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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 308

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 3, 2024 10:00AM
  • May/3/24 11:54:43 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question. In fact, yesterday's report demonstrates—and this has been confirmed by the independent Canadian Climate Institute, for one—that we are on track to meet our 2026 interim targets and the 2030 goal. This will be a first in Canadian history. Between 2019 and 2022, we reduced greenhouse gas emissions in Canada by the equivalent of 15 million vehicles taken off our roads, but we need to do more. I completely agree. That is why we are working on new regulations for a carbon-neutral electricity grid by 2035 as well as regulations for a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, which will be announced shortly.
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  • May/3/24 11:55:23 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, $110 million is how much the Liberal employment minister's private company landed from the Liberal government. The Liberal minister used his role to get meetings for his business partner with the finance minister and with the Prime Minister's office, using his position to enrich his business partner and himself. After nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, it is clear it is not worth the cost and certainly not the corruption. How much taxpayer cash did the Liberal minister pocket on the backs of hard-working Canadians?
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  • May/3/24 11:56:02 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada, of course, has the most stringent ethics rules for parliamentarians in almost all of the world. The minister has addressed the question. It is pretty clear that the Conservatives will do anything they can to distract from their vow to rip up the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
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  • May/3/24 11:56:25 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are trying to distract and divide. A common-sense Conservative government would use the notwithstanding clause only on matters of criminal justice. It is unconscionable that the government would allow a mass murderer like the Quebec mosque shooter to ever be released from prison. He murdered six innocent worshippers, and the only way he should have left maximum security was in a box. Our question was about the corruption of the Liberal government and the employment minister's pocketing cash on the backs of taxpayers. Will the Liberals do the right thing and call in the RCMP?
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  • May/3/24 11:57:06 a.m.
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It is very nice, Mr. Speaker, to have some clarity on that. I would remind the member that at one time in this country, reproductive rights were a criminal matter. Could the member lay out, in very specific detail for the House, now that he is talking about the notwithstanding clause, whether he would make reproductive rights for women in this country a criminal matter once again, yes or no?
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  • May/3/24 11:57:46 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a lobbying firm owned by the business partner of the lone Alberta minister secured $110 million in federal contracts. As money went out the door, the minister was receiving payments from the very same lobbying firm. This is scandalous. Canadians deserve to know what the minister's cut was. How much was he paid?
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  • May/3/24 11:58:13 a.m.
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Canada has incredibly stringent ethics rules, Mr. Speaker, and the minister has addressed those questions. I do not know whether the member has communicated with his hon. friend who just got up, but maybe he could answer for us specifically now which criminal matters will apply to the ripping up of Canada's fundamental rights and freedoms? I would ask him to be very specific and point us to chapter and verse. Which rights of Canadians is he vowing to rip up today?
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  • May/3/24 11:58:51 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the minister is clearly in full cover-up mode, because it gets worse. The minister's business partner was lobbying the minister's own department as cheques were being cut from the lobbying firm to the minister. If that does not smell of self-dealing and corruption, I do not know what does. Once again, how much has the minister pocketed from the lobbying firm since he was appointed to cabinet?
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  • May/3/24 11:59:20 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, of course, the minister has addressed that question, but I want to return to this theme. The Conservatives— Som hon. members: Oh, oh!
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  • May/3/24 11:59:28 a.m.
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There are a number of questions to go, so I want to make sure we have order in the House. The hon. government House leader.
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  • May/3/24 11:59:46 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is pretty clear that the folks over here have not really spoken and gotten their story straight. The member is proposing to put reproductive rights back into a category of criminal behaviour. Other members will not answer which specific rights they would take away. The member has refused to stand up to answer the question of which rights. Is it the freedom of expression? What specific rights would your leader take away as a result of his vow to tear up the Charter of Rights and Freedoms?
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  • May/3/24 12:00:23 p.m.
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Members are to make sure that their questions and answers go through the Chair. The hon. member for Terrebonne.
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  • May/3/24 12:00:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a growing number of small and medium-sized businesses, or SMEs, are warning us that the federal government is behaving like a predator when it comes to emergency business account loans. They tell us that they paid off their entire loan to the federal government, but after being just a few days late, sometimes for reasons beyond their control, the federal government is still cutting their $20,000 grant portion. Out of sheer intransigence, the Liberals are threatening the very survival of businesses and organizations, even after they repay their loans. Why are they being so inflexible toward SMEs acting in good faith?
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  • May/3/24 12:01:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for her continued advocacy for small businesses in Canada. We share that view. That is why the CEBA program supported over 900,000 small businesses through the pandemic, and we estimate that 80% of them have repaid their loans so far. As we move away from the pandemic, we are taking serious concrete action to support small businesses, both by providing funding and by cutting costs. I am getting heckled, of course, by the Conservatives, who voted against every single measure that we have put forward since 2015 to support small businesses.
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  • May/3/24 12:01:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government is supposed to support struggling businesses, not kick them when they are down. This is a very unfortunate situation that perfectly illustrates the federal government's program management. Once again, when people want to talk to the federal government, there is no one human on the other end of the line. There is no flexibility, no exceptions, no case-by-case consideration and no humanity. Can the government tell us how many businesses that repaid their loans are still going to be squeezed out of another $20,000 due to sheer lack of compassion?
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  • May/3/24 12:02:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I answered that question in the previous answer, and nearly 80% of small businesses have actually already paid back their CEBA loans. As we move forward from the pandemic, small businesses have nearly three years, until the end of 2026, to repay their CEBA loans, and they have access to a low interest rate of 5%. Meanwhile, we are investing in communities and strengthening our economy. Budget 2024 has a number of supports for small businesses, whether it is through supporting start-ups with quantum AI. I am looking forward to more to come to speak to—
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  • May/3/24 12:03:02 p.m.
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The hon. member for Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame.
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  • May/3/24 12:03:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week, Winston at the Gander & Area Food Bank confirmed that usage is up 44% in just six months. He is concerned about volunteer burnout. The CEO of Food Banks Canada now says that, because of record-smashing demand, food banks are on the brink. For folks now forced to use food banks, who never had to do it before, the government and the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister are not worth the cost. Will he stop his increase in carbon tax by 23%, or better still, axe the tax so that Canadians can afford to put food on the table?
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  • May/3/24 12:03:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is $1,192 for a family of four in Newfoundland and Labrador, $760 for a family of four in New Brunswick, $824 in Nova Scotia, $880 in PEI, $1,120 in Ontario, $1,200 in Manitoba and $1,800 in Alberta. These are not phony benefits. This is not chicken feed, as has been described by the other side. This is cold, hard cash. This goes into the pockets of Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians cannot wait for a Conservative government to restore all the rights and freedoms that the government has destroyed. After nine years, the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister has driven two million people to food banks. With record-smashing demand and donations drying up, the CEO of Food Banks Canada says that food banks are becoming unsustainable. Knowing Canadians are suffering, the Prime Minister raised the carbon tax by 23% and refused to pass Bill C-234 in its original form to make food less expensive for Canadians. He is not worth the cost. Why is the Prime Minister punishing the poor and exterminating the middle class?
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