Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking the hon. colleague for her question and her tireless advocacy. I also want to acknowledge that I am standing on the unceded traditional territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin people. The negative impacts of the legacies of colonialism are numerous and wide-reaching for indigenous peoples. Poor housing conditions, overcrowding and homelessness are just a few …
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Mr. Speaker, I can assure the hon. member that the Government of Canada takes the issue of housing for indigenous peoples very seriously. We know that indigenous people are more likely to experience poor housing conditions and overcrowding than the general population is. That is why housing in first nations, Inuit and Métis communities is backed by significant funding from the federal government, …
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Mr. Speaker, obviously, feeding children in schools through a national school food program, in which there is an investment of $1 billion over five years in this year's budget, is going to roll out in the coming years and months. It has not fed children in the past because it was not in existence in the past. School food programs exist all across the country, but they have needed an injection of a…
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Mr. Speaker, our government does not shy away from the facts, and the facts are that climate change is real. The Canadian Climate Institute points to how much climate change will cost our economy in the year 2025, which is $25 billion a year and 50% of projected GDP growth in one year. That is the estimated loss in damages due to climate change next year. I know the member opposite comes from a ri…
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Mr. Speaker, I note the member opposite talked about food bank lineups again. It is really a shame that he would not vote in support of feeding hungry children. I do not know how he can say over and over again, as his party does every day in question period, that Conservatives care about the people in the food bank lineups, but they are not willing to support a national school food program. I just…
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Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate for us all, as a government and members of Parliament, to demand the highest governance standards when dealing with public funds. That is what our government has done from day one. As soon as we learned about allegations of mismanagement in this independent organization, we ordered independent reviews done, fact-finding missions. We collaborated with the Auditor Gene…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that SDTC, for over 20 years, has done great work to support the clean-tech sector. Obviously, there were allegations of mismanagement. When those surfaced, the minister acted immediately to issue several independent reviews, both on HR practices and on governance practices. We know, and have always been unequivocal, about the fact that we need to demand the highest governance…
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Mr. Speaker, let us review what the PBO actually said. On Power and Politics, Mr. Giroux said that carbon pricing is “seen by [most] economists as...the most cost-effective way of reaching...levels of carbon emissions [reduction].” Recently, on March 27, at the OGGO committee, Yves Giroux also said that “there is a wide consensus among economists—and I am an economist—that carbon pricing is an eff…
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Mr. Speaker, SDTC is an organization that has served the clean-tech sector for over 20 years. When we knew about the allegations of mismanagement, our government acted immediately. There are a number of steps over the last many months that our government has taken to get to the bottom of the issues in terms of the governance and HR practices of the organization. I think it is important to keep in …
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Madam Speaker, again, from day one, when we learned of the allegations of mismanagement, our government has consistently taken steps forward to address the issues that surfaced, and I have outlined that very clearly in my speech. Our government has taken action time and time again to collect the facts. We have never denied the fact that these allegations are serious and that there are breaches to …
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Madam Speaker, we too feel it is very important to preserve a healthy work environment for the employees of SDTC. After all, they are not the ones at fault here. To the member's point, the board is no longer and will be reconstituted with new members under the new governance framework. As I said in my speech, employees who have worked at SDTC will be given opportunities within the new structure to…
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Madam Speaker, what that member just uttered is patently false. I have supported meetings on SDTC at committee, and our government has studied it at multiple committees. We have also taken action from day one to, as I said, do numerous fact-finding missions and independent reviews, all of which have provided the evidence and support for the actions we are now taking. We have taken those to heart a…
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Madam Speaker, I think the hon. member's question is a good-faith question. It is exactly what we hope to see. This organization has a legacy of really great strategic work in helping finance, seed and scale up financing for some of our most promising clean-tech entrepreneurs. To see that work continue is really where our commitment is. Obviously, we need to address the governance issues that have…
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Mr. Speaker, what is not a secret is the Conservatives' climate denial. That is no secret. Canadians know that Conservatives continue to vote against any action on climate change. Our government is implementing solutions that work. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed multiple times that carbon pricing is the most cost-effective market-based mechanism. I would remind the Conservatives th…
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Mr. Speaker, Sustainable Development Technology Canada is an independent organization that has been around for over 20 years and that was supported by all members of Parliament at the time. I understand that the Conservatives' opposition to fighting climate change gives them an ideological bent against the organization. However, notwithstanding the governance structure of the organization, when we…
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Mr. Speaker, as soon as allegations of mismanagement of Sustainable Development Technology Canada surfaced, our government acted immediately. We triggered an independent review of the governance model and an independent review of the HR practices in the organization. We issued a management response action plan. We have done everything right along the way to address the concerns. Rightfully, Canadi…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), and consistent with the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Arrangement between the Government of Canada and the European Space Agency concerning the Participation by the Government of Canada in the Space Safety Programme”, done at Paris on June 8, 2023.
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Madam Speaker, part of my reason for getting into politics was to support small and medium-sized enterprises in this country and ensure that we unlock capital and investment to scale up the innovative solutions that entrepreneurs and small business owners are developing, so we can meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, one of the challenges obviously being climate change. I cannot tell members…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to this motion. I would like to address the substance of the issues raised and present the government's action to address allegations at SDTC and the actions we are taking to restore public trust and restore funding to Canada's world-class clean-tech sector that is helping deliver climate solutions and create the jobs of the future. On Tuesday, we…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 14 petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.
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Mr. Speaker, as we approach World Ocean Day on June 8, it is timely to reflect on the ocean's profound contribution to our economy, climate and way of life, and to Canada's prosperity as a whole. The ocean sector contributed close to $52 billion toward Canada's GDP in 2022 and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide. There are opportunities to create many more jobs in the fisheries, aqua…
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Mr. Speaker, I apologize in advance for not being able to take the Conservative Party seriously with its new-found empathy for Canadians who are struggling with the cost of living. It is not willing to step up. Any time our compassionate government leads with responsible solutions that try to lift up people who are vulnerable, the Conservatives vote against. They vote against dental care, child ca…
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Mr. Speaker, it is certainly well known that grocery price inflation is a problem that all countries are facing around the world. As for grocery price inflation in Canada, there is some good news that just came in with a report that shows that food price inflation is in fact coming down in Canada. It is at 1.4% in April, down from 1.9% the month before. That is certainly encouraging news for Canad…
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Mr. Speaker, let us take note that the Parliamentary Budget Officer, just this week, described Canada's fiscal position as top of class, and so did the International Monetary Fund when describing Canada's growth in 2025. We are also, I remind the Conservatives, rated number one in the world with a AAA credit rating, which has been reaffirmed by independent credit agencies. When it comes to combatt…
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Mr. Speaker, it was great to have the independent Governor of the Bank of Canada attend the finance committee recently. When he was at committee, he said, “The budget does respect the fiscal guardrails that the government put in place,” and that “Keeping the debt-to-GDP ratio on a declining track and importantly keeping deficits below one per cent of GDP in future years, the budget also commits to…
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Mr. Speaker, our government has a track record of leading with compassion and initiating programs that address the needs of the most vulnerable. Emergency food programs are certainly part of the support system for people who have immediate needs and are struggling to put food on the table. Let us review this. Food Banks Canada said that the national school food program was a vital initiative. If t…
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Mr. Speaker, grocery price inflation is coming down. It was 1.4% in April, down from 1.9% a month before. This is encouraging news, certainly for Canadians, but it is important to know that our government put forward the most comprehensive package of competition reforms in Canadian history. Why? More competition equals better prices. However, it is a bit rich for the Conservatives to point to food…
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Mr. Speaker, I find it more than ironic that the Conservative member across the way mentions children when he is going to stand up in short order and oppose a national school food program for which Food Banks Canada and Food Secure Canada have advocated for over 10 years because they know that it would impact food insecurity in this country in a dramatic way. There is $1 billion in federal budget …
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Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see that Conservatives are finally aligning themselves with Food Banks Canada. We saw that over a decade of the Harper Conservatives, they did nothing to address food insecurity in Canada. Today our government is creating more competition in the marketplace, and we are investing in a national school food program, both of which the Conservatives oppose. I do not know how t…
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Madam Speaker, Conservatives talk down our economy every day in the House, while in reality, Canada's economy has shown great resilience, despite the global shocks it has been under. We have the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio, the lowest deficit in the G7 and an AAA credit rating that has been reaffirmed. Warren Buffett, while talking about investing in Canada, said, “We do not feel uncomfortable in any…
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Madam Speaker, I agree with the hon. member that it is certainly hypocritical for Conservatives to cite food bank lineups as something that they care about when voting against a national school food program that would feed over 400,000 kids per year. That is hypocritical if I have ever heard it before. It is very good to hear from my colleague in the NDP, whom we worked with successfully to update…
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Madam Speaker, it is so rich to hear the Conservatives, again, cite food bank lineups and continually rage farm off the suffering of Canadians when they will not step up when given the opportunity to support feeding 400,000 more kids per year. This is something I advocated for, many years before getting into politics. I know many members of the House are encouraged by the fact that our government …
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Madam Speaker, disingenuous is what one calls it when someone says that they care about something, but they do the exact opposite, which is today's Conservatives. They claim to care about people in food bank lineups, but oppose our plan to feed 400,000 more children per year. They claim to care about housing, but oppose our investments to build 3.9 million more homes by 2031. They claim to care ab…
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Madam Speaker, the facts are that Conservatives will never stand up when they have the opportunity to support Canadians. They will not support feeding more hungry children. They will not support building more homes. They will not support access to life-saving medication. They are disingenuous at best. The hypocrisy is over the top. We see, every day, in the House that they complain, that they holl…
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Madam Speaker, I wanted to ask the member about the greenwashing provisions in the Competition Act. The government worked collaboratively and very closely with Bloc and NDP members to strengthen the provisions within the Competition Act that deal with products that claim to be sustainable and also general claims that companies may make. I think those provisions in the Competition Act really preven…
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Mr. Speaker, the member for Oshawa should know that the rapid housing initiative has created hundreds of housing units across Durham region, including in his riding of Oshawa. I was at the announcements. I am sorry that he did not make it. The federal government also invested $259 million through the strategic innovation fund in General Motors Oshawa, along with the Ontario government, to produce …
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Mr. Speaker, I know we hear, every day, the misleading statements of Conservatives when it comes to climate change. They do not acknowledge that climate change is real. They do not want to fight climate change. They do not believe in the economic prosperity that comes with it. The fall economic statement bill offers investment tax credits for carbon capture, utilization and storage, as well as cle…
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Mr. Speaker, every day, Conservatives stand up in the House and cite food bank lineups, as if they care. They are also clear that they are going to vote against the national school food program. One of the other measures that we have taken, of course, in Bill C-59 is competition reform. I wonder if my colleague could speak to the importance of having more competition.
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Mr. Speaker, just last week, the Governor of the Bank of Canada appeared before committee. He gave very compelling testimony, answering questions from the Conservative Party, and said that the government, compared to the fall economic statement in this year's budget, has stuck to its fiscal guardrails and that there would be no impact on inflation. We also had the International Monetary Fund, whic…
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Madam Speaker, in the over 20 hours of witness testimony that was heard at the Standing Committee on Finance, we heard from industry about the importance of the investment tax credits that our government is launching, two of which are rolled out in Bill C-59. Could the minister speak to the importance of those investment tax credits, in particular, the carbon capture, utilization and storage and t…
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Madam Speaker, last November, the government introduced Bill C-59, the fall economic statement implementation act. Among other measures, Bill C-59 proposed significant amendments to our Competition Act. I am proud to share that the Standing Committee on Finance has recently completed its review of the bill and has made several amendments to further strengthen existing proposals. Before I get into …
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Madam Speaker, I have the utmost respect for the member opposite, having worked with her on several committees, heard her testimony, and seen her great advocacy for her community. I know the particular bill we are debating tonight, Bill C-59, has a measure to waive GST on new co-operative rental housing construction. That is obviously one measure of many in a package of measures that are included …
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Madam Speaker, I can relate to the member's commitment to having a strong health care system in Canada today. That is exactly why our government, through the health transfer, has increased funding to provinces and territories. I would note that the amount is approximately $200 billion over the next 10 years. We have also followed that up with bilateral agreements that add to those investments and …
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Madam Speaker, I have great respect for the member, having worked with him on the science and research committee. I know him to be a productive member of Parliament who advocates for his community well. It was great to see, in our current budget, the great investments in research that we both advocated for. With regard to housing investments, our government is working collaboratively with Quebec, …
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Madam Speaker, the member opposite must know about the challenges that many Canadians have faced in terms of postpandemic recovery, with mental health issues on the rise and with many Canadians stressed out about an uncertain future. Bill C-59 proposes to waive GST on accessing psychotherapy. I think that is a great measure for ensuring that Canadians can get access to the mental health care they …
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Madam Speaker, I agree with the member on many of the things she said. I know that in our discussions on Bill C-59, the Competition Act reforms, there was much collaboration between the Liberals and the NDP at committee. We took some of the NDP's suggestions and further strengthened the measures. I would ask her if she knows what is left to do on the Competition Act reforms as per her leader's bil…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to lend my voice today in support of Bill C-69, the budget implementation act, 2024. This budget is about what kind of country we want to live in and what kind of country we want to build together. For generations, Canada has been a place where everyone could secure a better future for themselves and their children, and where a growing economy created opportuni…
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Madam Speaker, I have great respect for the member opposite and have worked with him on sustainable finance. I believe in a climate-aligned financial system. That is what our government has committed to. I mentioned many measures in my speech. There are many more to come. The Sustainable Finance Action Council did exceptional work on developing a green transition taxonomy. Our government has clear…
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Madam Speaker, of course our government has a track record of supporting seniors right from day one, which was when we moved the age of retirement back from the Conservatives' 67 to 65. We made the largest contribution to the Canada pension plan. We have increased old age security for seniors over 75. We boosted the guaranteed income supplement. This budget has measures that directly impact senior…
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Madam Speaker, obviously, I disagree wholeheartedly with the member's characterization of what the government is currently doing. We have landed massive investments in the EV supply chain. We are number three in the world in foreign direct investment. We have maintained a AAA credit rating. The Bank of Canada governor was at the finance committee recently and said that the government's current bud…
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