Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, for three years, the residents of Bobcaygeon have been waiting for repairs to the lock 32 swing bridge. The lack of action from Parks Canada has left the town angry and frustrated. Precious tourist dollars have left, along with several businesses that just cannot wait anymore. While the minister responsible is busy gifting millions to bolster infrastructure in Communist China, he ig…
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Madam Speaker, September 30 marks the day put aside to remember the tragedies of the residential school system, the unjust colonial practices of Canada's past, and the trauma and lost opportunities of generations of indigenous peoples. It is crucial to understand that reconciliation is a path, a process that requires our sustained commitment and dedication. It begins with acknowledging the truth a…
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand and present this petition on behalf of Canadians from across the country who would like to draw Parliament's attention to the ongoing unrest and violence happening in Ethiopia. The petitioners would like the Government of Canada to take the following actions immediately. They are calling for an end to the violence and for restraint from all sides and parties involv…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to present this petition on behalf of the Canadians across the country who have signed it; they draw attention to the forced organ harvesting being conducted against Falun Gong practitioners by the Communist Party in China. These signatories are asking the Canadian government to pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Communist Party regime's crime of murderin…
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Madam Speaker, Paul Bernardo is a serial killer and rapist. Vile monsters like him are living more comfortable lives because the Liberals are soft on crime. If they were not, the government would have supported the member for Niagara Falls' motion yesterday to keep mass murderers where they belong, in maximum security. This minister has yet to explain to Canadians how he could sit on the news of B…
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Madam Speaker, three indigenous police services in northern Ontario are out of money because the public safety minister did not bother to renew their contracts. At first I thought it was his staff who did not tell him. However, yesterday that same minister rejected a Conservative motion to keep rapists such as Paul Bernardo where they belong in maximum security. The minister cannot hide behind his…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a busy June in my area, with some remarkable milestones that I would like to recognize. I am happy to announce the start of the 172nd annual Millbrook Fair, an opportunity to celebrate agriculture and enjoy countless family-friendly activities happening this weekend. Best wishes to Fritz Mattern, Rick Dowdall, Bill Lockwood, Shaun Thurston and Dave Magee on their retirement from…
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Madam Speaker, June is National Indigenous History Month, a time to recognize the rich cultures, heritage, traditions, resilience and diversity of first nations, Inuit and Métis. As we come together to learn and celebrate, we must not forget the underlying social, economic, cultural, institutional and historical causes that have contributed to the violence and vulnerability against indigenous wome…
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Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I do not think the hon. member was listening to my speech. I was actually talking about how we add to the supply, and that adding is always better than subtracting. If I heard correctly, I am pretty sure that the member from Vancouver said that she is against giving public money to companies. Does that mean she is against the billions given to Volkswagen? Do I underst…
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Madam Speaker, just to answer the member opposite's first part, I was talking about the energy sector. My point was that, when we have abundance, that equals peace. When we have excess in spaces, we are able to lower the price and provide a range of options. When one includes public and not-for-profit as well as, yes, for-profit day care centres, it gives Canadians choice. It gives them the opport…
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Madam Speaker, it is great to rise in this House to speak about Bill C-35. In fact, what we have been discussing today, with very lively debate, is an act representing early learning and child care in Canada. What we have heard in this debate has a lot to do with affordability, and the Liberals and New Democrats have been talking about this a lot. I find it interesting that, despite child care bei…
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the speech from the member opposite, although this is coming from the party that seems to detest American-style politics. All the member did was talk about what is going on in the United States. I do not remember once, not ever, anybody on this side of the House saying that it is a right to own a firearm. Conservatives have always said it is a privilege, and we have alway…
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With regard to the decision issued by the Pest Management and Regulatory Agency (PMRA) on October 4, 2022, to phase-out the wood preservative Pentachlorophenol by October 4, 2023: (a) what is PMRA's rationale for having different Pentachlorophenol phase-out timelines than the regulators in the United States; (b) which industry stakeholders were consulted by PMRA prior to the decision; (c) what app…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to government advertising on TikTok: (a) which departments, agencies, Crown corporations or other government entities were advertising with TikTok when the government announced that it would ban TikTok on government devices as of February 28, 2023; (b) for each department that was advertising with TikTok, did they immediately stop all advertising on TikTok, and, if not, why not; (c) fo…
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With regard to the claim by the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance in the House on March 20, 2023 that, "The increase this year will be one cent per can of beer" in relation to the increase in the alcohol escalator tax: (a) what figures did the minister use to arrive at the one cent per can number; and (b) does the minister have any examples of brands of beer where a 6.3 percent…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There have been consultations, and I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, notwithstanding any Standing Order, special order or usual practice of the House, Bill C-45, An Act to amend the First Nations Fiscal Management Act, to make consequential amendments to other Acts, and to make a clarification relating to another Act,…
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Madam Chair, my friend from Nunavut is also a member on the committee for indigenous and northern affairs. Some of the things we studied recently in the committee were not only the supports that are needed to end what is currently going on, but also the fact that the government could be working in a way that would allow indigenous communities to empower themselves. One way was to work on levelling…
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Madam Chair, my colleague's motion today mentioned the red dress hotline, something every party supported earlier today when asked to do so. I want to make a link to how the government responds to something so important. We had a call many years ago regarding a three-digit hotline for mental health support, which the government took its time implementing, despite a clear deadline to do so. Does th…
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Madam Chair, I do appreciate the opportunity to once again participate in this very important conversation. I do appreciate the words from my colleague from Lakeland. They were very wise, indeed. I would like to have her conversation focus now on removing the “Ottawa knows best” mentality that has been in existence for 150-plus years. We all know, or we all should know, the devastating impacts of …
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Mr. Chair, I do appreciate the opportunity to participate in this very important discussion. One of the things the member talked about in her very passionate speech was not only to end the violence that is occurring, but also to create opportunities and supports for those in need. Can the member expand on that? I think that was an important part she touched on and it is something that adds real va…
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Madam Chair, I want to go back to some of the things my colleague mentioned in her words, and specifically about the study on human trafficking and the sheer disproportionate number of indigenous women and girls who are caught up in this. I am wondering what recommendations she would like to maybe go into more detail about at this time, in addition to what we are talking about today with Red Dress…
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Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise in this House to speak to Bill C-47, the budget implementation act. This is also my first opportunity to address a developing situation in my riding, which is the closure of the emergency room of the Minden hospital. This emergency room serves the community. The population changes in the winter and summer months, and we are approaching the busy tourist seaso…
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Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what planet my friend opposite is on. The member clearly put his fingers in his ears and did not hear a word I said. The decision was made because of a staffing issue, and the staffing issue is all across Canada. It is a global issue. We are talking about health care and the fact that there are tens of thousands of doctors and nurses who are not practising in the field t…
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Mr. Speaker, I am a fan of provincial governments having the jurisdiction to operate within their authority. Health care is one of the jurisdictions that specifically belongs to the provincial government. An area that my friend brought up and refreshed my memory on is the fact that the government spent hundreds of billions of dollars during the pandemic, only half of which, the Parliamentary Budge…
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Mr. Speaker, I am glad my friend across the way could experience summers in Coboconk. It really is a beautiful area. A few things that the member got completely wrong in that speech include the fact that it was not a provincial decision. It was actually made by the local board of directors. The reason for it was not fiscal, from what we are being told, so he got that wrong. Let us just set the rec…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak of a tale of two bridges, but, unlike the classic Dickens novel, there are no best of times. There are only the worst of times for the residents of Bolsover and Bobcaygeon. For three long years, two bridges under Parks Canada have been out of service, cutting communities in half. In Bolsover, residents must drive 20 minutes to re-enter their community just to buy…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Prime Minister, the cupboards are bare. While Canadians struggle to feed their families and pay their mortgages, the Liberals continue to invest in friends and ghost companies, including $120 million in contracts to Liberal insiders at McKinsey, and that number just keeps rising. Incredibly, experts say their so-called services were not even needed. However, w…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the effect of the federal carbon tax on the price of groceries: (a) does the government have any projections on how much each increase in the carbon tax will raise the price of groceries, and, if so, what are the projections; and (b) what is the projected increase in the cost of groceries each year for an average family in each of the next five years?
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With regard to the plan announced by the government in 2018 to provide $600 million to select media outlets over five years: (a) how much of the $600 million has been delivered to date; and (b) what are the details of how much each media outlet has received to date?
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With regard to purchases of vehicles by the government since January 1, 2020, excluding vehicles used by either the RCMP or the Canadian Armed Forces: (a) what was the total number and value of vehicles purchased; and (b) what are the details of each purchase, including (i) the make, (ii) the model, (iii) the price, (iv) the number of vehicles, (v) whether the vehicle was a traditional, hybrid, or…
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With regard to the sales of surplus Crown assets (Treasury Board code 4843, or similar), since January 1, 2019: (a) what are the details of all assets sold, including, for each sale, the (i) price or amount sold for, (ii) description of goods, including the volume, (iii) date of the sale; and (b) for each asset in (a), (i) on what date, (ii) at what price, was it originally purchased by the govern…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, more and more people are finding themselves on edge as they struggle to feed their families during this Liberal-made cost of living crisis. Grocery prices are up by 11%, rising at the fastest pace in 40 years, and are expected to rise another 5% to 7%. One in five families are skipping meals, with 1.5 million people using food banks in a single month. In Ontario, first-time food bank …
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Madam Chair, my question is on the conversation we have been having regarding a number of unlevel playing fields when it comes to indigenous communities. Specifically, what I would like to talk about now is policing. From testimony and studies in committees, there are indigenous police services operating in their communities, but they do not have the same power as the regular police services we ha…
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Mr. Speaker, we can tell the words from the minister were straight from the heart, and I respect the work he and his department do on a daily basis. It is definitely a very tragic situation we are dealing with. I know it is not specifically the minister's department, but he referenced in his speech the 231 calls for justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and G…
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Mr. Speaker, I will ask the leader of the NDP a question similar to the one I asked the minister a few moments ago. It is with regard to the 231 calls for justice that the inquiry has recommended and laid out. Specifically, I am referring to a quote made a few months ago by the CEO of the Native Women's Association of Canada, who stated: Today, we are seeing the sad results of the government’s wea…
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Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is a fierce advocate in her home community for mental health and talking about real supports for people who are facing a number of challenges. I wonder if the member could comment on some of her own experiences. I know one came to light through her last election campaign. Perhaps she could comment as well on some of the challenges that she has seen in her community.
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Madam Chair, I appreciated hearing what the member had to say. I also appreciate working with her on the indigenous and northern affairs committee. I have learned a lot from her and appreciate her valuable input each and every day. I know that often in this place, our time is short but our thoughts are many, and I was just wondering if the member had anything else she would like to touch on that s…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill S-4, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Identification of Criminals Act and to make other related amendments. While I have much to say on this bill, I want to briefly talk about some the failures of the Liberal government on crime in general and crime specifically. Rural crime is a serious issue, and one that has been ignored by the Liberal gover…
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the words from the member. I think we were all enlightened and enthralled by what he had to say. It is certainly a topic that has captured the interest of many Canadians. Hopefully, given that magnitude, I can take some lessons from him and one day live up to that bar. He spoke about rural crime. That is something my communities have been facing for quite some time now. A…
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Madam Speaker, rural communities have a number of challenges. I live in one. I represent a rural community, and I know the challenges. There are challenges related to connectivity, but as I mentioned in my speech, there needs to be protection for those applying to be a juror. There are concerns around hacking or facial recognition software, which could be used to identify, so all those considerati…
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Madam Speaker, I accept the fact that there are a number of contributing factors. I also agree with the member that in most cases, especially in the cases I laid out in my speech in my community, it is definitely a small number of people doing a disproportionate number of these crimes. At the end of the day, whether a person is a victim of crime or just a law-abiding citizen who likes to feel safe…
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Madam Speaker, I know that my Bloc colleague was a lawyer in a previous life, and I appreciate her input in the discussion today. I think that looking at as many ways as possible to speed up the judicial system for victims, for those awaiting trial, to either be convicted or cleared, and a whole bunch of other cases in between, is something that should be examined. We have seen massive backlogs, a…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, last week the Auditor General released a damning report on the complete failure at Indigenous Services Canada to provide the support first nations communities need to manage emergencies such as floods and wildfires. This follows a warning from the Parliamentary Budget Officer just last May about the declining competency of ISC to manage budgets and actually meet goals. The report foun…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, this week, the Auditor General released a scathing report on the complete failure of Indigenous Services Canada to provide support for first nations disaster management. After three years and $790,000, the auditor found that not one emergency management agreement was completed. More and more parents are now waking up, trying to figure out how to heat their homes, pay their bills and…
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Madam Speaker, the Auditor General and the Parliamentary Budget Office did not say that the Indigenous Services department is doing a great job. In fact, they called it a money pit. If the minister was truly going to fund projects, why not fund the 112 infrastructure projects that would build dikes, culverts and ditches to help mitigate the effects of climate change instead of spending three and a…
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Madam Speaker, I do not know what that actually looks like or sounds like. I have been here for seven years, and the Liberals have not answered a question yet, so that would be absolutely new to me. We have tons of questions on this side of the House. We know where the government is failing. The Auditor General came out today with a slew of failures that need to be addressed. We need to be asking …
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Madam Speaker, yes, these are very challenging times. I think members on all sides of this House are getting emails and telephone calls from Canadians who are struggling with a multitude of crises right now. This is why we need to be debating in the House. This is why we want more time to debate issues. Even with a simple bill that is proposed, there is always room for change and there is always r…
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Madam Speaker, obviously, we want committees to work in the full capacity they have. They need to sit, and they need to start asking questions and get answers from the government. As I pointed out, I did not write that speech last night. Believe it or not, I wrote it this morning, The Auditor General's report referred to a whole slew of failures in Indigenous Services, and I will mention three. Nu…
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Madam Speaker, I rise in the House to speak to yet another attempt by the Liberal government to curtail the rights of Parliament. Government Business No. 22 includes a proposal to give the Liberals new powers to extend sitting hours in the House through to June 2023, to temporarily remove certain procedural tools from the opposition and for the Prime Minister to adjourn the House early at Christma…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member mentioned victims in her speech. I think that is something often overlooked, especially by the Liberal government. The victims are the ones dealing with what has happened to them, the trauma and the feeling of being unsafe in their community and their home, etc. That is something that comes through loud and clear. Maybe my colleague can expand on that and the role the …
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