Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I do appreciate the comments from the parliamentary secretary across the way. In particular, he mentioned quite a bit about Shoal Lake, which is in my riding. I had the opportunity to visit the community recently and see some of the infrastructure improvements. I want to ask the member a bit about the process of the bill and how we got to this point. He mentioned that there is broad…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is an honour for me to be able to rise and talk to such an important issue as drinking water on first nations, dealing with Bill C-61. Before I get too far into my remarks, I would like to let members know that I will be splitting my time this evening with the hon. member for Cariboo—Prince George. I look forward to hearing his comments on this very shortly. This is obviously an …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would agree that there are a number of factors, including changing conditions, that do impact that. We have seen in my riding that a number of communities are facing very different seasons, such as shorter winter seasons, for example, that are impacting a number of things, including drinking water. I think that the member rightly recognizes that it is about quantity and quality, e…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I do not see quorum, so I would ask that you see quorum.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, when it comes to nutrition north, the Liberals always talk about the money they are spending, but they are putting money into a big broken bureaucratic system. It is not working. The more they spend, the more food insecurity rates rise across the north. This motion, of course, alludes to nutrition north and the badly needed reforms. I would agree that reforms are needed. A number of…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want to pick up on the last comments by the member for Kingston and the Islands. He talked about the fact that he got more money back. That is great for him, but unfortunately that is not the reality for the vast majority of Canadians, particularly those in rural and northern areas across the country where they are paying the carbon tax. They are using more fuel for essential thin…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the minister can try to deflect and deny as much as he wants, but the fact of the matter is that, after nine years, it is his government's policies that have caused hunger and homelessness to rise. One in four Canadians is struggling to put food on the table. People are spending over 30% of their incomes on housing alone. This is the NDP-Liberal plan in action. How can the government …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the hunger and homelessness. A recent CBC report highlighted the reality for people living in Thunder Bay. There, neighbours are having to share groceries and other essentials just to be able to get by. Now, realizing that Canadians are struggling and that the Liberals' plan has received a failing grade from the poverty rep…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, after nine years of an NDP-Liberal government, Canadians are having to cancel their summer vacations as the price of a simple road trip is now unaffordable. The government's inflationary deficits and high-tax agenda have driven up fuel costs nearly 50%, and now the Liberals are planning to quadruple the carbon tax and make everything even more expensive, but common-sense Conservatives…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, in budget after budget, the government has allocated more funding towards indigenous services. However, we have seen various reports by the PBO and by others outside indicating that the dollars being spent by the Liberal government are not leading to an equivalent increase in the ability of ISC and its programs to achieve the goals it has set for itself. In other words, it is more spe…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am thankful to my colleague for bringing forward a common-sense motion. He spoke about how the government has been great at spending money but falls short on results. To address housing, the government brought forward a bunch of programs. It doubled the cost of housing to try to address the cost of groceries. It spent a lot of money, and recent grocery prices increased along with …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, young Canadians know that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost. Eight in 10 people now regard home ownership as being only for the rich, as they have completely given up on their dream of ever owning a home. Simply, will the government finally listen to Canadians and to our common-sense plan to cap spending, which would bring down in…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the member opposite spoke a lot about the cost of food. One thing that the Conservatives wanted to see ahead of the budget was a plan to immediately pass Bill C-234 in its original form, which would support farmers and farm families by taking the carbon tax off food and making it a lot more affordable for everyone to buy groceries. Can the member speak to why the government has been…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program and the decision to not fund the Municipality of Red Lake, Ontario: (a) why was the decision made to not fund the application from Red Lake; (b) what scoring system or evaluation grading system was used to judge applications; (c) what score or grade was given to Red Lake’s application; and (d) were any applications which received a…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the government's commitment to plant 2 billion trees: (a) which organizations have received funding as part of the tree planting program; (b) for each organization in (a), how much funding has it received to date, broken down by year in which the funding was received; (c) for each organization in (a), how many trees was it expected to plant with the funding provided to date; and (d)…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are struggling to feed, heat and house themselves, the NDP-Liberal government went ahead with a 23% carbon tax hike on April 1. We already know that it is not worth the cost. After eight years, rent and mortgage payments have doubled, deficits are driving up inflation and food banks received two million visitors in a single month last year. With budget day just around …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I think a very good point was raised. It is something that is urgent for people in northern Ontario, Quebec and right across the country, but the government has really been dragging its heels on this. The member points out a very obvious example. The fact that we are even here debating it all this time later, after eight years, is perhaps the greatest example of all that the government …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, it is an honour to rise on this important issue this evening. Of course, forestry is a major employer and economic driver for people in my region of northwestern Ontario and right across northern Ontario. I think about the people in Dryden, Kenora, Ear Falls and Ignace, along with a number of first nations across Treaty No. 3 that have partnered in groundbreaking partnerships and revenu…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, in the five years I have had the honour to represent the people in the Kenora riding in Parliament, it has been a pleasure each and every time I have had an opportunity to vote against one of the NDP-Liberal budgets because I am voting non-confidence in the government. It is a government that is tired and out of ideas. It is corrupt and has no plan to support our forest industry or to g…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I really love the community of Kapuskasing. Last summer, I had the opportunity to travel there with the leader of Canada's Conservatives. We met with forestry workers, many of whom felt left behind by the NDP-Liberal government. They were very upset with the fact that their NDP representative continues to support the Liberal government and continues to support a government that is dragg…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the First Nations and Inuit Policing Program, since November 4, 2015: (a) how many Self-administered Police Service Agreements have been (i) signed, (ii) renewed, (iii) not renewed; and (b) of the agreements in (a)(iii), what is the (i) police service name, (ii) date the agreement expired, (iii) reason the agreement was not renewed?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Northern Ontario section of the Community Futures Program: (a) what were the service standards for the program in Northern Ontario in fiscal Year 2020-21, broken down by (i) standard name, (ii) target, (iii) performance, (iv) results, (v) total business volume, (vi) volume meeting target; and (b) if data in (a) is not available, what is the reason for it not being available?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I request a recorded division.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I know we were all disappointed to learn that the member for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock's time expired, as he had much more to contribute. However, it is an honour for me to rise to speak to such an important topic here this morning. As has been highlighted in the discussion thus far, we know that food insecurity is a challenge right across the country, with inflationary spendi…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, my colleague opposite is right. Climate change is impacting people in the north. As I mentioned in my speech, winter road access is becoming less predictable. It is why communities are looking for alternative options to get goods to the north. They hope to be able to harvest more in the north. We certainly need to deal with this issue. It speaks to the fact that nutrition north Cana…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I appreciated working with my colleague on the committee in the past. Of course, nutrition north will not be the “silver bullet” to address this issue. We heard a number of concerns about the transparency of nutrition north. A lot of people do not believe it is properly being passed on, and there should be some mechanisms in place for that. The government also needs to look at wheth…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, obviously, the government would have to answer why it is taking so long to evaluate the program. I have no idea. It is something the government should have acted on before we did that report. I would have hoped that it would have acted on it much quicker. We have heard time and time again that there are problems and concerns with this program. In committee, the government seems to a…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, while Conservatives will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime, the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the cost, the crime or the corruption. One in five families is living in energy poverty, and we know that rate is even higher in rural areas, such as northern Ontario. While they laugh about it, why does the Prime Minister not finally axe his April carb…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, no matter how much they try to distract or deny, their plan is simply not working. The carbon tax is not an environmental plan; emissions are on the rise. More Canadians are paying more in the tax than they are getting back in rebates. One in five families is living in energy poverty, and two million Canadians are going to a food bank every single month. How much more must Canadians s…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-376, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (orders prohibiting the possession of weapons). Madam Speaker, it is my honour to introduce my private member's bill today, which simply would amend the Criminal Code to institute a mandatory weapons prohibition for all individuals convicted of a violent indictable offence. This is a common-sense approach to target violent …
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to finally be able to rise and be a part of the discussion here this evening. I am looking forward to bringing it home for the evening. I rise tonight to follow up on a previous question posed about the carbon tax impacting first nations. Before I get to that, I just want to talk about the current state of Indigenous Services Canada as a whole. The government is spe…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I look forward to putting a big election sign on the member's lawn the next time an election comes around. Northern Ontario, northwestern Ontario specifically, definitely sees the impacts of climate change. There is no question about that. It is seen on the ice roads into northern and remote first nations that communities rely on. The seasons are getting shorter and shorter, as a pr…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, that is a very good point. The government has been very transparent that the whole point of the carbon tax is to try to change behaviours by making things more expensive. We are seeing it with gas, groceries and home heating. Unfortunately, it seems to be working too well and making things more expensive for Canadians.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the response from the member opposite. She mentioned that it is 1% of proceeds, as she put it, that the government is returning to indigenous communities. That is obviously a very low amount and, frankly, does not cut it, as evidenced by 133 first nations taking the government to court. These are communities, many of them remote, northern communities, in my area that re…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, although I really appreciate this prairie battle back and forth between colleagues, I also enjoy the opportunity to rise and speak to this very important issue as we go through the agriculture committee's 10th report. I know everyone will be delighted to hear that I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Regina—Lewvan, so members will get to hear more of what he has to s…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, that is a question we have been trying to understand on this side of the House. Why are they moving forward with this? Recently, my colleague from Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa uncovered the fact that the government is not even tracking whether the emissions are reduced or not by the carbon tax, so it has no measure of whether it is working. We can see that emissions are rising under t…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as this is my first to opportunity to rise in the new year on behalf of the people of the Kenora riding and across northwestern Ontario, I just want to take a moment to reiterate my commitment, and our party's commitment, to work to fix what has been broken under the NDP-Liberal government. We will work relentlessly throughout this Parliament to build the homes, to fix the budget, t…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to bonuses paid out to government officials in the 2022-23 fiscal year, broken down by department or agency: (a) what was the total amount paid out in bonuses; and (b) how many and what percentage of officials (i) at or above, (ii) below, the executive (EX) level (or equivalent), received bonuses?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor), since August 12, 2021: what are the details of all contracts over $1,000 awarded by FedNor, including, for each, the (i) vendor, (ii) vendor location, including the postal code, the municipality and the province, (iii) value, (iv) economic object code, (v) description of the goods and services, including the volu…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan 2023-2028: (a) what is the date each measure will (i) begin to be implemented, (ii) be fully implemented; and (b) for each measure in (a) where implementation dates are not available, why are dates not available?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, an important aspect of this is economic reconciliation. We have to work in partnership with first nations and indigenous peoples across the country to ensure that they have the power and ability to create wealth and to work independently of government so that these nations can provide the proper supports that they need and get the government out of the way to ensure that can get done.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I appreciate the comments from the member opposite and the passion he brings to this place. Unfortunately, it seems that he may have misunderstood the comments that I made. I take no issue with the funding itself. I recognize that funding is very necessary for the department, but, unfortunately, we have seen an increase in funding and not a similar increase in the outcomes, the tangible…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, it is very important. Housing is an issue right across the country. Particularly in our area of northwestern Ontario, there is a housing crisis on first nations. Many communities desperately need to see new housing units developed and, hopefully, more ownership over their housing so that it can be properly maintained. The member talked about the Leader of the Opposition's time as housin…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, it is an honour and a privilege to rise today as part of this important discussion. As has been noted by many, this is a discussion we have had far too often. I have been elected here for about four years, and it seems like we have had this same debate over and over again. The fact that we are continuing to have to do that just shows how the government has failed to address the concerns…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Chair, one of the concerns I see with Indigenous Services Canada is that there has been quite an increase in funding since the Liberal government took office but, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed, this increase in funding has not led to a similar increase in the ability of ISC to achieve its goals. This means that for first nations, including 42 throughout the Kenora riding, we …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Chair, I thank the member for, as always, his advocacy for indigenous peoples right across the country. I want to pick up on the very last topic. The member spoke about the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, which showed that the increase in spending that we have seen under the government has not led to a similar increase in the ability of Indigenous Services Canada to meet the targets i…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals simply do not understand is that their plan is just not working. It is not just Conservatives saying it. The Chiefs of Ontario, representing 133 first nations, nearly a third of which are located in the Kenora district, are taking the government to court. They argue that the carbon tax leaves them worse off and breaches the principles of reconciliation. Therefore, wh…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the current NDP-Liberal government, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost of Christmas dinner. His carbon tax is driving up costs so high that Canadian households are struggling as we head into the holiday season. What is worse is that he is planning to quadruple this tax on groceries, gas and home heating. Instead, why does the Prime Minister not axe his carbo…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition recognizing that maternity and parental benefits provide parents with critical financial supports and that adoptive and intended parents are currently at a disadvantage under the EI system. The petitioners are calling on the government to support the adoption of a common-sense Conservative bill, Bill C-318, which would deliver equitable parental le…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, we request a recorded division.
Read full speech →