Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is worth noting that reconciliation is incredibly important for our nation to be able to move forward with a variety of projects. I am very disappointed that this bill came forward despite efforts by Conservatives to bring in amendments regarding economic reconciliation. That is truly a way forward and will allow indigenous communities to be partners in prosperity. They were reje…
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Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan. On the Prairies, Ukrainian culture is so completely intertwined with Prairie culture that it was hard for someone like me, who grew up in a Ukrainian household in rural Alberta, to not know that was not what all of Canada looked like. As a child, I thought that must have been what everyone else grew up with. …
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Madam Chair, I want to thank the member opposite, my colleague on the health committee, for sharing some of his thoughts on this important co-operation agreement, as well as some of his history of being Ukrainian and growing up with his baba and dido. Likewise, I grew up in a Ukrainian family; there is a very special bond that we have. This issue is very troubling. The member talked a bit about th…
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate that the minister keeps talking about the number of hours of debate. I think it is really important to highlight the fact that we completed third reading in the House of Commons, the first time around, on December 1, 2022. The bill then went to the Senate for first reading that same day, then sat there, got debated in the Senate, and came back amended only on November 3…
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Madam Speaker, the minister implied that I had perhaps not read the truth and reconciliation report, which is not accurate, but I am just wondering whether he could tell us how many actions the Liberals completed last year, 2023, when it comes to truth and reconciliation.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Holy Trinity Catholic High School 3A boys basketball team, who took home gold last week at the 2024 Alberta Schools' Athletic Association provincial championships. This is a historic accomplishment for Knights Knation, as they became the first team north of Edmonton to ever bring home a provincial basketball title. The Knights rallied together, overcom…
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Mr. Chair, what is absolutely disgraceful is the member sitting here and spewing mistruths in this chamber and sowing disinformation. Frankly, I do not expect anything different from the member. What Ukraine needs right now is light armoured vehicles and rockets. What it needs right now—
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Mr. Chair, I am very curious about something. When I gave my speech on co-operation, one of the pieces that I pointed out is so critically important is the fact that there is a provision in here about bringing home all the children who have been stolen from their families and their communities by Vladimir Putin and his evil regime. Does the member agree that we need to do more as a country to cont…
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Mr. Chair, I want to thank my colleague from Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot for his speech. I think he did a fine job describing the role of Ukrainians in building democracy. To me, there is a really interesting thing that is important to note and that is the fact that Vladimir Putin is obviously not working alone in his attack and illegal invasion of Ukraine. Does my colleague think that we should hold Ru…
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Mr. Chair, under the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, we signed the first free trade agreement with Ukraine. The goal was to work together to promote trade with Ukraine. Ukraine has economic strengths, and we need to do a lot more to make sure that Canadian businesses invest in Ukraine and that Ukrainian businesses invest here. I will continue to work to support free trade between the …
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Mr. Chair, I wonder if the member can share some of the concerns he raised at the foreign affairs committee regarding what the Government of Canada did with gas turbines, which were allowed to go back to Russia. I know he had some very strong feelings, and I was very proud to stand behind him and stand up with him as he was bringing that forward. I am wondering if he could describe that here tonig…
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Mr. Chair, I have been very clear that I do not support the carbon tax and that is a very simple thing. I have been very proud to share my Ukrainian heritage and support of Ukraine. I am very proud to have been one of the first members of Parliament to stand in this chamber before the war broke asking and demanding that the Government of Canada act so we could bring Ukrainians here, because it was…
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Mr. Chair, I am not going to take any lessons from NDP members, who speak out of both sides of their mouths when it comes to this issue and so many others. Frankly, if Canada delivered on the promises it has made to Ukraine and gave it the missiles we have sitting in Saskatchewan that are not being used, which Ukraine has asked for, that would go a long way in helping Ukraine deliver on a victory.…
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years under the Liberal Prime Minister, costs are up. Already, a typical family of four will pay $700 more in groceries in 2024 compared with last year. I have talked to moms who are skipping meals, simply so they can feed their children; however, for this extremist NDP-Liberal coalition, this is not enough. It is going to continue punishing Canadians, raising the carbon t…
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Mr. Speaker, we are requesting a recorded vote.
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Mr. Speaker, I believe that humility is absolutely key in doing good in the world and that the government could learn a thing or two, and all of us could learn a thing or two, if we simply admitted when we made a mistake and tried our best to make things better. That is, unfortunately, not something I have seen very much of from the current government since I have come here.
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Mr. Speaker, I really appreciate learning from the member opposite on the INAN committee, and I know that her kindness is one reason we do better in this place. I do want to highlight the fact that, yes, the bill would not preclude CAP from being on the committee, and I really hope that, at some point, it would be named to it. However, I think it is an absolute oversight to not include an organiza…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for her congratulations on the birth of my little boy. He is nine months old, and it is very tough for me to be here while he is at home in Fort McMurray, but this is exactly the kind of work I have been sent here to do by the people of Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, and I am very proud to do so. What I do know is absolutely not okay for first nations is to…
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Mr. Speaker, as my colleague rightly pointed out, I very proudly get to represent a majority of Canada's energy industry, in the Fort McMurray—Cold Lake riding in the oil sands. It is really interesting that, last week, the member for Timmins—James Bay brought forward a piece of legislation, a private member's bill, Bill C-372, that would make it illegal for people to talk positively about fossil …
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Mr. Speaker, if the member had been paying attention to my speech, he would know that I made it pretty clear that we believe that the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples should have been included; I have mentioned on a number of occasions the fact that it was not. The ends do not justify the means. I have looked at the composition of both of the councils, and there are some truly stunning people who wi…
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Mr. Speaker, it is really outstanding that we are still debating this bill. I consulted my notes from the last time I addressed the chamber to speak to the bill, which was November 30, 2022. At that time, I highlighted the fact that the bill was missing some important pieces. Specifically, it was missing economic reconciliation as a factor. Economic reconciliation was heard about throughout testim…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his dedication to advancing reconciliation in all ways as he moves forward. Could he talk more about the innate nature of economic reconciliation and what it means for indigenous people he discusses with?
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Madam Speaker, my colleague highlighted the fact of the timeline on the bill. The government has promised and floated the bill for a long period of time. It is troubling because this is part of the track record of the government, of talking about something and then putting it on everyone else when it has failed to schedule the time. The member highlighted some organizations in some communities. I …
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Prime Minister and his NDP coalition, Canada is in the midst of an unprecedented addictions crisis, one that continues to get worse. Last year, the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions assured Canadians that the Liberals would end their decriminalization experiment if public health and public safety indicators were not met. One year in, there are out-of-co…
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Mr. Speaker, it is wonderful to be here today and to be able to speak to the amendment to this bill, an amendment I was very proud to second from our leader of the Conservative Party. In fact, the Conservative leader, the hon. member for Carleton and Canada's next prime minister, delivered a really clear message to Canadians on Sunday: Axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget, stop the crime. …
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Mr. Speaker, similar to the member's riding, I have one of Canada's military bases in mine. I frequently hear about the impact of the carbon tax and how it is having a real impact on the lives of the people who put their lives on the line each and every day for us. Could the member explain a little more about what he is hearing in Moose Jaw?
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, we plan to axe Liberal members of Parliament from right across the country, so that is a simple one. We also plan to axe interest rates because Canadians deserve affordability. As well, we plan to axe inflation so Canadians can keep more of the money they have worked hard to earn. Frankly, it is very hypocritical for a member from Atlantic Canada who got a carve-out on t…
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Mr. Speaker, I know that voting for the Bloc Québécois is very costly. One of the problems we see is that the Bloc supports and continues to support the Liberal Party's ever-increasing expenses. It continues to vote in favour of Liberal budgets that increase costs for all Canadians and Quebeckers. The Conservative Party will continue to build a country where Canadians can keep the money they worke…
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Mr. Speaker, in my previous answer to one of my Liberal colleagues who asked what I was going to cut, I forgot to say that I really want to cut the NDP member for Timmins—James Bay—
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Mr. Speaker, in my previous answer, I said I wanted to cut Liberal members of Parliament. I also want to cut the NDP member for Timmins—James Bay because, frankly, he is not serving his constituents. He voted to keep the carbon tax on home heating for his constituents in northern Ontario, and that is absolutely shameful. Frankly, as a proud Ukrainian Canadian, I have continued to stand up for Ukra…
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With regard to the government’s Draft Federal Offset Protocol: Reducing Enteric Methane Emissions from Beef Cattle: (a) has the government analyzed whether the proposal will lead to higher beef prices for consumers, and, if so, (i) who conducted the analysis, (ii) what were the findings; (b) what measures are in place, if any, to ensure that the proposal will not lead to higher beef prices for con…
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With regard to the government's Substance Use and Addictions Program and the funding of London InterCommunity Health Centre (LIHC) program: (a) what criteria has the government established to measure the success of the LIHC program, and are these success criteria being met; (b) how frequently does the government receive updates or reports from the LIHC regarding its performance and success in meet…
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With regard to the government's efforts in Indigenous health and substance use treatment facilities: (a) How many treatment facilities currently exist on Indigenous reserves; (b) what are the details of each facility, including, (i) the First Nation (ii) the location and address, (iii) the name of the facility, (iv) the year it was built, (v) the square footage, (vi) the date of additions or renov…
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With regard to meetings involving the government about safe supply, safer supply, pharmaceutical alternatives to the toxic, illegal or illicit drug supply, pharmaceutical grade medication as an alternative to the toxic, illegal or illicit drug supply, and medications for substance use disorder and to provide pharmaceutical alternatives to the contaminated illegal or illicit drug supply: what are t…
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Madam Speaker, it is absolutely disrespectful that the government has decided, instead of actually taking the time to have a conversation, it is just going to ram this bill through. This is not a just transition, but it has just decided to repurpose and change the names around. I represent thousands of energy workers in this strong province, and I often say that, when Fort McMurray works, Alberta …
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With regard to security cameras and closed-circuit video equipment in use at bases and facilities operated by the Department of National Defence (DND) or the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF): (a) is any such equipment manufactured in China, and, if so, what are the details, including, for each, the (i) location, (ii) description, (iii) manufacturer, make, and model; and (b) for the equipment in (a), ha…
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With regard to the report in the Washington Post that the Prime Minister has told NATO officials privately that Canada will never meet the military alliance's defence spending target: (a) what did the Prime Minister tell NATO officials about whether Canada will meet the spending target; and (b) when does the government anticipate it will reach NATO's spending target of at least two percent of the …
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Mr. Speaker, it is really frustrating to hear nonsense coming from the member for Kingston and the Islands, but that is nothing new. He said that Conservatives only had one amendment; that is not true. In committee, there were a lot of Conservative amendments, a lot of very thoughtful, reasoned amendments that were brought forward to try to improve the bill. To then say that we are going to preven…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is out of touch, and Canadians are out of money. What is the Liberal solution? It is more tax and, in fact, a tax on a tax. The original carbon tax added 41¢ a litre on gas. This second carbon tax is going to add an additional 17¢ a litre on gasoline. When we factor in carbon tax and GST, that is 61¢ a litre on gas. People who live in rural Alberta drive a lot. It i…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal-NDP costly coalition's out-of-control spending and sky-high taxes have made life unaffordable for Canadians. More Canadians are visiting the food bank than we have ever seen before, more seniors are choosing to delay their retirement just to make ends meet and more families are finding themselves on the brink of insolvency. By every objective measure, the Liberals' war on …
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With regard to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF): (a) what is the number of individuals in the CAF, broken down by type (civilian, military, reserve) and branch as of (i) January 1, 2016, (ii) January 1, 2020, (iii) January 1, 2023; and (b) what is the number of individuals at each military rank as of (i) January 1, 2016, (ii) January 1, 2020, (iii) January 1, 2023?
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Madam Speaker, one of the interesting and amazing things I found when I was chatting with Kyla from KPSquared was that it has a really high retention rate when it comes to child care workers. Part of that is because it pays better than average. However, that is a decision KPSquared made for business reasons, and it is seeing a lot of success from that. Something we see when we empower people to ma…
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Madam Speaker, that is a very complicated question to give a brief answer to. Effectively, this was something the Government of Alberta had to fight very hard with the federal government in order to get done, even though it was absolutely in the best interests of Alberta families. However, I do not think it is unique to Alberta families. It could probably help families to have innovative, overnigh…
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Madam Speaker, it is wonderful to participate and see this innovation in this place. No, it does not actually explicitly say that we cannot have that as an option. Some of the families I have talked to are paying their parents because they retired early. If they could have some funds to offset that cost and have the same amount of resourcing available to them, it would make a big difference when i…
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Madam Speaker, it is wonderful to join my voice to the debate tonight in speaking to this important bill, but first I want to take a moment to thank all the first responders and firefighters who are working so hard to keep people safe. I especially want to give a big thanks to all the volunteers who have opened up their hearts and homes, and all of the people who are sharing their time, talent and…
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With regard to Health Canada’s approval of licenses to organizations to possess, produce, sell or distribute substances, as per British Columbia’s subsection 56(1) exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act or any other similar type of government granted exemptions: (a) how many organizations are currently being reviewed for a Controlled Drug and Substances Dealer’s License (“Dealer’s…
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Mr. Speaker, over the last eight years, Liberals have repeatedly broken ethics laws, more often than any government in Canadian history. Liberals have been found guilty of breaking the law six times, with the Prime Minister alone being found guilty twice. They decided to appoint the sister-in-law of a current cabinet minister, who has also been found guilty of breaking an ethics law. However, now …
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Mr. Speaker, the record-setting rate of addiction deaths is bringing to the forefront the horrifying effects of addiction from Vancouver to St. John's, Newfoundland and everywhere in between. The B.C. coroner reported that almost 600 people died from overdose in the first three months of 2023 in B.C. alone. Every life lost to addiction is one too many. This data further proves what Canadians are e…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to respond to the question of privilege that was raised yesterday by the member for Pickering—Uxbridge. On Friday, March 31, I rose on a point of order to draw to the Speaker's attention comments made by the member for Pickering—Uxbridge, whom I heard using inappropriate and unparliamentary language. The member had the opportunity to respond and under normal circumstances in ma…
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise and speak to budget 2023, which is yet another high-spend budget that will likely make life more expensive for Canadians. I have spent time over the last couple of weeks talking to people across my amazing riding of Fort McMurray—Cold Lake to hear their opinions on this budget. I have heard from families, individuals, businesses and organizations alike that a…
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