Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the eMental Health International Collaborative is bringing the world to Canada for the 10th Digital Mental Health Global Congress in Toronto. Under the leadership of Professor Anil Thapliyal, hundreds of experts from dozens of countries will gather to build the future of mental health care. Worldwide, the need for mental health supports outstrips our ability to provide help the tradit…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, one thing I support about the Prime Minister is his choice of hockey team. Since being here, I have recognized that there are a lot of similarities between Alberta and Quebec. Right now, what we are seeing is a lot of challenges in Alberta. We see in the news the talk of separation, and that is because of a lack of respect from the national government. At the end of the day, that is i…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I take any opportunity to address mental health, particularly among young men. I gave out the statistic that there are 50 suicides a week in this country by men. Also, 75% of suicides are by men, and lots of times it is young men, whom we would not think of. There is a stigma out there related to talking about it. Any chance I get, whether it is in reply to a throne speech or at an ev…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, a way to get two rounds of applause in this place is a point of order on the other side. Also, congratulations. It is great to see you in the chair. I know you will serve us well and be fair. I wish a happy birthday to your little guy, Bennett Nater, who celebrated his birthday this past weekend. Now that I have good favour with the Chair, I will get to the rest of my speech. This is …
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I find that in this place, there are a lot of reasons that we get dragged into the partisanship, but at the end of the day, we are able to make friends on the other side of the aisle on like issues and policies that are able to change the country. I encourage every member to take the time to reach out on issues that are important to them and to build friendships across the aisle.
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, the member is correct. Since COVID, we have seen an increase in people talking about mental health. We have seen an increase in people wanting to do something, but at the end of the day, we are not having these conversations here. It is also about funding. The funding needs strings attached to it to make sure that it is going right to mental health, and I hope that is what the governm…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to contracts and agreements that the government has with Brookfield Asset Management, Brookfield Global Integrated Solutions, or any subsidiary of Brookfield, since November 4, 2015, and broken down by department, agency, or Crown corporation: what are the details of all contracts or agreements, including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) vendor, (iii) original amount of the contract, (iv)…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Prime Minister’s announcement that Mark Carney would chair the Prime Minister’s task force on economic growth, has the government: (a) received a list of who are the other members of the task force, and, if so, who are they; (b) been made aware of the dates the task force met, and, if so, on what dates; and (c) been provided with recommendations that the task force made related …
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, it is great to see my honourable colleague in the House. He and I had a lot of Zoom calls together during COVID. That reminds me of the Winnipeg lab scandal, which we went through and saw together. At the end of the day, a lot of that was about transparency and accountability. It was about making sure that we had somebody who was held accountable for that. Ultimately we did, and we …
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I would ask the member to repeat the question, but honestly, it is the same question he has asked every single member who is here.
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I like the member for Winnipeg North. We tease, but we like each other. It is getting late. The Halloween spirit is in the mood. The question he likes to throw back at us is about the security clearance, and one could argue relevance in this particular debate. In question period earlier today, we saw our leader stand up over and over again offering policy ideas and solutions for Can…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I wish I could think of a Seinfeld reference that is equally adequate to that of the esteemed member for Durham there. I hope that, as the night goes on, something will come to mind. Before I get into my speech, I just wanted to highlight something very briefly, if the House will quickly allow. I had the immense privilege to go and visit, last weekend, an organization called Jack.or…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I think I should take the member on the road with me. His saying that my speech was the best one that he has heard is great. I think that might go over really well in Alberta to have a member of the Bloc Québécois come and share that. I invite the member to come on out to Alberta. If the impression in the House is that we are the ones coming up with questions of privilege, then I th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on World Mental Health Day, Mental Health Research Canada released its landmark collaborative national report, titled “A Generation at Risk: The State of Youth Mental Health in Canada”. This report brings together research and lived experiences to help us better understand the youth mental health crisis. Three key take-aways are declining mental health, service gaps and access barrier…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to Elections Canada (EC) and Communications Security Establishment Canada's reports on "Cyber threats to Canada's democratic process - 2023 update" and "Cyber security guidance for elections authorities (ITSM.10.020)": (a) what measures has EC taken since the last general election to safeguard the integrity of elections, candidates and campaigns against cyber threats, including (i) dee…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), broken down by year since January 1, 2019: (a) how many cases of (i) gender discrimination, (ii) disability discrimination, were filed against the CPPIB; (b) of the cases in (a), how many were settled without formal litigation; (c) how many nondisclosure agreements were signed by former employees related to the cases in (a); (d) wha…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to announce the passing of a dear friend, Werner Schmidt. Werner was a distinguished educator, a former member of Parliament, an Alberta politician and, most importantly, a beloved man of faith and family. In his 92 years, Werner was a man with abiding values of integrity and honesty. He was committed to leading by example and inspired many of us around him. …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to Department of Employment and Social Development (ESDC) access to information requests A‑2019‑01074 and A‑2020‑01070: (a) on what date did ESDC receive each request; (b) to what date did ESDC extend the deadline for responding to each request; (c) on what date did ESDC receive the Information Commissioner's orders to respond to each request; (d) on what date was ESDC required, by the…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to government-owned land or buildings being considered for sale for the purpose of housing: what are the details of each building or piece of land, including the (i) address and location, (ii) size of the land, (iii) square footage, (iv) current state of the building or land, including the type of current occupants, if applicable, (v) current state of sale or disposal, (vi) expected da…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to Privy Council Office (PCO) access to information requests A‑2020‑00583, A‑2021‑00266, A‑2021‑00272, A‑2021‑00490, A‑2021‑00495, A‑2022‑00163, A‑2022‑00176 and A‑2022‑00182: (a) on what date did PCO receive each request; (b) to what date did PCO extend the deadline for responding to each request; (c) has PCO responded to each request, and, if not, (i) why not, (ii) on what date does …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister found over $60 million for his arrive scam app, but he continues to want to increase the carbon tax by 23% on April 1. Now, we have heard the far left NDP Alberta leadership candidate weigh in: “Nobody is on board with what [the Prime Minister] did with the federal carbon tax. He absolutely broke trust and broke confidence”. After eight years of failure, how can he …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I have more. An Alberta leadership candidate said, “There's no way people can be on board with the federal plan when even the prime minister isn’t on board, when he’s playing games with it” and that the federal carbon levy is “dead”. Another candidate said we must move away from a consumer carbon tax. When he loses the support of the far left Alberta NDP, the minister must know he has…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to Health Canada's (HC) July 18, 2023, approval of Zonnic flavoured nicotine pouches: (a) did the Minister of Health or anyone in the minister's office sign-off on the product's approval, and, if not, what was the highest level official at HC who signed-off on the product's approval; (b) what are the details of all memorandums or briefing notes sent or received since January 1, 2023, w…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, Alberta and Canada lost a giant recently, a man who was known around these halls, during his time as a member of Parliament for 12 years, and certainly around the Alberta legislature, as a member of the Legislative Assembly from 1986 to 1993 and then chief of staff to former premier Ralph Klein. Although Peter Elzinga has left us in person, many of us are certainly better off for havi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservative leader was the minister of housing, a typical family home cost only $450,000. Investment in housing construction is down 14% under the minister today. Rent has doubled. House prices have doubled, and mortgage payments are up 150%. Will the government end their photo ops so Canadians can get houses built?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Prime Minister, rent has doubled, house prices have doubled and mortgage payments are up 150%. Just now, Statistics Canada shows that investment in housing construction is down 14%. It turns out that photo ops with the housing minister in a hard hat do not build homes. Who knew? Will the government end their photo ops so Canadians can get houses built?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to usage of the government's CC-130H Hercules aircraft by the Prime Minister or any other minister since January 1, 2016: what are the details of the legs of each flight, including the (i) date, (ii) point of departure, (iii) destination, (iv) number of passengers, (v) names and titles of the passengers, excluding security or Canadian Armed Forces members, (vi) total catering bill rela…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to government measures taken in relation to United States President Joe Biden’s visit to Parliament Hill on March 24, 2023: (a) which individuals or entities were provided with lists of individuals who (i) may come into contact with the United States President or the Prime Minister of Canada, (ii) would be allowed into West Block or otherwise in the vicinity of the United States Presid…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, after eight years, everything just keeps getting more expensive. Take the average rent in this country. Just one year ago, the average rent eclipsed the $2,000 mark, but now, a year later, the average rent in Canada is $2,149 a month. That is an 11% increase and the highest that rent has ever been in this country. Toronto and Vancouver still have the highest average rent, but other ci…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today in the House of Commons to recognize a tremendous accomplishment by an organization that is dear to my heart. Alberta-based APPLE Schools has once again been recognized as one of the top 100 global education innovations by HundrED, a Helsinki-based organization dedicated to identifying transformative and scalable education innovations worldwide. APPLE Sch…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the hon. member for Courtenay—Alberni could not have brought up an issue closer to my heart as the unfortunate issue facing British pensioners. As the UK-Canada free trade agreement goes forward further, it is certainly something that we have been pushing for to make sure that the U.K. government understands the severe impact it is having on U.K. pensioners living right here in Cana…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my good friend from the Bloc Québécois highlighted a really important point about what we are going through right now. Again, the bill is 700 pages, in addition to what happened in 2017 when the initial agreement was signed. Depending on what happens here in the House, this will hopefully come before the international trade committee, which I sit on. I am looking forward to going th…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to once again rise in this place to speak to the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement. When we talk about the importance of the Canada-Ukraine relationship, we have to talk about the 1.3 million Canadians of Ukrainian origin who live here in Canada. Many of them were integral to the development of western Canada. They are an incredible and important part of the socia…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the trade agreement that he speaks of is 700 pages long. It likely will come before the international trade committee soon. I look forward to going through it line by line. If the member wants to talk about the future agenda of the House, he is in a position, as the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader, to have those conversations. I encourage him to have those con…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if members know this, but monthly mortgage payments on a typical family home are now a crushing $3,500 per month. When the leader of the official opposition was the housing minister, homes were attainable and affordable. Now it takes 25 years to save up for a down payment in a city like Toronto. Some families have even had to stretch the terms of their mortgages to a sho…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, there was a lot of anticipation with the bill from a many stakeholders in the community. I agree with my colleague from the New Democratic Party that there was a missed opportunity on many fronts. The Chamber of Shipping said that this legislation missed out on addressing the root causes of supply chain congestion and that the additional powers only addressed symptoms of congestion …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Minister of Veterans Affairs: (a) when did the minister become aware of the government's plan to remove the images of the Vimy Ridge Memorial and Billy Bishop from the Canadian passport; and (b) did the minister do anything to stop the removal of these images, and, if so, what specific action did the minister take?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to projects funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in the Asia-Pacific region for human rights or humanitarian issues, since 2016: (a) what are the details of all such projects, including the (i) location, (ii) funding recipient, (iii) detailed project description, (iv) organization overseeing the project, (v) amount of funding provided by GAC, (vi) start date, (vii) end date?
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is an exciting time in oil country, as our hometown Oilers are second round bound. Round two starts tonight in Las Vegas, but I know that ICE District Plaza and Joey Moss pit will be packed with fans in Edmonton. This is a big deal. The Oilers, rather fittingly, during the week of His Majesty's coronation, have first knocked off the Kings and now are going after all his Knights. We…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I listened intently to the speech by the member for Kings—Hants and he talked a lot about cake. He talked a lot about how he would reference cake—
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, Edmonton's violent crime rate has increased 16.5% in just 12 months. 2022 represented the highest number of violent criminal incidents ever reported in a single year. The even scarier part is that this trend has carried into 2023, with violent criminal occurrences increasing by 6% in the first quarter of this year. In fact, we are seeing that 68% of violent offenders who are arrested …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in this place, the House Commons, and particularly to speak to budget 2023 today. Before I start talking about the budget, I would like to first bring some good news to the House. Some of our very good friends, Carl Brown and Veronica Dubak recently had a little baby boy, Sterling Vesely Dubak Brown, on March 17. I look forward to spending lots of tim…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I think my good friend across the aisle is trying to set up a trap on the CBC side, but he is mistaken. I did not actually quote from any media articles. I quoted from the association's press releases. It came out and sent out its own responses. I am certain there is a lot of CBC criticism of the budget. I am happy to find that for him and send it his way.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, that is a very timely question. I thank my friend from Courtenay—Alberni for raising it. British pensioners are actually here in Ottawa this week. There are over 150,000 members who are not receiving proper British pensions. This is not a partisan issue. My friend from Courtenay—Alberni and members from the Liberal side have been advocating for this for years. I think it even goes b…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is important, in this House, that the government reflect all aspects of this country. I am hearing that my Bloc friends are also disappointed in this budget. We are disappointed in this budget. They are disappointed in this budget. If only we could get one more party on side to be disappointed in this budget, we might end up with a confidence vote and we might have an election. W…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the minister wants to tell us about small businesses. I think it is the Ethics Commissioner who just told us what the Liberals do with small business. It has been reported now that more than half of Canadians are spending $200 a month or more to heat their homes. Let us ask Linda, who has a family of four. She is choosing to skip meals to heat her home. Conservatives will keep the hea…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the current Prime Minister, Canadian businesses are beginning to sound the alarm. Take Gio, who owns a small coffee shop in Edmonton. He has to bring his beans up from South America, but due to the rising costs of fuel, transportation and utilities, he has had to hike his prices 25%. It is policies like the Liberals' carbon tax that continue to drive up these cost…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am presenting one petition today from 136 esteemed Canadians who have recognized there are a number of issues when Ukrainians come to Canada. They are calling on the federal government to do the four following things: develop a federal program to bring Ukrainian children to Canada for temporary shelter; ensure they have access to the necessary medical services via provincial insuran…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the pensions of approximately 125,000 U.K. expats currently living in Canada are still frozen. These pensions are frozen because the U.K. government and Canada do not have a reciprocal social security agreement. As a result, British pensioners living in Canada are being punished, such as 83-year-old Peter Sanguinetti, who served in the Dorset Regiment and was stationed in the West Ind…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, even future Liberal leader Mark Carney has confirmed that inflation is homegrown. Why will the minister not? Inflation has reached the highest rate in four decades, and now Bank of Canada governor, Tiff Macklem, has stated that increasingly the inflation we are seeing in Canada reflects what is going on in Canada. Canadians cannot continue to afford this NDP and Liberal coalition. Wil…
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