44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 30, 2023 10:00AM
- Nov/30/23 2:30:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Thornloe Cheese factory is a symbol of the resilience, skill and determination of the Témiscamingue dairy region. The various blends of Asiago, Charlton, blue and the incredible devil's rock cheese have won all kinds of awards. That is why people in the north were so shocked by the news that Gay Lea Foods is closing the plant and walking away from the region, but not so fast. The people in northern Ontario are determined to keep this value-added food processing operation, and the farmers have a winning track record.
In 2006, Parmalat announced its decision to shut the plant. Rallies were held, and a clear message was sent: Parmalat could leave, but the dairy quota would stay. The same message was sent to Gay Lea.
I worked with the Témiscamingue dairy committee to save the plant in 2006 and will be at its side to get Thornloe back up and running.
When negotiations begin with a new buyer, it is essential that FedNor and the federal government are at the table to help with the necessary upgrades, so Thornloe continues to produce a world-class product.
Our farmers have a simple message: They love the north, and they will fight for Thornloe.
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- Nov/30/23 2:31:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after Chamonix, Val Gardena and Courchevel, it is Mont Tremblant's turn this weekend to host the World Cup women's giant slalom race.
What a source of pride for the entire Laurentides—Labelle region and for Quebec. The International Ski Federation chose Mont Tremblant because it tops many lists as the number one ski resort in eastern North America. The know-how of an entire region is being honoured and recognized.
The mood will be supercharged and joyous as we watch high-level athletes shred the slopes. I invite everyone to come. The pedestrian village will be abuzz with concerts. On Saturday, I will have the honour of personally handing out an award. It is my immense pleasure to wish the athletes and organizers a fabulous World Cup 2023.
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- Nov/30/23 2:32:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. Do members know who agrees with that statement? It is the Chiefs of Ontario, who filed a judicial review today against the Liberal government's carbon tax. The Chiefs of Ontario are rightly claiming that the Liberal carbon tax is leaving first nations communities worse off and is intentionally designed to ignore their situations.
This liberal carbon tax disproportionately affects first nations, and the Ontario chiefs are asking why a carbon tax carve-out was only given to a region in Canada where the Prime Minister was tanking in the polls. They are left to deal with the unfair burden this tax places on their communities as they struggle to heat their homes and feed their families.
Let us remember that it was the Prime Minister who claimed the relationship with first nations is the most important one to him and his government. That clearly is not true, as the Prime Minister is forcing first nations to go to court to finally be heard in their demands to axe the carbon tax for the children, seniors and families living in their communities.
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- Nov/30/23 2:34:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday in this chamber, the leader of the official opposition recklessly labelled a car explosion in the U.S. near the Rainbow Bridge as a “terrorist attack”. The Conservative leader's characterization of the event shocked many Canadians, including me. I was terrified and instantly prayed to God hoping that no Muslim was involved in this incident.
Jumping to such baseless and emotive language without verification and spreading misinformation demonstrate a serious lack of judgment, especially at a time when the conflict in the Middle East has led to an increase in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism here at home.
The leader of the Conservative Party tries to politicize every issue by spreading fear and misleading Canadians. Canadians deserve better. This leader is just not worth the risk.
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- Nov/30/23 2:35:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as we embark on the Christmas season, we celebrate the spirit of giving that exists in communities across Perth—Wellington. I am always amazed by the generosity of so many people who give so freely of their time and talents in the service of others.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of To Stratford With Love, a community dinner organized by the Kneider family where 1,000 people may enter as strangers but leave as friends. In the town of Minto, David and Jean Anderson will once again host their annual Christmas Day dinner for all who wish to share a meal. I thank all those who are filling Christmas hampers, organizing toy drives and raising funds so that others may have a merry and bright Christmas.
Finally, in the spirit of giving, I encourage all who are able, to donate blood this Christmas season. For those who are battling leukemia, like Kelly Byers, and countless others who need this gift of life, rolling up our sleeves is the least we can do and is a small action that can have a big impact.
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- Nov/30/23 2:36:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's Walk of Fame is a national non-profit charitable organization that inspires Canadians by proudly shining a light on extraordinary Canadian achievers and their successes.
This Saturday, Canada's Walk of Fame will celebrate a history-in-the-making 25th anniversary gala. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, I look forward to attending this truly inclusive celebration of Canadian achievers: athletes, actors, legends, Olympians, musicians, filmmakers, storytellers, humanitarians, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, titans of science and innovation, and the next generation of heroes.
From the Honourable Rosalie Abella to Avril Lavigne and from Kardinal Offishall to my friends Drew and Jonathan Scott, this event will highlight the incredible talent of Canadians from all walks of life and the incredibly inspirational role that they play every day. The event will inspire and unify us, and remind us of the richness of talent that these remarkable Canadians from every corner of this great country share with us and the world every day.
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- Nov/30/23 2:37:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the Prime Minister has sucked the joy out of Christmas for children and replaced it with misery. Across Quebec, 27,000 youngsters have asked for a gift as part of the 29th annual Opération Père Noël. One of the letters reads, “I'm 13 years old and I would like a gift card to buy something so we can have a good meal on Christmas.” The fact that young people are asking for boots and snowsuits is unheard of, according to the co-ordinator.
When will the Prime Minister reverse his inflationary taxes and deficits so our children can experience the joy of Christmas?
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- Nov/30/23 2:38:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we will always invest in our economy and help vulnerable Canadians at the same time. That is why our Canada child benefit has lifted almost 500,000 children out of poverty. That is why we put in place $10-a-day child care. It is so families can go back to work. That is why we are stabilizing grocery prices with the law we introduced in the House today, and we encourage every member of the House to vote in favour of it.
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- Nov/30/23 2:38:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Minister of Environment is imposing a tax that punishes single mothers, farmers and small businesses. Meanwhile, we learn that he has flown 60,000 kilometres around the world, in business class of course. His climate change co-ordinator has flown the equivalent of circling the Earth four times.
When will the government stop with the hypocrisy and taxes?
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- Nov/30/23 2:39:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think any Canadians who are watching us will see where the real hypocrisy is happening. The Conservative leader has been against all of our investments in green energy, including green aluminum, green steel and battery plants across the country. I have never heard the Leader of the Opposition speak in favour of the Canadian economy, the energy transition or Canadian workers.
On this side of the House, we will always fight for workers and for the green economy.
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- Nov/30/23 2:40:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, we have entered the next phase of the Prime Minister's economic misery. We have seen “just inflation”, and today we have learned that Canada is in a state of stagflation as our economy has shrunk by 1.1% in the most recent quarter while the American economy boomed at 5%. This is the result of high taxes, big deficits and crippling red tape. At the same time as prices are rising for Canadians, their wages are falling. The economy is now smaller than it was on a per capita basis five years ago.
Why is the American economy roaring while the Prime Minister's economy is snoring?
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- Nov/30/23 2:40:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, despite the trite rhymes coming from the other side of the House, I would like to remind everybody in the House that we actually have an economic plan, unlike the opposition. Our GDP today is at 4.1% above prepandemic levels. That is higher than Italy, the European Union, France and Germany, and the IMF projects that Canada will have the highest economic growth in the G7 in 2024. That is an economic plan at work.
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- Nov/30/23 2:41:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the economy is smaller today than it was five years ago on a per capita basis, and the IMF projects Canada will have the worst economic growth over the next six years and the next 40 years. This is the result of high tax hypocrisy.
It has come out that the environment minister, after punishing single moms, small business owners and farmers for heating their homes and driving their vehicles, has flown 60,000 kilometres. His climate change chair has flown the equivalent of going around the world four times, and now they are off with 70,000 other people at an air-conditioned dome in the desert in a petrostate. Why will they not park the jet, end the hypocrisy and axe the tax?
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- Nov/30/23 2:42:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is one number that the Conservative leader will not talk about. It is that Canada ranked third in the world for foreign direct investment.
Yesterday, Dow Chemical announced one of its largest investments in 126 years in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. This is going to be thousands of jobs and hundreds of thousands of hours of construction. This is how one leads the economy. This is how one leads a country. This is how one leads to bring investment to this country.
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- Nov/30/23 2:43:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think he wants to lead the party, while his Prime Minister leads the economy into a ditch.
The high tax hypocrisy knows no bounds. Now first nations are speaking up. First there were the revolting Liberal MPs, who were worried about losing their seats because of the Prime Minister's tax on home heat. Then it was other premiers refusing to collect the tax. Then it was farmers fighting for their ability to produce food without taxes, and now it is first nations. Over 100 first nations communities have taken the government to court because it is violating the rights of our first people with the carbon tax on rural and remote people.
When will the Liberals stop violating the constitutional rights of first nations and axe the tax?
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- Nov/30/23 2:43:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, they are not “our first people”. They are first nations, which are independent first nations. This government for—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Hon. Patty Hajdu: Listen to that, Mr. Speaker. The colonialism from the Conservatives in this place will just not quit.
Mr. Speaker, I will say that, on this side, we respect first nations. We know that they are leaders. That is why we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in first nations to ensure equity in water, child welfare and housing, and we will continue to do so.
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- Nov/30/23 2:44:30 p.m.
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The hon. member for La Prairie.
An hon. member: It is called hypocrisy.
The Speaker: Would the hon. member for Battle River—Crowfoot please wait his turn to ask a question?
The hon. member for La Prairie.
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- Nov/30/23 2:44:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec alone takes in as many asylum seekers as all the other provinces combined. Believe it or not, it has cost Quebeckers $460 million, even though asylum claims fall under federal jurisdiction.
Quebeckers should not have to foot the bill on their own on behalf of Canadians. They also do not deserve the arrogance being shown by the Minister of Immigration, who is from Quebec, I might add, and who likes to say that Ottawa is not an ATM.
It is a shame that we have to go over the head of a minister from Quebec in order to find a solution that respects Quebeckers, but that is what we have to do. We have no choice. I am therefore appealing to the Minister of Finance. Will she reimburse Quebeckers?
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- Nov/30/23 2:45:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is a global migration crisis, and Canada is part of it. We have a moral obligation to act. Responsibility for asylum seekers is shared between Quebec and Canada, and this is an ongoing conversation between us.
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- Nov/30/23 2:45:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it took a minister from New Brunswick for the federal government to finally realize how generous Quebeckers have been to asylum seekers. On Tuesday, the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs recognized that Quebec's public services and community organizations are overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, Quebeckers spent $460 million on asylum seekers even though that is a federal government responsibility. On Tuesday, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs said he would talk to his colleague, the Minister of Finance. Has he done so? When will he send that $460‑million cheque to Quebec?
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