Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises a really important point that, particularly on heating oil, it is the market that is driving the price. It has nothing to do with the carbon price, but it has to do with the cost of the heating oil itself, which is anywhere from two to four times the price of alternatives. That is exactly why the government has been laser-focused on that question with affordabil…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Halifax packed a lot in that because he is an intellectual guy and wanted to get all of that in within a minute. There are a couple of things I would say. Let us remember why we have introduced our national programs on climate. It is that we see it every day outside our door. We saw it this summer in our neighbourhoods. He gave statistics for Nova Scotia Power with…
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Mr. Speaker, in Nova Scotia people using natural gas would be using a heating source that is probably one of the lowest cost in the province, and my remarks reflect the fact that there is a series of programs. With the Canada greener homes grant there is a $5,000 grant available to people. I take notice that the member is talking about how we can make sure we front-load more money for people who a…
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, perhaps the member was not in the chamber when I made my remarks specific to the fact that this program is available across the country. There is a $10,000 federal grant to vulnerable Albertan households that are still using heating oil. He should help his constituents find that program. Maybe he has not; maybe he did not know about it. I am happy to share the informatio…
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Mr. Speaker, instead of just standing across the way and yelling and offering simplistic solutions, I would encourage the member from Prince George to reach out to Premier Eby, because I can promise some people in Prince George right now use heating oil and are in a difficult situation. He should direct them to the $10,000 grant that exists right now for his constituents. I hope he has. Maybe we s…
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Mr. Speaker, we are here to debate an opposition day motion from the Conservative Party. As I read the text of the motion, and this is a common occurrence, I find the need to clarify and provide more context to what the Conservatives are calling for. This follows a very important government announcement last week. If we look at the text of the motion, it provides no clarity, no context and no actu…
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Mr. Speaker, I sat and listened to the leader of the official opposition's speech, and not once did he actually mention the program we have in order to help with the transition. There are a million Canadian households in this country that are extremely vulnerable. They are sometimes paying in excess of double or four times the price of alternatives such as natural gas or electricity. We have built…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, my constituents in Kings—Hants expect the government to walk a line between helping to support Canadians with important programming that matters to them but also being fiscally responsible. The President of the Treasury Board announced that the government would be examining ways to reduce departmental spending without compromising important programs that matter for Canadians. Could th…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to address some of the comments again, because the member referenced the Conservatives in her question. There were a couple of things that were said by the member for Cumberland—Colchester. It was not only that the legislation was woke, but also that somehow Canada was taking advantage of Ukraine. I think it is very condescending to suggest that the sovereign Government of Ukra…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. We could assess our process here in the House of Commons and review the method used to study bills related to free trade agreements, like the one with the European Union or other countries. That might be a good idea. However, the process does not yet exist, so for now this remains the prerogative of the executive, of the government. However,…
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Mr. Speaker, I am at a loss for words because that is a tremendous question. I cannot answer for the Conservatives, my hon. colleague knows that, but I am glad that he put it on the record. I sat in the House today listening to the speech from the member for Kingston and the Islands, and when I heard the question that was asked by the member for Cumberland—Colchester as to whether or not he would …
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Mr. Speaker, we are here to talk about a really important piece of legislation, but if you will permit me, I just want to take 30 seconds to mention a constituent I made a promise to. She is actually one of your constituents, but we may have some crossover in the days ahead with redistribution. Mary Fraser is a resident of south Berwick, and I had the privilege of going to her 100th birthday at th…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-359, An Act to amend the Feeds Act, the Seeds Act and the Pest Control Products Act (provisional registration and approval). Mr. Speaker, it is great to be up again to introduce this private member's bill. As you mentioned, the title of the bill is an act to amend the Feeds Act, the Seeds Act and the Pest Control Products Act on provisional registration and appr…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, entitled “Bill C-275, An Act to amend the Health of Animals Act (biosecurity on farms)”. This piece of legislation was brought forward in the name of the member for Foothills. The bill will be up for third reading at some point, I am sure. I would like to t…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on helping Atlantic Canada drive the tremendous economic opportunities that exist for clean energy in our region. That is exactly why we advanced Bill C-49, in close partnership with Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. We also have a mutual goal of getting off coal-fired electricity while expanding clean energy grids. Premiers Higgs and Houston were bo…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize that my hon. colleague has ties to Acadia University, having played on the men's football team. We share an affinity for the beautiful Annapolis Valley. We differ on ideology. I think it is important and incumbent on corporate leaders that they are mindful of the circumstances we are in. That is exactly why the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry cal…
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Mr. Speaker, I apologize. In normal times, I would try to respond in French, but that was an extended question. I want to give the best answer possible. We are going to have a great debate on the fall economic statement, where the Minister of Finance will provide an update on the fiscal finances of the country, including what the government intends to do in the days ahead. Therefore, that debate i…
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Mr. Speaker, my comments were never meant to draw the ire of the opposition. It is simply that when I read the text of the motion and what the Conservatives are proposing, the idea that it would bring interest rates back to balanced is unrealistic. I do not mean to offend the opposition party. I know they have tough skin on that side. This government is trying to walk a balance between being fisca…
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Mr. Speaker, I left off talking about the importance of the government, and ultimately the Liberal Party, being somewhere between the two prisms that we see in the House. As I said, the Conservative opposition day motion is not binding on the government. The opposition party has not put forward any detailed plans of what exactly it would cut in terms of program spending. I think it is important, a…
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Madam Speaker, as always, it is a privilege to rise in this place and talk to opposition day motions. As I said before, and will say again, it provides an opportunity for the opposition parties to put forward some level of policy intent and ideals. For Canadians watching at home, opposition day motions are not binding on the government in any way whatsoever, but they allow us to debate the topics …
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Madam Speaker, I would agree with the hon. member that DFO needs reform. I want to clarify the position of Atlantic Liberals, which is that we support the carbon price, but we are calling for amendments and constructive dialogue on being able to ensure that it better resembles the lived realities of the constituencies he and I represent. I want to tell a little story. In the provincial election of…
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Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I would like to seek unanimous consent to table a document from Premier Houston in relation to a comment that he made on calling on—
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Madam Speaker, I am thankful for being recognized again for an opportunity to re-engage with my colleague here today. My question is very simple. He obviously suggested that this bill has flaws. I did not hear much about it, but I think he also recognizes that there are offshore energy opportunities. We have stakeholders across the region who are talking about this bill as being extremely importan…
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Madam Speaker, it was quite remarkable to sit in this place for that, and it is fortunate for the member opposite that we are protected by parliamentary privilege because of the level of misinformation that his speech contained and the level of fearmongering. This is the government that approved Bay du Nord and this is the government that supports energy in Newfoundland and Labrador and indeed acr…
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Madam Speaker, I want to give a tip of the cap to the member for Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame. He is the first member of the Conservative Party in almost three full days of debate who has actually pulled out and referenced one provision. I may not agree with what he is raising, but could the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources at least reassure all parliamentarians in this House of two th…
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Madam Speaker, I am very glad to see that there is a motion for closure today because we are in a global race to help drive Canada's offshore future and Canada's clean energy future. I have chastised some of my Conservative colleagues for not getting on board. Ultimately, we will have a vote on this, and they will be able to lay out their position and rationale on why they are against it, but we a…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in the House to discuss and debate a bill, especially a private member's bill. That is precisely why we are here this evening. We are debating Bill C‑280, a very important bill for our farmers, especially for fruit and vegetable growers. I believe that our agriculture and agri-food sector was very important to all Canadians before the pandemic, but it…
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Madam Speaker, after I am done answering this, I am going to walk some Q-tips over to the hon. member and see whether he was able to listen to the 20-minute speech in which I provided very clear answers to where I stand on this policy. I actually had a conversation with Premier Houston in May 2022 to say that I would hope that the provincial government would implement its own made-in-Nova Scotia c…
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Madam Speaker, that is an important question. What I heard from my hon. colleague is that she understands the importance of a price signal and the importance of carbon pricing and recognizing that, whether in her home province of Alberta or one of the other 76 jurisdictions around the world, this is seen as a really important way to be able to support the fight on climate change. I agree with the …
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Madam Speaker, as usual, it is a pleasure to meet with my colleagues in the House of Commons to discuss and debate a motion moved by the Conservative Party for their opposition day. I am always pleased when I have the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with my Conservative colleagues on their proposals because it is an opportunity to understand their position, their priorities and their vision fo…
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Madam Speaker, I do not really know, as I am not responsible for drafting opposition motions. As I said, there are many issues with this Conservative motion. I do not know the answer. I do, however, want to raise an important question regarding Bill C‑49. The aim of this bill is to create an opportunity for offshore wind farming in the Atlantic. We know that Hydro-Québec has concerns regarding a s…
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Madam Speaker, I do not want to wait. I apologize because I was yelling back and forth. I would like to apologize and let the record show that. When the Conservatives actually stand up and say that things are—
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Madam Speaker, there was a lot that my hon. colleague touched upon in that 10 minutes that I have real trouble with, in its factual basis. One, farmers are exempt from the carbon price. The Conservatives continue to talk about that. They are exempt. Two, the member talked about indigenous communities and large industrial projects. His party is standing in the way of legislation that indigenous com…
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Madam Speaker, as a Nova Scotia member of Parliament, I stood in this House last week and was frankly disturbed by the fact that the Conservative Party of Canada is standing against Bill C-49, which is a piece of legislation that drives Atlantic Canada's offshore future. I was calling on the members from Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia, who are Conservative, to stand up for their consti…
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Madam Speaker, I had to take out a pen because there were about 16 interventions in that question. I hope I will get time to answer. On the isthmus, we are there with 50%. As I said on Radio-Canada this week, if the courts indeed determine that this is a purely federal responsibility, we will be there with 100% of the cost. I stand here asking for adjustments to the carbon price. The member opposi…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to start by recognizing that the member opposite has a tremendous beard, and I mean that with all sincerity. He has been growing it over the summer and it looks “Tom Mulcair-esque”, but I know he will not appreciate that comment as much. The government has put forward a number of pieces of legislation this week that are non-cost in nature; they are legislative reforms. …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, this week, the House debated Bill C-49, an act to amend the Atlantic accords, which is crucial legislation to drive Atlantic Canada's clean energy future. It is supported by the Governments of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia, the clean energy industry, indigenous communities and business stakeholders throughout the region, yet there is only one party in the House that has s…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food entitled Bill C-280, An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (deemed trust – perishable fruits and vegetables). Sometimes Canadians watch this House and think that we cannot get along, but I want to give…
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Mr. Speaker, he had almost as much time as I had in my remarks to give a speech, so I hope you will give me some time to respond. First of all, there is no gun registry, and I am happy to work with the Minister of Public Safety to make sure there is an exemption for sport shooters. Number two, on Sustainable Marine, I agree with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that we have a problem. I have…
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Mr. Speaker, my answer is simple. The Bloc Québécois should join us in our effort to create the legislation we need to move green energy and the Atlantic offshore wind industry forward. The Bloc Québécois has always talked about the importance of climate change. Now it has an opportunity to join the fight. My question is simple: Will the Bloc Québécois join us in our effort to move the Canadian wi…
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Madam Speaker, I was absolutely flabbergasted listening to that speech. There are a couple of things I want to say. Has the member opposite talked to the energy industry in Atlantic Canada? It wants this piece of legislation advanced as soon as possible. Has he talked to the premiers of Nova Scotia or Newfoundland and Labrador? They want this legislation advanced as soon as possible. Has he talked…
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Mr. Speaker, I covered the public safety question. I will now cover the question around Sustainable Marine. I agree. In fact, there actually needs to be a fundamental change in the way DFO operates and approves these projects. The member opposite, my neighbour, would know I was against DFO and the way in which the situation was handled on the Avon River and continue to be against that if the gover…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be here today with my colleagues to speak on Bill C-49, which is a piece of legislation to amend the Atlantic accords, which are between the governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. This is a crucial piece of legislation that matters in the global race toward net zero. I want to say to my colleagues that we are in a perfect position as a country. C…
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Mr. Speaker, this summer the challenges climate change and extreme weather are presenting have become abundantly clear to Canadians. In Kings—Hants, we sadly lost four individuals in our communities to flash floods, which have not been seen in 50-plus years. The importance of real-time emergency alerts to cellphones is so important, but cell reception in some of the communities in my riding is sim…
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Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Conservative Party no longer resembles that led by Joe Clark, Brian Mulroney or even Stephen Harper. The leader of the official opposition is taking the Conservatives into the ditch on the far right to outflank Max Bernier by spewing conspiracy theories about the World Economic Forum, supporting candidates who are against reproductive rights and promoting hate aga…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. This afternoon I had the opportunity to ask the right hon. Prime Minister a question. I started my question with a preamble and I supported it by facts, and then I asked the Prime Minister if I could hear how his government would administer differently the policies that are being articulated from the official opposition. I know this made the House leader qu…
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Madam Speaker, I had the opportunity to speak on the amendments to the Standing Orders, and of course I am in support of them. We have heard in this 30 minutes of debate some of the hypocrisy in the fact that a couple of the opposition parties who are against this are readily using these tools. My question to the hon. House leader is this. We have moved through a continuum of making changes as thi…
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Madam Speaker, I would say a couple of different things. If we try to delineate every plausible rationale for why someone could use virtual, we would perhaps be too narrow in its application. Then this question would arise: What about this case? If there is a concern moving forward by a majority of members of Parliament, then we can start to put in parameters such as a certain number of days that …
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Madam Speaker, I am thrilled that the member opposite thinks I have a nice suit on tonight. I will take that compliment. I agree with her that when we look at transportation across the country, in certain places members do not have very easy access to transport to get to and from Parliament. Hybrid is allowing them to be situated to have the same equity and access in this place. I agree wholeheart…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member for Halifax West for a tremendous job in presenting this bill here in the House, for her tremendous work on behalf of all Canadians and, indeed, for her proud Lebanese heritage. In Kings—Hants we actually have a pretty sizable Lebanese population. I think about people like Rob Bitar and Lino Ruhabahi. I think about the Al-Qadr family and Mount U…
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