Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I know that this member is an honourable member, and I know that he cares about his community. A few weeks ago, I spoke with Peterborough's Mayor Jeff Leal, who is a good man. He cares about his community and is doing a great job in that city. I told him of the government's plan to invest over $10 million, through the housing accelerator fund, to build more housing. The Conservatives …
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Mr. Speaker, the member talks about people at food banks. We are not insensitive to that. Canadians have had a hard time. What has this government done? We have supported them through the pandemic. We continue to show support. The Conservatives want to cut Canadians' pensions; they want to cut employment insurance. We have a school food program that is supporting no fewer than 400,000 kids in four…
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Mr. Speaker, in fact, what the Parliamentary Budgetary Officer's report revealed is that this federal government, for the first time in decades, is back in housing, making it a serious priority, reversing decades of cuts from previous governments; in particular, with all due respect, from Conservative governments. The reality is that we have more work to do. However, we have seen through vital pro…
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Mr. Speaker, throughout today, the Conservatives have launched personal attacks on the finance minister, who is responsible for, among other things, the Canada child benefit and who is responsible for, among other things, ensuring that child care is a priority in this country, moving toward $10 a day. What has that done for this country's economy? Among other things, 110,000 women have been able t…
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Mr. Speaker, the members opposite are very fond of quoting from the Parliamentary Budget Officer; it is their right. They can go one step further and actually look at what he recently said on the country's finances: We have a more than sustainable fiscal situation. If it were up to the Conservatives, that would reverse. We know what the Conservative record is when it comes to running up deficits, …
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Mr. Speaker, the member is right to talk about non-market housing. We do need more non-market housing options in this country. There has been, over the past few years, an enormous increase in exactly that. Eighty-seven thousand people who were on the street are now living in non-market housing. Close to 150,000 people who were going to be homeless have been housed as a result of the investments th…
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me commend the member, who comes from a proud family that built up a successful small business. She understands what the tax cut means for small business owners and also for Canadians who want to see savings, especially during the holidays. It begins this Saturday and extends into February. What we hear with the Conservatives is sloganeering. Their leader is not too …
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Mr. Speaker, I repeat that Canada has the lowest debt and deficit in the G7. The PBO is coming out and affirming that we have a very fiscally sustainable situation. What would the Conservatives do? They would make cuts. In fact the member, with all due respect to her, ought to listen to what the mayor of Kelowna recently said. The Conservatives are proposing cuts for housing; this would mean less …
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Mr. Speaker, we see more personal attacks today. Under the Minister of Health and under the Minister of Finance, we have seen a national dental care program put in place. Three million-plus Canadians have signed on, and over a million have received care. Many are seniors. In fact, seniors were the first to be offered care. Are the Conservatives saying that, as part of this big, bold idea, more of …
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Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that, during the pandemic, the government provided loan support and other support for Air Canada to ensure its long-term viability. Part of that was buying shares in the company. It was never, though, the intention of the Government of Canada to hold on to those shares into the long term. It made a sale yesterday, and it was a responsible one. Again, the que…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, a tax cut for Canadians is exactly what this government is going forward with, beginning on December 14 and carrying through to February. We have heard from Canadians. We know the challenges they have been through in previous years. During the pandemic, we stood with Canadians, and into the modern day, we stand with them. I have stood with my constituents during this time. I know what…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague is right. We do need more affordable housing in Canada. We do need more shelters in Canada, and that is why the federal government put forward the national housing strategy, which is doing just that. The member began her question by pointing to vulnerable women, and I sympathize. In my own community and communities across the country, it remains not just a challenge but a…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in the House of Commons and speak about the issues of the day, especially ones pertaining to housing, which is arguably the most important issue facing the country at this moment. Before I begin, in the Greek Orthodox faith, today is the day on which Saint Anne, or Agia Anna, is recognized and honoured. My mother is named after her, so today is her name …
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to commend the member. I have shared this with him before, but I never tire of saying it. This is a Conservative member who supports carbon pricing. When he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, he supported that. I hope his example transfers over to other Conservative MPs. However, he talks about the Liberal record on housing and says we a…
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me commend the advocacy of the member. He is very modest. He does not talk about his own role in helping to secure funding for his community in Milton and in that region more generally. What he points to is a very important idea, and that is that the federal government has a role to play in allowing housing to happen, which is another way of saying that the federal g…
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Mr. Speaker, I would love three hours to respond to that. I have great respect for my hon. colleague. We have worked together on the finance committee, but he knows very well the housing strategy of the Paul Martin government was not put in place because the NDP forced an election. I will not go too far on that. As for results on the key points he points to, when it comes to getting homes built, t…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, let me begin by focusing on what we agree on. I have a lot of respect for my colleague, in large part because he always raises issues related to vulnerable Canadians. He began his speech by talking about those who are unhoused. We have in place a government that hears him, that sees the issue in Canada and is responding. A few moments ago, I talked about encampments in Canada and how …
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Mr. Speaker, there are different ways to get to the same results, the results we all want. I talked about low-interest loans. A low-interest loan to a not-for-profit of around 3% is very significant considering the current economic context. I talked about grants that are available, and they certainly are, through the affordable housing program and other initiatives of this federal government. I ta…
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Madam Speaker, first of all, this falls under municipal jurisdiction. It is a municipal issue. If there is an opportunity after question period, I would be pleased to speak to my colleague about this. For me, this is obviously a municipal issue.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, we will agree to disagree on that point; $10 a day child care is moving forward in communities across the country. As I said, where it is not available, it will be available in communities throughout the land, and that is critical to our country's economic success and to our shared future. On the point at hand, again, the accelerator fund, the proposal by the member's party would get …
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Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to the member. He is a good member, and I know he cares a great deal about his community. He talks about families in his community and across the country. What he does not mention is that the Conservatives would, right away, if they were to assume office, cut child care support, which has now moved in many parts of the country to $10 a day. Where it is not at …
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Madam Speaker, GDP per capita is one measure, and the Conservatives continue to raise it, so let us focus on it for a moment. Our country's GDP is in fact growing. On that measure, though, specifically, we exceed GDP per capita by leaps and bounds compared to the U.K., France and Japan. That is World Bank data and IMF data. On the issue of tax cuts, which the Conservatives love to talk about, yest…
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Madam Speaker, the situation is back to normal levels because of the economic stewardship of the government. Unemployment is at historically low levels as well. They continue to talk about economic issues these days. Let us talk about it but let us look at their record. We cut taxes for the middle class. They were against it. We did that twice, in fact, and twice they were against it. We cut taxes…
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Madam Speaker, the member is the daughter of a coal miner. She grew up in a working-class household. She later became the executive director of Community Living Greater Sudbury. She understands the everyday challenges of working people. She has always fought for them, and she will continue to do so. The member understood yesterday why it was important to put forward the tax cut we did. This will h…
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Madam Speaker, inflation is back to normal levels. Unemployment levels in this country are around historically low levels. That member continues to talk about GDP per capita like all of them do. On that measure specifically, which has been roundly criticized by economists as not presenting a fair economic picture, let us look at it. We exceed the U.K., France and Japan. Yesterday, Conservatives ha…
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Madam Speaker, he talks about our relations with the United States. I remember back when I was first elected in 2016. What did we see with the rise of Donald Trump in the United States? We saw a government that was there for Canadians, and we saw a Conservative Party at that time that was telling the government to capitulate. We will not do that. We will stand for everyday Canadians, as we always …
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Madam Speaker, the member was a broadcaster in his community. He was well in touch with that community, covering everyday stories. He is well placed to raise this matter. It is very true. Last night, we cut taxes for everyday people, for all Canadians, on many items. We know that it is an important time because this is the most expensive time of year for workers, for families, for Canadians. What …
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Mr. Speaker, with respect, the member ought to look at what the Retail Council of Canada has said on the matter or at what Restaurants Canada has said on the matter as well. Small business owners in my community and across the country will benefit as a result of the tax cut. That is exactly what it is: a tax cut for workers and a tax cut for families. What is also surprising—
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Mr. Speaker, I just heard the name of Erin O'Toole. That is exactly right. He put the initiative on the table in the summer of 2021. We are supporting it now. Who else supported it? The Leader of the Opposition did. He reposted a tweet from Erin O'Toole at the time but does not want to support the initiative now.
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Mr. Speaker, workers who are going for groceries, who want to eat out and who want to buy gifts during Christmas are the people on our mind, as well as families who want to buy diapers or clothes for their kids, or the young family that is excited about a new child coming into the family. Car seats are expensive, and there is a tax savings on them too. The Leader of the Opposition supported the in…
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Mr. Speaker, it was an honest mistake. I withdraw it.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, yes, I think it is a very responsible policy. This policy offers something for the middle class during very difficult times. My colleague has talked a lot about the middle class in the House, but the Bloc Québécois is not here for the middle class.
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Madam Speaker, the member has been a mentor to many of us on the Liberal side and was the caucus chair when I was first elected. He is very kind to offer those comments. What I will say to him is that I cannot possibly explain Conservative contradictions. I can do many things, but I cannot do that. However, Doug Ford champions this policy. It is not inflationary at all.
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Madam Speaker, first of all, every time the member engages in debate, she offers a perspective that is important. If we look at the list of items that would be eligible for the GST/HST cut, we see a very long list that would benefit Canadians across the country. We are talking about everyday essentials. I would be very happy to speak with the member more on that particular idea. I think we have so…
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Madam Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise and speak to the matters of the day and the issues as they impact Canadians, specifically as they impact my constituents back home in London. Global inflation is, by definition, a world phenomenon that has impacted the middle class and lower-income populations in particular, and we see that effect in Canada, too. The past few years have been very diff…
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Madam Speaker, does the member think I would not know about his voting record, not just in the House of Commons but during his time as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia? He supported pricing carbon at that time. He was in the government of Gordon Campbell. He stood in that legislature and championed the idea of carbon pricing, and here tonight he offers a different perspecti…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, more than 3,000 Canadians live with ALS. One is my constituent. Matthew Brown's courageous battle over the years has inspired me to do more. In fact, just a few days ago on Parliament Hill, we saw ALS Action Canada organize an effort that brought together Canadians living with ALS, their family members and their supporters. In fact, those supporters include members of the NHL alumni, …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This is a scourge that continues to afflict my community of London and communities across the country. It is, of course, incumbent on all governments to lead the charge against it, but alongside us and on the ground, we have outstanding not-for-profit organizations carrying out the work. One example is th…
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Mr. Speaker, all levels of government have a solemn responsibility to respond to the scourge that is homelessness. That is why this federal government has responded to the issue by putting forward, among other things, $250 million for encampment response, something the Government of Alberta recently committed to matching. That means getting people out of camps and into homes. That is on top of 87,…
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Mr. Speaker, they want to pay for this idea by slashing the housing accelerator fund, so let us understand what that means. This is support for communities across the country, large and small, support for communities to get people off the street and into homes; support for zoning changes that will allow for more building, giving young people, the ones they talk about and claim to care about here t…
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth interim report of the Special Committee on the Canada-People's Republic of China Relationship, entitled “The nexus between science and national security in Canada: the case of the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehe…
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Mr. Speaker, like former Conservatives, people like Joe Clark, for example, I recognize that Canada is a community of communities. As an urban-based MP, I want to assure the hon. member opposite that I read the Huntsville Doppler, the newspaper of record in his community. He increased development charges by 16%. It was reported time and again in that newspaper. They want to cut support for communi…
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Mr. Speaker, as we have seen, the Conservatives continue to say they will make cuts to pay for their proposals, including this so-called GST initiative. What will that mean? It means the accelerator fund will come to an end. The member is from Kelowna. A few weeks ago, I met with Kelowna's mayor, Mayor Tom Dyas, who shared with me that federal funding secured through the housing accelerator fund h…
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Mr. Speaker, the member said that the housing accelerator fund is a joke. Has he consulted with his caucus? A dozen, probably more, Conservative members have advocated specifically for that program. They went behind the back of the Leader of the Opposition because they wanted to advocate for their constituents to see more homes built. By calling for the end of the housing accelerator fund, which i…
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Mr. Speaker, the member talks about young Canadians and about homebuilding in Canada. However, the Conservatives have six homes to point to from when they were in office. That is the sum total of their work when they were in office, when the Leader of the Opposition held the so-called role of minister of housing. He was not a minister at all. In fact, if we look at the 190,000 number that they tal…
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Mr. Speaker, I worked with the hon. member on the House of Commons committee that is responsible for housing. He almost always brings up good points, except today there is a credibility issue at stake. When the member was mayor of Huntsville, prior to becoming a member of Parliament, he increased development charges, which we agree are an impediment to homebuilding and a tax on homebuilding. How m…
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Mr. Speaker, if the member is going to quote Mike Moffatt, she ought to include the entire quote. What he said was that if the Conservative proposal was to go ahead, they ought not propose things like getting rid of the housing accelerator fund and ought not get rid of infrastructure programs that enable housing. If the Conservative leader does not want to listen to Liberal MPs, that is fine. He s…
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Mr. Speaker, years ago, when I worked with the Leader of the Opposition on the finance committee, he told me something that might shock everyone, that it is hard for him to make friends because of his personality. What we look at now is that he has at least one friend on the opposite side. His best friend, as I understand it, is the MP for St. Albert—Edmonton. In fact, that member has advocated fo…
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We hear more slogans, Mr. Speaker. If we scratched the surface of that so-called idea, what would we find? The Conservatives would axe something. They would get rid of the housing accelerator fund, which is so crucial. What does it do? It provides funding for affordable housing to counter homelessness. It provides funding for zoning changes. It provides funding for housing-enabling infrastructure,…
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party sure does a lot of talking about the current problems in the country. The member keeps talking about people's problems, but where is her plan? The first step is clear, but for the second step there is no plan. That is what you get from the Conservative Party, a populist party, a right-wing party.
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