Routine Proceedings
With regard to reports of "March madness expenditures" where the government makes purchases before the end of the fiscal year so that departmental funds do not go unspent, broken down by department, agency or other government entity: (a) what were the total expenditures during February and March of 2022 on (i) materials and supplies (standard object 07), (ii) acquisition of machinery and equipment…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to request a recorded division.
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Madam Speaker, Regina city council has identified the construction of a new aquatic centre as a top priority in its recreational master plan. Fortunately, enough money has already been allocated to the city through the investing in Canada infrastructure program. Unfortunately, much of that money is going unspent because it is locked into mothballed public transit projects. Will the government be r…
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[Member spoke in Filipino] [English] Madam Speaker, I say happy Filipino Heritage Month. June is Filipino Heritage Month, a time when Canadians celebrate with their Filipino friends and neighbours. Over the years, Filipino Canadians have contributed to our economy and cultural diversity in many ways, not least of which by establishing dozens of Jollibee restaurants across the country, including th…
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Madam Speaker, the short answer is yes. We do need research and development into clean energy technologies if we are ever going to deal with global warming. I would say that one source of clean energy that we need to do more with is carbon capture and storage. I had the opportunity just a couple of weeks ago to visit the Boundary Dam project just outside of Estevan, Saskatchewan. It is incredible …
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Madam Speaker, I am glad to hear that all parties in the House support the people of Ukraine. Certainly, dictators cannot roll their tanks into neighbouring countries, take over and expect to think that is okay. As for the issue with displacing Russian oil and gas going to western Europe, I believe that the four projects I mentioned should have been built years ago. I do not see why that could not…
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Madam Speaker, I think we can all agree that there has to be a transition to clean energies at some time, but I am of the belief that global warming and the energy transition are long-term problems that require long-term solutions. The war in Ukraine is not a long-term problem. People are literally being bombed to death today in Ukraine, so I think we need to prioritize the war in Ukraine for the …
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Madam Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in this chamber and to represent the people of Regina—Wascana. I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak today on the budget. My grandmother would always say to me, when I was growing up, “If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all.” While that may be good advice for getting along with the neighbour kids, it does not work so wel…
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has tried to deny that it is planning to impose a tax on home equity, but the Canadian Taxpayers Federation has obtained documents proving that the government recently provided an additional $200,000 in research funding to Generation Squeeze, the aptly named group trying to squeeze Canadians out of their hard-earned home equity. Will the minister stop hiding, co…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to present two petitions today, both related to Canada's military contribution to the war in Ukraine and both signed by the Ukrainian community in Regina and southern Saskatchewan. The first petition calls on the Government of Canada to resume providing RADARSAT image intelligence to the Ukrainian government and Ukrainian military. This is something that the Ukrainians ha…
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Mr. Speaker, on the morning of June 6, 1944, 14,000 Canadian soldiers landed on Juno Beach in Normandy, France as part of the allied D-Day invasion to liberate Europe from the Nazis. For 340 of those soldiers, that would be the last morning of their lives. Fast forward to 2022, and today a group of French real estate developers is turning Juno Beach into a condominium complex. This is totally unac…
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Madam Speaker, I have three petitions to present this afternoon all related to Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine and some of the economic sanctions and policies that this government could implement to respond to the situation. The first petition calls on the government to impose Magnitsky sanctions on all Russian officials who have any involvement in the invasion of Ukraine. This would …
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Madam Speaker, Saskatchewan is the breadbasket of the world and leads the country in the production of wheat, canola and many other crops. That takes fertilizer, lots of fertilizer. According to Fertilizer Canada, the government's announcement to ration fertilizer by 30% will cost Canadian farmers $48 billion in lost income. Why did the government refuse to consult with Saskatchewan before announc…
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Mr. Speaker, I have two very important petitions to present this morning, both relating to Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine and both signed by the Ukrainian community in Regina and southern Saskatchewan. The first petition calls on the Government of Canada to implore the United Nations Security Council to fulfill its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and securit…
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Mr. Speaker, it has obviously been a very emotional few weeks for Canadians across the country, and that is especially true for the local Ukrainian communities in Regina and southern Saskatchewan who have signed this petition. Ever since Vladimir Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine, there has been an unfolding humanitarian crisis as Ukrainian refugees flee the war zone. This petition calls on the …
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Mr. Speaker, Saskatchewan has a large Ukrainian community, with as many as 15% of the province's population tracing their roots back to Ukraine. Last week the provincial Government of Saskatchewan sent a letter to this government, asking it to prioritize immigration applicants from Ukraine who have already applied under the Saskatchewan immigrant nominee program as well as to fast-track refugee ap…
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Mr. Chair, Vladimir Putin needs to understand that his invasion of Ukraine is totally unacceptable, and Russia needs to become a pariah on the world stage, just like North Korea. Will the government expel the Russian ambassador to Canada and at the same time recall Canada's ambassador to Russia?
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I should start by saying that I am opposed to the government's invoking the Emergencies Act, and I will be voting against this motion when it comes up for a vote tomorrow evening. I will now explain my reasons for doing so. The invocation of the Emergencies Act, formally known as the War Measures Act, is an extremely serious matter that rightfully concerns all Canadians. This is only …
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Then they especially do not. Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, I have walked through the crowds out on Wellington Street almost every morning on my way to work since the convoy arrived, and I lived to tell about it. There is no al Qaeda. There is no Taliban. There are no North Korean special forces looking to take over the government. This is a matter for local law enforcement officials, and it is w…
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Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to realize that these protests and these demonstrations have not been limited to Ottawa. There have been similar protests and demonstrations all across the country, and every other municipal police force seems to have been able to deal with it in a satisfactory manner. The other police forces seem to know how to do crowd control, how to divert traffic and that …
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Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of lessons to be learned by the Prime Minister. His rhetoric has certainly not helped the situation in the slightest. I saw on TV that the Prime Minister said many of these protesters are racist, sexist, misogynistic and hold unacceptable views. The Prime Minister's rhetoric has not helped the situation in the slightest. It would be eminently more beneficial if we had …
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Mr. Speaker, I certainly hope the hon. member does vote against the invocation of this act. We can agree this whole situation could have been handled better, as we have seen with other police departments in other cities across the country. There certainly is a role to be played for law enforcement. We cannot have law and order break down. I did say in my speech I condemn the jumping up and down on…
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Mr. Speaker, does the hon. member really believe that the trucker convoy is going to overthrow the federal government, and if so, how?
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, does the hon. member really think the trucker convoy is going to take over the federal government? If so, how?
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Mr. Speaker, in the hon. member's speech, she mentioned some of the mental health implications of the pandemic on seniors in particular. I wonder if she could share with the chamber, what should the government be doing differently, and what could the government have done differently, to minimize some of the mental health impact of the pandemic on seniors?
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Madam Speaker, the question by the hon. member from the Bloc is probably best posed to the Liberals on the other side of the House. It is certainly my sincere hope that all members of the House will be supporting this motion. It is very reasonable and more than a little overdue, as I have laid out. It is my understanding that CP Rail has been paying its taxes since 1966, and it is my hope and expe…
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Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time today with the hon. member for Yorkton—Melville. There is a lot of Canadian history going on in today's debate. There is so much that I had to dig up my old university notes when preparing my speech. On that note, at this time I would like to thank my economics history 206 professor at the University of Regina, Dr. Richard Kleer, for his fascinating class…
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Madam Speaker, the short answer is no. I have done some research outside of my economics history class, I have to say, and I have come up with no answer to that particular question. Some management and directors decided this would be a good idea, and CP Rail is giving it the old college try, but I do not know what motivated them to go down this path.
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Madam Speaker, I think everyone is in favour of everyone paying their fair share. It is our responsibility as parliamentarians to decide what everyone's fair share is. In terms of offshore tax havens, I think that warrants more than a little investigation from the CRA to see if some loopholes can be closed. As for profiting during the pandemic, I think it is a good thing that some companies owning…
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Madam Speaker, perhaps some of the members on this side of the House should be in government someday. Then we could get this matter taken care of. My understanding is that all parties will be supporting this very reasonable motion, and I hope that applies to the Liberals as well.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, AGT Foods, Federated Co-operatives, Viterra and Cargill have all announced the construction of new canola crushing plants in Regina and the surrounding area, which will create 400 full-time jobs. However, growing canola requires fertilizer, lots of fertilizer. The government has announced it will be making farmers ration fertilizer by 30%. Why is the government putting Regina's new ca…
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With regard to the “A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy" plan from Environment and Climate Change Canada, specifically where it states that “the government will also set a national emission reduction target of 30% below 2020 levels from fertilizers”: how was the 30% target decided upon, and when did the department make its final decision?
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With regard to the “A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy” plan from Environment and Climate Change Canada, specifically where it states that “the government will also set a national emission reduction target of 30% below 2020 levels from fertilizers”: has any government department, agency, Crown corporation or government entity conducted a study on how this policy will affect either (i) Can…
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With regard to the “A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy” plan from Environment and Climate Change Canada, specifically where it states that “the government will also set a national emission reduction target of 30% below 2020 levels from fertilizers”: has any government department, agency, Crown corporation or government entity conducted a study on how this policy will affect the Saskatchew…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, as this is my first time rising in this 44th Parliament, I would like to thank the many volunteers who worked on my re-election campaign. As everyone in this chamber knows, even when we win, a political campaign is a humbling experience, because we realize just how much we depend, as the saying goes, on the kindness of strangers. An election campaign is a team effort, and Regina—Was…
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Madam Speaker, yes, I am certainly in favour of the principle of refunds for air travel passengers who have paid for a service they have not yet received. I will have to admit that I have not yet read that bill in full, but I will certainly read it with interest.
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Madam Speaker, it would be foolish to pick a date on the calendar at random and say that is the date of the reopening. We need to have a comprehensive plan that is built in consultation with our medical professionals. What the federal government should do is follow the lead of many provincial governments, which is to come up with a minimum level of vaccinations that would make a safe reopening pla…
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour to have the opportunity to rise in this virtual chamber to participate in tonight's debate. I have the privilege of serving on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities with an outstanding group of MPs from all parties. Over the course of the past several months, the committee had the opportunity to hear from many representa…
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Madam Speaker, some of the vocabulary is a little technical, so I am going to respond in English. It is my hope that this is not just a delay in the closing of these air traffic control towers. It is my hope that once air travel resumes to normal levels, there would not be a need to close these towers at all and that life would be back to normal, Canadians would be flying again, and there would be…
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Mr. Speaker, I have three very important petitions to present, all of which have been signed by independent travel advisers in Regina and the surrounding area. The pandemic has hit few sectors harder than the air travel sector, and that includes the important role played by independent travel advisers. These petitions call on the government to address their concerns in several different ways. The …
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Mr. Speaker, last month the government released the details of its financial aid program for this country's struggling airports. The Regina International Airport will receive approximately $2.6 million. That is enough to keep it operational for about two months. Meanwhile, the government's bailout for Air Canada included $10 million for executive bonuses. Why are Air Canada's executives more impor…
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With regard to the decision by the government to remove the international designation from the Regina International Airport and the Saskatoon International Airport: (a) on what date did the government make the decision posted in Transport Canada’s Advisory Circular No. 302-032 to remove the international designation from the airports in Regina and Saskatoon; (b) on what date did the Minister of Tr…
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Mr. Speaker, usually it is a good thing when Canadians from west to east come together for a common cause, but it is not so good when that common cause is a common threat. The Governor of Michigan is threatening to shut down the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, in a clear violation of treaty obligations between the United States and Canada. This would put 25,000 Canadian jobs at risk. When is the Prime M…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, when it comes to the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline dispute, I would think that the transit pipeline treaty should have been one of the first plays in the team Canada playbook. This treaty between Canada and the United States was signed in 1977, when Pierre Trudeau was Prime Minister. One of its biggest advocates in the U.S. was a rookie senator from Delaware by the name of Joe Biden, who…
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Madam Speaker, people who have known me for a long time will know that I have always been a big sports fan. Like many people my age who grew up in western Canada, I have many fond memories of Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers, and their Stanley Cup dynasty of the 1980s. One of the most entertaining parts about sports has to be the post-game interviews, especially with the coach of the losing t…
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Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 drive-through vaccine clinic in my home city of Regina had to shut down last weekend after it ran out vaccine. The Government of Saskatchewan announced that unless it receives an unscheduled delivery of vaccines soon, Regina’s innovative and efficient drive-through clinic will remain closed until May 2. Why does the government continue to put thousands of lives at risk ac…
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Madam Speaker, the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline transports Saskatchewan and Alberta oil to eastern Canada. It supplies half of Ontario and Quebec's gasoline, diesel, home heating fuel and jet fuel. However, next month, the governor of Michigan is going to shut down that pipeline, jeopardizing tens of thousands of jobs across Canada. Why has the Prime Minister not yet engaged directly with President Bi…
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Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to highlight the co-operation between the Western Hockey League and the Government of Saskatchewan in designating Regina the hub city for the east division of the league. Sports at all levels have suffered during the pandemic, but the use of the hub city model has proven to be an effective approach to keeping athletes on the ice, while maintaining strict health and s…
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With regard to federal government spending within the City of Regina, for each fiscal year since 2015-16, inclusively: (a) what are the details of all grants, contributions, and loans to any organization, body, or group, broken down by the (i) name of the recipient, (ii) municipality of the recipient, (iii) date on which the funding was received, (iv) amount received, (v) department or agency prov…
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Madam Speaker, SaskTel is the largest phone company and Internet service provider in the province of Saskatchewan. Last week, the Government of Saskatchewan announced that this Crown corporation will not be using Huawei to develop the province's 5G network. Instead, SaskTel has decided to go with Samsung, a South Korean firm. If the provincial government of Saskatchewan can say no to Huawei, then …
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