SoVote

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Dec/7/23 10:11:29 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is a huge honour and privilege to table this petition today on behalf of constituents in my riding. Farmers' markets are a key tool for COVID–19 recovery as small business incubators, domestic system and food security builders and local economy community builders. These coupon programs are a key support for new market development and for existing markets and their provincial associations. In B.C., the Association of Farmers' Markets, with its 135 member markets and 4,000-plus vendors, helps 16,000 vulnerable families, seniors and pregnant women to access weekly coupons. The petitioners call for a national matching program that would support all provincial market coupon programs and would match provinces that already have contributing programs. This would help tackle poverty, support local farmers and help provide healthy food to the most vulnerable.

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Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Dec/7/23 10:44:13 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, my colleague talked about indigenous people's feeding their kids. I will tell members what it is like in my riding, where the Nuu-chah-nulth went to court to actually exercise their constitutionally protected rights to fish so they could feed their kids. What did the Conservatives do when in power? They fought them; they spent millions of dollars fighting them in court. When the Nuu-chah-nulth won in court, what did the Conservatives do? They appealed. Not once but twice did the courts side with the Nuu-chah-nulth. All that the people wanted to do was get back on the water and fish to feed their children. The MP who sat in the House before me did not say “Nuu-chah-nulth” once in 15 years. The Nuu-chah-nulth felt unheard and invisible in this place. I have said “Nuu-chah-nulth" 94 times. Will the Conservatives support the Nuu-chah-nulth? Will they support nations that have won in court to defend their constitutionally protected rights to feed their kids, or will they continue supporting litigation against indigenous people?

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Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Dec/7/23 12:45:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to state some facts. This is not a Liberal policy. The carbon tax was first established in British Columbia by a right-leaning Conservative government under the mask of the B.C. Liberal Party. Therefore, I find it quite interesting when I hear B.C. Conservatives in this place talking about getting rid of the federal carbon tax, which does not apply in British Columbia. I state that fact on its own. Another truth is that the New Democrats have asked for the removal of the GST on all home heating. The Conservatives had it in their election platform, but they voted against it. In their election platform, the Conservatives had a price on carbon, but today they do not want to talk about that. It is like they have amnesia. Let us talk about the need for a school food program. The advocacy for the need for a school food program started under the Harper government when inequality skyrocketed. Maybe the member could talk about why he voted yesterday against the implementation of a strategy for a national school food program. Perhaps he could also correct some of the facts of why the Conservatives ran on a platform to put a price on carbon, but today they do not support that.

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Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Dec/7/23 1:18:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Governor of the Bank of Canada cited that the carbon tax is causing about a 0.15% impact on inflation. This was confirmed by the PBO. That is 15¢ on a bag of groceries that is $100. The Conservatives are getting away with this runaway train of a disinformation campaign that the carbon tax is the major factor when it comes to grocery store prices. We know it is corporate greed, because the big grocery stores are recording record profits. The reason the Conservatives are able to get away with convincing Canadians to buy into this campaign is that the government has failed to go after the CEOs of the big grocery stores. There is no difference, really, when it comes to Liberals and Conservatives being gatekeepers for the rich and well connected. Will the Liberals finally go after the big grocery store chains and take real, meaningful action so that it shows up at the till when people are trying to buy their groceries?

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Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Dec/7/23 1:35:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us talk about who is changing their tune. This member ran on a platform putting a price on carbon. Today, here he is saying that we should get rid of the carbon tax. The Conservatives ran on a platform to remove the GST on all home heating, something the NDP just brought forward. What did they do? They voted against it. My colleague before me just talked about how eight out of 10 families will get a rebate that is larger than what they will pay in carbon tax. In fact, if someone earns $250,000 or more, then they will not. They will pay more. The bottom line is that this is a diversion today. The Conservatives keep bringing this motion back. This is the 11th opposition day we have spent on it. It is a diversion from the fact that, as we know, the Conservatives are really fighting for those who earn over $250,000. They are not fighting for the eight in 10 families who are going to come out ahead. That is the truth. My colleague ran on a platform to put a price on carbon and to remove the GST on home heating. Could he say why he keeps voting against that?

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Carbon
Gst

Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Mr. Gord Johns

Dec/7/23 1:46:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, and I have a ton of respect for this member, I want to remind members that indigenous peoples are not ours. I will give her a chance to correct the record.

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Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/7/23

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Dec/7/23 1:50:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rose earlier on a point of order to remind my colleague that indigenous people are not ours. My colleague went on to say that indigenous people are part of our history. They are not just part of our history. Indigenous people in my riding fight every day to get through the challenges they face because of government policies that have tried to destroy them. They say every day that they are still here. They fight every day to remind people and let each other know that they are still here. They are not just part of our history, they are still here and need to be a predominant part of the conversation moving forward. To the question from my good friend, the 2021 election price-on-carbon platform running Conservative, why did she run on a platform to put a price on carbon, but today is running so hard against it?

154 words

Context: House Hansard - 264 - Dec/8/23

Mr. Gord Johns

Dec/8/23 2:25:34 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for the 148th time, I will stand in this House and talk about the importance of wild salmon, and as I do, I will ask all members to join me in a recorded vote to support wild Pacific salmon.

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