Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, while we work hard every day to deliver for Canadians, Conservatives pretend to care. They have already said they will vote against the budget this year. How cruel and heartless do they have to be to vote against feeding hungry kids or giving seniors the dental coverage they need to get their teeth fixed or supporting people with disabilities with hundreds of dollars, tax-free, more…
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Madam Speaker, the member certainly could consider supporting the government's online harms bill, which I think is a major piece of legislation that certainly will help to protect minors and children when they are interacting online. I appreciate this opportunity to speak about the ongoing threat of extortion in Canada. The Government of Canada is deeply concerned about Canadians who are victimize…
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Madam Speaker, as I have said, the Government of Canada is committed to taking a collaborative approach to address the ongoing threat of extortion in Canada. Nationwide collaboration is under way to address similar types of extortion attempts directed at South Asian communities and others across the country. Investigators have access to the resources, tools and supports necessary to advance these …
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Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the very entertaining diatribe she went on. The member opposite claims that she is not being partisan, but every part of her comments today seemed like a partisan attack. I know she specializes in conspiracy theories on her nightly news show, but I will endeavour to answer her question. Before I do, I will just clarify something on the defence spendin…
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Madam Speaker, our government has a plan to drive the kind of economic growth that will ensure every generation of Canadians can reach their full potential. It is a plan to ensure that everyone gets a fair chance to build a good, middle-class life in Canada. The government believes in investing in Canadians and in creating economic growth, not in cuts and austerity as the Conservatives do. We are …
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Madam Speaker, that is quite rich of the NDP member. Even though I align with her in terms of our commitment on fighting climate change and doing what is best for our economy and environment, I think it is a bit rich for her to say that we are misleading Canadians when the NDP is flip-flopping on the most effective market-based mechanism for reducing carbon emissions, which is carbon pricing. Thei…
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Madam Speaker, the government is not breaking any promises. On the contrary, Canada is playing a strong leadership role in phasing out thermal coal, both domestically and internationally. The science is very clear about coal; it is one of the largest contributors to climate change. We know that we need to go further and make coal history for good if we want to give the world a fighting chance to h…
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Madam Speaker, obviously the member and I will respectfully have to disagree. However, I have yet to speak about Canada's leadership in driving the coal phase-out around the world, which is crucial. Since 2017, Canada has rallied almost one-third of the world's governments to take action through its co-leadership of the Powering Past Coal Alliance with the United Kingdom, and the world has made pr…
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Mr. Speaker, it was deeply disheartening earlier this month to witness the Premier of Ontario resorting to personal attacks instead of addressing the pressing need for a Whitby hospital. My constituents have shared distressing tales of loved ones enduring agonizing waits for essential care. These stories paint a dark picture of the dire state of our health care system in Durham Region, and the pro…
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to respond to the comments made by the member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes regarding Sustainable Development Technology Canada. We have taken the responsible and prudent actions necessary to investigate the claims that are being presented to us. These processes are well under way. The party opposite needs to understand that proper due diligence take…
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Mr. Speaker, it is important that we not lose sight of the importance of pursuing our actions with diligence and of focusing on what matters. I would like to urge patience as we allow the actions we have put in place to play out. The only way to get to the bottom of the issue and to have the confidence to restore funding to SDTC is to follow proper due diligence and fact-finding. We have set condi…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure the member that we are taking the allegations seriously. As the hon. member is aware, the CBSA initiated an internal investigation as soon as there were allegations of inappropriate contracting practices. The matter was also referred to the RCMP for investigation. Contracts with three companies involved, including GC Strategies, have also been suspended throug…
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Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to transparency and accountability. We acknowledge that the procurement ombud and the Auditor General's reports have identified gaps in management processes, roles and controls at the CBSA. Some recommendations in the report have already been implemented, and the CBSA will take further action to ensure that management practices are aligned with policies and…
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Mr. Speaker, let me remind my colleague that the numbers are very clear: Carbon pricing is not what is causing increases in grocery prices. Economists estimate that as of December, the carbon price contributed less than half a percentage point to grocery price increases. However, I think we can all agree that many Canadians are suffering from the cost of living crisis. That is why we are addressin…
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Mr. Speaker, respectfully, the member opposite obviously has not read the PBO's report, because it does not say what he is claiming it says. Putting a price on carbon pollution has been a pillar of our climate policy since 2019, and experts around the world, including over 300 economists in an open letter, say it is the cheapest and most effective tool to fight climate change. We know now that, ba…
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Madam Speaker, I first want to say our thoughts are with all the employees and their families who are affected by this difficult news. It is a competitive industry landscape, and companies must continually invest and adapt. That being said, let us not forget this company has made over $2 billion in profits and is now cutting thousands of jobs. Clearly some choices have been made. Our government wi…
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Madam Speaker, I wish we could put a price on the methane coming out of the Conservative Party these days. Let us talk about hypocrisy. While our government is working hard to implement real solutions on the affordability challenges, Conservatives oppose and obstruct every step of the way. The Leader of the Opposition, we have found out, is being advised by Jenni Byrne, who also lobbies for Loblaw…
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Madam Speaker, not only is Jenni Byrne lobbying for Loblaw and advising the Leader of the Opposition, but she is also attending Conservative Party caucus meetings every week. She set up a shell company, and her senior VP is lobbying the very office that she advises. If that is not double-dipping, I am not sure what is. I think all Canadians deserve some answers here. Let us stop the pretending. Wh…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight an exceptional role model for youth in Whitby. Cohen Lane, fondly known as Coco, epitomizes community service. In 2022, he started “Coco's cocoa for kids”, a creative idea to turn Christmas lawn decorations into a hot chocolate stand to support SickKids hospital. Motivated by a life-changing treatment his 16-year-old cousin received at SickKids as an infant, …
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Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the achievements of Black Canadians throughout Black History Month, it is imperative we acknowledge the resilience and innovation demonstrated by Black entrepreneurs. This past week, I had the honour of visiting Whitby's geekspeak Commerce, a hub in our downtown, where it has just wrapped up filming the Black business catalyst program. I was thrilled to pop in and chat…
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Madam Speaker, I wish my French were good enough for me to respond in French. The 18-month timeline of coming into force is something that was debated, that we did work on and that we felt unions and labour organizations, as well as employers, needed as the runway to adapt, because this would be a really significant change. It would be arguably one of the biggest changes in terms of collective bar…
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Madam Speaker, I always appreciate Perrin Beatty's interventions and sometimes his critiques of the work of our government. I find his comments very helpful. Just to clarify, my understanding is that there were 57 stakeholder organizations that came together at five round tables, where labour organizations and unions sat down with major employers. The sectors that were represented were the telecom…
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Madam Speaker, I am not sure I see the relevance to the particular bill we are focused on, but perhaps I can speak to one of the questions that has come up: Why does this not include the public sector? I think the reason is that this is a particular set of amendments to the Labour Code, which is not the Public Service Act; it is another act. My understanding is that the public sector unions have a…
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Madam Speaker, I cannot profess to know the particulars the member opposite is referring to, but I think it is a good-faith question, and I appreciate that from her. I always appreciated the member's work on the procedure and House affairs committee when we served on it together. I would be happy to look into the matter. I cannot say that I know enough about the details, and I would need to clarif…
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Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to join in the debate in the House on a matter of great significance for our workforce and the future of collective bargaining in the federally regulated private sector. Bill C-58 is an essential piece of legislation that seeks to amend the Canada Labour Code and the Canada Industrial Relations Board regulations, 2012. At the core of Bill C-58 is the commi…
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Madam Speaker, the hypocrisy of the Conservatives is just off the charts. Conservatives use the hardships of people who are in food bank lineups for political gain, but when it comes to actually helping Canadians they are nowhere to be found. They adamantly oppose every real solution we put forward. They have said no to a grocery rebate. They are delaying competition reform. They voted against a f…
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Madam Speaker, it is no surprise that I disagree with the member opposite. I think the stats and the actual information out there actually proves the opposite. Canada is rated number three in the world in foreign direct investment. We have also been rated by BloombergNEF as the number one place for investment in electric vehicle supply chains in the whole world. The automotive manufacturers in Can…
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Madam Speaker, I am happy to respond to the comments made by the hon. member for St. Albert—Edmonton regarding Sustainable Development Technology Canada. We have taken responsible and prudent actions necessary to investigate the claims that have been presented to us. These processes are well under way. The party opposite needs to understand that proper due diligence takes time and that the appropr…
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Madam Speaker, what the member implies is absolutely false, but I think he probably knows that. I would like to urge the member opposite to exercise patience and allow the actions that we have put in place to play out. The only way to get to the bottom of the issue at hand is to have the confidence to restore funding to SDTC and to allow proper due diligence in fact-finding to happen. We set condi…
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Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to participate in the debate tonight and have the opportunity to highlight the importance of having an actual plan to tackle climate change. Canadians expect their elected representatives to pursue tangible solutions to combat climate change, yet the Conservative Party continues to deceive Canadians and perpetuate climate denial. In the past year alone, Canadians ha…
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Madam Speaker, it comes as no surprise that the member opposite is rich in slogans and rhetoric but short on solutions. On this side of the House, we believe in climate change. We are tackling affordability, along with Canadians, and we are listening to Canadians every step of the way. It is time for the opposition to wake up to the realities of climate change. Canadians can count on our governmen…
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Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to be here tonight and to answer the hon. member for Calgary Rocky Ridge's questions regarding employment at the NextStar battery plant in Windsor. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify the ways in which Canadians will benefit from the partnership with NextStar. NextStar is investing billions of dollars to establish Canada's first large-scale EV…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share some exciting news. Last week the government announced $3.1 billion in additional funding for the Province of Ontario to strengthen our health care system. This is in addition to the $77 billion that will be transferred to the province as part of the Canada health transfer. The bilateral agreement is a testament to the co-operation of federal and provincial leade…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a sense of pride and admiration to recognize the outstanding achievement of one of Whitby's finest. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Juveria Zaheer on her remarkable and well-deserved triumph in the Jeopardy! Champions Wildcard tournament. I join our community in applauding Juveria's achievement and wish her continued success as she moves on now to the Tourna…
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Madam Speaker, while we have been fighting to give Canadians more choices in the grocery aisles and fairer prices at the checkout counter, Conservatives have tried to block all of our attempts to help Canadians. Between Jenni Byrne’s current affiliations with Loblaws and the deputy leader of the Conservative Party's past lobbying for Walmart, it is no wonder the Conservatives are ragging the puck …
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Mr. Speaker, our government will always stand up for Canadian workers in Canadian industries. Our government has been clear from day one that we will always welcome foreign investment and trade that encourage economic growth, innovation and employment opportunities in Canada. We know that economic security is national security. Bill C-34 would implement the ICA and bring forward improvements so ou…
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Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to share positive news. Canada is number three in the world in foreign direct investment, which is something that we should all be proud of. Brendan Sweeney from the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing talked about the “specialized expertise workers” needed from outside of Canada to help set up the giant facility. He said, “There are hundreds, if not…
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Mr. Speaker, investments like the LG and Stellantis EV battery plant represent a win for the economy, a win for Canadian workers and a win for the fight against climate change, but the Conservatives are so committed to their doomsday narrative that they just cannot admit that anything good is happening. In a recent article in The Globe and Mail, a journalist writes that the Conservative leader “ha…
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Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the Conservatives claim, our government has always been clear regarding jobs created by investments like LG and Stellantis. In a recent article, Yakabuski writes, “These workers will only be here for a matter of months. The plant could not be built without them, or at least not in time for battery production to be up and running by 2025. They will not 'steal' jobs fro…
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Mr. Speaker, either the Conservative leader takes us all for fools or he thinks the Canadian public was in a coma for the last 20 years. Either way, no one could take his claim to be protecting local jobs seriously. Not only is his track record as part of the previous Conservative government abysmal, consisting of the loss of over 300,000 manufacturing jobs, he has also proven to be one of the mos…
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Mr. Speaker, for all Canadians, Remembrance Day is a day to pause and reflect. As the member of Parliament for Whitby, I want to take this opportunity to pay my respects to the veterans of Whitby. This Saturday my wife and I look forward to attending the ceremonies hosted by branches 112 and 152 of the Royal Canadian Legion and The Court at Brooklin retirement home. From Vimy Ridge to Juno Beach a…
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Mr. Speaker, I can see that this topic has been on the minds of everyone here over the last few days. The Government of Canada understands that the effects of climate change have been devastating for many families and Canadians from coast to coast to coast. In fact, the Canadian Climate Institute estimates the annual costs will amount to $25 billion by 2025, and by mid-century, the estimate costs …
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Mr. Speaker, I think the member and I stand on opposite sides of this debate, as always, in the House. The Conservatives do not seem to really understand that climate change is real. They deny the science and they do not understand what it means to invest in Canadians and take advantage of the clean growth opportunities that, really, our economic prosperity depends on for generations to come. We k…
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Mr. Speaker, I know that some members of communities have had challenges with the administration of the Canada greener homes grant and program. I know there are constituents in my riding who have also taken full advantage of that program and have been able to access both components of it. They have retrofit their homes to get as close to net zero as possible. That included installing an extreme co…
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Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that extreme cold climate heat pumps work in Canada. There are examples of them working all the way up as far north as one can get. They are actually very effective, far more efficient in terms of the use of energy. Really, I cannot think of a better solution for wider adoption that Canadians can take advantage of to get those cost savings on their energy bill. The…
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Madam Speaker, our government has listened to Canadians, over months, who are saying that they are struggling to pay their bills. We recognize that it is challenging when we see that the grocery industry is highly consolidated with 80% market share, and food prices are way too high. That is why we called the CEOs of the largest grocery chains to Ottawa, and they have developed action plans. We are…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that at a time when Canadians are struggling with affordability, food prices are too high. That is what we have heard right across this country. That is why our government called the five largest grocery chain CEOs to Ottawa and worked with them to create action plans, which they are implementing to lower and stabilize food prices for Canadians. This is important work, we are …
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to share some exciting news. The Sustainable Finance Forum 2023 will be held this week on Wednesday, November 1 and Thursday, November 2 at the Shaw Centre here in Ottawa. In just a couple of days, we will welcome 500 participants at this year's forum to engage in many constructive conversations over two days. The program consists of 16 sessions…
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Mr. Speaker, the government has demonstrated through action that we really care about the struggles that Canadians are facing, but it is hard to take the Johnny-come-lately Conservatives seriously. When the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food came to Canada in 2012, he documented that 55% of households on social assistance were food-insecure. Instead, it was the inadequacy of social protect…
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Mr. Speaker, every day in the House, Conservatives stand up and talk about the lineups at our food banks as if food insecurity in this country just became a thing. While the current government created the first-ever national food policy for Canada, invested in the local food infrastructure fund, invested over $100 million into food security organizations during COVID-19 and advanced social protect…
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