SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 256

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 27, 2023 11:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 256 - Nov/27/23
Ms. Lindsay Mathyssen
  • Nov/27/23 6:47:43 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would note that they are not “our” indigenous people. I warn the member about that language; it is very important. General Wayne Eyre specifically stated, right at the get-go of the study, “I see no real threat today to our territorial sovereignty; nor do I see one in the near future". Yes, we have to be aware of what is going on in the world. Yes, we have to be concerned, but, critically, what gives access to critical minerals, to the Northwest Passage, to communities in the north and to all of that is climate change. The opening up of the passage and of the seaways is the existential threat, and we are not doing anything to address that adequately.
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Context: House Hansard - 256 - Nov/27/23
Mr. Alex Ruff
  • Nov/27/23 7:10:17 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I am wondering about the relevance of the member's speech. The report is about Arctic sovereignty, and he is talking about procedural processes in the House of Commons.
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Context: House Hansard - 256 - Nov/27/23
Mr. Alex Ruff (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, CPC)
  • Nov/27/23 7:23:22 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I will stay relevant to the topic at hand tonight. The member said he did not feel that the Arctic sovereignty was that important. I think he should have listened to the NDP member who spoke just before him. She actually spoke on November 3 and got very upset at the complaints that were coming from the House. I am sure she will have an opportunity to speak. I remember the member very well when he was on the national defence committee, and he was successfully filibustering the committee while it was looking into, during the previous Parliament, the sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces at the highest levels and the censorship of the previous minister of national defence. I want to get to the point of this motion, which is Arctic sovereignty. He represents, or supposedly represents, a riding and its Canadian Armed Forces members. I want to ask specifically about the capabilities of signals. Recommendation 24 talks about “the expansion of Very High Frequency radio capabilities and other communications in the Arctic that support search and rescue efforts.” Could the member elaborate on what needs to be done? How are the Canadian Armed Forces members he represents in Kingston crucial in making this happen and continuing our Arctic sovereignty?
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Context: House Hansard - 256 - Nov/27/23
Mr. Mark Gerretsen
  • Nov/27/23 7:24:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I never said that Arctic sovereignty was not important. It is quite the contrary. I said it was important. I said my concern was that the Conservatives were just using this report as a way to block something that they did not want to talk about. It was something that they did not want to talk about so badly, the Canada-Ukraine free trade deal, that they ended up voting against it later on. Arctic sovereignty is extremely important. I do not believe I was on the committee, and I do not believe I filibustered as he referenced. I will say that, when I was on the committee and we studied it, we looked into the different things we could recommend to the government. When it comes to recommendation 24, I would have him note that the Government of Canada agrees, in principle, with these recommendations. Nobody is disagreeing. This is my point: Why is it so important that we talk about this report on the floor of the House of Commons when the reality is that the government agrees with the majority of the report?
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