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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 327

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 7, 2024 10:00AM
  • Jun/7/24 11:38:18 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to see that secret report from the PBO on the true cost of the carbon tax. Canadians no longer trust the government, they no longer trust this MP, and they no longer trust the Prime Minister. Canadians want the data. They want the facts, and they will determine the truth. Canadians do not believe that they are better off because of the carbon tax. They are struggling daily to survive. Why does the government not trust Canadians to make a fair assessment and release the secret report on the true cost of the carbon tax?
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  • Jun/7/24 11:38:55 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us review what the PBO actually said. On Power and Politics, Mr. Giroux said that carbon pricing is “seen by [most] economists as...the most cost-effective way of reaching...levels of carbon emissions [reduction].” Recently, on March 27, at the OGGO committee, Yves Giroux also said that “there is a wide consensus among economists—and I am an economist—that carbon pricing is an effective way of reducing carbon emissions.” Mr. Giroux has claimed over and over again, and has reiterated, that carbon pricing—
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  • Jun/7/24 11:39:37 a.m.
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The hon. member for Terrebonne.
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  • Jun/7/24 11:39:40 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week the Auditor General tabled three reports. Her observations never change. Once again, we see untendered contracts, conflicts of interest, laxity, and negligence. The situation has reached a point where the Auditor General made only one recommendation in her initial report: that her recommendations be followed. That says a lot about her exasperation as the person responsible for ensuring the sound management of our public finances. Do the Liberals realize that every Auditor General's report has proven them incapable of running the government?
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  • Jun/7/24 11:40:14 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work done by the Auditor General. We thank her for her recommendations. We are all concerned about ensuring that there be transparency, accountability and integrity in all the work we do. There have been recommendations made by the Auditor General, the ombudsman and a number of others that reinforce concerns the government shares, which is why this review was initiated. Therefore, we will take every step necessary to provide proper training to ensure that we have taken the steps to provide integrity on this as we go forward.
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  • Jun/7/24 11:40:50 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, whistle-blowers, repeated warnings, criticism from a senior official: all of these red flags about the management of Sustainable Development Technology Canada, or SDTC, were being waved for a long time. There were conflicts of interest. Projects ineligible for funding received funding. Once again, taxpayer money has been recklessly squandered. The department received the minutes and conflict of interest declarations, and so it knew what was going on. The minister knew all that and did nothing. Would the minister have shut down SDTC if the Auditor General had not tabled such a scathing report?
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  • Jun/7/24 11:41:26 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that SDTC, for over 20 years, has done great work to support the clean-tech sector. Obviously, there were allegations of mismanagement. When those surfaced, the minister acted immediately to issue several independent reviews, both on HR practices and on governance practices. We know, and have always been unequivocal, about the fact that we need to demand the highest governance practices from independent organizations that are dealing with public funds. We are moving forward with a new governance model and framework that will restore proper oversight.
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  • Jun/7/24 11:42:09 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Employment has a 50% stake in a shady company that has been ordered by Alberta courts to pay $7.8 million for ripping off clients. Someone named Randy at the company is implicated in a half a million dollar fraud. Now, the minister claims that he is not that Randy. Okay, but the company has five employees, and no one can find that Randy. Therefore, if the minister is not that Randy, who is?
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  • Jun/7/24 11:42:41 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as we all know, Canada has among the most stringent conflict of interest and ethics dispositions and measures in the world. Ministers are expected to comply with all of those, and the minister answered that specific question yesterday.
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  • Jun/7/24 11:43:00 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister claimed he is not that Randy, on the basis that he turned over his phone records. The minister did no such thing. Rather, he very conveniently turned over the records of a single device. Therefore, can the minister confirm that the records of the device that he turned over are from the minister's business burner phone?
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  • Jun/7/24 11:43:30 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we were all here yesterday when the minister gave a comprehensive response to the very question the member raises, so I can only refer him to that statement.
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  • Jun/7/24 11:43:46 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is a little suss. Come on. They have a numbered company, a 50% stake, and then a mysterious “other Randy” is stepping up to take the blame. Did the minister bother asking the employment minister what the other Randy's last name was before he held the bag for him today?
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  • Jun/7/24 11:44:12 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I know that members strain to come up with original ways of asking the same question, and I note that it is the case in this instance. The minister responded comprehensively to this very issue yesterday. I would remind the member of that, and I would refer her to that statement.
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  • Jun/7/24 11:44:35 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, here is a news flash for the government. We would not have to ask the same question over and over again if the government answered the question. Would that not that be nice? It would be so nice. Therefore, I will try once again. This is clearly suss. I cannot actually believe that the Minister of Employment had the audacity to say that it was the other Randy. If there is another Randy, what is his last name?
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  • Jun/7/24 11:45:02 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member had a chance to consult the Urban Dictionary this morning, but I would again refer her to the minister's very comprehensive response yesterday.
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  • Jun/7/24 11:45:16 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the arts inspire us, enrich our lives and add so much to our community. We need to support them, but the Liberal government has been underfunding Edmonton's arts scene for years, and local artists and our community are struggling. Cities with loads of Liberal MPs are getting as much as four times what Edmonton gets per capita. The partisan politics are hurting Edmonton's creative scene. When will the government stop punishing Alberta and start funding our arts?
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  • Jun/7/24 11:45:52 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite. The arts are extremely important for all of us individually, for our communities and for our country. There is so much Canadian arts and culture to celebrate, which varies from region to region. That is why Liberals will continue to support arts groups and artists all across the country, regardless of which part of the country they live in, including Alberta.
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  • Jun/7/24 11:46:24 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Canadians who have experienced devastating climate consequences were here in Ottawa. They are people who have lost their homes to wildfires, who have lived through severe flooding and whose communities are threatened by rising sea levels. These Canadians called on the Liberals to meaningfully cap emissions from the oil and gas sector. The problem is that the Liberals are still bending their knee to oil lobbyists. Yesterday, the oil and gas CEOs went so far as to say that if the cap is so low, it is unnecessary. First, they water it down, and now they want to scrap it. Will the Liberals stop listening to lobbyists and strengthen the emissions cap?
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  • Jun/7/24 11:47:03 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank some lobbyists. I would like to thank Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada. I would like to thank the David Suzuki Foundation. I would like to thank the member for her question. I would like to thank all the climate activists and all the folks across Canada who are concerned about the extreme emissions of the oil sands sector. Liberals are not just listening; we are taking action. We are actually the first oil-producing country in the world to put a cap on greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector. Yes. Yesterday, at the environment committee, we had those CEOs there, and we held them to account. We asked them what their plans were to lower emissions. I am sad to say that their answers were insufficient. We will continue to be there for climate advocates.
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  • Jun/7/24 11:47:45 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, to build more homes and build them faster, Liberals know that municipalities need funding to accelerate the construction of critical housing infrastructure. Through our new Canada housing infrastructure fund, we are going to help municipalities do just that. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities share the Liberals' plan to support the municipal infrastructure necessary for homes to be built across this country?
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