Parliamentary Speeches

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it gives me mixed emotions to rise today in the House on this subject. Our hearts are full of stories. I do not think there is a family that has not been touched by those who have battled with mental illness in some form at some period in their lives. The mere thought that MAID could be extended to those battling mental illness is beyond disturbing. I believe Canadians from coast to…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I just want to follow up on the statistics my hon. colleague from Timmins—James Bay pointed out from across the way. They are staggering. When we begin to consider them, it should cause all Canadians to pause, reflect and say that the legitimate concerns many of us raised in this House when this was first proposed continue to this day. There are inadequate safeguards in place to pro…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, that is the value and the absolute purpose of the pause. This bill would enable a pause so that we can take immediate steps. Internationally, questions are being raised suggesting that we have gone to the extreme on this issue. It is time to put some adequate safeguards in place to make sure our most vulnerable are protected.

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to serve on the fisheries committee with my hon. colleague. With regard to this matter, obviously the challenges of poverty, desperation, hurt and pain are evident throughout our country at this time. Many political parties of various stripes are going to come up with all kinds of potential solutions to that, but the bill that is before us for consideration today is…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I believe that we are doing something very positive when we take the time to reflect on what has been brought into place through Bill C-7 and MAID and adequately address the ever-growing concerns of this legislation being abused or overextended to those dealing with mental illness alone. We need to take this time, pass this bill and make sure that in the time it allots us, we put in…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, after eight long years of the Liberal government, Canadians are realizing that elections have consequences and that they have walked to the far side of a disappointing decision. After eight years, Canadians have seen their paycheques dwindle so that even the most basic necessities are out of reach. After eight years, seniors, especially those on fixed incomes, are having to choose bet…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the removal of the tax would benefit all Canadians from coast to coast to coast because every Canadian is affected by the carbon tax. Every time they go to the grocery store, the sticker shock from what they are seeing on the grocery shelves is in part a result of the carbon tax, because everything that is trucked, shipped and hauled is affected by the carbon tax, in every province …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to respond to my colleague from Quebec's question. I will simply say this, and the answer is very clear. It is in technology and innovation. I believe Canadians have the best environmental practices for extraction of energy and utilization of energy, as well as for farm production and growing our food, of anywhere in the world and in comparable jurisdictions. We have a …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, one thing is for sure. In all the time that I have been in office in the region that I represent, I have never had one citizen knock on my door, call me or send me an email to say that, whatever I do, I should raise people's taxes so they can feel better about the environment. I have never had one constituent say that, if we double, triple or quadruple the carbon tax, that person wo…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, It is an honour to rise in the House today to speak to this. There is an ancient saying that has been with us, has withstood the test of time, and has been tested time and time again and found to be true. Leaders should follow this advice, and it is that we should all be quick to listen and slow to speak. Oftentimes, it would seem in this House we maybe put the reverse in action and…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to present, on behalf of many Canadians from coast to coast to coast, this petition for the Government of Canada in light of the recent statements made before committee by a member of the Collège des médecins du Québec, who recommended expanding euthanasia to “babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very seriou…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to funding provided by the government through the Digital Citizen Initiative: (a) what are the details of all projects funded through the initiative where the government provided more than $10,000 in funding, including, for each project, the (i) recipient, (ii) amount, (iii) date, (iv) project description, (v) component or specific program under which funding was provided; and (b) of t…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to the Digital Citizen Contribution Program: (a) how much funding has been delivered to date; and (b) what are the details of all projects funded through the program, including, for each, the (i) recipient, (ii) amount of funding, (iii) project description or purpose of the funding, (iv) date on which the funding was allocated?

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I too would like to extend to everyone in the House, including you and all members, a very merry Christmas and wishes for a happy and blessed new year. It is an honour to serve in this, the people's House, and I would like to wish all those in Tobique—Mactaquac and their families a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. I have the honour to present a petition, the signatories of…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, it came upon a midnight clear with the stars brightly shining. It was a holy night when angels were heard on high. Hark, now hear the angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king.” It was the first noel when the angels did say, “Born is the king of Israel.” Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, lay the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. In the little town of Bethlehem, the hopes and fears…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my esteemed hon. colleague. He always has questions that are astute and astounding, and I am forever thankful for that. I will say this. The issue of rising crime in rural communities needs to become a priority and a priority fast. The numbers are staggering. We are finding that remote and rural areas are having a harder and harder time getting access to law enfo…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise here today to speak in the House about Bill S-4. We have been spending some time reviewing the attributes of the bill and the importance of making sure we address the backlog issue in the criminal justice system and the ways we can better expedite that. This is obviously in relation to the aftermath and effects of COVID-19 and the ever-increasing backlogs. One …

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I commend my hon. colleague for meeting with the chaplains this week. I think that is important. The role the chaplains play in the system is critical. Often, it does not get nearly the appropriate acknowledgement it should, so I thank him for doing that. What I like about the bill is that it addresses the backlog issue and uses technology to try to make sure that people in remote are…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if my hon. colleague heard my address, but I feel like I spent quite a bit of time talking about the absolute necessity of the two-pronged approach. We certainly need what we call tough-on-crime measures and want the punishment to meet the crime for heinous crimes that have major consequences on victims of those crimes. People out there must understand that we do not tak…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Fredericton, New Brunswick, for sharing her experience working with youth at risk. It is such an important field for addressing these concerns on the front end and making sure we are doing all we can to keep as many as possible from entering the criminal justice system. Also, I would love to hear the hon. member's comments and reflection on the critical …

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, with the Christmas season fast approaching, Canadians are concerned about the ever-increasing cost of living. Does the government hear what I hear? I wonder if it hears what I hear. The cost of diesel fuel, which recently reached over $3 a litre in my home province, is causing a spike in the cost of all food and goods that are trucked and shipped. Does it hear what I hear from concern…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to the government's decision not to list the whole of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity: has the government been lobbied or had any meetings with entities who advocated in favour of the IRGC being allowed to operate in Canada and advocated against the IRGC being listed as a terrorist entity since January 1, 2019, and, if so, what are the details of a…

Private Members' Business

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Quebec. What is so important in this discussion and we need to remember is that our supply management sector has worked, is working and will continue to work. We need to make sure that we do everything we can to buttress the supply-managed sector. I will be supporting the bill, because I believe in that type of approach to agriculture. We have seen the succ…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, we all in the House share a great respect and a tremendous debt of gratitude for all those who have served our country, who have fought and paid the ultimate price for our freedoms, not only our veterans but their families that carry such a weight along with those who serve and make those big sacrifices. One of the most tragic things that has emerged of late is about a veteran who w…

Private Members' Business

Madam Speaker, I count it an honour to stand in support of Bill S-227, an act to establish food day in Canada. With everything going on in our world, one thing that I think we all recognize, collectively, or at least should, is the absolutely critical importance of food security and energy security, which go hand in hand. For any nation to have stability over the long haul, to be a beacon of safet…

Emergency Debate

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his thoughtful question and reflection. Absolutely, I think it is pertinent that the government invest strategically in our region. Part of that is key infrastructure investments into our wharves to make sure that they are sustainable. For years, they have been in need of investment, and our wharves are going to need extreme investment over the next few w…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, Atlantic Canadians were hit very hard by hurricane Fiona. Canadians across the country were shocked and saddened by the images they saw of destruction left behind in its wake. I know that those affected by this tragedy are in the thoughts and prayers of all Canadians. In a crisis, collaboration, coordination and rapidity of response are critical. Can the Prime Minis…

Emergency Debate

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House this evening on behalf of our fellow Atlantic Canadians, who are under tremendous duress in many parts of our region, facing unprecedented circumstances. Some families and individuals are feeling the devastating consequences of hurricane Fiona. I would like to just begin my remarks by, obviously, taking the time to express, on behalf of all members…

Emergency Debate

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and friend from across the way for her comments, and I appreciate her thoughts. I would like to assure my hon. colleague that I think all of us in this House want to be responsible and good stewards of the land, the earth and the planet that we have been entrusted with. I also believe there will be two different ways in which we approach this. Right …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, Atlantic Canadians and Canadians across the country are seeing their cost of living soar, including the cost to heat their homes. The premier of Nova Scotia is concerned about the impacts of carbon pricing saying, “Almost 40 per cent of Atlantic Canadians already experience energy poverty — [by far] the highest rate in the country.” These constant increases are hurting Canadians. When…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to completed access to information requests, broken down by each entity subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act: (a) how many release packages contained redactions, broken down by year, since 2019; and (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by type of exemption and section of the act used to justify the redaction?

Routine Proceedings

With regard to the to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), and the statement from the spokesperson to the Minister of Finance in January 2021 that "We recognize that some state-owned enterprises have accessed the program to support jobs in Canada. We continue to actively assess adjustments to the Wage Subsidy.": (a) what state-owned enterprises accessed the CEWS program; (b) for each enterpri…

Madam Speaker, it is with sadness in our hearts that we are gathered here today to pay tribute to someone who was absolutely all-encompassing. When we think about the impact Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had not only on the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth but also the entire world, our hearts grieve at the tremendous loss for all of us, and in particular those of us on whom she had an impact …

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, to my hon. colleague across the way, I know for a fact that in June of last year, in the last Parliament, I saw my private member's bill, Bill C-228, go through and become law. The purpose of that bill was to work effectively between non-profit, faith-based and government organizations, both provincial governments and the federal government, to establish a federal framework for the re…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important that Canadians come to understand the fact that there seems to be a lot of misplaced priorities by the current government. There seems to be, in what it has been presenting as it relates to justice, a disproportionate emphasis on getting soft in the sentencing of people who have committed offences and crimes through the illegal use of firearms, and a dispr…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt the member is in proper order by giving these remarks and he should be allowed to continue. This is very much on point and very much a priority. It needs to be discussed in the House, so I do not quite get what the point of order was for in the first place.

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, where I come from, wrong is still wrong. A good business pays well but being a “dear friend” to a Liberal minister seems to pay even better. The latest example of this is the Minister of International Trade, who awarded her close personal friend a $17,000 media contract. It is unacceptable that well-connected Liberal insiders continue to get sweetheart deals as everyday Canadians cont…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity, and I commend my colleague across the way. Just last week, we were both rising in the House to speak on a matter and were in agreement and shared some commonality. It is always a good thing when that happens. With regard to this matter, the challenge before us is that many people, even in my riding of Tobique—Mactaquac, which is a border riding, are be…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I actually believe that Canadian producers of digital content and otherwise are raising legitimate concerns that need to be addressed. I believe Canadian artists and producers can compete with anyone. We have great content, and that content is strengthened by competition and not weakened by it. We can stand on our own merits. Yes, we should take the measures we can to protect cultural…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, the concerns I raise by no means take away from the beauty of artistic expression of Canadian producers. In fact, ensuring the protection of freedom of expression, freedoms of belief and conscience, freedom of artistic expression or freedom of thought is a worthwhile cause and should be debated thoroughly in the House, for whatever amount of time it takes, to make sure that the concer…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, there is never a dull moment in this House. Even if we are close to quorum or not, it seems like things just continue to roll along in this House with the diversity of opinions. In fact, we as Conservatives value a diversity of opinions on a variety of subjects and welcome people to have different thoughts and views. In fact, we see that as a strength of our Confederation and not a we…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, the incredible blooming and blossoming relationship between the coalition partners is quite a thing to witness. I am glad to see members complement one another in the House so incredibly well. I can assure members that the role of Her Majesty's loyal opposition is to make sure the legitimate concerns that millions of Canadians have are brought to the floor of the House and discussed t…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House today. I would like to commend my colleague from across the way for his thoughtful remarks and comments in regard to this. I share his passion and his concern that we always value and appreciate the role that faith has played in our country's history and in our current context. I think it is so important that the House always take the time for pa…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I would be interested in getting my colleague's perspective in this regard. Obviously, this institution is founded so much on our history and background. What went into the history of this Parliament is quite incredible, and the fingerprints of faith are throughout the institutions on this very Hill. Over the windows of Parliament, we will find engraved scriptures from the past: “Wi…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, my question is simple: What will it be the next time? Today, we are discussing removing a custom that has taken place within this chamber for over 100 years. It has been here from the time of our founding. What is next? Is it our national anthem, because it says, “God keep our land”? What is next? Is it the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which talks about the “supremacy of God”? Wh…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the hon. member had some thoughtful reflections on this bill. I am wondering if my hon. colleague would agree with me that the government is moving on a slippery slope in this bill towards determining what is truth and what is not, and who gets to ultimately determine that as it relates to disinformation. I think Canadians are rightfully very concerned that this is an overreach by a…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, Canada is blessed with an abundance of natural resources that should be responsibly and sustainably utilized. Now is the time to invest in strengthening our energy resource, agricultural, technology and manufacturing sectors, which would assist in returning Canada to prosperity and help in lowering the cost of living across the country. We can also be a stable supplier of safe, clean,…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from New Brunswick, the minister, for his efforts and work. This is a big task and I appreciate those efforts. I know the minister has a great appreciation for a province like New Brunswick, where we have a lot of rural communities and small towns. Some redistribution has been going on. I take it that in this process, that redistribution is being considered and …

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House today to present a petition and to raise the concerns of many Canadians, and many throughout the world, related to the atrocious practice of human organ harvesting. This petition is in support of Bill S-223. This is a Senate bill that seeks to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking. The bill would make it a criminal offence for a person t…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Quebec for his speech. Once again, I would like to take the opportunity to ask a question of the hon. member regarding the importance of ensuring that our rural communities and small towns also maintain proper representation in the House because, obviously, we represent, in these types of communities and small areas, a lot of the GDP. It is wh…