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Mar/3/22 1:44:59 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague very much for the question, and I really enjoy having her in the House as the new member for Nunavut, but I disagree with what she is saying. I believe that the President of Ukraine, a free and democratic nation, would absolutely support our opposition motion here today and the idea of building pipelines, methods and ways to get our ethically produced, clean natural resources as a gift to all of the world, including his own nation, so I disagree with the member. I believe President Zelensky would welcome this opposition day motion.

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Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

Mar/3/22 1:45:41 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, despite what the hon. member for Calgary Midnapore may believe President Zelensky wants, it is more likely to be consistent with what the Ukrainian lead of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said last week. Dr. Svitlana Krakowska said, in effect, that the root causes of the war in Ukraine and the root causes of the climate crisis are the same: dependence on fossil fuels. Ukraine stands against them, and for renewables.

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Mrs. Stephanie Kusie

Mar/3/22 1:46:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for Saanich—Gulf Islands. What this opposition day stands for and what our party stands for is what these other parties seem to be against, and that is freedom, that is democracy, that is world order, that is the rule of law, and guess what? When we have those things, we get better outcomes for the environment, we get better outcomes for women, and we get better outcomes for minorities. They should learn that.

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Ms. Marilyn Gladu (Sarnia—Lambton, CPC)

Mar/3/22 1:46:47 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her great words. It is not just that we will do everything that we can to help Ukraine at this time; I think our allies and friends in Europe would also really appreciate something to back up the threat to their gas dependence and oil dependence, which is now jeopardized. Would the member not agree?

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Mrs. Stephanie Kusie

Mar/3/22 1:47:07 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I thank my incredible colleague for Sarnia—Lambton for that question. The member is right, as I am sure she has also read the report from the EU, which states that eastern Europe needs to move beyond its energy dependence on Russia. My colleague is exactly on track with her line of thinking as well as with the EU.

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Mr. Kody Blois (Kings—Hants, Lib.)

Mar/3/22 1:47:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to acknowledge that I will be splitting my time today with my hon. colleague, the member for Toronto—Danforth. I would like to thank the member for Wellington—Halton Hills for bringing forward this conversation today. I have sat in this House and listened to the debate, and I do agree with some of the colleagues who have expressed their displeasure with how the actual text of the motion is worded. I agree with that, because it starts to implicate our unity in standing for Ukraine and brings in elements that, although important to discuss, can sometimes create a divide in this House. I will explain that. For those Canadians who might be watching at home and asking what an opposition day motion is, it is the opportunity for the opposition parties to raise issues and to allow us to vote on their texts. Such a motion is non-binding on the government, but it does allow us to have conversations. Let us look at the text of the motion that has been put before us here today. First, it is essentially condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There is not one member in this House who does not agree with condemning that unprovoked and illegal action. Second, it is a broad principle of support for Ukraine, for Canadians with Ukrainian heritage, and just generally for the idea that we would be there for the country. Again, I do not think there is any member, or indeed any Canadian, who would be against that principle. We have shown unity and we need to continue to work in that regard. I agree with that. The last part of this motion is a call on the Government of Canada to undertake measures to ensure natural gas pipelines could be approved and built to Atlantic tidewater. It is about trying to protect European defence and security and allowing Canadian natural gas to replace Russian natural gas. What I have advocated before in this House, and what I wish the member for Wellington—Halton Hills had done, is to take a more global view of the changing foreign policy situation. What I would submit to this House is this: On February 24, we saw not only a Russian invasion into Ukraine, which is terrible and horrific, and we have all condemned it, but also a further attack on rules-based international order and western liberal democracies. As I listened to commentary in this House today and in the days past, what I want to encourage my colleagues and Canadians to understand, notwithstanding the fact that no one has a crystal ball on what the days ahead will look like, is that February 24 is a change in time. It is the end of the post-Cold War period. I mentioned that I am 31 years old, born in 1991. From the fall of the Soviet Union until February 24, we have seen relative peace in the world, notwithstanding conflict. We have not seen this level of state-to-state engagement. As the Deputy Prime Minister has rightly pointed out, this is not just about an attack on Ukraine; it is an attack on all of us. I think that warrants a conversation about Canada's position in the world. I support what we have done to date on the sanctions, on the liquidity for Ukraine, on the military hardware and on the work that our Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has done to create pathways for Ukrainians who want to come to Canada. Again, I think we are unified in that. However, there is a conversation. The text of this motion is too narrow. We have to look at all the natural endowments that we have in this country and how they become part of our foreign policy and our way to help support other western liberal democracies around the world. The reliance and dependence of Europe in particular on Russian natural gas has been pointed out, and 25% of imports of crude oil are from Russia. What has not been discussed as much is the importance of critical minerals and how reliant Europe is on China for those minerals. I want to look at what we have seen, not just in Ukraine but also in votes at the United Nations, and how China and India have abstained. We look at China and Russia's axis, and indeed in the two years I have had the privilege of being in this House, we have seen human rights atrocities from China. We have seen the situation with the two Michaels. There is a changing geopolitical dynamic. I do not want to sound alarmist, and again no one has a crystal ball, but I think the sands are shifting around the world. I think that there is a mature conversation that needs to be had in this place about how Canada moves and positions itself in the changing dynamic. I would submit to my colleagues that European parliamentarians are thinking about this. They are thinking about their energy security. They are thinking about their food security. There is a tension, as we know, between Canada's movement and the global movement toward a low-carbon economy and the continuation of fossil fuel products to support energy security right here today. We have heard that play out among our colleagues in the debate. Colleagues have rightly pointed out that we do not just turn on the switch. The investments and initiatives of the government do not just result in a six-month turnaround. I would argue that whether it be green and renewable transition or the interim energy transition for Europe, Canada has a role to play in both. We have a role to be there in the next 10 years as Europe looks to reduce its reliance on Russia and China,. On food, let us understand that Ukraine and Russia are two major important players in the international food system. It is very difficult to plant a wheat field when Russian tanks are driving through those fields. It is very difficult for Ukrainian farmers to be tending to their crops when they have to carry guns to fight Russians in their own country. That is going to have implications around the world. What can this government do? What can we do as parliamentarians to provide recommendations on how our Canadian agriculture can be a backstop? Again, we are almost at the spring season. These things do not turn around overnight, but I think the implications will last beyond just a few months. This is a longer-term play. We have to understand through a foreign policy lens that the world has fundamentally changed. I want to talk about the text of the motion. I have highlighted, of course, that I wish the issues had been separated. We could have let the Ukraine situation be a united front and we could have had a more nuanced discussion on Canada's role in the world vis-à-vis our critical minerals, our food capabilities and the like. When I go back to the text, there is no mention of actual LNG facilities. We talk about pipelines. There is no mention of the fact that we should actually be examining existing pipelines and perhaps whether they could be repurposed to support a quicker response to Europe in the interim. In my home province of Nova Scotia, Goldboro LNG was a proposed project. There is no mention of the fact that if we ship natural gas through a pipeline and we want to get it to continental Europe, we actually have to liquify it so that it can be transported. I would argue respectfully that not taking this into account is another flaw of this particular motion. I am going to leave it at this. I think we can all agree that we condemn Russia's invasion into Ukraine. We can all agree that we need to continue do everything possible and explore the tool kits of what we can do to provide to the Ukrainian people. What we need to have is a more nuanced conversation about Canada's role in the world, and whether the geopolitical change we have seen in the last week is something of a short-term development or if it will be more nuanced in the future. I take the view that this is going to have implications for at least a decade to come and that we need to have a serious conversation about how we collectively, as parliamentarians, can have respectful dialogue and give recommendations to the government to respond accordingly.

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Mr. Warren Steinley (Regina—Lewvan, CPC)

Mar/3/22 1:57:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I welcome the conversation and discussion. I agree that it needs to be had. However, I do not believe that the issue of energy independence and the issue of our ability to use our natural gas to support other good actors in the world and other democratic nations in Europe are separate. I think this is actually key and critical, because the dependence of Europe on natural gas puts Europe in a difficult position. I think these issues are completely intertwined, but I look forward to a further conversation. I am wondering if the hon. member could comment on that.

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Mr. Kody Blois

Mar/3/22 1:57:48 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I agree with my colleague. When we look at the situation Germany was in, given its reliance on Russian natural gas and the complete foreign policy change Germany has taken, which is fundamentally a change, there are vulnerabilities to our allies in the world regarding food security and energy security. For colleagues like me, who agree on the need to transition to a low-carbon economy, that also includes critical minerals. The European Union imports 98% of critical minerals from China. When we look at that dynamic, we ask what our role is in the western world to provide the tools that are going to be necessary to transition to a low-carbon economy, and also what our role is in providing the fuel that is going to be necessary to get Europe through the next five to 10 years, given the uncertainties we are seeing in eastern Europe.

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Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

Mar/3/22 1:58:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, we are hearing from European Union experts in energy and the German minister of economy and energy that this crisis in Ukraine is drawing them to move faster to renewable energy. They are not talking about fossil fuels, and nobody from Ukraine or the European Union has been heard to say once they need Canadian pipelines or Canadian fossil fuels. What does the member think accounts for this debate today?

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Mr. Kody Blois

Mar/3/22 1:59:15 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I have looked at and watched the proceedings of the European Parliament. When we actually look at the chancellor in Germany, that country has just invested in two LNG facilities to be able to backstop the fact that they know there is going to be energy insecurity. Am I in support of making a transition? I absolutely am, but let us not mistake that Europe is asking not only for energy on a transitional basis for the next five to 10 years, but also for the critical minerals that are going to be important to make the transition my hon. colleague is talking about. They are both extremely important. It is that nuance. It is not black or white; it is gray and in the middle. We have to be there on both accounts.

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Mar/3/22 1:59:59 p.m.
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The hon. member will have two minutes of questions after Oral Questions.

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Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)

Mar/3/22 2:00:16 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, this week's IPCC report put me in mind of something Al Gore said years ago that if we did not act on the climate crisis, it would be like taking a nature walk through the Book of Revelations. The four horsemen of the apocalypse are all saddled up. We have pestilence, we have plague, we have famine and now we have war, and we have the threat of nuclear war. How do we confront these existential threats, which we must, not separately, not sequentially but by recognizing that they are connected. The threat of war, the threat of dictatorships, the climate crisis, we must address them together and fight as if our lives depend upon it, because they do. We must fight for democracy. We must fight against all wars and end nuclear weapons. We must work harder for a livable planet. I close with these words from the head scientist from Ukraine, heading the Ukrainian delegation to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Svitlana Krakovska said that climate change and the war have the same root cause: fossil fuels and our dependence upon them.

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Mr. Majid Jowhari (Richmond Hill, Lib.)

Mar/3/22 2:01:48 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, 43 years ago, on this date, I arrived in the great country of Canada as an international student, feeling excited for new opportunities but also alone. Today, I want to acknowledge the challenges faced by all who are compelled to leave their country of origin just like I did. Given the upcoming International Women's Day on March 8, we need awareness of the current hardships felt by the strong and resilient women of Ukraine, as well as all women around the world who continue to fight whether it is for their freedom, access to equal rights or equal pay. As our government continues to support and stand in solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian Canadian community against Russia's egregious attack, we must pay attention to the women coerced into separation from their families, the women fearing for the lives of their children and the women who must unwillingly learn about weaponry as they prepare for war. On March 8, while we recognize the remarkable women in our communities, let us amplify and praise the women—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Mar/3/22 2:02:32 p.m.
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The hon. member for Red Deer—Mountain View.

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Mr. Earl Dreeshen (Red Deer—Mountain View, CPC)

Mar/3/22 2:02:36 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, in 2009, I paid tribute to a dear friend, Jack Daines, who had just entered the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame as a rodeo builder. In addition to being a two-time saddle bronc champion, Jack started the world-renowned Daines Ranch Rodeo with a cowboy in mind. His contribution to the sport of rodeo in Canada was unsurpassed. Friends and customers of the Innisfail Auction Mart were treated every week to his gravelly auctioneer's voice, his no nonsense version of down home justice and his tremendous pride in our western heritage. It was often said that Jack Daines was western Canada's Don Cherry. He loved his family and his country. He promoted Canada every chance he had, while welcoming fair-minded strangers whenever their paths would cross. With Jack's recent passing, we mourn the loss of one of our most influential and passionate citizens. We want his wife Audrey and their children Joanne, Duane and Brenda-Lee, along with the rest of the Daines family, to know that we share in their loss as we pay tribute to a true Canadian legend.

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Mrs. Jenica Atwin (Fredericton, Lib.)

Mar/3/22 2:03:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as we all know, February was Black History Month. The theme for this year was “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day”. Even if February is over, all year long we must continue to learn, recognize and celebrate Black history and Black Canadians in our communities and support Black-led organizations and businesses. Equally, we must take actions in our everyday lives and commit to actively being anti-racist in the fight against systemic anti-Black racism. In the spirit of celebration, I want to celebrate and acknowledge some of the organizations doing crucial work in our community such as Black Lives Matter Fredericton, the New Brunswick African Association and the New Brunswick Black Artists Alliance. I want to highlight the initiative of the University of New Brunswick that put up banners in downtown Fredericton to honour Black New Brunswickers including Anna Minerva Henderson, a civil servant and poet who was the first Black federal employee of Canada. We have a duty to remember those who paved the way and transformed our society. Finally, in honouring the global fight against systemic racism, I want to conclude by saying that we cannot close our eyes and we must denounce the reports that citizens from African countries have been mistreated, dehumanized and even stopped at neighbouring country borders while seeking safety trying to flee war-torn Ukraine. The hatred must stop here and everywhere. It is my hope that all members in the House will join me in supporting the successes of Black Canadians and condemn all forms of anti-Black racism.

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Ms. Andréanne Larouche (Shefford, BQ)

Mar/3/22 2:05:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, these are tough times for humanity, what with the pandemic, global warming, and the war in Ukraine. Things may look bleak, but there is hope. The future is feminist. Yes, the future is feminist. That is not just the theme of the International Day of Women's Rights, it is the promise we are making. As March 8 approaches, I want to remind members that thousands and millions of women around the world represented the majority of the workers on the front line of the fight against COVID‑19. The campaign led by Greta Thunberg and thousands of women and countries to slow global warming is utterly and simply admirable and essential. From Angela Merkel to Magdalena Andersson, we have also seen women in politics stand up and challenge Vladimir Putin. The world counts on women in every sector, on their leadership, their intelligence and their vision. Women are the future of the world. The future of the world relies on women. The future is feminist. I wish everyone a happy March 8.

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Mr. Emmanuel Dubourg (Bourassa, Lib.)

Mar/3/22 2:06:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Bourassa would not be the inclusive and diverse riding it is without the contribution of women who are committed to building a strong and vibrant community. For the past five years, International Women's Day has served as an opportunity for me to highlight the work of women who deserve to be honoured. On March 8, 2022, I will be recognizing Dr. Yolande Charles, Isabelle Desrochers, Giuseppina Di Girolamo, Antonita Homère, Gilberte Lacas Rodrigue, Jacinthe Sicotte and Cecilia Soto-Flores. The Bourassa MP's medal is awarded in the presence of the Hon. Senator Marie-Françoise Mégie. I chose today to make this statement to honour these exceptional women because my late mother, Elvire Adé, would have been 103 years old. Congratulations to all these women.

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Mr. James Bezan (Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, CPC)

Mar/3/22 2:07:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the war criminal Vladimir Putin continues to escalate his illegal invasion of our beloved Ukraine. Canadians remain horrified and we must continue to do everything we can to help. I welcome the government's announcement of providing additional lethal aid, such as rocket launchers and grenades, which Conservatives have been calling for since 2018. This equipment is essential to protecting Ukrainians on the front lines, but Canada can and must do more. We have brand-new role 1, role 2 and role 3 mobile field hospitals sitting in storage. These hospitals could mean the critical difference between life and death on the battlefield. Canada should also provide tactical first aid kits to the brave Ukrainians fighting for freedom, and we should also donate high-quality field ration packs to ensure Ukrainians are supplied with enough food to endure the war that Putin has imposed on them. Visa-free travel for Ukrainians is essential to moving many women, children and seniors out of harm's way, and we need to do it as swiftly as possible. I know Canadians stand ready to welcome Ukrainians with open arms who are fleeing Putin's barbaric war. Slava Ukraini.

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Ms. Yvonne Jones (Labrador, Lib.)

Mar/3/22 2:08:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as we stand united against Russia's invasion and attack on Ukraine and its people, we must continue to work across all party lines and with our international counterparts to stop this seamless attack on democracy and innocent lives. Russia's threat to Ukraine is a threat to all of us who promote democracy, independence and a free, just society. We will stand up to President Putin's attacks by expanding our ability to protect the sovereignty of our Arctic nation. Canada is conducting joint exercises with other Arctic nations, investing in more defence equipment and enhancing our Arctic surveillance and intelligence capability. We have announced major investments in the north warning system. Canada and the United States continue to work together to ensure that NORAD is modernized to meet both existing and emerging threats to our continent. We will continue to unite against Russia's affront on Ukraine and stand with all of those who are fighting against this tyranny. Nakurmiik.

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