Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is an absolute honour to rise in the House today, and it is somewhat intimidating to follow the hon. member for Carleton, the leader of His Majesty's loyal opposition. We heard a very compelling case for supporting this motion. The fact is that Canadians are hurting from coast to coast to coast. They are feeling the effects of the soaring cost of living, the ever-increasing cost at…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, one of the biggest things that is affecting the cost of everything is the fact that the cost of doing business is going up. This is indisputable. The wage earner cannot be lifted up, as has been famously said, by tearing down the wage payer. When they continually attack those who grow the economy and produce wealth, more wealth is not generated. It is better to go after a government t…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, housing is absolutely a growing concern, and we are facing a housing crisis. One of the best things we could do is what the Leader of the Opposition has been calling on the government to do, which is to get rid of some of the gatekeepers that are blocking development in and around our cities, in our urban centres. We could reward and incentivize those who do build, those who are going…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to answer this member's question, absolutely. Personally, I never, ever supported a carbon tax. I want the member to know something: I made those points very clear. Furthermore, I want to ask the member opposite to explain why a colleague of his, the hon. member for Avalon has come out this very week and supported our motion to axe the carbon tax. He said: “Everywhere I go p…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, throughout Atlantic Canada, people are hurting. The soaring cost of living and the never-ending carbon tax increases are eating away at their pocketbooks and their morale. I see it on the furrowed brow of the farmer who has seen input costs go through the roof. I see it on the face of the single mom who is trying to put food on her table and get her kids to school and practice. I see …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill for that great question and, absolutely, I could not agree with her more that the carbon tax is having devastating consequences on Atlantic Canadians. They feel it every time they fill up their car. They feel it every time they fill up their fuel tanks for their homes. They feel it every time they go to the grocery store, because everyth…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's passion and exuberance regarding the question, but the bottom line, once again, is that the government has missed the mark. This legislation is poorly written. We cannot vote on legislation based on our aspirations or because we hope that it is good; we must vote on bills as they are written. Right now this has so many concerning loopholes in it. The…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, when we are considering resource development and this bill, I think all Canadians want us to strike the right balance. They want us to balance out the responsibility to be good stewards of the environment and to ensure we care for the planet, not only for our generation but for future generations. That is an utmost priority for all Canadians as well those who live in my region in part…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying previously, it is so important that we get this right as it relates to Bill C-49. The critical importance of natural resource development, along with the critical importance of getting the renewable sector right and making sure that we expand the economic opportunities for the region of Atlantic Canada, are absolutely vital and important to not only the citizens of Atl…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House today to speak to this particular bill. It is good to be back in the House after our break. It was not really a break but constituency time, with very busy summers for a lot of us. It is good to see so many familiar faces on all sides of the aisle and to have this discussion. Today, I rise to speak to Bill C-49, an act to amend the Canada-Newfoundl…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for Saanich—Gulf Islands. It is so nice to see that she is recovering and doing well. I wish her all the best for a full and speedy recovery, and I continue to pray for that. I look forward to seeing her back in the House in person. As it relates to Bill C-49, what is really important is that we feel, overall, that the bill is detrimental to t…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want to assure my hon. colleague from across the way, the most distinguished member from Avalon, that we have definitely heard the concerns of the region. That is why we are standing against this bill on principle. We have heard the concerns and the reflections of the premiers from a couple of the provinces, but we also have heard concerns about various bills that the government h…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would say this. The energy sector in Canada has been doing an incredible job up to this point in innovating and leading the way around the world with some of the best practices for extraction for energy as it relates to carbon capture initiatives and turning lands back into usable, functional areas and environmentally, eco-friendly development. This sector has had some of the best…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it has been said about leaders that many communicate, but few connect. The tremendous address by the Leader of the Opposition about hope and home a couple of weeks ago connected with Canadians from coast to coast, so much so that even the Prime Minister lifted lines from it. Home has been described as both a place of origin and a place of destiny, a familiar and safe place, and Canadi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, due to the government's overreach, overspending and overtaxation, the financial pressure on Canadians has become overwhelming. In my region and across Canada, Canadians are struggling. Our Atlantic premiers have been clear: They need relief and they need it now. Meanwhile, the government is busy doing its dastardly dance of disorder with the Davos wonder class, amassing wealth and jet…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired the government's tepid tiptoeing through the tulips of political expediency with clear non-answers displayed just like that. Canadians are financially battered, beaten and broken, and they are tired of being belittled. When will the government end the delays, the denials and the deflection, and finally address the escalating dismay of being overlooked, overwhelmed …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the carbon tax has been in place in some jurisdictions in Canada now for nearly 15 years. The commissioner of the environment admitted at committee recently that Canada has no metric by which to measure whether there has been any reduction in carbon as a result of its implementation. With no results other than its diminishing effects on Canadian pocketbooks, why in the world would the…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of the 58th annual National Prayer Breakfast and leadership dinner here on Parliament Hill. The Canadian National Prayer Breakfast is the longest-running parliamentary event in Canada and is the longest-running national prayer breakfast in the world. I am deeply grateful and honoured to be serving as chair for this year's event that is seeing people from coas…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to reflect the sentiments you just expressed to our friends and neighbours in Nova Scotia and throughout the country who are continuing to battle forest fires. I thank our first responders and firefighters and their families for their huge sacrifice in making this recovery possible, getting these fires under control and protecting the good people of our region. I rise tod…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the current Liberal government continues to play a game of over–under with Canadians. While the Liberals gamble with our future through overtaxation and overspending, Canadians receive underwhelming results and overwhelming debt. While the Liberals and their elite friends rule over us, Canadians are under the heavy burden of doubling mortgage and rent costs, as well as record-high cre…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I note the seriousness of the subject we are tackling here this evening. Having this happen to one of our colleagues, a member of this House, has sent shockwaves throughout the country and among fellow parliamentarians. The fact is that there was a delay in the response, and I believe others around the world are looking at Canada's response to this and saying they do not know how se…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague's very thorough speech causes all of us to take time to reflect and think about the seriousness of the matter we are facing right now, and also about the absolute critical importance of Canada to do everything it can to restore its place on the international stage. What I mean by that is so that our allies have confidence in dealing with us as it relates to securit…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I grew up in the small forestry town of Nackawic, New Brunswick, which also happens to be the home of the world's largest axe. At the rate this government is increasing taxes, including a 41¢-per-litre hike on Canadians' heating, eating and meeting, we might need an even bigger axe to slay all of these back-breaking taxes. Will the Prime Minister, who is out of touch, take his boot of…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it takes an “unforgettable” amount of incompetence to increase public service spending by 53% and still end up with the biggest federal public service strike in history. Where is the Prime Minister this weekend? He is making a “brand new start of it in old New York”. We jest, but with how often he is out of the country, one would really think he is Frank Sinatra. We all know that at t…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to inquiries and reports received by the RCMP in a language other than English or French, broken down by year for each of the last five years: (a) how many oral inquiries or reports did the RCMP receive, broken down by language; (b) how many written inquiries and reports, including emailed or online, did the RCMP receive, broken down by language; and (c) of the items in (b), how many w…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive (FTHBI) announced by the government in 2019, from September 1, 2019, to date: (a) how many applicants have applied for mortgages through the FTHBI program, broken down by province and municipality; (b) of the applicants in (a), how many have been approved and have accepted mortgages through the FTHBI program, broken down by province and municipali…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, after eight years, whether it be our seniors on fixed incomes fighting the ever-rising cost of living, or families experiencing punishing fuel and grocery costs or our farmers, producers and transporters who literally keep our land, grow our food and haul our goods, Canadians are being crushed by soaring input costs, including the ineffective and punitive carbon tax. Canadians from co…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I just want to follow up on the statistics my hon. colleague from Timmins—James Bay pointed out from across the way. They are staggering. When we begin to consider them, it should cause all Canadians to pause, reflect and say that the legitimate concerns many of us raised in this House when this was first proposed continue to this day. There are inadequate safeguards in place to pro…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it gives me mixed emotions to rise today in the House on this subject. Our hearts are full of stories. I do not think there is a family that has not been touched by those who have battled with mental illness in some form at some period in their lives. The mere thought that MAID could be extended to those battling mental illness is beyond disturbing. I believe Canadians from coast to…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I believe that we are doing something very positive when we take the time to reflect on what has been brought into place through Bill C-7 and MAID and adequately address the ever-growing concerns of this legislation being abused or overextended to those dealing with mental illness alone. We need to take this time, pass this bill and make sure that in the time it allots us, we put in…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, that is the value and the absolute purpose of the pause. This bill would enable a pause so that we can take immediate steps. Internationally, questions are being raised suggesting that we have gone to the extreme on this issue. It is time to put some adequate safeguards in place to make sure our most vulnerable are protected.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to serve on the fisheries committee with my hon. colleague. With regard to this matter, obviously the challenges of poverty, desperation, hurt and pain are evident throughout our country at this time. Many political parties of various stripes are going to come up with all kinds of potential solutions to that, but the bill that is before us for consideration today is…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, after eight long years of the Liberal government, Canadians are realizing that elections have consequences and that they have walked to the far side of a disappointing decision. After eight years, Canadians have seen their paycheques dwindle so that even the most basic necessities are out of reach. After eight years, seniors, especially those on fixed incomes, are having to choose bet…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the removal of the tax would benefit all Canadians from coast to coast to coast because every Canadian is affected by the carbon tax. Every time they go to the grocery store, the sticker shock from what they are seeing on the grocery shelves is in part a result of the carbon tax, because everything that is trucked, shipped and hauled is affected by the carbon tax, in every province …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to respond to my colleague from Quebec's question. I will simply say this, and the answer is very clear. It is in technology and innovation. I believe Canadians have the best environmental practices for extraction of energy and utilization of energy, as well as for farm production and growing our food, of anywhere in the world and in comparable jurisdictions. We have a …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, one thing is for sure. In all the time that I have been in office in the region that I represent, I have never had one citizen knock on my door, call me or send me an email to say that, whatever I do, I should raise people's taxes so they can feel better about the environment. I have never had one constituent say that, if we double, triple or quadruple the carbon tax, that person wo…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, It is an honour to rise in the House today to speak to this. There is an ancient saying that has been with us, has withstood the test of time, and has been tested time and time again and found to be true. Leaders should follow this advice, and it is that we should all be quick to listen and slow to speak. Oftentimes, it would seem in this House we maybe put the reverse in action and…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to present, on behalf of many Canadians from coast to coast to coast, this petition for the Government of Canada in light of the recent statements made before committee by a member of the Collège des médecins du Québec, who recommended expanding euthanasia to “babies from birth to one year of age who come into the world with severe deformities and very seriou…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to funding provided by the government through the Digital Citizen Initiative: (a) what are the details of all projects funded through the initiative where the government provided more than $10,000 in funding, including, for each project, the (i) recipient, (ii) amount, (iii) date, (iv) project description, (v) component or specific program under which funding was provided; and (b) of t…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the Digital Citizen Contribution Program: (a) how much funding has been delivered to date; and (b) what are the details of all projects funded through the program, including, for each, the (i) recipient, (ii) amount of funding, (iii) project description or purpose of the funding, (iv) date on which the funding was allocated?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I too would like to extend to everyone in the House, including you and all members, a very merry Christmas and wishes for a happy and blessed new year. It is an honour to serve in this, the people's House, and I would like to wish all those in Tobique—Mactaquac and their families a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. I have the honour to present a petition, the signatories of…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it came upon a midnight clear with the stars brightly shining. It was a holy night when angels were heard on high. Hark, now hear the angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king.” It was the first noel when the angels did say, “Born is the king of Israel.” Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, lay the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay. In the little town of Bethlehem, the hopes and fears…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise here today to speak in the House about Bill S-4. We have been spending some time reviewing the attributes of the bill and the importance of making sure we address the backlog issue in the criminal justice system and the ways we can better expedite that. This is obviously in relation to the aftermath and effects of COVID-19 and the ever-increasing backlogs. One …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I commend my hon. colleague for meeting with the chaplains this week. I think that is important. The role the chaplains play in the system is critical. Often, it does not get nearly the appropriate acknowledgement it should, so I thank him for doing that. What I like about the bill is that it addresses the backlog issue and uses technology to try to make sure that people in remote are…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if my hon. colleague heard my address, but I feel like I spent quite a bit of time talking about the absolute necessity of the two-pronged approach. We certainly need what we call tough-on-crime measures and want the punishment to meet the crime for heinous crimes that have major consequences on victims of those crimes. People out there must understand that we do not tak…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my esteemed hon. colleague. He always has questions that are astute and astounding, and I am forever thankful for that. I will say this. The issue of rising crime in rural communities needs to become a priority and a priority fast. The numbers are staggering. We are finding that remote and rural areas are having a harder and harder time getting access to law enfo…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Fredericton, New Brunswick, for sharing her experience working with youth at risk. It is such an important field for addressing these concerns on the front end and making sure we are doing all we can to keep as many as possible from entering the criminal justice system. Also, I would love to hear the hon. member's comments and reflection on the critical …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, with the Christmas season fast approaching, Canadians are concerned about the ever-increasing cost of living. Does the government hear what I hear? I wonder if it hears what I hear. The cost of diesel fuel, which recently reached over $3 a litre in my home province, is causing a spike in the cost of all food and goods that are trucked and shipped. Does it hear what I hear from concern…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the government's decision not to list the whole of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity: has the government been lobbied or had any meetings with entities who advocated in favour of the IRGC being allowed to operate in Canada and advocated against the IRGC being listed as a terrorist entity since January 1, 2019, and, if so, what are the details of a…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Quebec. What is so important in this discussion and we need to remember is that our supply management sector has worked, is working and will continue to work. We need to make sure that we do everything we can to buttress the supply-managed sector. I will be supporting the bill, because I believe in that type of approach to agriculture. We have seen the succ…
Read full speech →