Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we are advancing the government's plan to grow the middle class, build more homes faster and build an economy that works for everyone. Meanwhile, the Conservatives have become this one-issue party claiming that axing the tax will solve all the country's problems. It will not. This week, we introduced Bill C-59, our fall economic statement, which is going to help deliver on key measu…
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Madam Speaker, as a first move at COP28, Canada is announcing support for developing countries to address loss and damage due to climate change, with a $16-million contribution to the start-up cost for a global fund. This is a significant step and a big win for the planet as we are helping climate-vulnerable developing countries that face the harshest impacts from climate change. We are honoured t…
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Madam Speaker, I will reiterate that there is no relationship more important to the current government than Canada's relationship with first nations and indigenous peoples. No one understands the risks and dangers of climate change better than first nations communities. They are on the front lines with the record wild fires and horrible destruction we have seen over the last couple of years. Like …
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Madam Speaker, I have been paying attention to the same headlines, but I do not just read the top line; I read the entire article. What a lot of the poverty reduction organizations, the food banks and the organizations that are helping keep some of the most vulnerable Canadians afloat during challenging times are asking for is continued programs, like guaranteed livable income strategies, the Cana…
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Madam Speaker, on the one hand, it is good to see the Conservatives finally talking about poverty reduction strategies, but on the other hand, it is clear that they are still reading only the headline and not the article. While the Conservatives continue to talk down the Canadian economy, I would like to take an opportunity to remind them of a couple of key facts. There have been over 1.1 million …
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Madam Speaker, what the Conservatives do not realize is that when they continue to talk down the Canadian economy, they are talking down Canadian workers, Canadian innovators and Canadians, who are working hard to build up our economy. On this side of the House, we know that Canada is the best country in the world. That is why I am glad to share some more good news. Canada had the strongest growth…
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Madam Speaker, while the Conservatives continue to talk down the Canadian economy, I would like to take the opportunity to remind them about some of the key results of our economic plan so far. Canada is working because Canadians are working. Our GDP today is actually 4.1% above prepandemic levels. That is higher than Italy, the European Union, France, the U.K. and Germany. The IMF projects that C…
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Madam Speaker, today is World AIDS Day, and I am wearing a red beaded ribbon pin to remember the significance of this important day, when we commemorate the millions of lives tragically taken by HIV and AIDS. However, we must also celebrate all of the incredible innovations in treatment we have seen over the past decades. Though fewer people die from this disease, more and more people are living w…
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Madam Speaker, I will reiterate that we are committed to ensuring that all Canadians experience sport environments that are free of harm and all forms of maltreatment. Since 2018, we have worked to ensure that safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone by requiring all federally funded sport organizations take measures to prevent and address maltreatment, and the results speak for them…
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Mr. Speaker, I would start by reminding the members opposite that the Senate is independent and that the only senators who sit in a caucus sit in that Conservative caucus. I would add that farmers understand the importance of fighting climate change and reducing emissions. I thank that farmer for running her last election campaign on pricing carbon. That is why our pollution pricing policy reflect…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak with my friend and colleague about this very important issue and to have the opportunity to address the House of Commons this evening. Our government strongly believes that Canadians deserve a sport system that reflects and celebrates our Canadian values of equality, fairness and inclusion, a sport system that is safe for kids and all Ca…
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Madam Speaker, we know that homelessness and addictions are closely tied into the very challenging network of issues that contribute to homelessness. That is why I was really disappointed last week to hear the member for Spadina—Fort York perpetuate stereotypes in this House about people who suffer from addictions. It was very consistent with when the Conservative leader released a video on social…
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's concern for Torontonians, and I agree that we need to be there for our constituents. However, I strongly disagree with the allegation and assertion that the 24 Liberal members of Parliament who reside in Toronto are ineffective. They are extremely effective. They have great relationships with Toronto's mayor, Olivia Chow, and the previous mayor, John Tory…
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from my Bloc Québécois colleague and friend. The oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada's economy, yet it is also the country's biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions. That is why setting an emissions cap for the oil and gas sector is a key commitment in our emissions reduction plan. Our government intends to publish a framework on the design…
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Mr. Speaker, I see that the Bloc Québécois recognizes that the federal and provincial governments each have an important role to play in projects with environmental impacts that fall under federal jurisdiction. I find it rather ironic that the Bloc Québécois is asking the government to cancel projects that are supported by the provinces when their position is always to tell the federal government …
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Mr. Speaker, COP28 is the important next step in our collective efforts to advance human safety, economic prosperity, health and the well-being of our planet. We recognize that there are still some challenges to address. Canada is working with its partners to accelerate global efforts to keep within reach the objective of the Paris Agreement, namely to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
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Mr. Speaker, I withdraw that remark. The Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement represents Canada's opportunity to assist in the rebuilding of Ukraine, and it is utterly disappointing to see the Conservatives stand opposed to that. Ukraine can continue to count on Canada on this side of the House.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is said that one truly realizes who one's friends are when one needs them most. The Conservatives made it abundantly clear last week that they cannot be trusted to support Ukraine, our friend and ally, when the chips are down. Last week, every Conservative voted against the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. It is a shocking new low for the Conservative Party of Canada. The leade…
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Madam Speaker, our government has been there to support Canadians. I want to point out that when colleagues opposite suggest certain people are paying more for certain things, it really does a disservice to the debate and the quality of the conversations we have in this House. I want to point out that the quintile of Canadians who might receive less back in the climate action incentive than they p…
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Madam Speaker, I do not want to avoid answering the question, but the member just called into question whether or not I can be honest in this chamber, and I think that goes against parliamentary procedure. That was unparliamentary language, and I would ask him to stand and apologize.
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Madam Speaker, I will say it again: The rebate of $1,360 is what families of four in Saskatchewan receive through the climate action rebate. The member might wave his hands and say that is just hogwash. Two members from Saskatchewan are now waving their hands at me as if $1,360 were irrelevant to their constituents. I think it actually is quite relevant and it is quite a lot of money, money that w…
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Madam Speaker, this denial is beyond just climate change denial. The member was indeed instructed to take videos off of her YouTube feed, and she did take those videos down. There was one, a particularly disgusting video the member put up, that included an image of the Prime Minister with a noose around his neck. The member opposite can continue to yell and bring into the House news that is not ev…
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Madam Speaker, I do not even know where to start with the only MP who voted against the Paris Agreement. She always has more climate denial and conspiracy theories in this House than I can handle. I would remind the members opposite that they all ran on a similar plan in 2021 to price carbon. In fact, the Tories reprimanded the member of the Conservative caucus over her comments on climate change.…
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Madam Speaker, here we go. Conservatives are pretending as if a carbon tax is going to stop a hurricane in its tracks. That is the type of rhetoric we hear from these Conservatives: How many hurricanes has this carbon tax reduced; how many emissions; how many tonnes of carbon has the tax removed from the environment? Obviously, the members opposite are unwilling to do a bit of reading to inform th…
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Madam Speaker, I can tell that the member opposite cannot explain to his constituents concepts like a market-based instrument or how a revenue-neutral carbon pricing scheme works, because he cannot explain it in the House, and he could not explain it at the doors in 2021 when he ran for the Conservative Party. Therefore, allow me to. Yes, indeed, our carbon pricing plan is revenue-neutral. That me…
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Madam Speaker, regardless of how loudly the Conservatives would like to yell at me, climate change is indeed—
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from my hon. colleague, although I reject the premise. Climate change is real, and it is having really devastating impacts in Canada. Again this year, communities across our country were severely impacted by catastrophic storms, wildfires and floods. In fact, 2023 has indeed been the hottest year on record.
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Madam Speaker, the member continues to yell that it is a big conspiracy and it is censorship to tell her to take those videos down. I did not tell her to take those videos down. The Conservative Party told her to take her videos down because they were full of nonsense, misinformation and conspiracy theories about climate lockdowns and about governments that were going to put into place certain res…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise to speak to this opposition day motion today. As the opposition notes, Canadians across the country are facing more and more dramatic impacts from climate change. They are also struggling with the sharp increases in the cost of living. That is why we have put in place a comprehensive emissions reduction plan, which is the most comprehensive national climate p…
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Madam Speaker, I could not agree more with the leader of the NDP that climate change is not some passing fad. It is the crisis of our generation. It is an emergency. I also could not agree more that the Conservative big oil lobby is on display every single day in this House, denying that climate change exists, denying that climate change is human-caused and denying that it is a priority for the go…
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Madam Speaker, 2023 saw the worst wildfire season on Canadian record. It was also the hottest and driest year ever on record, leading to hundreds of thousands of Canadians being evacuated from their homes. It is our firm belief that decisive actions need to be taken in order to mitigate these impacts and better protect our environment and communities for generations to come. In the face of that, t…
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Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I must explain once again that there is no federal carbon tax in Quebec. Canadians are concerned about the cost of living and climate change. Any serious government must have a plan for both. These Conservatives are not worth the risk. That is why we on this side of the House have created a system.
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Mr. Speaker, as I said last week, it would be great if, in the House, we could have debates about how we fight climate change, not whether we fight climate change, because in 2023 it is really not an option. It is an existential threat, and we are living in a climate emergency. Canadians know how important it is to fight climate change, and they know that on this point, the Conservatives have abso…
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Mr. Speaker, there was a time when Canadian Progressive Conservative voters could rely on members of the Conservative caucus for leadership on fighting climate change. In fact, the member for Wellington—Halton Hills staked his entire Conservative leadership campaign on it. He said, “The right way to do it is to price carbon through a revenue-neutral carbon tax”. He staked his entire Conservative l…
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Madam Speaker, I will accept that the member for Calgary Centre probably has zero constituents who use home heating oil. That is not true across the whole province. There are Albertans who use home heating oil and are not on propane or natural gas. The difference between propane and natural gas and home heating oil is that home heating oil is way more expensive, way more emissions-intensive and le…
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Madam Speaker, there are Canadians in every province and territory who use home heating oil to heat their homes. It is the most expensive way to heat one's home, and it is the dirtiest way to heat one's home. It is the most emissions-intensive way to heat a home, and it is also the least healthy way to heat a home. Our Canada-wide program will get Canadians off home heating oil and using a heat pu…
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Madam Speaker, pricing carbon is a market-based solution. I know the member for Calgary Centre is an economist, and he is a smart guy. We have spent some time in the House debating such issues, but a market-based instrument is not a controversial one. We are talking about the most expensive, the dirtiest and the most emissions-intensive way to heat a home. We need to get Canadians off that product…
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Madam Speaker, our vision is to move Canadians who currently use home heating oil, which is the most carbon-intensive, the least healthy and the most expensive way to heat a home, onto an efficient heat pump. I know for a fact that there are a lot of constituents in New Brunswick who still use home heating oil, but the premier of New Brunswick still has not signed on to our heat pump program. I am…
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Madam Speaker, my friend and colleague, the hon. member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes knows that he ran on a platform to price carbon in the last election. He promised his constituents that he cared about climate change. As I said before, it would be great if we could spend some time in this House debating how we fight climate change, not if we fight climate change. Not onl…
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Madam Speaker, all of the Conservatives, including that member, ran on a platform that included a plan to price carbon. They also ran on a plan with a clean fuel standard almost identical to what was proposed by our government. Now, that member has many constituents who use home-heating oil, and that is bad for our air quality, it raises emissions, it is the dirtiest and it is the most expensive w…
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Madam Speaker, I think it is important to point out, since the question came from a member from British Columbia, that British Columbia does not have a federal carbon tax, it uses its own, and it is actually a leading province on fighting climate change. Conservatives keep claiming that pollution pricing is driving up inflation, and that is just false. This is about moving away from the dirtiest w…
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Madam Speaker, fighting climate change while helping families with their affordability challenges is a dual priority, and a serious plan needs to have both. Our government is standing up to take action on the environment in a way that directly helps Canadians. The recent changes are about home-heating oil, the dirtiest way to heat one's home. As a rural member of Parliament, a lot of my neighbours…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, I proudly grew up at the Chautauqua Co-op. It was a vibrant community built with federal funding from Pierre Elliott Trudeau's Liberal housing strategy back in the eighties. We do not have enough public non-market housing in Canada, and that is a real problem, so I am proud of the government for investing over $1.5 billion in non-market housing solutions going forward. However, this…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to reinforce the fact that it is a Canada-wide program, and it is about getting Canadians off home heating oil, not in one region but in all regions, because heating a home with home heating oil is expensive, dirty, unhealthy and the most emissions-intensive way to heat a home. A home heat pump would provide relief economically and on the environmental side as we lower …
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Madam Speaker, after a year in which Canadians have experienced record hurricanes and destruction from other natural disasters such as wild fires, the Conservatives still cannot say the words “climate change”. They cannot acknowledge that climate change is impacting our economy, our livelihoods and, in many cases, our very lives. We need to step up and fight climate change. It is time we stopped d…
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Madam Speaker, it is important. Unfortunately, I have to repeat, myself yet again: There is no federal carbon tax in Quebec, but members from Quebec can contribute to the fight against climate change. Fighting climate change while helping families make ends meet is a winning solution for everyone. A price on pollution is the most effective and affordable approach for Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, it is nice to see my friend and colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands on the screen, but it would be nicer to see her in the House. I hope she is feeling better soon and will be able to rejoin us, because I know she loves it here and does such great work. It is extremely refreshing, after a couple of days in the House of arguing about whether climate change is real with the Conservative…
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Mr. Speaker, I will just reiterate what a refreshing debate this has been to participate in. I sincerely wish we could be having conversations in this House about how to fight climate change, not about whether to fight climate change, as with the Conservatives. Climate change is an existential threat. We are in an emergency, and the debate from the Conservatives over whether we should do the bare …
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Mr. Speaker, Team Canada continues to crush it at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile. The official slogan of this year's games is “Dream, Play, Win”. That is exactly what Canadian athletes are doing. Team Canada has secured an impressive medal count, including 35 gold, 34 silver and 47 bronze medals as of today. Milton's Collyn Gagne won a silver medal in the swimming pool in the 400 I…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to the importance of universal connectivity and the importance of putting wireless spectrum to use to achieve that objective. I am also pleased to speak about the steps that our government is already taking to see that Canadians from coast to coast to coast benefit from affordable high-speed Internet and cellphone service. When I was elected four years ago, over …
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