Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my question will again be directed toward the potential implementation of the spirit of Bill S-216, as included in the budget act. As we have seen, the existing charitable law, or the transfer between charities and non-qualified donees or non-charities, is extremely archaic. In fact, some would say it is colonial in structure, which makes it very difficult for charities to have the ri…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is in defence and support of the people of Ukraine, given that the Russian Federation has launched an unprovoked war against the people of Ukraine. The Russia Federation has committed multiple war crimes against the people of Ukraine and the Russian invasion has triggered a human rights and humanitarian displacement crisis, the worst such catastrophe in recent Euro…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to introduce two petitions to the House today. The first is in support of Bill S-223, which seeks to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking. It would make it a criminal offence for a person to go abroad and receive an organ taken without the consent of the person giving the organ.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Belden, a manufacturer in my riding, has been struggling with its expansion. It needs two engineering experts from India to train Belden engineers, machine operators and local installers. Work permits from India are taking well over a year in processing time. Belden is coming close to a standstill and layoffs are close. When will the NDP-Liberal government finally take ownership of th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize the great work of Habitat for Humanity Northumberland. Back in March, I attended Habitat home dedications in Cobourg and Bewdley to celebrate the wonderful work they are doing in our riding. Habitat for Humanity's mission is to break the cycle of poverty through their innovative home ownership program, which helps individuals and families in financially vulne…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, last summer, I met with the Popal family, who own the Shawarma House and Pizza in Cobourg. The Popals have family members from Afghanistan who are in fear for their lives. Before the Taliban took over, they were women’s rights defenders, they were activists for democracy, and they were fighting the Taliban in the Afghan army. However, at every twist and every turn, my team has been me…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I think I would agree with the member in saying that no one is more committed to our fight against climate change than our farmers. They are the ones who live on the farms. They are the ones who will be most affected by climate change. I am willing to sit down and talk to her about climate change and fighting climate change any day. I can tell her that with the Conservatives there w…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the additional revenue generated as a result of the tax increases scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2022: (a) what is the total amount of additional revenue expected to be collected by the government during the 2022-23 fiscal year as a result of the increase; and (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by type of tax being increased (carbon tax, escalator tax on alcohol, etc.)?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I might say that the member's family is a very attractive and nice group. We have heard a lot from this side about climate change, but given the fact that emissions have increased every year the last seven years, is it not just a bunch of hot air?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is great to be here in the House again today rising on Bill C-8. As members are aware, Bill C-8 is an omnibus bill and a large piece of legislation, so I will spend my time focusing on several elements of it, particularly with respect to the carbon tax. However, before I do that, I think it is important to put down the context for Bill C-8. From the time it was initially introduc…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is not surprising that the NDP-Liberal government would forget farmers. If the member would look at subsection (d) in Part 1, that is exactly what it talks about: It talks about the farming rebate I was just talking about for 10 minutes. I am not surprised that he would forget them, but for me and for our party, our farmers are important.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a troubling development that the new NDP-Liberal government seems to focus, more and more, on centralizing. It is taking money and the rights and freedoms of Canadians, of Quebeckers, and transplanting them into Ottawa. Yes, I stand with my friend against centralization and I stand for Canadians and individuals across this great land.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I join this member in wishing her Green Party colleague all the best as he has recently been diagnosed with COVID. I would ask her to tell him that we want him to get better soon so we can continue to argue about fossil fuels. I would agree with the hon. member, but with this caveat. Instead of taking money to give to Ottawa and then giving it back, why do we not just leave more mon…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I do not normally do this on my phone. I just got a message from the Liberal Party. It says to thank the member for his work. I am just wondering if there is any level of discomfort at any level of debt. Obviously, it feels good to spend money. I know the member said, as a social democrat, that spending is important to him. What is the number, the debt-to-GDP ratio, that he feels unco…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce a petition that stands to fight climate change, protect human rights and support Canada's most vulnerable.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I have tremendous respect for the member for Hamilton Centre, so I ask him to take this in the good spirit it is intended. That was the angriest agreement I have ever seen in my life, but I know it comes from a great sense of deep passion in the member. We appreciate his support and look forward to discussions in committee. If we can improve this bill, obviously we will. I have a co…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his lengthy service in the House and have appreciated many times his comments. I will tell him that what I know for sure is that Canadians are struggling, that they are in pain and that now is not the time to increase the carbon tax. I believe climate change is real. I believe it is a fight worth fighting and one that Canada can win, but I do not believe that sh…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is my great privilege to split my time with the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent, and I thank him for his work in his constituency. Perhaps people are excited. We should be generous with the other members, and perhaps the member for Timmins—James Bay was just excited about his new cabinet position in the coalition. I look forward to his testimony and discussion of the WE scandal and …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, with respect to farmers and the investment in our agriculture, I think often the best solution the government can offer is to get the heck out of the way. Farmers want to invest in climate change. The reality is that, with the inflation tax, the carbon tax, the income tax, the sales tax and the property tax, farmers simply do not have the money to do it because it is all coming to Ott…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, there are two responses I would have to that. One is that energy grounds all of us and it affects all of us, so when we reduce the cost of energy in gasoline and diesel, it reduces the costs throughout. One of the greatest achievements of mankind is bringing people out of poverty. One of the keys to bringing people out of poverty, and this is just economics, is cheap energy. When we r…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, last Monday evening, despite the objections of the Conservative Party, the Bloc Québécois and even members of its own caucus, the government voted in support of the invocation of the Emergencies Act. By this time, the blockades and the protests had all resolved, yet unbelievably in less than 48 hours the government did a complete 180° and revoked the act. My question is simple. What c…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I enjoyed working with the member on the justice committee. We are both lawyers, and this is a very unique scheme in the way it has been designed. In fact, I will actually quote from Michael Geist, a respected professor: “The bottom line is that the potential scope for regulation is virtually limitless since any audio-visual service anywhere with Canadian subscribers is caught withi…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart I rise today. This is a solemn day that will no doubt be remembered by Canadians for decades to come. Given the gravity of today's debate, I believe it is incumbent on all members to speak candidly, earnestly and sincerely. Today we are debating the Emergencies Act, but before I outline why the invocation of this act is capricious and completely unnecessary, i…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I will be kind and generous and just say that the individual misheard. I clearly said two, and if you check the records you will hear that. If you want to watch the video, it is available. Just watch it, because it is on film. There are two individuals, including one lady who has a scooter or walker, who get trampled by a 2,000-pound horse. I have horses. Let me tell you, that is goin…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I am sorry. It must be the end of the day, because I am a little passionate. My apologies to the member if I got a little passionate. I am definitely pro-vaccine. I am proudly vaxxed and I believe everyone should be vaccinated. However, we also need to not demonize people who think differently from us. We live in a free country, and when we demonize people, calling them misogynist and…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her comment. I have enjoyed working with her on Bill S-216 and, if I am not being too bold, walking with her to the House earlier. I would say that this is an area of study and it is an area where we need to look at these new technologies. Unfortunately, the government has been behind on many things, including reviewing how cryptocurrency works in this cont…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, for far too long, direction and control regulations have limited the collaboration between charities and other organizations. That is why I am proud to sponsor Bill S-216 in the House. Bill S-216 would replace direction and control with an accountability framework that would allow for constructive and equal partnerships between charitable organizations and the communities they serve. …
Read full speech →Government Orders
On that note, Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish my wonderful spouse a happy Valentine's Day, and I would like to wish the member across the way a terrific Valentine's Day as well. He is a member whom I respect greatly. Because we will not have a chance at committee, I want to ask a question that I might ask at committee if given the opportunity. This COVID endemic or pandemic could last for some t…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish the member a happy Valentine's Day, but I am hoping he would join me and indeed join his caucus member, Joël Lightbound, in calling for a more—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the member would like to join his colleague, the hon. member for Louis-Hébert. I too believe we can have a better level of discourse, one that has compassion and collaboration at its heart, not anger and division. Would he stand today and criticize the leader of his party, the Prime Minister, show some strength of character and tell the Prime Minister that we need better, …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I am enjoying this trip down memory lane. In fact, the member is correct that we did call for rapid tests two years ago, but I do not see the relevance here.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I am willing to discuss. All options are on the table. As the member said, people are dying, so all options are on the table. I will say that ultimately my dream would be to have a Canada where no one is using these substances and we are not just managing the crisis but actually overcoming it. I am open. Let us have discussions. Let us work it out. I always enjoy the member's collaborat…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time with the member for Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge. I am sure he is going to do a great job, and I am looking forward to his discussion. I might just say that I respect tremendously the member who was just speaking, but I did not respect necessarily the tone of that speech. I would love to see us work together collaboratively. There can be no greater victory for ou…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, I absolutely agree with the hon. member's comments. I would even widen the audience or the interactions we need to have. We need people who have battled through addiction and even people who are engaged in the battle against addiction. There should be nothing about people without them. We need to bring all people to the table. We cannot wait. We need action. This crisis is now decades o…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Chair, it is astonishing. I will say that throughout this pandemic that the government does not appear to have even contemplated increasing health transfers. One of the pressures on our system has been, of course, COVID-19, but we also are, in many cases, lacking the sufficient ICU beds and hospital beds that we need. Like I said, we are always open to collaboration and discussion.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I certainly applaud the passion if not the substance of that speech. On a serious note, constituents in my riding are having a difficult time getting by. Everything is getting more expensive under the Liberal government. Housing prices have increased by 50% to 60% in my riding, and it is getting more and more difficult. I hear over and over from government members that it is not the…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
moved that Bill S-216, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (use of resources of a registered charity), be read the first time. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today on Bill S-216. I would like to thank Senator Omidvar for her terrific work and tireless advocacy on behalf of charitable organizations around the world and specifically here in Canada. I would also like to thank the memb…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I hope the member is able to get her technical problems resolved. I was looking forward to enjoying her speech. I know how challenging it can be with technical things. I want to start with the substance of my speech. Like everyone else today, I am addressing Bill C-8, which is a financial update to the fiscal update. I am going to talk about some specific issues. Over the next few day…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, if you want to talk about flip-flops, your minister said this was not an issue. It is costing our farmers tens of thousands of dollars. After my bill, suddenly it is an issue and now you are introducing a rebate just for political points. That is disgusting.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I had an interaction with a member of the ministry of finance at the agriculture committee who tried to say, no, it is actually the amount that goes in that comes out. I had read the public accounts, like the great member over there, and I knew that was not the case. They actually denied it at first. The fact remains that millions of dollars from the carbon tax stays with government…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, agriculture is very important to me, too, and to my constituency. I thank my hon. colleague for his question, which is a good one. Farmers are incredibly important. I have spent my entire life working and surrounded by farmers and they are incredibly entrepreneurial, intelligent and thrifty individuals. If we leave that money in their pockets, they will do things, just like they alr…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, it has also been recognized by economists throughout the world and throughout time that monetary policy has a huge impact on inflation. Could the member please describe to me what quantitative easing is and why it will not impact inflation in Canada, as it has for every other country at every other time in the world?
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, in my riding of Northumberland—Peterborough South, we are, of course, on Lake Ontario. In 2019 and 2017 we had severe flooding issues. What investment has the government made to protect those people? Spoiler alert: It is none.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, their administration of the Community Futures (CF) Program and the delivery of the CF program through the Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs): (a) what is the most recent investment fund balances for each of the 36 CFDCs in Southern Ontario; (b) what is the breakdown of the 1144 loans which were approved by…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the new member to the House and thank him for his politeness. I have a question with respect to inflation. Unfortunately, the Speech from the Throne did not address it, and the people in my riding are in very difficult positions. Some of them cannot afford housing. Some of them cannot afford food. With the cost of everything going up by multiple digits, and in some cases 10%…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition in support of Bill S-223. Bill S-223 seeks to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking. It would make it a criminal offence for a person to go abroad and receive an organ taken without the consent of another person. Bill S-223 was passed by the Senate unanimously three times and MPs from multiple parties have been putting forward a form of th…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, polio is a horrible disease. It affects one's central nervous system, creating paralysis and even death. While Canada is now 20 years polio-free, the disease remains endemic in the countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Fortunately, organizations like Rotary International have raised over a billion dollars in their mission to eradicate polio. I would like to highlight the efforts of o…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, we want to get to work. Je travaille. Yes, we absolutely want to get to work. Let us get this done. Let us get the negotiations over. Let us get to committee. Let us help the people of Canada.
Read full speech →Government Orders
For a second there, Madam Speaker, I thought he was asking me to cross the floor. While I do respect the members over there, I am completely happy in the Conservative Party where we will, when we form government, get more union jobs in Canada.
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