030, but the Liberals have spent under 3% of what is needed. This does not even include funding for Métis and Inuit, which would make the gap even more extreme.
Indigenous communities remain neglected, despite the calls for action. When will the government recognize indigenous peoples' capacity and work with them to fill these gaps?
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- Nov/7/23 3:22:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Nunavut for this really important question. In fact, after a decade of no investments in first nations communities under the Harper government, our government got to work with first nations partners to start to close that infrastructure gap on things such as clean water, where boil water advisories had been left unattended for a decade, and things such as housing, community centres, health centres and schools.
I agree with the member opposite. The gap is huge, but we are making progress with indigenous leadership. I am very proud of that.
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- Nov/7/23 3:23:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. After I asked my question, you indicated that the question should be directed through you to a minister of the Crown and not just to any random Liberal. In fact, I was asking my question to the member for Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, who is a minister of the Crown. He is the Minister of Northern Affairs, and he did not vote in favour of reducing home heating bills for his constituents. It was actually a—
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- Nov/7/23 3:23:28 p.m.
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I would like to thank the member for Provencher for pointing that out.
As the Speaker, I would like to apologize to the member for making that declaration. I did not make the connection between the member's name and the role he plays in government, so I convey my apologies to the hon. member for Provencher.
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- Nov/7/23 3:23:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as you would know, Standing Order 17(a) provides that all members must rise in their own place to be recognized by the Speaker. Today, during question period, a Liberal member of Parliament flagrantly violated that rule, yet was recognized. I would like to know why the Liberal member for Pontiac was recognized when she was not in her seat.
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- Nov/7/23 3:24:16 p.m.
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I would like to thank the hon. member for raising this issue. I will take a look at that and get back to the House if necessary. I thank the member for Perth—Wellington.
The hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier on a point of order.
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- Nov/7/23 3:24:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, during Oral Questions earlier, the Minister of Environment misled the House.
I would like to request unanimous consent to table newspaper articles stating that Equiterre is suing the minister—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Nov/7/23 3:24:53 p.m.
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I would like to continue with the member's question but, unfortunately, I have already heard several indications that consent is not unanimous. I thank the hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier.
The hon. member for Elmwood—Transcona on a point of order.
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- Nov/7/23 3:25:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, following the question from the member for Winnipeg Centre, you commented on the use of mock titles. I would remind you, Mr. Speaker, that “NDP-Liberal government” or “Liberal-NDP coalition” are also mocks titles. If you need evidence, we now have the same members referring to a Liberal-separatist coalition. They did not call it a coalition when they voted with the Liberals on Motion No. 79.
They are raising the question of—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Nov/7/23 3:25:46 p.m.
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I would like to thank the member for Elmwood—Transcona for raising this issue. It is an important issue to clarify for all members who are here.
When a member of Parliament, an individual, is referred to with a mock title, a mock name or a mock riding name, that is considered unparliamentary. When referring to a party or to the group, as much as I personally do not find it very helpful, it has been the tradition of this place to allow those comments, which are not being directed towards an individual member, to be considered acceptable in the House.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind all members, in order to ensure that there is decorum in the House, as well as to show fundamental respect to all parties, which are composed of members, to please exercise great restraint when referring to a group of folks in a tone that could be interpreted as mocking.
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- Nov/7/23 3:27:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am seeking your clarification on the same point of order. I believe that the member for Elmwood—Transcona spoke to mock names and also to the use of terms such as “coalition”. For example, today, there was talk of a “Liberal-Bloc coalition” when they voted together. Yesterday, the NDP voted with the Conservatives. Is that a new “coalition”, and are we going to be allowed to use the word “coalition” when two parties simply vote the same way?
I would appreciate your clarification, Mr. Speaker.
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- Nov/7/23 3:27:48 p.m.
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I would like to thank the member for Kitchener Centre. As a matter of fact, this issue was raised by the member for New Westminster—Burnaby last week. The Chair is currently considering this matter, and I will be coming back to members in the days to follow.
I am going to recognize the member for Lakeland, but I would ask her to try to make her point of order very brief so that we can move on to the business of the House.
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- Nov/7/23 3:28:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will try to do this efficiently.
As you deliberate on what we can and cannot say here, and on what kind of topics we can or cannot ask about, I just have a question about if, in the process of all of that, you could also consider questions that are clearly on provincial policies or provincial governments, or that are partisan and are clearly about topics that are not government policy. I assume all of that will be going into your deliberations and that you will get back to all of us on that too.
An hon. member: Oh, oh!
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- Nov/7/23 3:29:26 p.m.
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Would the hon. member for Timmins—James Bay please take a seat? I will recognize him in due order.
I would like to thank the member for Lakeland for raising this issue. That is part of my reflections, but I can mention that it is a long tradition in the House that sometimes questions might take the form of a hybrid method.
From time to time, Speakers have tried to curtail this. I know that my predecessor from Regina—Qu'Appelle tried to do this as well, to get people to not ask questions that start off in one direction and then, at the last minute, switch into a matter of government administration. This is something that is being considered. I will get back to all members, as I have promised to get back to the member for New Westminster—Burnaby.
The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay is rising on a point of order.
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- Nov/7/23 3:30:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate your reflection on that. In question period, if you check Hansard, the minister for environment claimed he was a Liberal and a socialist. I would like to ask him to withdraw those comments as they are deeply offensive.
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