SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 319 - May/28/24

May/28/24 1:51:41 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, my colleague did not have time to ask his question because his preamble was such a broad and extremely partisan tirade against the Conservatives. He has just proven once again that there are people here who are extremely partisan. He is defending the indefensible. He is defending a partisan Speaker of the House who is not impartial. I do not understand why he is so adamant about keeping him on.

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Mr. Rick Perkins (South Shore—St. Margarets, CPC)

May/28/24 1:52:14 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the member something. We have heard a lot from the Liberals that this was an incident that the Speaker somehow knew nothing about, and he was just attending. It was an event and a fundraiser in the Speaker's own riding. I do not know about other members, but when my EDA puts out a communication for an event, I look at it before it goes out. I cannot imagine the Liberals lack such diligence that they would not look at their own information. They are now blaming the party, rather than the Speaker's incompetence. Does the member look at his own communication from his EDA before they go out? Do you actually believe the government that the member had nothing to do with the communication about a fundraiser in his own riding?

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

May/28/24 1:52:57 p.m.
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That is not a question I am going to answer. I ask the hon. member to address all questions and comments through the Chair. The hon. member for Lévis—Lotbinière.

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Lotbini

Mr. Jacques Gourde

May/28/24 1:53:08 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I understand my colleague's concerns here in the House. The role of Speaker is so important in this chamber. If there are doubts about the Speaker, there could be doubts about the entire institution.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

May/28/24 1:53:30 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, yesterday the opposition whip indicated that they, as in the entire Conservative caucus, did not support the current Speaker's being elected in the first place. The Conservative Party has a personal, vindictive attitude toward this particular Speaker. Based on that and the fact that this is something the Speaker did not have anything to do with, the question remains: Why is the Conservative Party continuing with character assassination instead of dealing with the important issues that Canadians are facing day in and day out?

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Assassination

Mr. Jacques Gourde

May/28/24 1:54:13 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, my intervention will be brief. I would like to turn the question back to my colleague. He is considered to be the most partisan Liberal member there is in the House, given all the speeches he has made. Will the Liberals vote impartially to elect an impartial Speaker here in the House?

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Mr. Jeremy Patzer (Cypress Hills—Grasslands, CPC)

May/28/24 1:54:57 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is always an honour to stand and speak on behalf of the great people of southwest Saskatchewan. Over the weekend, I had a great opportunity to spend some time at the ball diamonds. Baseball season is in full swing in Saskatchewan. A lot of people at the ball diamonds who came up to me have been paying attention to what is happening in the news, what is happening here in Ottawa. They will ask, “What is going on with the Speaker in the House of Commons?” They are seeing what is happening now. The reason why they are paying so much attention to this is that it is not the first time and not the second time but the third time the Speaker has engaged in partisan behaviour. Using a baseball analogy, when a player get three strikes, they are out. Even the House leader for the NDP, after a previous violation by the Speaker, said that if this were to happen again, that would be it. If he were to renege on that now, it would basically be like the umpire's saying that a player had three strikes but that they would give the player another pitch and just see what happens. What is going to happen if there is another strike? Is it going to be the same thing, or will the NDP let the Speaker try again? At what point will the NDP grow a spine and stick true to its words? It is absolutely shameful for the NDP to renege on what happened. The NDP House leader stood in front of the media and said that if it were to happen again, something would have to be done, yet here we are. The NDP is already saying it is going to vote with the government on closure on the bill. We are going to have a vote on this later tonight. It is absolutely shameful. I was first elected in 2019. One of the first speeches I gave in the chamber was actually on the “Peschisolido Report 2020”. A former Liberal member of Parliament from Steveston—Richmond East was found guilty of breaking ethics rules. Actually, the then ethics commissioner, Mr. Dion, said at the time, “Given Mr. Peschisolido's chronic failure to comply with the code's disclosure requirements, there is no doubt in my mind I would have recommended that Parliament impose appropriate sanctions”. In 2023, the current Speaker of the House's title was the parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister. If colleagues will allow me to go back to my baseball analogy, the Prime Minister of Canada himself has three reports in his own name. On the Commissioner of Ethics' website, there are three reports that bear the name of the Prime Minister of this country. Strike one, strike two, strike three, and yet here we are. The Prime Minister actually has been given another strike. We have had a few other issues with the Prime Minister since the last report was written, so he has been given lots of pitches, lots of chances, here, and somehow he is still standing at the plate. Right now the NDP is propping up the Prime Minister and the Liberals, enabling them and allowing this to happen. When I talk to people at the ball diamonds, they ask, “How on earth do these guys get three strikes and they are not out? How does that happen?” Where is the respect for the institutions of this place? As members of Parliament, when a member is part of the government, they are a part of the Crown. There is an “honourable” designation beside the member's name. This place is based and founded on the honour system. When a member has multiple infractions, such as the Prime Minister and the current Speaker of the House have, one would think they would have done the honourable thing by now: accepted responsibility and resigned. That would be the honourable thing to do.

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Ms. Lisa Hepfner (Hamilton Mountain, Lib.)

May/28/24 2:00:03 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the commendable work of the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work, CCRW, and to recognize the significance of National AccessAbility Week, taking place from May 26 to June 1. CCRW has been a beacon of support and empowerment for persons with disabilities in Canada's workforce, fostering meaningful and equitable employment through national partnerships, employment services, community-based research and knowledge sharing. Its unwavering commitment to disability confidence within organizations, as seen in its recently launched disability confidence tool kit, is a testament to its role as change-makers in our society. As we celebrate National AccessAbility Week, under the theme “Forward Together: Accessibility and Inclusion for All”, we acknowledge the strides we have made toward a barrier-free Canada. This week is not only a celebration but also a call to action to continue our efforts in making our nation more accessible and inclusive for all Canadians. I urge my fellow members to join me in applauding—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

May/28/24 2:01:07 p.m.
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The hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier.

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Mr. Joël Godin (Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, CPC)

May/28/24 2:01:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, in Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, kindness goes by the name of Claudette Hethrington. This extraordinary and selfless grandmother has always taken the time to help the less fortunate and people in need. In addition to appearing on television and radio and writing cookbooks, she also owned a design company. She even dabbled in provincial politics. For roughly 15 years, people in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures called her Madam Saint-Vincent-de-Paul. Ms. Hethrington was always ready to help others, rain or shine, 24-7. She dedicated her life to serving others. For the first time, I will take the liberty of calling her Claudette, and thank her, both personally and on behalf of the people of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier. On May 14, I had the pleasure of awarding her the MP's medal in recognition of her exemplary actions on behalf of our community. Her humanity and commitment are an inspiration to us all. Ms. Hethrington, you are amazing.

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Mr. Patrick Weiler (West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, Lib.)

May/28/24 2:02:21 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, Canada launched the Pacific Economic Development Agency, PacifiCan, in 2021 to ensure that B.C. businesses got the support that they needed. It is one of seven regional economic development agencies that play a vital role to help local enterprises seize the opportunities to scale up production and develop new markets. Earlier this year, PacifiCan invested over $2.5 million in Squamish-based Quantum Technology to help the company increase its production of liquefied gases such as green hydrogen and helium. This B.C.-owned company will have the resources to invest, improve its manufacturing processes and grow its workforce to better serve the Canadian and global transport sectors to access green energies. Simply put, the investment is helping Quantum grow into foreign markets, rather than be acquired by a company from a growing foreign market. Investments like this are helping Canada to decarbonize and to seize the unmatched opportunity in the green economy. PacifiCan is ensuring that B.C. businesses will be at the forefront.

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Mrs. Marilène Gill (Manicouagan, BQ)

May/28/24 2:04:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart, but with recognition and admiration that I pay tribute to a great Nitassinan, utshimau Alexandre McKenzie, who passed away on May 11. The entire north shore is mourning the loss of this builder who has left a great legacy. We owe him for the founding of the Schefferville Airport Corporation, Tshiuetin Rail Transportation Inc., the first indigenous owned railway in Quebec, as well as the creation of the Institut Tshakapesh, guardian of the Innu-aimun language and culture. Former chief of the Matimekush-Lac John community, to which he devoted his entire life, utshimau McKenzie's commitment was recognized in 2023 when he was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Québec. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I wish to share my deepest condolences with the loved ones of utshimau McKenzie and the Innu nation. Tshinashkumitin utshimau McKenzie for making the heart of the Innu nation beat to the rhythm of your legendary teueikan and for continuing to make it heard from the great beyond.

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Mr. George Chahal (Calgary Skyview, Lib.)

May/28/24 2:05:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Alberta is known for its economic success. With an increasingly diversified economy, Alberta businesses play a big role in keeping Canada's overall economy humming. For example, in my city of Calgary, we are investing in Excir to design and operate a pilot for an electronic waste recycling plant that sustainably converts electronic waste into precious metals. Meanwhile, at the University of Calgary, we are helping establish an aerospace innovation hub, which will help start-ups and existing small and medium-sized firms develop and test new aerospace technologies. Conservatives want us to stop supporting Alberta businesses and growing the Prairie economy in a way that leaves no one behind. That is not common sense. That is nonsense. We will keep investing in Albertans.

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Mr. Scott Reid (Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, CPC)

May/28/24 2:06:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the cheapest, easiest way to save human lives is by installing and making available automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, and by building the skills in the community that would make it possible for neighbours and families to use them quickly and efficiently. This was the conclusion reported in March by an all-party parliamentary group in the United Kingdom. It suggested a variety of policy changes that would lead to such things as defibrillators in newly constructed homes and buildings, training in the use of CPR and defibrillation as a part of drivers' licence testing, revising regulatory frameworks to streamline the introduction of new defibrillator technologies into the market and putting defibrillators into all police vehicles in the country. Canada would profitably benefit from the establishment of a similar all-party parliamentary group with a similar mandate. Also, if we would take the simple and inexpensive step of putting an AED in every RCMP cruiser, we would save 300 lives per year, starting now. What are we waiting for?

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Mr. Marc Serré (Nickel Belt, Lib.)

May/28/24 2:08:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent northern Ontario, a region that is stronger because of its francophone communities, diversity and beautiful landscapes. FedNor plays a key role in ensuring that municipalities, businesses and organizations, both large and small, can grow and succeed in French throughout the region. FedNor's work, alongside key partners such as the Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario du grand Sudbury and the Conseil des arts de Nipissing Ouest, is helping to protect French in Nickel Belt and greater Sudbury. On this side of the House, we support federal economic development agencies across the country, unlike the Conservatives and their “Ottawa knows best” approach. The Conservatives cut the budgets of agencies like FedNor. We increased its funding and transformed it into a stand-alone, independent economic development agency for all of northern Ontario.

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Mr. Bryan May (Cambridge, Lib.)

May/28/24 2:08:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to speak about the good work that our government is doing through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. I know that my colleagues on both sides of the House will agree that supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs leads to strong local and national economies. We are investing in EV suppliers and innovators, like ARC Motors in Peterborough, which turns vintage cars into EVs. Our Main Streets have the opportunity to thrive once again with investments in Main Street businesses. I have visited some fantastic businesses and have met with the entrepreneurs and organizations behind them. It is amazing to see the innovation and growth that they are creating. I know that many business owners will be able to reach their potential and to unlock new possibilities for Canada with support from FedDev Ontario.

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Mr. Todd Doherty (Cariboo—Prince George, CPC)

May/28/24 2:09:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my province of British Columbia, overdose is now the leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 18. Think about that. This would have been unimaginable nine years ago, and now it is a new norm. After unleashing a wave of crime, chaos and death in our streets, the government's solution to the crisis is to hand out taxpayer-funded drugs like it is candy, flooding our streets with deadly opioids. The so-called safe supply is key to the NDP-Liberal drug legalization plan, but in reality, it is anything but safe. New research reveals that 100% of British Columbians surveyed—

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The Speaker

May/28/24 2:10:33 p.m.
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I hate to interrupt the hon. member. I am going to ask all members to please keep their comments. Statements by members are important. I am going to ask the hon. member for Cariboo—Prince George to start his statement from the top.

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Mr. Todd Doherty

May/28/24 2:10:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in my province of British Columbia, overdose is now the leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 18. Let us think about that. This would have been unimaginable nine years ago, and now it is the new norm. After unleashing a wave of crime, chaos and death in our streets, the government's solution to the crisis is to hand out taxpayer-funded drugs like they are candy, flooding our streets with deadly opioids. The so-called safe supply is key to the NDP-Liberal drug legalization plan, but in reality, it is anything but safe. New research reveals that 100% of British Columbians surveyed are opposed to so-called safe supply. Even recovered addicts called the radical drug policy a failure, saying that if they had been offered safe supply rather than treatment, they would not have been able to overcome their addictions. If the Prime Minister refuses to put an end to his radical drug policies, he should step aside immediately and let common-sense Conservatives invest in treatment and recovery.

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Mrs. Brenda Shanahan (Châteauguay—Lacolle, Lib.)

May/28/24 2:11:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, our government is investing in our Quebec businesses. Such investments include: in Lévis—Lotbinière, $1 million to help JL Leclerc improve its productivity and transition to a green economy; in Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, $1 million to help Plate 2000 expand by reducing its environmental impact; in the riding of my colleague from Mégantic—L'Érable, $2 million to help Fruit d'Or increase its cranberry and blueberry production; in Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, $1.5 million to Diffusion Saguenay for a new immersive production. The Conservatives want the economic development agencies to be a thing of the past. My colleagues from Quebec should be honest with the businesses in their region and tell them that they are going to slash their investments.

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