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The Acting Speaker (Mr. Gabriel Ste-Marie)

Apr/28/22 1:50:50 p.m.
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That is a matter of debate. I would remind the hon. parliamentary secretary that the hon. House leader of the official opposition has as much time as he would like. I invite the hon. House leader of the official opposition to continue his speech.

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Mr. John Brassard

Apr/28/22 1:51:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I really want to thank the hon. member for bringing up that point, because it gave me an opportunity to take a drink of water. I certainly do not wear it as a badge of honour that I have spoken longer than the member, but I hope members have found that I have something substantive to say and not just ramble on. I did some research, as I said. The hon. member for Winnipeg North, who rose and rises often on his points of indignation, was once sitting on the opposition benches, and it is sincerely our hope that soon he will be sitting up in the corner. If there are only one or two seats, he can sit up there. That is sincerely our hope. It is funny how, when the Liberals get in government, all of a sudden this righteous indignation that they have shown in opposition suddenly becomes a supportive view and they are arguing to justify their position rather than be accountable. In 2013, the member for Winnipeg North, who is the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader, talked about the extra cost of extended hours. I have not even touched on that. I have touched on the mental health aspects of our staff, the clerks, the administration and everybody who is associated. I have talked about the translators, but not the extra cost. Of course, the government does not worry about costs. It has not found a problem it cannot fix by throwing billions of dollars at it, so why should this be any different? On extended hours, here is what the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader said on May 21, 2013: I want to raise a specific issue. It was during the 39th Parliament that the previous clerk of the House of Commons told the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs that the budget for Parliament can handle two weeks of extended sitting hours in June. However, if the extended hours were to continue for additional weeks, the government would likely have to seek Parliament's approval for more money. I notice that the supplementary estimates (A) do not include a request to make any of the payments that will be generated by things such as overtime for House of Commons staff. I would argue that the government House leader seems to be responding to a Conservative crisis from last week and is getting anxious to leave a little early as opposed to going through the normal process. That is the very thing I spoke about before. When he is in opposition, he is opposed to it, but when he is in government, there is no problem. The day this motion is approved, we will run the potential of extending hours, addressing the very issues that the member brought forward in 2013, but it is not a concern for him now. Why? It is because he is in government. An hon. member: See what Peter said about that. Mr. John Brassard: Mr. Speaker, I have some stuff that Peter said. I may get to them. I have six minutes. I hope the member is keeping time. I will move to the former House leader of the NDP. This is part of this unholy alliance and the fact that they are working together on this. Nathan Cullen, the former NDP House leader, said this on extra cost, on the same day as the member for Winnipeg North: “The fact that they have not actually accounted for the money required to run Parliament for these extra hours for an extended time—a month, in this case—shows two things. One is that they do not really care all that much if they have to blow more money.” We are looking at two months. Is it not ironic that the NDP and the Liberals likely are going to support this motion to extend the time, not just for a month but for two months, and all of a sudden money is not a problem? Worse yet, I would suggest, the mental and physical health of the family unit and the people who work here, not least the translators, is going be impacted by this. I have some more nuggets. The member for Winnipeg North stood again on May 22, 2013, and said, “The government House leader, possibly and most likely, after serious discussions with the Prime Minister's Office, came to the conclusion that what we need to do is lose a little bit of focus on what is happening in the Prime Minister's Office and to try to maybe change the channel.” That sounds familiar. It was a problem back then, but it is not a problem right now. They are facing numerous investigations, numerous things that they are going to have to deal with, not the least of which is the Winnipeg lab documents and the RCMP situation, which I mentioned before. They will give themselves the ability to shut this place down: shut it down, and let us all go home. Proroguing without proroguing, that is what they want to do with this motion. I have another one. On time allocation in the House, on March 12, 2015, when the member for Winnipeg North was still sitting in the corner over there, where he is going to be soon, he said, “Never before in the history of our country have we seen a government abuse the rule of time allocation on legislation that Canadians are concerned about.” It is okay when he is in opposition, but when he gets in government the hypocrisy is palpable. This is what they do. I agree it is selective, but I picked some good nuggets here, and I have more. The member for Winnipeg North spent a lot of time talking about the government on June 3. He said, “The government, by once again relying on a time allocation motion to get its agenda passed, speaks of incompetence.” I have spent the last hour and 20 minutes talking about the government's incompetence in moving forward its legislative agenda, and these are words that the parliamentary secretary to the government House leader has obviously said before, which is just perfect. He said, “It speaks of a genuine lack of respect for parliamentary procedure and ultimately for Canadians.” How ironic that the member from the government side now was saying exactly the same thing. Talk about hypocrisy. He sits here and he defends and justifies the government action to implement this strong-arm, sledgehammer approach in this place. It is laughable to think about it. Do members want to hear another one? Now I know why I woke up at 6:30 this morning, so I could look at this stuff. On April 1, the member for Winnipeg North said, “The bottom line is that the government has failed to properly manage the legislative agenda of the House of Commons and as a direct result has become completely dependent on time allocation. That is not healthy for a democracy in Canada.” That is what he said. I would suggest that what the Liberals are doing is not healthy for democracy. The reason why they are moving in this direction is that the NDP does not like time allocation. By extending and suspending debate, they are appeasing the NDP, but the other thing they are doing is putting themselves in a position, without a quorum call, where they can be at home in their PJs and their slippers watching the Blue Jays all summer and not have to worry about coming to work. The opposition party will continue to work. Our colleagues, and I have spoken to the member for La Prairie and the Bloc, will be here as well, even if the Liberals and the NDP do not want to come here and be held accountable, to be able to justify, to be transparent and to work in this place to ensure that our democracy is not in decline. What Motion No. 11 does is cause a continuation and a further decline in our democracy, and we will continue to fight that.

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Mr. Tony Van Bynen (Newmarket—Aurora, Lib.)

Apr/28/22 2:01:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to rise in the House today to recognize the career of Peter Sturrup, head of school at Pickering College. Peter began teaching at Pickering College in 1986 and has served as head of school since 1995, a remarkable 27 years of achievement, leadership, education and excellence. Founded in 1842, Pickering College is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls from JK to grade 12. Recognized in 2020 with a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Accredited Independent Schools, Peter's impact on excellence in education and leadership has truly travelled around the world. As Peter reflects on all that he has accomplished as the head of Pickering College, I hope he does so with the knowledge that he has made the Pickering College community greater, better and more beautiful than how he found it. I hope Peter enjoys his retirement.

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Mr. Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, CPC)

Apr/28/22 2:01:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Michael Wilton, who tragically passed away in a plane crash on April 22. He was a pilot, entrepreneur, adventurer and proud father of two twin boys. He often introduced them as his junior sales associates. I got to know Mike over the imposition of the new and unfair tax on small aircraft. He was an entrepreneur who refurbished planes, creating aerospace jobs in Calgary. He loved flying, and I mean really loved flying. We had long phone calls and exchanged many emails over his work. He was quickly becoming a policy advocate for aircraft enthusiasts. He even appeared at the Standing Committee on Finance to defend this sector. Mike leaves behind his partner Kelli Beckstrand and his twin sons Thomas James Wilton and William Scott Wilton. To his family, friends and business colleagues, we join them in their grief and sorrow. A pilot's prayer goes like this: “That he shall know the joy they feel / Who ride Thy realms on Birds of Steel.” May he rest in peace.

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Mr. Terry Duguid (Winnipeg South, Lib.)

Apr/28/22 2:02:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I share the passing of Dr. David Barber, distinguished professor at the University of Manitoba. As founding director of the Centre for Earth Observation Science and Canada research chair in Arctic system science and climate change, David established U of M as a global leader in Arctic research. His tireless work has helped to place Canada at the forefront of Arctic research and created opportunity for innumerable students, professors and research staff to better understand the rapidly changing Arctic and its impacts on people and diverse habitats. His dedication helped secure major Arctic research infrastructure, including the Canadian research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen and the Churchill Marine Observatory. On behalf of this House, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his wife, Lucette, and his three children, Jeremy, Julien and Jamie, as well as his step-grandson Ryden and grandson Luca.

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Ms. Louise Chabot (Thérèse-De Blainville, BQ)

Apr/28/22 2:04:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us not forget them. Let us not forget the far too many workers who lose their lives on the job every year. Last year, there were 207 workplace deaths in Quebec alone. These 207 workers were parents, brothers, sisters, friends and colleagues who died in the workplace. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I would like to extend my condolences to those 207 families today, since April 28 is the Day of Mourning. On this day dedicated to commemorating people who died or were injured in the workplace, I invite all my colleagues to think of those whose jobs are more dangerous than rising here in the House. Some workers face the risk of death, injury, and also illness. We need only think of the thousands of people who contracted COVID‑19 in our care facilities. Let all of us, across party lines, make workplace health and safety our main concern.

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Mrs. Jenna Sudds (Kanata—Carleton, Lib.)

Apr/28/22 2:05:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is Infertility Awareness Week here in Canada, a time to normalize and destigmatize the conversation about infertility. Many Canadians face challenges on their path to parenthood. In fact, one in six Canadians experiences infertility. It can affect anyone, irrespective of age or gender. For many who are struggling to conceive, it is often a hidden and emotionally devastating struggle. Infertility Awareness Week helps Canadians break the silence by having open, honest conversations about infertility. It lets others who are experiencing infertility know that they are not alone and they should not be ashamed. To Canadians struggling with infertility, I want them to know they are not alone. Talking about their struggles may help them, but it may also help others who are struggling alone.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Carleton, CPC)

Apr/28/22 2:06:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians have lost control of their own lives. Whether we are talking about the individual who lost their job because of a medical decision, the single mom who cannot afford to feed her children because of food inflation or the 32-year-old who is living in his mother's basement because of real estate inflation, people cannot pay their bills because the government is making life too expensive. The cost of government is raising the cost of living. The more the government spends, the more it costs Canadians. Inflationary taxes are increasing the cost of producing goods and services. Inflationary deficits are increasing the number of dollars needed to buy every product. Let us stop inflation, lower taxes and give power back to ordinary Canadians, not just bankers and politicians, so they can control their own money. Let us make Canada the freest country in the world to give Canadians control of their own lives.

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Mr. Michael Coteau (Don Valley East, Lib.)

Apr/28/22 2:07:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today I address this House to remember a dear friend and an active member in the Toronto Liberal community: Carole Wardell, who suddenly passed away earlier this month. Carole was the type of person who radiated warmth and friendliness the moment one met her. She was an admired teacher and vice-principal for many years, and someone who always had a welcoming smile on her face. As an active member for decades on both our provincial and federal riding associations in Don Valley East, she was a staple at almost every local event, election campaign and fundraiser, always the first one to volunteer and to help out. She was also a long-time member of the Willowdale Women's Liberal Club, where she spent a lot of time creating space for women in politics and working to encourage more women to get involved in politics. Carole will be remembered by me and so many other people whose lives she touched for her advocacy, her generosity and, most of all, her exceptionally kind spirit. On behalf of the Don Valley East community, we thank Carole for all she gave over the course of her lifetime.

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Ms. Yvonne Jones (Labrador, Lib.)

Apr/28/22 2:08:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today to commemorate the first graduates of the University of Victoria's indigenous law program. These 23 trailblazers are graduating with a joint degree in Canadian common law and indigenous legal orders. In highlighting the accomplishments of these incredible students, I want to acknowledge Jolene Ashini from the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, the first Labrador Innu woman to earn a law degree. Jolene was drawn to the study of law through her late father's work as a leader with the Innu Nation. She noted that this program was something she needed, because it was tailored to her idea of indigenous justice and advancing culturally significant law. We are proud of Jolene and her 22 colleagues for being the first indigenous law graduates from the University of Victoria. We look forward to seeing how their courage, their expertise and education will advance reconciliation and create a stronger Canada for all of us.

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Mr. Rick Perkins (South Shore—St. Margarets, CPC)

Apr/28/22 2:10:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, summer sandstorms have been wreaking havoc in the town of Windsor, Nova Scotia due to the dried up Avon River mud flat. The destructive sandstorms are not just an annoyance; they pose serious health threats to residents. The dry pond has also reduced summer activities on the Avon River, such as canoeing, kayaking and swimming, and has stopped the important pumpkin festival lake race. This is having a severe impact on tourism in Windsor, after two years of reduced visitor numbers. The sandstorms are a result of a ministerial order that is renewed every two weeks by the Minister of Fisheries and that allows the head of the pond to sit dry. In an ideal world, the minister would amend the order to restore the river and lake, but the least she could do is amend it to keep the riverbed moist enough to stop the sandstorms. The Minister of Fisheries can do everyone in the Town of Windsor a favour by amending the order and fixing the Avon River issue.

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Mr. John Aldag (Cloverdale—Langley City, Lib.)

Apr/28/22 2:11:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this weekend, after a two-year hiatus, it was my privilege to attend the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 6 in Cloverdale for its annual awards ceremony. The branch, home to 1,314 members, presented many awards, including years of service from 10 years to 55 years. Legion members continue to support our veterans and community despite the difficulty of the pandemic. During my visit, I presented Dollie Greensides with the Palm Leaf to Meritorious Service Award. It is the highest award for the Legion Ladies’ Auxiliary. Dollie, at the tender age of 94 years, has been a member of the Legion Ladies’ Auxiliary for 63 years. I was proud to present Dollie with this honour, and I am proud to call her my friend.

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Mr. Gérard Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent, CPC)

Apr/28/22 2:12:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Wendake is right in the middle of the Louis-Saint-Laurent riding and it is surrounded by Quebec City, but Canada Post has assigned Wendake a postal code that classifies it as a remote area far from urban centres. As a result, businesses and residents in Wendake pay up to 30% more to have goods delivered, all because of a postal code that in no way reflects their reality. This is happening in Wendake, in my riding, but it is also happening in a number of other indigenous communities near urban centres. Wendake business owner Guillaume Boulianne wrote to me to say, and I quote: “This concrete example of systemic racism on the part of a federal Crown corporation is directly affecting economic development in our communities. Not only is this situation ludicrous, but it is also unfair.” I urge the government to take swift action and to do what needs to be done to ensure that Canada Post selects postal codes based on geography, not the community. On top of just being common sense, it is a matter of respect.

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Mr. Eric Duncan (Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, CPC)

Apr/28/22 2:13:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, finally, after years of delay, Canada is one step closer today to the long-standing and discriminatory blood ban being lifted in this country. It has been a long time coming. The pain, the stigma and the frustration that many gay, bi and trans men have felt in this country for too many years has not been fair. While today's news is welcome news, it did not need to take this long. I have been proud to stand in the House calling on the government to show some urgency in actually ending this. We are still at least five months away from this change taking effect; this, after knowing the recommendation was coming over a year ago. There is still leadership that can be shown to have this easy and simple and safe change be made sooner. Discrimination such as this should not take this long to resolve. We will keep up the battle, but today I want to thank the many voices that pressured the government to finally act, the All Blood is Equal campaign, and particularly men who have felt this stigma first-hand, me included. After years of advocacy, change is finally coming. Long-standing discrimination is finally ending when it comes to the blood ban.

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Mr. Peter Schiefke (Vaudreuil—Soulanges, Lib.)

Apr/28/22 2:14:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is an incredible feeling to rise today to mark the 350th anniversary of L'Île-Perrot, which is located in my community of Vaudreuil—Soulanges. This is an historical event that goes back to nearly 200 years before Canada was founded. It is indeed a very special celebration, with more than 50 activities, that would not be possible without the vision and dedication of men and women who care about their island, namely Lise Charetier, Catherine Vincent, Olga Casseta, Charles‑Olivier Bellerose‑Bellanger, Daniel Bertolino, Catherine Champagne, Sébastien Daviau, Laurier Farmer, Louise Lapointe, Vicky Sauvé and Christiane Lévesque. Of course, I would also like to thank the mayors of our four towns on L'Île-Perrot. They are Pierre Séguin, Danie Deschênes, Claude Comeau and Michel Boudreau, and they are all working hard to make this incredible event happen. I invite all members of our community of Vaudreuil—Soulanges to come together to celebrate the rich history of our beautiful island and to wish Île Perrot a happy 350th.

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Mr. Matthew Green (Hamilton Centre, NDP)

Apr/28/22 2:15:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today on the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job, we mourn all workers who have lost their lives, and recommit to fight like hell for the living. Just two days ago, a worker at Janco Steel in Stoney Creek died in an industrial accident. Our thoughts are with his family and everybody impacted by this horrible and preventable tragedy. Working-class people continue to be sacrificed for the greed and profits of capitalism, and COVID has made things worse. Whether it is in long-term care homes, on construction or industrial sites or in meat-packing plants, far too many workers continue to be killed and injured on the job, yet corporate executives keep cashing in. All employers must be held accountable for their negligence. The Westray Law was introduced to hold companies criminally accountable for workers' safety, but only one person has ever gone to jail. This is appalling: if one kills a worker, one goes to jail. We must continue to fight to improve the health and safety conditions for workers, because every worker deserves to get home safe at the end of the day.

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Mr. Martin Champoux (Drummond, BQ)

Apr/28/22 2:17:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, these are the words of Jean Ferrat: They were twenty and one hundred, they were in the thousands, Naked and gaunt, trembling, in sealed wagons, They tore at the night with their restless fingers. They were in the thousands, they were twenty and one hundred. On this Yom HaShoah, we remember. We remember what people can do when they lose their humanity. We remember the atrocities that evil can do when evil triumphs. We also remember that life and the strength to live, the thirst for life, solidarity, resilience, courage and love can ultimately triumph, despite the darkness, despite the terror. We remember that memory can help us avoid repeating the mistakes already made. Memory can also make us look at the world sometimes with anger, sometimes with fear. We remember these men, women and children who were victims of hate. We remember our sacred duty to fight this hatred. We remember that we are not out of danger, especially if we forget. On this Yom HaShoak, zakhor, we remember.

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Mr. Marty Morantz (Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, CPC)

Apr/28/22 2:18:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as a Jewish Canadian, I join Jewish communities and others in Canada and around the world to observe Yom HaShoah. On Yom HaShoah, we remember the six million innocent Jews who were systematically murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust, which is one of the darkest periods in human history. We also pay tribute to those who survived these unspeakable atrocities and recognize the bravery of all who stood against the Nazi regime, risking their lives to save others. By telling the stories of the Holocaust, we make sure these experiences of loss and survival, of unspeakable suffering and profound resilience, are never forgotten. Sadly, acts of anti-Semitic violence are still frequent today, and it is our solemn duty to stand united and vigilant against all forms of anti-Semitism, hatred and discrimination. We must be clear: Attacks against the Jewish community are attacks against all of us. We have a shared responsibility to continue to pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and ensure their stories continue to resonate with generations to come. Together, let us all vow, “never again”.

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Ms. Ya'ara Saks (York Centre, Lib.)

Apr/28/22 2:20:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last night around the world, Jewish communities began to mark, from sunset to sunset, Yom HaShoah, which is Holocaust memorial day. This morning at 10 a.m. in Israel, air raid sirens sounded throughout the country. An entire nation, the Jewish people, stopped their day-to-day lives at the moment of these sirens. They were a collective cry. It was a moment to reflect, to listen and remember. On this day, six million of our people live in all of our hearts. Today, we are the eyes that remember. Today, we are their voice. Today, we cry for them and for what was lost in their murder at the hands of the Nazi regime. We cry for their memory. I was honoured to join the Prime Minister and colleagues from across the House this morning to stand with the Jewish community at the national Holocaust memorial to honour and remember the men, women and children whose lives have been lost forever. We stand together as the Jewish community with our country here in Canada to say clearly and resolutely, “never again”. In every generation, it is our duty and obligation to honour the victims of the Holocaust, to learn from this tragic moment in humanity and to ensure that the words “never again” are both a focus of remembrance and a reminder to never be complacent in the face of evil and to be relentless in our efforts to fight back against the darkness of hate. Lighting a flame of remembrance today is to shine a light into all of our hearts and to protect those who are in crisis. Then, now and always, [Member spoke in Hebrew] [English] May their memories be a blessing.

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Mr. Luc Berthold (Mégantic—L'Érable, CPC)

Apr/28/22 2:22:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act is so extreme that it requires the government to justify its use to prevent abuses against citizens. It requires an inquiry into the government's actions. Yes, I said the government's “actions”. Analysts and civil rights groups were not fooled. The order giving Justice Rouleau his mandate asks him to investigate citizens. Why is the Liberal government writing the findings of the inquiry before the inquiry has even begun?

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