Parliamentary Speeches

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, I guess this is what I cannot understand. I am relatively new to this parliamentary position. There are acts. There are laws. Many of my colleagues have pointed out that, with the Criminal Code, they could have nipped this in the bud and kept it under control. If they were that worried about it, where was the plan? It is so typical of the current government and of the Prime Minister. …

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, I believe the debate we are having on the Emergencies Act is the most important and significant debate Parliament will have in a generation. Canadians are watching what we do. I have never received more emails and phone calls from my constituents since I have been elected. The vote on such unprecedented powers should not be taken lightly by any member of the House. This is not just an…

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, I guess the bottom line is that they are words on paper. I wonder what kind of relationship they have with those provinces. I wonder how many times the actual Prime Minister just happened to talk personally to all of the officials who were involved. Did they actually sit down and ask what they could do with the tools available? When the trucks started showing up there, they had weeks …

Orders of the Day

Mr. Speaker, I cannot imagine having that kind of thing happen, when someone has nothing to do with the organization at all.

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, under the new act that is being talked about, the Emergencies Act, financial institutions are required to cease dealing with designated persons. These designated persons are defined as anyone associated with a protest. Using your past experience, were you a designated person in past protests? Were you a protest organizer? Were you a protest attendee? Were you a donor, or were you so…

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, the member referred to being in favour of peaceful protests, but under these regulations, the Emergencies Act order requires financial institutions to cease dealing with designated persons. Designated persons is defined as anyone associated with a protest. Keeping in mind that we both support peaceful protests, could the member explain what a designated person means in the act? Is i…

Orders of the Day

Madam Speaker, I wonder if the member could share his thoughts on why the government delayed and took so long to act. They knew this risk was in Ottawa. They were staying in a hotel here. Why did they not go out, question them, bring them in and have a chat with them? Why does he think they stopped at that point and just ignored it for three weeks?

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I sent out a survey last month asking my constituents what their biggest concerns were. The cost of living was the number one issue. Rick, one of my constituents, wrote to me and stated, “food prices are out of my pay range”. Inflation is at record highs due to the Liberal government’s spending. What does the Prime Minister have to say to Rick, who cannot afford to put food on his tab…

Statements By Members

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Bob Edmundson. Bob passed away last month after a battle with cancer. He served as my campaign manager for my nomination and in my first campaign. He would later serve my constituents as outreach coordinator. It is fair to say that if were not for Bob's steadfast support, I would not be here today. Bob was a man of faith and family. He loved watching h…

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, farmers are worried, and rightfully so. I have been trying to get some certainty out of the government for Canadian farmers. I have asked the Minister of Agriculture in question period. I have asked the Department of Agriculture in committee. I have asked the Department of the Environment, and I have asked the industry. No one, and I repeat no one, has been able to confirm whether t…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for an excellent speech and the enlightening information. I want to know. What percentage of Canadians needs to be vaccinated before the mandates will be lifted?

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, this is part of the problem. For the agriculture industry, while the member has come a long way in acknowledging what good farmers do, there are still a lot of words that are very unclear. There is still really no clear answer. Producers are the ones who know best what to do on their land and for the crops, how they are testing and how they know what is going on with the soil. Farme…

Speech from the Throne

Madam Speaker, as far as squaring it off, I do not know how the government justifies charging a carbon tax to seniors on fixed incomes to heat their homes. How can it go up by 100%? The term “energy poverty” was used in the speech. I think he should take that pretty seriously, in my opinion.

Routine Proceedings

With regard to government projections on the impact of inflation: (a) what is the projected impact that inflation will have on the (i) real, (ii) nominal value of income to seniors who receive payments from the Canadian Pension Plan, Guaranteed Income Supplement, and Old Age Security; (b) has the government conducted any analysis on the impact that inflation will have on seniors living on fixed in…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to government statistics on labour shortages: how many unfilled jobs are there currently in each of the job sectors identified in the North American Industry Classification System, broken down by province or territory and by region?

Routine Proceedings

With regard to the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), broken down by province and region: how many Canadians experienced a reduction in a GIS payment since January 2020, as a result of receiving income from a COVID-19 related financial relief program, such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit?

Speech from the Throne

Madam Speaker, as this is the first time I am rising in the House since being elected, I want to thank the constituents of Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa for once again placing their trust in me to be their voice in Parliament. I give special thanks to my campaign team for running a successful operation in a riding geographically larger than the entire province of Nova Scotia and with over 200 rural c…

Speech from the Throne

Madam Speaker, affordability is what this all comes down to for anybody with a fixed income or a moderate income. As soon as inflation hits people who are trying to make ends meet, life becomes more unaffordable. That hurts everybody. People had plans, decades ago, about how they were going to make a living while they were seniors. It has all gone to shambles because of the Liberals' poor policies…

Speech from the Throne

Madam Speaker, I have also heard heart-wrenching stories of people having government payments removed. Actually, they are phoning them, saying they owe some money. I look forward to working together with the member in having seniors and their needs addressed.

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, in September my constituency lost a cherished community member with the passing of Duane LaCoste. Duane served his country in countless ways. In 1961 he joined the RCMP, and he would serve in B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. Duane was even posted in Ottawa, where he provided security to Prime Minister Pearson and Governor General Vanier. Duane retired from the force as sergea…

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, despite it never leaving, the Grey Cup is back in Manitoba where it belongs. After a thrilling Grey Cup final, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were victorious after a nail-biting 33 to 25 overtime win against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. This victory came as no surprise to most Canadians after a stellar regular season by the CFL's best-performing team. Not only did the Blue Bombers win the cove…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, the Liberals plan to limit the amount of fertilizer that farmers can use. Any plan to reduce emissions must not reduce maximum crop potential. Canadian farmers are among the most efficient users of fertilizers in the world, but instead of working with them the current government is threatening the future of our agriculture industry. The bigger the crop, the bigger the paycheque. Doe…

Speech from the Throne

Mr. Speaker, it is encouraging to hear the hon. member actually talking about homelessness in his riding and addressing it. Instead of words, I want to know if he has any idea of what the timelines are on it. When will homelessness end in his riding?

Government Orders

I am sorry, Madam Chair. I have a question through the Speaker. Do you plan on attending committees in person for the first time since you have never attended them in person?

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I thank the constituents of Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa for sending me here for the second time. This is my first time rising in the House, and I have a question for the hon. member. Do you plan on—

Routine Proceedings

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-299, An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (access to transparent and accurate broadband services information). Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to table this legislation. Canadians know how important access to high-quality Internet service is. Unfortunately, they also know that for too many Canadians access to high-speed Internet is out of reach. For y…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, one year later and the illegal occupation of the Lake Audy Campground in Riding Mountain National Park continues. This occupation violates the National Parks Act. However, Parks Canada has failed to act and instead deprived Canadians access to a national park. Barricades, vandalism, theft and the prohibited use of cameras are only some of the consequences of this illegal occupation,…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, that is not good enough. Documents reveal that local law enforcement raised public safety concerns many times to Parks Canada, and that conflict has already occurred. We now know there is no plan to fully reopen the Lake Audy Campground. If public safety is further compromised because Parks Canada refuses to act, the minister will be directly responsible. Why has the minister ignore…

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, on May 20, Ukrainian Canadians across our nation will celebrate Vyshyvanka day. It is with great honour that I congratulate all Ukrainian Canadians on this special occasion. In this chamber, we truly understand the importance of Ukrainian embroidery as a symbol of heritage, dignity and unity. This is why we will be celebrating this day virtually with thousands of Ukrainian Canadians f…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I know the current government in particular does not want to listen to any of the provinces in Canada. This has been an ongoing battle as we respond to COVID-19. I totally sympathize with the battle Quebec is going through in dealing with these SMEs.

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, this budget really has no focus. What I cannot not get over is the conversation I had with Diane. Thinking back, this was a young female with a family of four worried about how much government debt is being acquired. Those are the things I am focused on. That conversation really set me back. I really do wonder why my colleague across the way would be wondering about how we are misrepr…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, after a record two years, Canadians were finally provided with the federal budget. Unfortunately, it was the longest wait in our nation's history in some of the most troubling times in a generation. Before I begin addressing the budget and the impact it will have on the people I represent, I want to congratulate the Minister of Finance on making history. Last month, she became the fir…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I would support all those businesses. The problem with this budget is it misses so many of those businesses in my riding, those start-ups, and is creating a huge amount of uncertainty for the future. They do not know what kind of future bills are going to come from the government. Can one imagine starting up a business and having a special item line that says if inflation goes up anot…

Private Members' Business

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to a very important bill that would positively impact countless farmers and small business owners across Canada if passed. I want to sincerely thank my colleague, the member for Brandon—Souris, for introducing the bill to Parliament and making so much progress on this issue. I am fortunate to work with my Manitoba colleague, who gained my profound respect for r…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), since January 2020, broken down by month: (a) how many phone calls did the CRA receive from the general public; (b) what was the average wait time for an individual who contacted the CRA by phone before first making contact with a live employee; (c) what was the average wait or on hold time after first being connected with a live employee; (d) what w…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I am online from rural Manitoba, and there is no one around me for miles. We are in a lockdown in Manitoba right now. We can have one person in our houses and no one in our backyards, so members can imagine that we are feeling the lockdown rather greatly here. I have had lots of questions about the contracts that were signed with the pharmaceutical companies, especially for rapid test…

Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time today. I rise to address an important matter that is significantly impacting our nation and our economy. After two years without a contract, a 19-day strike and a seven-month truce, over 1,000 workers at the Port of Montreal are on strike. Although the Port of Montreal is located in Quebec, it is an essential pillar for western Canada and the constituents…

Madam Speaker, I would say to my leader and to all the workers who are involved that I, too, have worked in the labour force. I worked for a union out of a plant in Brandon, and I experienced two strikes. I can tell members first-hand that strikes do not only impact those people, and these government people who sit around and talk about this stuff, but they impact families. Every day, there are no…

Madam Speaker, this is just another scenario and situation where we in agriculture are being ignored. The government and the Prime Minister have a certain blind spot when it comes to agriculture, that is for sure. I cannot imagine, as a farmer, sitting there today wondering where my fertilizer is going to come from next week when I have the drills set up with seed. I am ready to hit the field and …

Madam Speaker, again, I guess it is in southern Ontario, but the fact is we have got to get the products out to the markets. When we shut down a port, such as the Port of Montreal, which does major exporting, we have to get to the markets, and that is where our value-added is. The government can support all the internal trade it wants to, and one company got something out of it. It was probably a …

Madam Speaker, as far as expanding on agriculture goes, agriculture is very much cyclical and seasonal. What is going on in the Port of Montreal right now is delaying our sales from last year. Those prices were actually set almost a year and a half ago, and those suppliers were looking for those peas, that grain, that flour or whatever they were looking for, but all of a sudden someone came into t…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to Service Canada, since January 2020, and broken down by month: (a) how many calls did Service Canada receive from the general public via phone; (b) what was the average wait time for an individual who contacted Service Canada via phone before first making contact with a live employee; (c) what was the average wait or on hold time after first being connected with a live employee; (d) …

Statements By Members

Madam Speaker, mankind has yet to step foot on planet Mars, but thanks to the innovation and work spearheaded by Manitoba’s Mark Wahoski, my constituency is leading the way. Based in the rural community of Minnedosa, Manitoba, Canadian Photonic Labs has been working with NASA on its Mars exploration program. Its high-speed imaging technology has been used extensively for research and development, …

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want a government that works for them, but they do not have one. Seniors are being left behind, businesses have closed their doors, rural Canada is being ignored and our vaccine rollout is among the worst. Instead of doing his job, the Prime Minister is more focused on keeping his job. Canadians do not want an early election; they want a future. Why is the Prime Minister mor…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I was wondering if the member could offer some comments on why the Liberal government chose to take no action in Quebec in particular. Was there a particular instance when the Liberal government could have acted better in Quebec?

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, on Canada's Agriculture Day, we recognize the immense contributions of our farm families. One in eight jobs is related to agriculture, so our Canadian egg industry will be vital to our economic recovery. Unfortunately, the government has restricted the ability for agriculture to prosper, due to its rising carbon tax, limits to market access and failed trading relationships. How can Ca…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada limiting its research activities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic: (a) what research activities were reduced; (b) what research activities continued unimpeded; (c) what research activities remain suspended; and (d) what is the specific plan regarding when each of the research activities, which remain operating at less than full capacity, will res…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to the Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sport Organizations: (a) how many applications has the government received for funding; (b) what is the total amount dispersed by the fund since its official formation; (c) how many applications were from the constituency of Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa; (d) how many applications were received from applicants in the province of Man…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to the Universal Broadband Fund: (a) how many applications has the government received for funding; (b) what is the total amount dispersed by the fund since its official formation; (c) how many applications were classified as originating from a local government district; (d) how many applications were received from applicants in the province of Manitoba; (e) how many of the application…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Business Risk Management Programs (BRMs), AgriStability, AgriInvest, AgriInsurance and AgriRecovery: (a) what is the total amount of funds budgeted in fiscal year 2019-20 for AgriStability, AgriInvest, AgriInsurance and AgriRecovery; (b) what is the total amount of funds dispersed in fiscal year 2019-20 for AgriStability, AgriInvest, AgriInsurance …