Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the member is correct in mentioning the issue of divisiveness. The Liberal government revels in the whole notion of wedge issues to create division, to turn Canadians against one another. I do not know about the members opposite, but I think we are all here because we want to help people, not because we want to turn the majority against the minority. Our job as representatives is to…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I will comment on the member's question by repeating that what we see on the streets of Ottawa today is a manifestation of the divisive nature of the government's politics. It is reaping what it has created by running on wedge issues. It is turning Canadians against each other. We all believe in the right to peaceful protest. Where was the government this weekend? The Prime Minister…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the economic impact of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers on the tourism industry in the Niagara Region: (a) what was the number of foreign international travellers who arrived at the land border crossings in the Niagara Region, broken down by month since the border opened for non-essential arrivals on August 9, 2021; (b) what is the…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to vehicles provided for the use of ministers and the federal executive vehicle fleet, as of November 29, 2021: (a) what is the total number of vehicles provided for the use of ministers; (b) what was the total cost of procuring the vehicles currently in use by ministers; (c) for each ministerial vehicle, what was the (i) date purchased, (ii) make and model, including the year, (iii) p…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, this petition is also in support of Bill S-223. Bill S-223 seeks to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking. The bill would make it a criminal offence for persons to go abroad and receive an organ taken without the consent of the person giving the organ. The bill has passed the Senate unanimously three times, and MPs from multiple parties have been putting forward a form of t…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, as an MP with four border crossings in my riding, I can tell members that the ArriveCAN app has been a real mess. Take the example of Bernadette in my riding. She was forced into a 14-day quarantine when she is double vaccinated and had a booster. She is now receiving threatening phone calls harassing her to complete her testing requirements or face jail time and/or a $650,000 fine. S…
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Madam Speaker, Canada’s new PPE manufacturing industry is already in a state of crisis. These patriotic innovators answered the government’s call to help Canadians when PPE supply was short and badly needed at the start of the pandemic. Despite the Prime Minister promising to buy made-in-Canada PPE, all I can find in the Parliamentary precinct are masks that are made in China. When will the Libera…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, it is a tremendous honour for me to rise in the House of Commons today to give my opening remarks in the 44th Parliament as the re-elected representative for the beautiful riding of Niagara Falls. I want to sincerely thank the great people of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and Fort Erie for continuing to place their confidence in me by returning me to this incredible chamber, the …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to rise today and take this opportunity to share my thoughts on the recently tabled transportation estimates. These estimates, which are based upon budget 2021, have failed to present the needed road map and economic recovery plan that would lead us out of this pandemic in a timely manner. Not surprisingly, these estimates are just as disappointing as the bud…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, like the hon. member, I believe that the issue of temporary foreign workers is plaguing all tourism operators across the country. I have heard from numerous tourism operations across the country, including in my own riding, about the need for labour and the need for temporary foreign workers. To the member's point, yes, this government is operating in silos. It is not talking to the…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, in terms of the budget, this government is in control of its own legislative agenda. It prorogued Parliament last summer. That was six weeks of delay right there, and this budget is the first budget that we have seen in two years. Let that resonate for a moment. I can tell the member that I was disappointed by the funding provided for the tourism sector. It is $1 billion for a secto…
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Madam Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely correct that the challenges the grape and wine industry faces are the result of the government's own actions. The government caused the problems that resulted in the World Trade Organization challenge, and on the $102 million, which is divided in the first year, I am already hearing from stakeholders that it is insufficient to meet the needs that those …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's pledge of a one-shot summer and his recent attendance at the G7 summit simply prove that Liberals have one set of rules for themselves and another for hard-working Canadians who are abiding by health guidelines and who simply want this pandemic to be over. Every day I hear from my constituents who have been separated from their families and loved ones by the lengt…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the use of cryptocurrency or digital currency as a means of payment and the revenue generated from the government's requirement to collect sales taxes on those purchases, broken down by year, since 2016: (a) how much Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) revenue did the government receive from goods or services purchased using a digital currency such as Bitcoin…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two individually certified paper petitions. The first petition is on behalf of the residents of Bowmanville, Oshawa and Durham. These residents petition the House to ensure that any financial assistance to airlines and their subsidiary travel companies will be conditional on the protection of travel adviser commissions, and to ensure that commissions already cl…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
With regard to the government's decision to require airline travellers arriving from outside of Canada to quarantine at a designated airport hotel: (a) how many travellers refused to stay in a government approved quarantine hotel; (b) how many fines or tickets were issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada related to the refusals in (a); and (c) what is the breakdown of (a) and (b) by airport o…
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With regard to government departments and agencies that accept credit card payments: what was the total amount paid to (i) Visa, (ii) Mastercard, (iii) American Express, (iv) each other credit card companies, in relation to credit card processing fees in 2020?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as a point of clarification, would that amendment then end up having the extended hours start on Monday instead of tomorrow?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, every day I hear heartbreaking stories from my constituents who have been separated from their families and loved ones by the lengthy and extended border closure with the United States. Some have missed family funerals. Others cannot cross to look after their elderly parents or a sick family member. Grandparents are forfeiting precious time with their grandchildren. Nearly 15 months i…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, before the onset of COVID-19, Canadian fairs and exhibitions generated an estimated $2.9 billion in annual economic impact. With over 17,000 events and programs held across Canada every year, these fairs and exhibitions would attract over 35 million visitors annually. However, since the pandemic began, Canadian fairs and exhibitions have been among the hardest hit. Many of them are se…
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Mr. Speaker, Matthew Jelley is the president of Maritime Fun Group, which has the popular tourism attractions Shining Waters Family Fun Park in Prince Edward Island and Magic Mountain in New Brunswick. When budget 2021 was announced, he did some math and quickly realized he will be worse off under the proposed Canadian recovery hiring program compared to the existing Canadian emergency wage subsid…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this week is Tourism Week across Canada. Tourism is a major economic driver in my beautiful riding of Niagara Falls. Before COVID-19, about 40,000 workers from across Niagara had jobs in our local tourism sector, which generated over $2.4 billion worth of receipts a year. Nationally, Canada's travel and tourism industry is the country's fifth largest sector, responsible for $105 billi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the government announced the highly affected sectors credit availability program in late November and waited two months to open applications. According to the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, only 4% of its members have taken up HASCAP. Businesses have told us increased debt loads, higher interest rates and continued issues with the criteria are the reasons for the program's f…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I apologize for the interruption, but I believe my colleague was going to indicate that she would be splitting her time with the member for Calgary Skyview.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to speak to this bill. Bill C-237, the national framework for diabetes act, would direct the Minister of Health to develop a national framework to support diabetes prevention and treatment in consultation with relevant stakeholders. That is a key aspect of what this bill talks about. It would require the Minister of Health to hold at least one confere…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, part of the concurrence report, under recommendation 55, spoke to the support for the cultural, tourism and hospitality sectors. It asked about providing additional financial support to those sectors until COVID-19-related restrictions can be safely lifted. One thing in the budget was disappointing for the stakeholder community, and there was almost unanimity in my conversations wit…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I have been speaking with CBSA officers at the four border crossings in Niagara who have informed me that they still do not have access to vaccines. This jeopardizes the health of these essential front-line federal workers. Furthermore, an outbreak could shut down some of the busiest border crossings in North America and threaten our already fragile supply chain. This is yet another g…
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Mr. Speaker, since the Bloc's subamendment deleted two key aspects of the amendment we were proposing, we therefore voted against it. The Bloc members knew that was going to happen. We support the notion of increased health care funding, but we do not agree with their position, which allowed them to delete certain sections of our amendment, so we voted against it. We do not agree with their refusa…
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Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if the hon. member was listening to the speech or just preparing remarks to attack my position here. In fact, when he talks about debt load, if we judge this budget, by 2026 we will be spending $39 billion just on interest payments on this debt and, if we think about it, only $25.6 billion on employment insurance benefits for Canadians. We can think about that. In 2026, …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to rise today and take this opportunity to share my thoughts on the recently tabled federal budget. Before I do, I want to congratulate our Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance for her historic achievement of being Canada's first female finance minister to deliver a budget in this House. It is a well-deserved honour and one that was long overdue. In te…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I would like to remind my colleague and good friend that he was going to notify the Speaker that he would be splitting his time.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I will agree with the member in the sense that this budget does nothing to help those who need it the most. Again, I will refer back to my community of 40,000 workers. They are all sitting at home. They are collecting government programs, but they would rather be working instead. A vaccine is a way forward. Rapid testing is a way forward. A key concern about this budget is that it wou…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I ask that at report stage the bill be passed on division. (Motion agreed to)
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I ask that this bill pass on division.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, as Canadians look ahead to rounding the corner on COVID-19, our country is at a crossroads. The future of Canada is at stake, and Canadians must choose which path to recovery they trust. The path of the Prime Minister's reimagined economy veers off into the unknown and saddles our children with debt levels and repayment obligations that will challenge their future success. Canada's Co…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, April is Parkinson's Awareness Month, and this past week our community came together to honour one of our local residents by proclaiming April 11 as Steve Ludzik Parkinson's awareness day in the city of Niagara Falls. Steve arrived in Niagara in 1978 to pursue a hockey career, playing Junior A for the Niagara Falls Flyers. He successfully realized his childhood dream by playing prof…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, earlier this week, the coalition of hardest hit announced that 60% of Canada's hardest hit businesses will not make it to the end of the year if they do not receive extended support in the upcoming April federal budget. The coalition is asking for certainty from the federal government by way of extending both the Canadian emergency wage subsidy and the Canadian emergency rent subsid…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to add my voice in support of the motion put forward by the member for Richmond Hill, which calls upon the government to designate August 1 of each year as emancipation day. As the member of Parliament representing the riding of Niagara Falls, it is indeed my pleasure to speak on this motion and share the incredible local history and important s…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on this day, as we remember all those who have been lost to, or in some way impacted by, the COVID-19 pandemic, let us also renew our commitment to assist those who still need our help, including those hardest-hit businesses, families and individuals who are struggling the most. Yesterday, Conservatives secured the House's support for workers in sectors heavily impacted by COVID-19. T…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to present e-petition 3027 on behalf of the concerned citizens of Canada who call upon the government to present a sector-specific tourism recovery plan on or before the date of the 2021 federal budget. Among their requests, the petitioners call on the government to ensure that this tourism recovery plan addresses the specific needs of the many travel and tourism s…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today in concurrence of the fourth report from the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology regarding the order in council appointment of Marsha Walden as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Tourism Commission, now known as Destination Canada. On October 29, 2020, the committee met to consider Ms. Walden's appointment. At that time…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague mentioned earlier, there cannot be a full economic recovery without a health recovery, so that is vitally important. We talked to several stakeholder groups that are looking for certainty. I have spoken to outfitter organizations across the country that derive 90% of their memberships and business from American visitation. They are looking for certainty. What is the go…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is correct. If we approach the coming tourism season and then lose it again, it will be quite devastating, not only for our tourism community in Niagara Falls, but also for many others. In my community alone there are 40,000 workers who have come to rely on the tourism sector for their livelihoods. Our two casinos, which are the largest tourism employers in Niagara, em…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have been listening to stakeholder organizations across the country, including the Association Of Canadian Travel Agencies and independent travel agencies across the country. They are looking to the government for solutions as part of the airline assistance program. Traditionally many of these small business operations, probably 80% to 85%, are run by female entrepreneurs. They are …
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, many Canadian union workers and their jobs depend upon the strong economic relationship that exists between Canada and the United States. As such, we need to make sure that our two countries continue working together on the many shared interests we hold on matters such as energy, trade, industry, travel and tourism, and the environment. When we do, both nations benefit. For much of ou…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the member talked about the array of government programs that are available, but at the same time the Canadian Federation of Independent Business has identified that 200,000 Canadian small businesses may fail this year because of COVID-19. The future success that we need to move forward in getting people back to work is a vaccine. It means getting vaccines here and getting people in…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government likes to make hurried announcements and then take its slow time in implementing critical support programs such as the highly affected sectors credit availability program, HASCAP. Hardest hit businesses, especially those in Canada's travel and tourism industry, are relying on HASCAP, which was announced nearly two months ago. Just moments ago, we found out that …
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