SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 100 - Sep/22/22

Mr. Terry Duguid (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Sep/22/22 3:05:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives used to believe in market mechanisms and pricing to reduce pollution. Stephen Harper did before he did not. The member for Durham did before his party abandoned it and, in fact, abandoned him. The Conservatives have flip-flopped all over the place. However, I want to applaud one Conservative, the member for New Brunswick Southwest, who says his province should go back to using the federal carbon price because at least it comes with rebates. I agree with that hon. member.

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Mr. Kevin Waugh (Saskatoon—Grasswood, CPC)

Sep/22/22 3:06:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking for hope. Every day, Conservatives stand up in the House to tell the stories of real Canadians who are facing the worst financial struggles of their lives, thanks to the mismanagement of the government. Day after day in the House, the Liberals stand up to tell us how well Canadians are doing. Talk about a government being tone deaf and out of touch with Canadians. Will the government finally give Canadians hope and cancel the planned tax increases on paycheques?

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Hon. Chrystia Freeland (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.)

Sep/22/22 3:07:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the MP from Saskatchewan. Our government understands that Canadians need some support in the tough times we are going through right now. Apparently his colleague, the member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, agrees with us. He understands that our doubling of the GST tax credit will provide important relief for Canadian families. I would like to believe that the member who just spoke really cares for his constituents. I hope he will show that by supporting this useful measure.

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Mr. Robert Morrissey (Egmont, Lib.)

Sep/22/22 3:07:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, recently, Canadian seafood and fishers have been targeted by an American organization questioning our efforts to protect the North Atlantic right whale. Can the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans outline the measures her department has taken working with fishers to protect North Atlantic right whales?

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Hon. Joyce Murray (Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Lib.)

Sep/22/22 3:08:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Egmont for his deep commitment to fish harvesters. Canada has world-class fisheries and that is thanks to our fish harvesters. With measures like dynamic closures, removing ghost gear and whale-safe gear innovations, Canadian harvesters are very committed to protecting right whales, and it is working. It turns out that thanks to their efforts, there has not been a whale mortality in Canadian waters for three years. That is Canada's record and we can all be proud of it.

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Mr. Blake Desjarlais (Edmonton Griesbach, NDP)

Sep/22/22 3:08:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a generation of Canadians is struggling. From the cost of living to the student debt crisis, Canadian students and recent grads are falling behind. Instead of helping them get by, the federal government has collected billions of dollars in student loan payments since 2020. As a result, 65,000 Canadians have defaulted on their student loans. This out-of-touch Liberal government refuses to give young Canadians a break. When will the Liberal government start tackling the affordability crisis and cancel student debt?

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Hon. Carla Qualtrough (Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Lib.)

Sep/22/22 3:09:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, young Canadian students are the future of Canada. With budget 2022, we are investing $26 million over four years to increase the maximum amount of forgivable Canada loans by 50% in rural communities for health care workers. We have had students' backs every step of the way. Through budget 2021, we made federal student loans interest-free until March 2023. We also doubled Canada student grants and extended the skills boost top-up to help young Canadians really get through the pandemic. We are absolutely committed to permanently eliminating the federal interest on students loans and Canada apprentice loans, and we will continue to help young Canadians.

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Mr. Mike Morrice (Kitchener Centre, GP)

Sep/22/22 3:10:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are in a climate catastrophe while oil and gas companies make record profits on the backs of regular people. As raised earlier, the UN Secretary-General is now calling for a windfall tax on these profits, yet the federal government continues to do the opposite, giving more public funds to the very companies responsible for the crisis. When will the government listen to the UN and apply to oil and gas the same windfall tax it has to banks and life insurers?

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Mr. Terry Duguid (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

Sep/22/22 3:10:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we share the hon. member's concern and his commitment to the climate crisis and to addressing it. That is why we are spending $9.1 billion on our emissions reduction plan, which is an ambitious sector-by-sector path for Canada to reach its 2030 emissions on our way to net zero by 2050. It has broad support from environmental groups, from industry to farmers. It is going to deliver clean air, a healthy environment and a strong economy.

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Mr. Jake Stewart

Sep/22/22 3:11:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Today in question period, the official opposition cited a March 22 report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer that shows the carbon tax will be a net cost to Canadian families. I am seeking unanimous consent—

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The Speaker

Sep/22/22 3:11:57 p.m.
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I am afraid that is more debate than a point of order. I believe the hon. opposition House leader has a question for us. It is Thursday.

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Hon. Andrew Scheer (Regina—Qu'Appelle, CPC)

Sep/22/22 3:12:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yes, I have the one question everyone has been waiting for, the Thursday question. I am wondering if the hon. House leader of the government could update the House as to what we can expect next week. Specifically, will he bring in legislation cancelling the Liberal tax hikes that are due to come into effect January 1?

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Hon. Mark Holland (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Sep/22/22 3:12:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I too always look forward to the Thursday question. Let me first take the opportunity to thank the member for Barrie—Innisfil for his service in the role as opposition House leader. It was a pleasure to work with him. I will also welcome the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle to his new role as opposition House leader. We have had some fruitful conversations. I look forward to more of them. First, of course, I reject the characterization that supporting Canadians in their retirement while making sure EI is there for them in case they lose their jobs is a tax increase. We have a fundamental difference with regard to making sure we invest in Canadians, and we will see that play out in legislation. If I could, because the question was asked of me, I am excited to say that this afternoon we are going to start second reading debate of Bill C-30, the cost of living relief act. Tomorrow morning, we will resume debate on Bill C-31, which provides for the establishment of dental benefits for children under the age of 12 years old and a one-time rental housing benefit. Then we are going to switch back to Bill C-30 following question period. If further debate is needed, we will continue will Bill C-31 on Monday. On Wednesday, we will return to second reading of Bill C-29 concerning the establishment of a national council for reconciliation as an independent, non-political, permanent and indigenous-led organization. Finally, I would like to inform hon. colleagues that next Tuesday and Thursday shall be opposition days.

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The Speaker

Sep/22/22 3:14:25 p.m.
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Pursuant to order made Wednesday, September 21, the House will shortly resolve itself in a committee of the whole to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Summit Series. We will welcome some of the players of Team Canada 1972 on the floor of the House, and statements will be made as part of the proceedings. I would remind members that only authorized photographers are allowed to take photos.

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The Speaker

Sep/22/22 3:17:39 p.m.
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The House will suspend for a few moments to prepare for the committee session.

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The Speaker

Sep/22/22 3:23:03 p.m.
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It is my pleasure today to welcome to the House of Commons players and representatives of Team Canada 1972. I will ask members to hold their applause until I have read the names of our guests. They are Don Awrey; Yvan Cournoyer; the Hon. Ken Dryden; Ron Ellis; for Victor Hadfield, who was not able to attend, his son Jeff Hadfield; Paul Henderson; Dennis Hull; the Hon. Frank Mahovlich; Peter Mahovlich; Serge Savard; Rod Seiling; and the late Bill White, represented by his son Kam White. Some hon. members: Hear, hear! The Speaker: I will now invite the right hon. Prime Minister to make a statement to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series.

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

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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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Sep/22/22 3:31:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what an honour it is to have the legendary heroes of the Summit Series among us today. It is an honour to welcome to the House today members of Team Canada for the 50-year anniversary of their victory over the Soviet national team in the 1972 Summit Series. It was the year 1972 that the Cold War spilled into the world of sports. In July, American and world chess champion Bobby Fischer had defeated the Soviet champion and number two world competitor Boris Spassky. In the Munich Olympics, the American basketball team lost a bitter and still-contested gold medal game against the Soviet Union. However, neither of these events produced the drama or the lasting glory that the Summit Series did. The series pitted, for the first time, the best Canadian professionals, though some of them looked too young to have been there, against the Soviet players who were, at the time, underestimated but preparing quietly for a surprise. It was to be a true test of hockey supremacy, played under the shadow of a much deadlier contest for global supremacy. The Canadian Department of External Affairs suggested that the encounter could be called a “friendship series”. Thank goodness the players ignored that and had the good sense to compete fiercely. Although most commentators and most Canadians expected the series to be an easy one, after a shocking 7-3 loss in game one in Montreal, it became clear that the series would not be a friendly exhibition of Canada's superiority. As the losses mounted, the pressure on our players grew, the low point being the series' game four in Vancouver when some of the crowd rained boos down on their defeated heroes. Canadians simply could not understand how these NHL all-stars, these legendary names they knew so well, could be outscored by a team of Russian amateurs. The Canadian fans had not yet realized what had become clear to the Canadian players: These Russians were actually really good. They were playing a different game than the NHL players were used to. It was a game of speed and finesse, of long-lead breakout passes and pinpoint cross-ice accuracy. By the end of the series, the names of those faceless Russians would be household names in Canada. We know them now. We knew them then and now many of them play in the leagues on this side of the ocean, or at least their children and grandchildren do. They have names and faces Canadians would come to know and respect in international tournaments and in exhibitions pitting Soviets against NHL competitors. By the time the Canadian team left to train in Europe ahead of the four games in Moscow, the idea of a “friendship series” was long dead. From this side of the Cold War, knowing how it ends, we can afford to look back objectively, but in the moment, and at that time, the series had become, to borrow the name of the 40th anniversary documentary, the Cold War on Ice. The 1972 series was the first time the term “Team Canada” was applied to a Canadian hockey team. In the minds of Canadians and fans following the series around the world, and on both sides of the Iron Curtain, Team Canada versus Team Russia had become us versus them. There were two styles, two different ways of life and two fundamentally incompatible ideologies and systems of government. It was democracy versus totalitarianism, communism versus free enterprise and freedom versus repression. Clichés never tell the whole story, but they often tell the most important part. This is true of the stories we are told today of the 1972 series. Before the series, we told ourselves that we were the best hockey country in the world and that our way of playing was the only way to play properly. During the series, we realized that this was not quite true. For having lost those four games and having seen the competitive grit and the finesse of a team of a different style, we learned that we needed to up our game. In the last game on home ice, the frustration of Canadian fans in Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum erupted as boos rained down from the bleachers. Team Canada lost, falling 4-2. In a now iconic post-game interview, the legendary Phil Esposito pleaded with Canadians. To quote the elder Esposito brother, he said he was completely disappointed and he could not believe it. He said, “Some of our guys are really down in the dumps...We know we’re trying...They’ve got a good team and let’s face facts. But it doesn’t mean that we’re not giving it our 150 per cent, because we...are. Every one of us guys, 35 guys, came out to play for Team Canada. We did it because we love our country”. On foreign ice, in front of hostile fans, with their backs against the wall, down two games, Team Canada rallied to win the last three games, each by a single goal. Each of those winning goals was scored by the great Paul Henderson. His name is immortalized in Foster Hewitt's frantic play-by-play call that erupted through hundreds of thousands or probably millions of televisions and radios in classrooms and workplaces across the country: “Henderson has scored”, and the crowd goes wild. The ladies and gentlemen in the audience would not have been so pleased of course, but those here on the other side of the world would have applauded and cheered with such a vibrating and powerful force that it would have been heard all around the globe. It is a call that still thrills us all half a century later, even those of us who were born after 1972. We have only heard the echo of those cheers but still revel in the legacy they represent. When we hear those calls and we see those names, the names of those who are here today, Yvan Cournoyer, after the winning goal, for example, it takes us back to a different time and a different world. It was 17 years before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Just a few months before the wall fell in May of 1989, a 20-year-old Alexander Mogilny would become the first Soviet star to defect to the west to play in the NHL. He was charged with deserting the Soviet Red Army, in which he was nominally an officer. Shortly after that, a crumbling and cash-strapped Soviet hockey system and Soviet Union would come crashing down as well. Two years after that, in 1991, the Soviet Union, which in 1972 had appeared almost invincible, officially came to an end. I say almost invincible because this Team Canada showed that they were anything but. That is something the Canadian spirit brings alive in hockey, but also in all aspects of our lives. I think what is so special about the gentlemen gathered here today is that every single Canadian can see their own triumph in this legendary win. They have made us all proud. They have given us one of the defining moments of Canadian history. In fact, I think if any Canadian were asked to close their eyes and dream up the most Canadian moment, it would be hard to think of anything more Canadian than the '72 Summit series victory. Therefore, on behalf of all Canadians I wish them a great congratulations and thank them for their contributions to our national story. May we all live up to their incredible example of grit, determination and victory.

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Mr. Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly, BQ)

Sep/22/22 3:40:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I can proudly say that I am the only party leader in the House to have donned skates prior to 1972. That said, I was not particularly good. I clearly took a wrong turn somewhere. As we know, the Bloc Québécois has always defended Quebec's identity. Quebec and Canada are two different nations, with different values and, often, different ways of doing things. We defend the right to live in French, the common and official language of the Quebec nation and even of certain locker rooms, at times. We do not identify with multiculturalism. We prefer to change the topic when the British monarchy comes up in conversation. The only dynasties we like are the ones in hockey. We have the Quebec civil code, we value clean energy, and we are committed to secularism. We are different. There are two different nations, but they come together from time to time. We often share interests and visions. Canada and Quebec are peace-loving. We prefer peace to war, words to weapons. We are democrats. We care about poverty, injustice and violence, and we look for solutions to help improve people's lives. Frankly, I think that Canadians and Quebeckers are good people. Most importantly, Quebeckers and Canadians share the unwavering belief that hockey is the greatest sport in the world. From Toe Blake to Maurice Richard, to Sidney Crosby and Marc-André Fleury, not to mention the great Guy Lafleur, Mike Bossy and Doug Gilmour, Canadians and Quebeckers are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the best hockey players in the world. I do not want to come across as pretentious, but we will keep it between us. I would even venture to say that Quebeckers are the best players, but we will share that honour today. In Quebec, we know how to play hockey. I would not include myself in that. Any time I or hundreds of thousands of Quebeckers my age scored a goal as a kid, we imagined being Guy Lafleur or, for those in Drummondville, Yvan Cournoyer. Any time we made a save, we pictured ourselves as Ken Dryden. Those are the names that inspire kids. We say we have the best players in the world, and there is no better proof than the Summit Series. On one side was our team, represented by the men we have the honour of welcoming today. On the other, the Soviet superpower at the height of the Cold War. Against a backdrop of looming nuclear threat and fears of a third world war, the best of us went head to head against the best of them: Pete and Frank Mahovlich, Guy Lapointe, Yvan Cournoyer, Serge Savard, Ken Dryden, Phil and Tony Esposito, Bobby Clarke and Rod Gilbert, to name just a few of the team's worthy and admirable members. Our team went up against the USSR, sworn enemy of the Western Bloc, denizens of the other side of the Iron Curtain. They could not lose. They lost. We were destined to win. We won. It was magical. The Summit Series symbolizes so many things. First of all, it is better to fight on the ice with a puck and sticks than on a battlefield. On that note, perhaps Mr. Putin should leave Ukraine alone. Things could be settled in a best of seven series. On top of that, the Summit Series reminded us that the Soviets were more than just our enemies. We learned that we can and, more importantly, we should, respect our adversaries. It was an extraordinary example of how sport contributed to the détente and the eventual end of the Cold War. The Berlin Wall likely started coming down as a result of the Summit Series. Lastly, we have to talk about Paul Henderson's goal. Paul Henderson scored the most beautiful goal ever scored by a grinder. You have Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Paul Henderson's goal. Let us get back to our two nations. My esteemed colleague from Abitibi—Témiscamingue suggested a 21st century summit series, where Quebec would play Canada, national team against national team, in a friendly game. There will always be things that we want to do together once in a while. That is why, 50 years later, we have come together to say bravo and thank you. Thank you for the dream and thank you for proving that, with enough determination and courage, miracles do happen.

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Mrs. Carol Hughes (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, NDP)

Sep/22/22 3:46:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to honour the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series and the team members who captured the hearts, minds, and imagination of an entire nation. It is that rare event in sport that had all Canadians on the edge of their seat and would become a legend across the nation, creating role models, inspiring songs and establishing Canada as the dominant hockey nation on earth. This series is so iconic that it almost has no rivals in terms of its importance to our country, except for Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope. It eclipses all other historic moments in Canadian sport, such as the Blue Jays' back-to-back championships, Donovan Bailey's gold medal sprint, and Sidney Crosby's golden goal at the Vancouver Olympic Games. I would like to begin by thanking all the players on Team Canada 1972 for their historic win in the Canada-Russia series, including the many players who have joined us today to celebrate the 50th anniversary. In case my colleagues did not know this, a good lot of the players originated from northern Ontario: The Esposito brothers, Phil and Tony, learned to play in Sault Ste. Marie; brothers Frank and Peter Mahovlich were from Schumacher; Mickey Redmond called Kirkland Lake home; and Gary Bergman hailed from Kenora. I also want to give a special shout-out to the late, great Jean-Paul “J.P.” Parisé, the hard-working left-winger from Smooth Rock Falls in my riding of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, who scored two goals and two assists, and had the single most controversial moment in the series. I will have more on that in a minute. The series is often spoken of as a parable of the Cold War these days, but I doubt that anyone playing in the series was thinking of that. The players went out there for eight games and, through grit and determination, brought this historic win home for our great nation. They inspired a generation of young people to embrace hockey and did so much to establish it as Canada’s national sport, to the extent that this House legally declared it as such in 1994. It is the historic moments that will be remembered forever across Canada. To quote commentator Foster Hewitt’s play-by-play at the end of game eight of the series, “Cournoyer has it on that wing. Here's a shot. Henderson made a wild stab for it and fell. Here's another shot! Right in front. They score! Henderson has scored for Canada!” Paul Henderson’s iconic game eight winning goal, often called “the goal of the century”, will always live on as part of the Canadian psyche. Phil Esposito’s seven goals and six assists set the pace for the entire series and, of course, J.P. Parisé’s frustration at the officiating in game eight that got him ejected for game misconduct is often cited as the turning point that led to less questionable calls on the ice and strengthened the rest of the team’s resolve. I am proud to say that Parisé's name is now permanently commemorated on a recently inaugurated sign in his home town of Smooth Rock Falls, at the suggestion of Johnny Lemieux and with support from the town council. They wanted to be sure to pay tribute to J.P while also marking the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series. Parisé was touched to be selected to represent Canada internationally, but he was so respected in the NHL that he was asked to play for Team Canada as a surprise pick. He went on to enjoy a successful career in hockey, playing 890 games in the NHL, including two all-star games. He never won the Stanley Cup, but his widow, Donna, said that winning gold for Canada meant the world to him. I hope I was properly able to convey just how important this event was for the history of our nation. I will quote the lyrics of another Canadian legend, and I am not going to sing them, because I cannot do them justice. Maybe the member for Timmins—James Bay would have been able to, but not me. This is from the Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie: If there's a goal that everyone remembers, it was back in ol' 72 We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the triggerAnd all I remember is sitting beside you I have also been lobbied by my colleague, the MP for Windsor West, to put in a selfless plug to have a member of the team, Paul Henderson, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and I was pleased to do that. I thank members for their attention and, more importantly, I thank team Canada from 1972 for all it has done for this country.

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