Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, as I mentioned earlier when the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent was speaking, we have seen a really disturbing pattern in this place with the government's lack of transparency and accountability. There was an order of Parliament to provide these documents. Thankfully, the Speaker ruled today, as a last line of defence for this Parliament and this democracy, that what the government h…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, before I start, I want to advise you that I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola. I want to begin my comments by saying thank you for the ruling today. I know that the opposition requested you to deliberate over what had happened with respect to the redacted documents, and you came back with a very fair ruling that respects the democrati…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, the member for Wellington—Halton Hills said it best: It is up to all of us to protect the democratic institutions that we hold so dear, Parliament being one of them, obviously. We have seen, as I said earlier in my speech, a systemic pattern of what I would call abuse, on the part of the government, of the parliamentary privilege of members. We have seen it over and over in committees…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member makes a very important point, because we have seen, over the course of several Parliaments, a lack of consequences. We have certainly seen it in the ethical violations of the Prime Minister, who effectively got a slap on the wrist. Some of the other consequences we have seen are the resignations of ministers. This is why I know, as my party does, how important …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased and proud to present petition e-3217. On this, the 30th anniversary of the Persian Gulf War, the liberation of Kuwait, we recognize the contributions of Canadian Armed Forces veterans by sponsoring petition e-3217 to reclassify the mission from “special duty service” to “wartime service”. In doing so, the Government of Canada can care for our proud, injured equally a…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to reports that some arriving air travelers are having their expenses for quarantining at a designated hotel or other quarantine facility covered by the government: (a) how many arriving travelers have had their quarantine expenses covered by the government since the hotel quarantine requirement began, broken down by airport point of entry; (b) what specific criteria is used by the gov…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to training and education benefits provided by Veterans Affairs Canada: (a) of applications for the Veterans Education and Training Benefit, since April 1, 2018, (i) how many veterans have applied for the benefit, (ii) how many family members of veterans have applied for the benefit, (iii) how many applications for the benefit have been received, (iv) how many applications have been de…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the awarding of the South West Asia Service Medal (SWASM), the General Campaign Star (GCS), the General Service Medal (GSM) and the South West Asia Service ribbon by the Minister of National Defense for service in Afghanistan: (a) how many (i) SWASMs, (ii) GSCs, (iii) GSMs, (iv) South West Asia ribbons, have been awarded to date, broken down by award; (b) how many requests for the S…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today is International Firefighters Day. After the tragic deaths of five firefighters in Australia in 1998, the day is observed to remember those have who died in the line of duty, while at the same time to show our support and appreciation to firefighters who work in unimaginable situations to protect our communities. As a former firefighter, I can speak to the commitment and profess…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, in fact, Cassandra came to Ottawa and called for a joint public hearing. The minister met with her and pledged full co-operation. Cassandra left Ottawa thinking that she had his word. If it had not been for a leaked email that the internal report existed, the Liberals would have buried it. The family wants answers, Canadian veterans want answers and it looks like the answers are in th…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, on the day the inquiry into the death of Lionel Desmond and his family was announced, the Minister of Veterans Affairs pledged full co-operation to the Desmond family so members can imagine the surprise and anger that Lionel's sister, Cassandra, and the family felt when they found out that more than a year after the inquiry began, lawyers for Veterans Affairs told the inquiry it would…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Gardner also said controlling COVID is limited by a lack of vaccine supply. He said that with delays of Moderna and the postponement of AstraZeneca vaccines, only half the local capacity to vaccinate is being employed. Dr. Gardner is not just talking about a third wave. He is concerned there may be a fourth wave without adequate immunization. Public health officials should not be …
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, even at this late hour it is important to take part in this emergency debate. I really want to thank the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands for bringing this to the attention of the Speaker and the Speaker for ultimately granting this emergency debate. It is an important one to have, not just to look back at some of the issues we have had, but how we can correct those issues as well. L…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I am going to challenge the member on that because he is factually wrong. The vote that was presented to Parliament was for the government to present a plan for reopening the economy. It was not a plan to reopen it immediately. Canadians and businesses in particular, and the people who are employed in those businesses, are looking for that plan. In terms of shutting things down, I h…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I know that the province has already started instituting plans. Locally, there have been additional settings and buildings that have been built, and that is happening right around the province. The province is actually trying to manage as best it can, with additional facilities, to look after the situation. I know that over the weekend the Prime Minister and some of the ministers he…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, like all communities across Canada, Barrie—Innisfil has not been immune to increased anxiety and mental health issues because of this crisis. The pandemic, resulting lockdowns, restrictions and failures of the government have taken an unimaginable toll on everyone's mental health, sparing no one and no age group. Therefore, it should not surprise anyone that we have seen a marked incr…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, in the spirit of what the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands was intending tonight, I hope I was able to articulate providing solutions together, which is exactly what Canadians expect. To the issue of what is happening in B.C. with 39 cases and one in Quebec, given our experience in this area, I am trying to provide the government with an opportunity to act and to act quickly, despite…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, when asked whether he felt the decision to shut down the committee by Liberal members would put women in our military further at risk, Mr. Hunter said, “I can say that since that happened, I have been getting contacted by females who have been assaulted, raped and abused in the military. Some are still serving, and they are absolutely terrified to come forward.” The women are angry th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, National Volunteer Week starts April 18, and this has been an incredible year in my riding of Barrie—Innisfil with people stepping up like never before to help. Today, I would like to recognize several individuals and groups in our communities of Barrie and Innisfil who have been there to help each other and our most vulnerable, or to simply bring joy and hope to our communities whe…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, yesterday at the veterans affairs committee, Allan Hunter, a military and veterans advocate, spoke about the reaction from women in the military to the Liberal decision to shut down the defence committee’s study into sexual misconduct in the Canadian military. He said he has heard from women who have said, “Shutting down the committee is giving the message that what happens to females…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his discussion this afternoon on Bill C-22. One of the things the bill proposes is a reduction of mandatory minimums. A little known fact is that many of those mandatory minimums were put into effect by previous Liberal governments. I am wondering if the hon. member could speak to the consequences of lowering mandatory minimum sentences for the most sever…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the short time I have to speak on Bill C-14. I do want to address a couple of things. First, Parliament still reigns supreme in the approval of spending powers. It has been that way since Parliament existed, and it is still that way today, for now. What is important about that, and the reason I bring it up is that we have seen over the course of this pandemic, and it ha…
Read full speech →Government Orders
The hammer drops once again, Madam Speaker. In the time that I have left, and there is not much of it, I want to talk about what the bill proposes. We can support many aspects of it. In fact, we did support it through committee and several suggestions were made at committee. However, it is disturbing that the debt ceiling is going to be raised over $600 billion. When we think of where we were a ye…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Veterans Disability Program: (a) what is the oversight role of Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) employees; (b) what is the oversight role of VAC executives, including key performance indicators assigned regarding the disability program; (c) what are the details of the Medavie Blue Cross contract related to the disability program, including (i) the summary of the terms of agreement,…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to Transport Canada and flight crew and pilot ‘sit time’ for medical purposes and wait time for licenses: (a) how many licensed pilots are currently medically unfit to pilot an aircraft; (b) how many flight crew personal, excluding pilots, are currently unfit to fly; (c) how many licensed pilots and flight crew have completed the two-year ‘sit time’ and have been waiting (i) for three …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the medical cannabis program for veterans: (a) what is the oversight role of Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) employees; (b) what is the oversight role of VAC executives, including key performance indicators assigned regarding the program; (c) what are the details of the Medavie Blue Cross contract related to the medical cannabis program, including the (i) summary of the terms of agree…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I believe this has happened for a second time. I thought my vote had counted last time, but now I just received notice that my vote did not count. I would have voted yea in the last vote, and I am voting yea in this one. I am not sure if I followed all the instructions.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, that is fine. I will have to figure this out.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the members for that. I voted in favour of the motion.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as I said, that is probably one of the most largely misunderstood, unintended consequences of the passenger bill of rights, which was implemented by the government in 2019. I think this is widely misunderstood among consumers, and it is right in the passenger bill of rights, but if there is a situation that is non-controllable than it is not incumbent upon the airlines to provide th…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I do not know the circumstances or the context of the discussion at the finance committee, so I do not think I am qualified to speak to that. The one issue the hon. member did bring forward was the issue of the power of business. I wholeheartedly believe that it will be, as I said in my intervention, the power of Canadian business, the people they employ and the products that they p…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, this is not the first circumstance that Canada has been in an economic crisis. As we know, in 2008, during the great meltdown of the economic markets, the government at the time, led by Prime Minister Harper, did in fact incur debt. It incurred debt to provide stimulus to the economy, which worked and helped Canada recover faster than any G7 nation. This is an unprecedented circumst…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am extremely pleased to be participating in this very important debate today on a motion that requests the government to include help in the next budget to support workers and their families who are struggling during this pandemic, resulting in the economic downturn that has occurred. I am doing this from Terminal 4, which is an area in central Ontario, in Barrie and Innisfil, tha…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the minister spoke about direct support payments of $300, $500 and roughly $1,500. Many seniors in my riding find that woefully inadequate to support them during this crisis, especially when they found out that students between the ages of 15 and 17 were getting roughly $8,000. That amounted to about $700 million in support. Many of them were rightly upset by that, because they had …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, recently we had a meeting with the Canadian Association of Retired Persons in Barrie, and Gwen Kavanagh came before us, a call the hon. member was on, to talk about options in housing and affordable housing for seniors, in particular co-housing. What is the member's opinion on that?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the GTA is home to thousands of airline sector employees. In fact, Barrie—Innisfil is known as terminal 4. I cannot begin to explain the level of frustration, anxiety and anger among pilots, flight attendants, service agents, employees and their families as they sit at home. Their lives and livelihoods are threatened because of incoherent policies and a resulting lack of sectoral supp…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. I think there is another major problem: the carbon tax. Let me explain. I represent a senior community called Sandycove Acres. There are almost 3,000 seniors in this community who are finding it difficult to pay their bills. With the carbon tax being implemented on home heating, many of them are paying, in some cases, $20 to $30 more a month. I hav…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, I regret that I am not standing in our symbol of democracy this morning to pay tribute to World War II veteran Wolf William Solkin. Wolf passed away at Ste. Anne's Hospital in Montreal on Wednesday, just days before his 98th birthday. He was the last surviving officer of Canada's Algonquin Regiment, which helped to liberate Europe during the Second World War. “NE-KAH-NE-TAH” or “let…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time tonight with the member for Brandon—Souris. Before I begin, I want to thank the Leader of the Opposition, our colleagues in the NDP and the member for Vancouver Kingsway for asking the Speaker to grant time to what I think is the most critical issue that is facing the country today. I say that from the epicentre. Just 10 minutes away from here, we have an…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, this is the greatest challenge of our generation. Unless and until we come up with solutions for people, many who are vulnerable in our communities are going to continue to die. We are seeing that here in my riding of Barrie—Innisfil. We need these vaccines. I do not care what it takes. I do not care what we have to do. We need to ensure that we have, and are in a position to provid…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, all Canadians deserve a heightened level of transparency. All of us in opposition have been calling for the government to disclose the contracts with the manufacturers, and the government refuses to do that. This is a government that came to power in 2015 and said it was going to be transparent by default. It was going to be the most open and transparent government in the history of…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, at the height of an unfolding tragedy at the Roberta Place long-term care centre in my riding, our local health unit has effectively run out of vaccines. The shortage is so serious that seniors, their families, PSWs and front-line health care workers have been told that there is no timeline for when to expect their first doses or vital second doses. We have run out of vaccines at the …
Read full speech →