44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 4, 2022 10:00AM
- Mar/4/22 10:46:07 a.m.
- Watch
- Re: Bill C-8
Mr. Speaker, the member referred to the NDP's finance critic, the MP for Elmwood—Transcona, and I would like to thank that member specifically for his work at the finance committee. He supported the amendment from the member of Parliament for Simcoe North to Bill C-8 that would ban foreign buyers from purchasing Canadian residential properties. This member has mentioned that in his riding on the island, we have seen amazing jumps in home prices and lots of speculators there, including foreign speculators. He lamented that there is so much more that Bill C-8 could have been.
Could he enlighten this House as to why the government would vote against something that its own Prime Minister has promised to young Canadian families who want to get into home ownership? Why, when it comes to the chance to vote for something that meaningfully will address that issue, do they vote against it?
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- Mar/4/22 10:47:12 a.m.
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- Re: Bill C-8
Mr. Speaker, sometimes the workings of Liberals at committee, as with Conservatives, can remain a mystery, and we do not always know the full reason that they vote the way they do.
That said, I agree with him that so much more could have been done, but as an opposition party, we have to respect the government's prerogative to decide the time it will devote to the bills that it brings forward. We can only deal with the parameters that the government sets out.
For me, I am always looking ahead to the next day, to the next fight and to the ways that I can influence government policy and make sure that it is doing right by the residents of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford. I very much look forward to that opportunity being with the next federal budget.
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- Mar/4/22 10:48:02 a.m.
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- Re: Bill C-8
Mr. Speaker, earlier, my colleague from Joliette said that an amendment proposed by the Bloc Québécois to Bill C-8 was rejected.
What does my colleague from Cowichan—Malahat—Langford think of our proposal that the federal government consult the provinces before infringing on areas under their exclusive jurisdiction?
The Bloc Québécois is very concerned about housing. We have made a lot of suggestions, but we think that the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces over taxation must be respected.
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- Mar/4/22 10:48:39 a.m.
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- Re: Bill C-8
Mr. Speaker, I guess I would answer his question this way: The federal taxation power is a very broad power that can be open to a lot of interpretation, and courts have been a bit wary about intruding on that specific right.
That being said, I think the challenging times that we live in demand that the federal government look at unique and innovative ways to raise revenue. The NDP has long championed things like a wealth tax, and that is something I will continue to proudly fight for.
On the member's main question of consultation with the provinces, absolutely. If we are going to have a strong federal partnership, the provinces play a very important role in that, and I will never shy away from promoting the idea that consultation should happen on a regular basis.
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- Mar/4/22 10:49:31 a.m.
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- Re: Bill C-8
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to speak today on Bill C-8 at report stage. I may also include some general comments, as I did not get a chance to speak to the bill when it was in the House earlier because the Liberals shut down debate on it.
Let me go through the different parts of the bill. As always, I am not here just to criticize the government; I like to make helpful suggestions as to what would be better or what should have been done as we go.
In the first part, there are some amendments to the Income Tax Act to put in place a few tax credits. I do not find these tax credits very objectionable, but I see there is one there to expand the travel component for northern residents who have to travel as part of their job. I want to bring to the attention of members that there is also a private member's bill to do this for tradespeople who are travelling as well, which is quite a good thing.
With respect to the tax credits in the bill, I want to talk a bit about the one for farmers to return fuel charge proceeds to give them a break. What I think would have been more helpful is for farmers to have been exempted from all the carbon tax increases that have happened over time. They do not get credit for the fact that most of them are growing crops that take CO2 out of the air. On the other hand, they are paying thousands of dollars in carbon tax. At a time when we as a government and Canadians in general are concerned about food inflation and the cost of everything is going up, certainly we could do more for farmers.
Also, many of them are still waiting for the compensation committed to them when the new North American free trade agreement, CUSMA, was put in place and supply-managed quotas were given up. In these times when the world is concerned about food security and food inflation, giving farmers the benefit of an exemption from the carbon tax and giving them the compensation they are due would be important.
With regard to the part 3 limitations with respect to paying back amounts owing under the COVID programs, the Conservatives supported the measures that were needed to get through the pandemic. However, we see that a lot of the problems with them, such as the GIS problem experienced by those people who also collected the CERB, are still not fixed. I think the government could have done a much better job in addressing those, but wrapping up these programs and making a plan to exit the pandemic and restore the economy is key.
There is money included to make support payments for COVID tests. The Conservatives were calling for rapid tests for quite a long time but, as with everything, the government has been very slow to deliver. The issue I have now is that the World Health Organization is saying all these travel restrictions, measures and mandates at the borders are no longer meaningful because omicron is so transmissible. It is everywhere, and people who are vaccinated can get COVID. Although at the time we were calling for rapid tests, now we are calling for the removal of these measures, especially at our borders, such as in Sarnia—Lambton, because they are really not doing anything to prevent the transmission and spread and are a burden and a barrier to trade and tourism, which are areas we want to see restored in the fall economic document. We want to get back to creating jobs and get tourism going, and these things will require the elimination of these mandates, which is what is being called for by the World Health Organization. We see many other countries and provinces dropping these measures, as is appropriate.
Part 7 talks about amendments to the Employment Insurance Act to address benefit periods for seasonal workers. While I think that is very good, I do not understand why some of the things we have been hearing about now for two years have not been addressed. An example is that people who were not quite ready to go on maternity benefits during the pandemic had to give up their jobs. We heard questions in the House this week on that issue. I would say that this issue is a priority.
The other thing that needs to be fixed is this: Federal mandates and mandates in other areas meant that people who would not take the vaccine were fired from their jobs and were not allowed to collect employment insurance.
This makes no sense at all. Under the employment insurance system, people pay a premium into it and they receive the benefit. The discrimination that prevented these people from collecting what they were qualified to receive from the system that they had paid into needed to be fixed.
Among other issues that we have seen, there is the discussion about the tax on vacant housing. We have heard members say that it is not the government's jurisdiction, but I would argue that it is not even going to work. The problem we are trying to fix is the affordable housing crisis in this country. That is simply a problem of supply and demand. Solutions that provide a minor amount of tax are really not going to drive the kind of behaviour we need to see.
In my own riding of Sarnia—Lambton, we have made quite a comprehensive plan, recognizing that we do not want to just tax vacant buildings but convert them into affordable housing. That is the kind of initiative that the government should be presenting and participating in with municipalities. If the measure the government put in place here was going to put a larger tax on vacancies and give that money back to the municipalities to address the affordable housing crisis in their ridings, that would have been far better.
In addition, the money is just not flowing fast enough. Certainly, we are coming along with our plan. We recognize that we have a lot of foreign students, so we need a residence built and we need some government support there. There are a number of issues that we could have addressed to deal with the supply.
The other thing is to keep foreign buyers out of the market. I have been speaking about this for two years. I know this aspect was raised at committee, and the government even had it in their platform. It just boggles the mind that it takes so long to put something in place that makes sense to all parties in the House.
The other reality we are concerned right now is food inflation. There are so many different factors at play, but one of them is the supply chain. We have certainly seen supply chain disruptions. I am concerned about the potential rail strike that we may see as early as in the next week or two, which will further disrupt the supply chain. This is going to be a big deal. Where is the government plan? We have distribution by rail and we have distribution by truck and we have distribution that comes through our ports, but there is really no comprehensive plan to protect and expand those distributions to impact on food security.
At the same time, in the middle of this pandemic, the government continues to increase the carbon tax. The carbon tax has done nothing to reduce our emissions in Canada. Emissions reductions in Canada have come from the technologies that we implemented and from actions we have taken to actually reduce the footprint. The carbon tax has done nothing but drive the price up for the people who could least afford it. I think it is obscene that the government is going to once again raise the price when we see people living on a fixed income and seniors being in such a tough spot.
When this bill came out, I expected that it would reflect some of the things that were in the fall economic statement, which started off by saying that it would protect our recovery by finishing the fight against COVID. Where is the plan from the government to finish the fight against COVID, to exit the pandemic and restore the economy? Let us get rid of these mandates. The World Health Organization is calling for it and other countries are doing it. We see the provinces returning to normal. We need to do the same. We need the government to take a role in putting forward a plan. Canadians are looking for that.
We have a lot of work to do to rebuild our economy and restore lost jobs. I, for one, would work together with all parties in this House to make that happen for a better Canada.
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- Mar/4/22 10:59:28 a.m.
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I know we are almost out of time. I thought we would switch over and come back later for five minutes of questions and answers with the hon. member.
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- Mar/4/22 10:59:51 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, congratulations to the people of Ghana as they celebrate the 65th anniversary of independence this Sunday. Like Canada, Ghana is a member of the Commonwealth. It was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve its independence from Britain and one of the first countries in Africa to establish diplomatic relations with Canada.
Like Canada, Ghana is blessed with abundant human and natural resources. Like Canada, Ghana's nearly 33 million people are comprised of diverse ethnic, linguistic and religious groups living in a stable and peaceful parliamentary democracy. Like Canada, its people take pride in their country's health care, economic growth and human development.
I invite the members of the House and all Canadians to join with the people of Ghana in celebrating Ghana's Independence Day this Sunday, March 6.
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- Mar/4/22 11:00:54 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Ukrainians have contributed immensely to the cultural, economic and social fabric of this nation and, in particular, to my constituency. Nearly 20% of my constituents are of Ukrainian heritage, over 35% in the city of Dauphin alone. My riding is home to Canada's National Ukrainian Festival and countless Ukrainian cultural and historical sites, but now the future of Ukraine and its people is under attack in the largest threat to peace in generations. President Putin has invaded their democratic nation. He is murdering innocent lives and he is attacking the territorial integrity of a democratic state.
I know that Ukrainian people are strong and united. They have experienced a history of devastating hardships and resilience, but history will also judge the free world for what we do. I stand with the nation of Ukraine. I stand with the people of Ukraine. This is a war between freedom and tyranny, and freedom will prevail.
Glory to Ukraine.
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- Mar/4/22 11:02:03 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the situation in Ukraine is getting worse by the day. For over a week now, Ukrainians in Ukraine have been living in a war zone, fearing for their lives as missiles and bombs drop down on civilians.
Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine has turned into a humanitarian crisis and has put Europe in a more vulnerable position than ever since the Second World War.
Just last night, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant caught fire due to continuous Russian bombardment. Had an explosion occurred, its effects would have been 10 times worse than those of Chernobyl, but luckily the fire was extinguished early this morning.
Canada and the rest of the world must keep working together to end this war as soon as possible. We must continue to support Ukrainians who are attempting to flee the country by offering them asylum and enabling them to come to Canada quickly and easily.
I am very happy that our government has shown military, humanitarian and economic leadership, and it will continue to do so to support Ukraine through this crisis.
The brave men and women fighting for their country at this very moment are an inspiration to us all. We stand with them.
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- Mar/4/22 11:03:39 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is cold out there. The generosity and community spirit of the Cowichan Valley was highlighted last weekend on the Coldest Night of the Year, a family-friendly winter walk in support of people experiencing hunger, hurt and homelessness.
On February 26, I joined with nearly 500 walkers in 67 different teams, headed out into a grey and dark afternoon, facing a steady and persistent cold rain. That cold rain and darkening sky was the ever-present reminder of what our homeless community faces on a regular basis. That night, $90,718 was raised, blowing past their goal of $50,000. These funds will go to the Canadian Mental Health Association's Cowichan Valley branch to create a safe space and programs for homeless youth in the Cowichan Valley, a service that is unfortunately needed now more than ever.
I also want to express my sincere thanks to the over 40 volunteers who were on hand to make for a well organized and fun evening.
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Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, I had the great honour of being in Grand‑Pré with our Minister of Official Languages to participate in announcing the introduction of Bill C-13, an act for the substantive equality of Canada's official languages. I do not think we could have picked a better place to make the announcement than Grand‑Pré, which many people think of as the historical and spiritual heart of Acadia.
The act was last reformed over 30 years ago and must be modernized to better reflect Canada's linguistic realities and promote substantive equality between English and French while contributing to the vitality of official language minority communities.
This achievement was made possible thanks to the involvement of many actors and stakeholders who contributed to conversations about modernizing the act over many years. I want to thank them, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this important bill passed.
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- Mar/4/22 11:06:09 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as Ukraine continues to be besieged and mothers and children flee to safety in other countries, it would be easy to suggest that they are alone. They are not. Canadians have always been passionate and compassionate when others desperately need their help. Now is no different.
Chris Profota from Weatherby Canada and the Canadian Shooting Arms and Ammunition Association have gracefully stepped up to help. The firearms and sport communities have recognized that Ukrainian children must not go without food, clothing and diapers, so they have donated for raffle many thousands of dollars and created a website to allow Canadians across the country to donate. One hundred per cent of all proceeds raised will go directly to feeding and clothing the children affected by the war.
Legal firearms owners are compassionate and they lead by example when others are in need. I thank Weatherby and CSAAA for their dedication. I urge everyone to donate, as able, #GunOwnersSupportingUkrainianKids.
Slava Ukraini.
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- Mar/4/22 11:07:09 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, March 8 marks International Women's Day and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Canadian women in my community of Orléans, in this House and across Canada for their passion, dedication and contribution to our society.
This morning I had the privilege of celebrating this remarkable day at my annual women's day breakfast and I would like to thank OCCO Kitchen for welcoming us and providing its hospitality for this event. During this impassioned event, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with the leading women who have and will continue to impact the community of Orléans and our country.
At this year's ceremony, I had the honour of recognizing 31 exceptional women of all ages by awarding them with the Orléans Leading Women and Girls Recognition Award of 2022. Congratulations.
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- Mar/4/22 11:08:13 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in 2018, Olena Yurchyshyn, a young Ukrainian student, passionate about learning and contributing to a democratic society, shadowed me here in Parliament as she completed her internship in my office. Since then, Olena would usually reach out to share her extraordinary accomplishments or to talk about her most recent travels. After four years, Olena's message has a different tone, one filled with fear and despair.
Today Olena pleads that parliamentarians and Canadians do everything we can to support a free and democratic Ukraine. Canada stands with Olena and all the people of Ukraine who deserve a future filled with hope and optimism.
The solidarity and generosity shown by Canada and its allies are strengthening the courage and spirit of the Ukrainian people.
I want all young Ukrainians to know that the world stands with Ukraine in this battle for their future.
Canada stands firm against terror and tyranny.
We will continue to take strong action to support Ukraine in the name of democracy, freedom and human rights.
Slava Ukraini.
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- Mar/4/22 11:09:22 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the film industry in B.C. is demonstrating once again its job-creating power. The industry has plans to build dozens of new state-of-the-art stages across the province, and my riding of Langley—Aldergrove will be the beneficiary of a lot of that new investment, with a massive expansion of the Martini Film Studios. Just recently, it broke ground on a 33-acre campus that will employ 2,000 technicians and artists.
This is a good news story, of course, but all of this growth is putting a lot of strain on an already-strained workforce. I want to give a big shout-out to Gemma Martini and her team for providing the facilities free of charge to a provincially funded program that recently graduated 62 young people for the industry.
It is this type of entrepreneurial spirit that will ensure that Canada remains in the top three global destinations for the movie industry and, of course, metro Vancouver is number one in Canada.
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- Mar/4/22 11:10:26 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Tuesday is International Women's Day, when we pay tribute not only to the amazing women in our communities but even more so to those on whose shoulders we stand. I rise today to pay tribute to such a woman: Dr. Elizabeth Betsy McGregor.
Betsy was recently appointed to the Order of Canada for her national and international championing of women in STEM and politics. Her tenacity, coaching and mentorship are the reasons that many women who have been elected to the House were successful.
She also founded the World Women's Veterinary Medical Association and was a founding architect of the APEC Women Leaders Network, among countless other achievements. As she is someone who has dedicated her life's work to lifting up other people, to opening doors and forging paths, and to putting words into real action, I want to congratulate my good friend, Dr. Betsy McGregor, on this well deserved honour.
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- Mar/4/22 11:11:31 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again, the Liberal government is demonstrating that victims of crime are a low priority for it. For the past half year, the position of victims ombudsman has remained vacant. The victims ombudsman is an integral resource for victims, including addressing their complaints and bringing forward recommendations on how to improve laws and programs to better support victims.
After half a year, the justice minister's statement that this position will be filled in due course is unacceptable. This, after all, is the same government that previously left this position vacant for nearly a year.
Victims deserve a voice and they deserve it now. It is time for the government to end this inexcusable delay and forthwith appoint a victims ombudsman.
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- Mar/4/22 11:12:32 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, at the turn of the 20th century, Cape Bretoners opened their hearts to a wave of Ukrainian immigrants. In the years since, the community has become a vital part of the fabric of our island.
On Saturday, my colleague and I attended mass at the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Parish where Whitney Pier's Ukrainian community has sought solace in dark times. Colleagues, I have been inspired by many Ukrainian Canadians, some in this House, but I think the most inspired I have been was with the words of Father Roman in his sermon about his faith and the challenges he has during these troubled times. His faith pushes him to learn and practise patience, tolerance and forgiveness, even to those who hurt his family, his community, his Ukraine.
In pursuit of peace in this world, let us not forget the power of love and kindness. We pray with Father Roman, we stand with him and we stand with Ukraine.
Slava Ukraini.
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- Mar/4/22 11:13:45 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report we cannot ignore. The evidence is clear. It tells us we are in a rapidly closing window for taking action to avoid climate catastrophe. Even with making best efforts now, the results of our previous inaction will cause serious harm to the ecosystems that sustain life on this planet.
I believe there is still hope because I hear from so many people in my riding about their personal commitment to change, yet however much heavy lifting individuals do, it will never be enough without concerted action by governments to avoid this disaster.
We in the House must not fail those we represent by allowing the federal government to slow-walk us over this cliff. We must end fossil fuel subsidies now and fund a rapid shift to renewable energy, and we must do so in a manner that prioritizes new, high-skill, family-supporting jobs.
It is time to act as we were in a climate emergency because it is a fact that we are. There is no more time for excuses and half measures. The clock is ticking.
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- Mar/4/22 11:14:47 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as the Beijing Paralympic Games begin today, I would like to draw the attention of Canada's Minister of Sport to a certain issue.
The Canadian Olympic Committee Athlete Excellence Fund offers performance-related awards to Olympic medalists: $20,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.
However, these awards are not offered to Paralympic athletes. How can it be that, in 2022, such talented athletes who are also competing in the Olympic arena are discriminated against on the basis of their disability?
I also want to take this opportunity to once again ask the Minister of Finance and the President of the Treasury Board to ensure that the Treasury Board's additional funding envelope for the Special Olympics Canada movement is maintained permanently at $3.8 million.
After meeting with Quebec representatives of the organization, we know that investing in our communities through sport also makes a big difference to the overall health determinants and the quality of life of all athletes.
My message is simple. We need to invest more in sport so that everyone, with or without a disability, can have the means to pursue their dream and their passion through their sport.
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