44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 15, 2022 10:00AM
- Feb/15/22 10:03:40 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in relation to the motion adopted on Monday, February 14, 2022, regarding the illegal blockades at Canada's border crossings.
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food calls for the immediate end of the illegal blockades at Canada's border crossings. At a time of severe strain to our supply chains, the blockades are interrupting millions of dollars of daily trade between Canada and the United States and are negatively impacting Canadian agriculture and agri-food industries, including producers, manufacturers and processors. All governments must play a leadership role in keeping these vital trade networks open for the thousands of agriculture businesses and workers who depend on them.
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- Feb/15/22 2:07:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to address something that is affecting all Canadians. My riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler is home to two Toyota plants that directly employ over 5,000 employees. The situation at the Ambassador Bridge had a direct impact on the many constituents in my riding who work in the auto sector, when the plants were forced to close for several days.
Blockades in cities and at border crossings have disrupted the lives of families across the country. I have heard from constituents in my riding of Kitchener South—Hespeler, thousands of whom were sent home from work as a direct result of the blockades. This is hurting our neighbours, crippling the manufacturing industry, disrupting the supply chain and making life even harder for all Canadians, who have already gone through so much.
I encourage and ask that all levels of government continue to work together on the current situation at our border crossings and allow Canadians to return to work.
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- Feb/15/22 2:19:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after discussions with cabinet and caucus, consultations with the premiers of all provinces and territories, and conversations with opposition leaders, we decided to invoke the Emergencies Act to supplement provincial and territorial capacity to address the blockades and occupations.
I want to be very clear. The scope of these measures are time-limited and geographically targeted. They are reasonable and proportionate to the threats they are meant to address. They are to be fully compliant with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to reassure all Canadians that this is the right thing to move forward with.
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- Feb/15/22 2:20:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I had a very simple question for the Prime Minister, and he was not able to answer it.
It would appear this could be more political drama for the Prime Minister. He name-calls people he disagrees with. He wedges; he divides; he stigmatizes. In spite of all of his failures, Coutts border has cleared. Windsor has opened up. Provinces and police are doing their jobs, and blockades are starting to come down.
However, the Prime Minister thinks that now is the time to use this extreme measure and invoke the Emergencies Act. Is it not true that the Prime Minister's actions could serve to actually make things worse and not make things better?
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- Feb/15/22 2:22:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, like I said, this is a time for responsible leadership to end these blockades. Unfortunately, the Conservatives continue to play partisan games.
The Conservative member for Provencher, just yesterday—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Feb/15/22 2:24:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, from the start, we have been working responsibly with local authorities and the various levels of government to deal with these illegal blockades.
We will continue to ensure that local police have all the tools they need. That is exactly what we did yesterday, by providing additional tools that the police can use to deal with blockades and barricades.
Unfortunately, I know that Conservative politicians tend to support those who are blocking our economy and communities. We do not.
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- Feb/15/22 2:28:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act applies to illegal blockades and occupations that may arise anywhere across the country.
It is a response that we have brought forward that is reasonable, proportionate, time-limited and geographically targeted, and still protects the values and freedoms in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
We are reacting in a responsible manner, and we will continue to be there for Canadians who are suffering.
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- Feb/15/22 2:30:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the measured and reasonable use of the Emergencies Act that we announced yesterday gives specific, time-limited, proportional tools to police of local jurisdictions, and their partners, to ensure these illegal blockades end, and make sure that people, who have now been fully heard by all Canadians, choose to go home. These are the things that Canadians expect from their orders of government.
I can say that we have worked extremely closely across orders of government with all the different police of jurisdictions to ensure that Canadians get their streets and their lives back.
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- Feb/15/22 2:31:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act provides additional tools for governments and local police forces supported by the RCMP if needed.
We will not impose measures anywhere in the country where they are not needed. These are tools that local police are free to use at their discretion, but it is a matter of ensuring that everyone has the tools they need to end these illegal blockades.
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- Feb/15/22 2:33:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we shall see if the Prime Minister answers this one. At every opportunity he has had to de-escalate the situation in Ottawa and around Canada, he has chosen to hide, confront and escalate. His divisive conduct has been a lesson in abject failure. Blockades should come down. They are already coming down across this country, but now the Prime Minister has invoked the Emergencies Act to punish Canadians who, in his words, hold “unacceptable views”.
Why is the Prime Minister punishing Canadians for their political views?
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- Feb/15/22 2:44:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, right from the outset of the blockades and the disruptions that were taking place in Ottawa, and then the blockades at our critical infrastructure at our ports of entry, our government has worked with municipal and provincial partners right across the country to ensure that they had the resources and the support they needed to keep Canadians safe—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Feb/15/22 2:45:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am very glad to see that the Conservatives have once again changed their position on something important. First they supported these blockades, and now that this has been recognized as a largely foreign-funded, targeted and coordinated attack on Canadian critical infrastructure, they have flip-flopped. Good for them. We are all getting used to it.
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- Feb/15/22 2:47:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to assure my colleague that the RCMP has been supporting and aiding the Ottawa Police Service to enforce public safety not only here in Ottawa but in Windsor, where we have reopened the Ambassador Bridge; in Coutts, where the border is reopened; and in Surrey, where the border is reopened. That is good. It is good for the economy and it is good for Canadians, who can get back to work. Yesterday's invocation of the Emergencies Act is meant to secure those gains so that we give the police all the tools they need for declaring certain zones that are adjacent to our borders and our national symbols.
It is important for the Conservatives to ask those participating in the illegal blockades to now go home.
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- Feb/15/22 2:49:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, unlawful blockades at the borders across the country, including in Windsor and Coutts, have shown that the Liberals have not done the proper, serious work necessary to ensure that our borders are protected and that the citizens who live nearby are safe. These illegal blockades have hurt every Canadian and have stopped thousands of people from getting to work and supporting their families. We have long been calling for a safe border task force. Let us reinstate cuts from CBSA intelligence and make sure that municipalities are reimbursed for their costs.
Will the Prime Minister finally listen to our calls to ensure that safe borders are going to happen, or is he going to continue to listen to extremists? The bridge might be open now, but the threat has not stopped. Will he act?
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- Feb/15/22 2:51:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for that very important question. I think it does reveal, and we agree, that what we have seen in Coutts, Alberta, and in a number of these illegal blockades across the country is that the threat is not yet gone. That is precisely why these measures in the Emergencies Act that we introduced yesterday will increase, for example, the financial scrutiny and consequences for these illegal acts and will also make available equipment and authorities that our law enforcement officials need to maintain and restore public safety and to protect Canada's interests.
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