44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 22, 2022 10:00AM
- Sep/22/22 2:20:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to once again congratulate the member for Carleton who is now the leader of the official opposition.
We are now all back in the House of Commons and I know that we have a lot of work to do together this fall. On this side of the House, we are going to focus on helping Canadians while building an economy that works for everyone. We are going to invest to build more housing, bring down the cost of living, fight climate change, help the middle class, create safer communities and put more money in the pockets of the most vulnerable families.
We hope that all Canadians will work with us.
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- Sep/22/22 2:22:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, like all parliamentarians, we have each heard stories from Canadians who are struggling with the high cost of living and with the inflation that has been caused by the global crisis. That is why we are putting forward concrete measures that are going to help Canadians. We are going to double the GST tax credit, which is going to hit millions of families with extra support. We are delivering on support for low-income families on dental, and we are also moving forward with support for low-income renters.
The Leader of the Opposition has an opportunity to support these measures and get help directly to Canadians. I hope he does exactly that.
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- Sep/22/22 2:23:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are going to continue to stay focused on direct and real help for Canadians, responding to the challenges they are facing with meaningful measures that are going to help millions of Canadians in the middle class and those working hard to join it.
If Canadians had followed the advice of the Leader of the Opposition and invested in volatile cryptocurrencies in an attempt to “opt out of inflation”, they would have lost half of their savings. Responsible leadership means stepping up for Canadians and being there to support them. Will the Conservative leader support our measures to support Canadians?
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- Sep/22/22 2:24:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in this House it is important to look at the facts, and the facts are that, when the Leader of the Opposition was the minister responsible for employment insurance, premiums were 20% higher for workers than they are now. That is right; workers paid 20% more. That is why we are continuing to move forward to support workers.
On the issue of the CPP, we promised to be there for workers as they become seniors to help them with their retirements, and that is exactly what we did. In regard to pricing pollution, we promised it would no longer be free to pollute anywhere in this country, and it no longer is. That is what we are focused on.
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- Sep/22/22 2:26:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition wants to go back in time. Let us look at what he was doing when he was in government. He continued to deliver child benefit cheques to millionaire families, which we ended when we took office. He voted against raising taxes on the wealthiest 1% so we could lower them on the middle class. He voted against a Canada child benefit that delivers hundreds of dollars a month, tax free, to every Canadian family.
We have seen where the Leader of the Opposition stands. On this side of the aisle, we are going to stay focused on helping Canadians for real.
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- Sep/22/22 2:27:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for the past seven years, and especially during the pandemic, our government has always been there for artists across the country. We know just how much artists contribute to our identity and culture, which we share with the world. We will always be there to stand up for them. It is important that everyone be treated equally in our systems, and that is exactly what we are doing.
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- Sep/22/22 2:28:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we will always be there for artists. We will always recognize the essential work they are doing. I am proud to acknowledge our extraordinary francophone and Quebec artists, who make an enormous contribution to Canadian culture and to culture around the world. That is why we will always ensure that all artists in Canada are treated fairly. We will continue to be fair to all.
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- Sep/22/22 2:29:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the very first bills we have put forward in this Parliament are focused on delivering for Canadians, the middle class and those working hard to join it, who are struggling during these challenging times.
We heard from Canadians from coast to coast to coast that they need more help. That is why we are stepping up, by doubling the GST tax credit, by delivering more help for low-income renters and by ensuring that families with kids under 12, who are struggling to make ends meet, can deliver dental care for those kids.
These are initiatives that I think all of us should be able to get behind and I hope all parliamentarians will support them to help Canadians as quickly as possible.
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- Sep/22/22 2:30:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, we have all heard from our fellow Canadians, our friends and families in our ridings who are struggling.
That is why the first bills we tabled in the House this fall are aimed at providing help directly to Canadians and doubling the GST tax credit. We will help by giving more money to low-income renters and giving families money for their children's dental care.
We are here to help, and I hope all parliamentarians will support us.
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- Sep/22/22 3:25:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, everyone loves a good comeback story, especially one that united our whole country. Quite frankly, the level of unanimity in this House today is a nice thing to see too.
Fifty years ago, before the Summit Series had even started, a lot of sportswriters and hockey fans were predicting an easy win for Team Canada. At the time, a journalist at The Globe and Mail famously promised that if the Soviets won a single game, he would eat his own column shredded in a bowl of borscht. It did not take long for him to eat his words, literally. There is even a picture of it.
The first game took place at the Montreal Forum on September 2, 1972. Canada lost 7-3. In the days and weeks that followed, our team had its ups and downs. After losing game five in Moscow, our backs were up against the wall. If we wanted to win the series, we had to win the last three games in a row. It was quite a challenge. The players kept up their training, the coaches refined their strategies, and Canadians did not lose hope.
In game six, after a scoreless first period, Canada finally produces a 3-2 victory. In game seven, Phil Esposito scores the first two goals and Canada wins 4-3, and then game eight.
It is the final game of the series. With just one minute left to play, the score is 5-5. That is when Paul Henderson jumps onto the ice.
Henderson rushes to the net. He falls. He gets back up. Team Canada takes two rebound shots and, with 34 seconds to go, Henderson flips in a shot to the goalie's left. They could hear the cheers from coast to coast to coast.
Everyone remembers where they were. Everyone except me, because I was only nine months old. However, I remember growing up with players like Yvan Cournoyer and Ken Dryden as heroes. I am even wearing my Habs socks today. They were not only heroes because they had won the series. They were all heroes because they taught us a lesson. They showed us how grit and hard work pays off. They showed us that, even when there is only 34 seconds left to play, one never gives up. In a global example, they showed us that having a hard-fought competition on ice can go a long way, even for diplomacy.
Paul Henderson once told the story of a friend calling him when the Berlin Wall fell, saying that after his famous goal in 1972 the Soviets probably never recovered. I will let experts debate on whether there is any truth to that, but what is absolutely true is that the Summit Series was a defining moment in the history of our country.
In 1972, our flag, the maple leaf, was only seven years old. Not all Canadians had embraced our flag at that point. As Serge Savard often pointed out, after our players won while wearing the maple leaf on their jerseys, Canadians became proud of this symbol, which still represents us today. It is a symbol of peace, democracy and freedom.
Our world is a different place today than it was during the Cold War, but there are parallels. One thing remains the same: We will never stop fighting for what is right.
Today, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Summit Series and all the members of this historic team, let us remember the best of who we are as Canadians. Let us continue our work to make sure people, young and old, players and fans, can be part of this extraordinary sport in a safe and respectful environment. Let us keep reminding the world that being polite and friendly never precludes our also being tough and determined. Let us remember that, with hope and hard work, there is nothing we cannot overcome.
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