Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am not going to disagree with the member. I know that her party is supportive of the speedy passage of this legislation. I thank her and her party for that support. I look forward to seeing this bill pass.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, our seniors love our flag. I will bring it back to the bill. It is important to recognize that it was an MP for Kingston and the Islands who brought this flag, and this design, forward. It is a renowned symbol. It is something that not only seniors, but all Canadians can appreciate.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Put your mask on, Cheryl. Put your mask on.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, government information on funds, grants, loans and loan guarantees issued by departments and agencies is based on parliamentary authorities for departmental or agency programs and activities. This information is listed on the following websites: https://search.open.canada.ca/en/gc/?_ga=2.177218029.930871220.1640011343-1034491344.1619371825 https://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/201/301/public_…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member is a big proponent of an urban national park in Halifax. I wonder if he could speak to the government's commitment and its plan to protect Canada's lands.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am not going to get into specific details and I look forward to the committee's study on this, but if we keep carving out issues, we are not addressing the serious problem. I take the member at his word that he was involved in the criminal justice system. He knows that if people commit serious offences, they receive serious penalties. This legislation would not stop that. Unfortun…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is disappointing that the hon. member for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies would remove his mask to yell and heckle. It is not his opportunity. I do not know what the animosity is. We have failed. Liberal and Conservative governments have successively failed on this file. It is time to right the wrongs on this. It has not worked. It does not make us safer. Time after ti…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, we all have work to do at all orders of government. There is no silver bullet to solving the opioid crisis. This legislation will not solve it. Safe supply is another piece of the puzzle but will not solve it. We have to talk about things like housing and poverty reduction. We have to talk about so many things, because this is a crisis that has been decades in the making. We need si…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, once again we have a suggestion that human traffickers will get off and not receive a strong penalty. It is a serious offence, and the hon. members are suggesting our judiciary is stupid in terms of not seeing a serious offence like human trafficking and not providing a penalty that will fit the crime. This is about judicial discretion. We do not appoint stupid people to the bench. …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, though I have been on my feet a number of times in this Parliament it is my first formal speech, so I would like to take a moment to give my thanks. Representing the people of St. Catharines in this place has been the greatest honour of my life. I want to thank the voters, my supporters and everyone who helped on the campaign. For all of us here there is one name on the ballot, but …
Read full speech →Government Orders
I know the hon. member wants to take off his mask to heckle. He is so upset by the discussion of this topic and—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the member had a throwaway line in his speech about housing being an area of provincial jurisdiction, and the rest of his speech was focused on federal intervention. I think we both agree that there should be federal intervention, but as an Ontario MP, I have noticed the absence of our provincial partner, the Ford government. It has not been there on housing the way previous governm…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the Conservatives talk about almost 41 million hectares of land that the federal government owns and should be redeveloped. However, of that nearly 41 million hectares, almost 36 million hectares is managed by Parks Canada, 2.3 million is managed by Environment and Climate Change Canada and 2.2 million is managed by National Defence, so that is about 99% of the land owned by the fed…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I have heard a couple of times from the Conservatives that they are likening hospitals, vaccination centres and abortion clinics to pipelines. I am a cancer survivor. Many of my constituents go daily to the St. Catharines General Hospital to receive treatment. I would like to ask if the hon. member agrees how ridiculous this argument from the Conservatives is, to liken a hospital, a c…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, it is interesting that the hon. member talks about being tone deaf, as we are nearly on the eve of the anniversary of École Polytechnique, and he is talking about relegalizing military-style assault weapons. I would like to focus on his one mention. He mentioned the statistic of 80% of illegal firearms being used, and if we were to accept his statistic, why is he willing to write of…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today to speak to this motion, but I would like to focus my remarks on Bill C-12 itself and the importance of passing this legislation. As I hope all members in this House know, climate change is a global threat and Canadians rightly expect us to take action to counter the climate crisis. The net-zero emissions accountability act is a fundamental part of thi…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands is a leader in our caucus on the climate crisis and is always pushing the government to move in stronger ways. It has been clear throughout this debate. I know a few members of the Conservative Party in the House were in favour of the bill initially before the rest of the caucus bullied them into voting against it. They voted against clim…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is interesting to hear from members of the Green Party, who voted against the bill at second reading, who voted against it in principle and now cry foul that we should take their amendments at face value and wanting to be part of this process. It is clear they are not. It is disappointing to see their leader, instead of focusing on important environmental issues, attack the Minis…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his work on this bill to help us strengthen it. Carbon budgets are one path forward. We took the view that this should be a made-in-Canada approach moving forward. The approach is tailored to Canadian circumstances, ensuring the target setting and planning of the key measures, including sectoral measures, are made with the collaboration of a…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her climate advocacy, but Bill C-12 would achieve measures similar to the Bloc's objectives in Bill C-215, and the amendments that were adopted by the committee confirm that. I know there was a concern from the Bloc about incorporating targets into law. I would remind my colleague that the government proposed an amendment to the committee to…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the Liberals on the committee have a minority. To get this through, there had to be collaboration. In the budget debate, the hon. member was for this bill before he was against it. It is shocking that after voting against it, he is now crying foul about there not being enough collaboration. We worked with opposition parties to see this through. I have no doubt that the hon. member s…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian net-zero emissions accountability act has robust accountability and transparency, just to name a few aspects. It has a legally binding process for the federal government to set climate targets and bring forward plans to meet those targets, rigorous ongoing process reports, yearly reports by the independent advisory body and ongoing audits by the Office of the Auditor Gene…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her continued climate advocacy and passion on the file. We have a bold and ambitious plan to protect our environment, reduce emissions and create a sustainable economy for our kids and grandkids. In fact, the former leader of the B.C. Green Party and leading climate change scientist, Andrew Weaver, called our pollution pricing plan the gold st…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the best available science tells us that we must achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and we are committed to meeting this target. With this legislation, we are enshrining into law the commitment. We will be strengthening the law to include a review in 2025 for our 2030 target and interim emissions reduction for 2026, and enshrining the principle of progression of future targets. This …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we flattened the curve on pollution. The Canadian net-zero emissions accountability act provides strong accountability and transparency mechanisms. The bill includes measures similar to the Bloc's Bill C-215, and several amendments already adopted by the committee address many of the Bloc's concerns. We await the outcome of the committee's work with great interest as we continue to mo…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we have a bold and ambitious plan to protect our environment, reduce emissions and create a sustainable economy for our kids and grandkids. Do not take my word for it. Former leader of the B.C. Green Party and leading climate scientist Andrew Weaver called our pollution pricing plan the gold standard and described our plan as an innovative, inspiring climate plan. We are here to pro…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his passion about Canada achieving net zero by 2050, which is a commitment the government has made through Bill C-12 that is making its way through committee. Indigenous knowledge forms a central part of that bill and of the expert committee involved. That is a commitment by the government, and something we will continue to do to ensure that…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Etobicoke Centre for his tireless work to safeguard our environment. Canadians understand the value of nature and wild species, and the essential role they play for our health and well-being. This is why our government is committed to conserving a quarter of Canada's lands and oceans by 2025, thanks to a further investment of over $4 billion for nat…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the Canadian net-zero emissions accountability act has robust accountability and transparency. Just to name a few aspects, it has a legally binding process for the federal government to set climate targets and bring forward plans to meet those targets; rigorous ongoing process reports; yearly reports by the independent advisory body; and ongoing audits by the Office of the Auditor G…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their review of and engagement with the bill during previous debates in this House and at committee. We are now engaged in the final hour of debate on Bill C-204. This is our last opportunity to consider the merits and drawbacks of the bill before we vote on whether it should proceed to the Senate. Many substa…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, perhaps the hon. member, like me, enjoys a soft drink or a beer, which contains carbon dioxide. That is also listed in the toxic substances. Canadians understand that, under the Environmental Protection Act, the term “toxic substances” has a specific meaning, and they can be used safely. Canadians also know that plastics pose a significant danger to the environment and our health wh…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-269. Ultimately, the government opposes the bill for multiple reasons, including because it would actually reduce environmental protection. The bill would negatively impact current federal, provincial and territorial collaborations on waste water, it would impose significant financial and practical challenges on all levels of government and it would b…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we have a credible and tested climate plan that is already delivering results. We have made historic investments of more than $100 billion to build a cleaner, healthier economy with more good jobs for Canadians. This includes $17.6 million for climate and the environment in budget 2021, $15 billion through the strengthened climate plan, $15 billion for dedicated transit and $60 bill…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, when our government took office five years ago, Canada's emissions were going the wrong way: emissions were on track to be 12% higher by 2030 than in 2005. We flattened the curve on pollution. We have negotiated Canada's first climate plan; a plan that is delivering the biggest projected cut ever to Canada's emissions. We are seeing the results. The target we have set is both ambiti…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we are taking action to fight climate change and grow the economy, and budget 2021 is a critical step forward. Budget 2021 represents $17.6 billion that will help with a cleaner and more sustainable future. That includes $4 billion for the protection of our lands and oceans, over $600 million to protect and restore Pacific salmon and $5 billion to support the net zero accelerator to…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we flattened the curve on pollution, and we know there is more work to do. That being said, the authors of the report the hon. member is citing are not being entirely forthright in their assessment of subsidies that include many things the vast majority of Canadians would agree are not fossil fuel subsidies, such as supporting workers, cleaning up orphan wells and methane cleanup. The…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we have a credible and tested climate plan that is delivering results. We have flattened the curve on pollution. We have made a historic investments of more than $100 billion in building a cleaner, healthier economy with more good jobs for Canadians. That includes $17.6 billion for climate and the environment in budget 2021, $15 billion through the strengthened and climate plan, $15 b…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we have an ambitious plan to address climate change, cut emissions and grow the economy. I know the hon. member will not believe me, but perhaps he will believe the former leader of the New Democratic Party, Thomas Mulcair. He called our plan absolutely marvellous, saying it would put Canada on track to respect our Paris Agreement obligations. He went on to say that our Prime Minister…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I want to be clear that this is a pamphlet that will do less and cost Canadians more. After fighting climate action for years, Conservatives have promised to stop sending rebates back to families, and instead create an incomprehensive reward system where the more they burn, the more they earn. Compare that to our net-zero bill, Bill C-12, which is up for debate today. It would requi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, during our mandate, we approved over $1.5 billion in federal funding for 1,452 waste-water projects across the country. In comparison, from 2011 and 2015, the previous Harper government approved only 216 waste-water projects and invested less than half the amount of federal funding. Compare that with the Conservative platform that had the Conservatives cutting billions of dollars fr…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, that is why I gave a very brief speech, to get this through as quickly as possible.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Guelph for his passion on climate change, which has been evident since we both got elected in 2015. It has been a pleasure to serve with him on the environment committee these past few weeks. Accountability is already in the legislation. The hon. member is correct in pointing out the role of the Auditor General, and we are fully willing to s…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, we look forward to amendments being brought, but I take exception with the member's claims about our climate plan. I know the hon. member will not believe me, so I will reference his former leader Thomas Mulcair, who called our climate plan absolutely marvellous, saying it put Canada on track to respect our Paris accord obligations. He went on to say that our Prime Minister had publ…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I disagree with the hon. member's statement. It has taken nine years, but we have flattened the curve on pollution. The reports that have been released show that we are moving in the right direction. The member's party said it supports the bill, and we look forward to further amendments. We want to work with the opposition to strengthen this bill, and we look forward to it. We hope …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the government has said from the beginning of the pandemic that we will have Canadians' backs, and that is what we are doing, yet as we continue to fight COVID-19 and have a plan for the Canadian economy, the planet remains in crisis, and we must act. I am going to try to keep my remarks short. I know some members may not believe that, but it will be in the form of a plea to hon. me…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, the hon. member knows that we do not use members' proper names in the chamber.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the authors of the report the hon. member mentions are not being entirely forthright. In their assessment of subsidies, they included things that the majority of Canadians would not agree are subsidies: for example, investments in orphan wells and methane cleanup, which were supported by the NDP; the wage subsidy for oil and gas companies that was received by all sectors in the econ…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I know the report the hon. member is quoting includes money that the NDP has voted in favour of to clean up abandoned orphan wells. We are working on ending fossil fuel subsidies and we have taken real action on climate change and will continue to do so. I hope members of the NDP continue to push forward for real action and help us move Bill C-12 through Parliament and into committee.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to protecting fresh water and to ensuring a safe and secure supply of water for generations to come. We have a strong and comprehensive approach and we have taken concrete and measurable actions to protect our water. That includes investing $31.5 million over five years to implement the St. Lawrence action plan. We are protecting the St. Lawrence though sci…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I am a little saddened that I do not see the hon. member's usual photo of the House of Commons behind him, as it is a good reminder of where we would all like to be in person. I appreciate the opportunity to speak to this issue. As the member mentioned, the budget will be delivered on April 19. I do take objection to his comments that we are not providing a level of transparency. As…
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