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Ms. Lisa Hepfner (Hamilton Mountain, Lib.)

Oct/5/22 2:10:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when Sharron Harley prepares for her day, she slips a photo of her late husband Charlie into her uniform and heads into the same spot she has worked at since 1977, the McDonald's on Upper Gage and Mohawk, in my riding of Hamilton Mountain. A familiar and friendly face to many, Sharron turned 75 this year, and she credits her job with keeping her active and engaged with her friends and community. Sharron is the social connector for many seniors who live in the area. She draws them in to socialize over coffee, food and great company. It is critical for seniors to stay healthy and remain involved in their communities. Two days shy of International Day of Older Persons, I was thrilled to present Sharron with two certificates, one commemorating her 75th birthday and the other acknowledging her incredible 45-year career at McDonald's. I send my congratulations to Sharron.

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Mr. Paul Chiang (Markham—Unionville, Lib.)

Oct/5/22 2:11:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in the House to pay tribute to two Canadian heroes who tragically lost their lives as members of municipal police services in the GTA. Constable Andrew Hong of the Toronto Police Service was shot and killed in an ambush on September 12 in Mississauga. He leaves behind two teenage children and will forever be remembered as a larger-than-life personality who got along with everyone and cared deeply for his community. Constable Travis Gillespie of the York Regional Police was killed in a collision with an alleged impaired driver on September 14. He has been remembered by friends, family, and co-workers as someone who demonstrated “true leadership by leading from the front and always showing strength for the team.” Emergency services personnel around Canada put their lives on the line every day to protect their communities and keep Canadians safe. As a retired police officer of the York Regional Police, and as someone who currently has a son-in-law in policing, I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends affected by these tragedies. We will always remember their sacrifice.

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

Oct/5/22 2:13:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to pay tribute to a long-standing member of the Speaker's team who has decided to take a well-deserved retirement from this institution. Becoming a bit of an institution herself, Heather Bradley has served five speakers as director of communications. We, and I, have benefited from her wisdom and expertise. MPs are elected as members of a political party and sit as a caucus. As such, each member has a tremendous amount of support when it comes to communications, but speakers leave those teams and can no longer count on that network, so the need to have an effective communications director is all the more important. Heather was an absolute joy to work with. Her extensive knowledge of the precinct, members and historical precedence was invaluable. Her ability to interact with journalists, and the trust she had built with all parties over the years, was essential in assisting the Speaker as part of a non-partisan office in the backdrop of a highly partisan environment. I could always count on her for excellent advice, from issues of the board to the modernization of disclosure. She was there for Parliament's big move out of Centre Block, and, of course, the tragic shooting that occurred there. She was always calm, thoughtful and rational, and had an impeccable track record of honesty and transparency. I would like to thank Heather for her many years of service to Parliament, supporting speakers dating back to 1994. I also would like to thank her husband, Mike, and her boys, Nick, Jake and Sam, for lending her to us. We are all the better for it. I wish her all the best in her retirement. Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

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Mr. Francis Drouin (Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, Lib.)

Oct/5/22 2:15:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to recognize the contribution of beer and brewing in Canada on this 4th annual Canadian Beer Day. Brewing beer here from locally grown barley and other grains predates Confederation by over 200 years and remains a source of pride for Canadians as a symbol of Canada around the world. Widely known as a drink of moderation and of social gatherings, beer helps bring neighbours together and is a part of celebrations of important life milestones. Canadian beer is now brewed from coast to coast to coast in communities large and small, and it is a true Canadian agri-food success story that should be celebrated and protected for future generations. I want to thank Beau's, Wood Brothers, Tuque de Broue, Étienne Brûlé and Cassel, all local breweries in my riding, for their excellent beer. I say cheers to beer's economic, social and community contributions, and happy Canadian Beer Day.

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Mr. Corey Tochor (Saskatoon—University, CPC)

Oct/5/22 2:16:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadian Beer Day is an occasion to celebrate Canadians beer, and the men and women who brew it, sell it, deliver it, serve it and, most importantly, enjoy it. From the prairie farmer to our neighbourhood pub staff, the production and sale of beer helps support over 149,000 jobs in Canada, and 88% of the beer consumed in Canada is brewed in Canada. Sharing a beer with one's friends is one of life's great pleasures, and it should remain an affordable activity for generations to come. Sadly, this is no April Fool's joke, but every April 1, our favourite pints will be hit with an automatic Liberal escalator tax. Even without a vote in this place, beer is going to get more expensive. Raise a glass and thank a Liberal for making it more expensive today. People may not believe it, but it is Trudeau. If everyone would raise their glass, we will say cheers to the Liberals for making beer more expensive.

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The Speaker

Oct/5/22 2:17:13 p.m.
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Once again, I want to remind hon. members that using another member's name in the House is not permitted. When referring to someone, do it by their title or by their riding. If members are going to try to be clever, try to be a little less obvious. The hon. member for Fort McMurray—Cold Lake.

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Mrs. Laila Goodridge (Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, CPC)

Oct/5/22 2:17:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the new Conservative leader will put people first: their savings, their paycheques, their homes and their country. Canada has the third-largest oil reserves in the world, yet due to Liberal policies, we import 130,000 barrels of oil a day because Liberals prefer to support dirty dictator oil as opposed to responsible Canadian energy. Conservatives understand that when Fort McMurray works, Alberta works. When Alberta works, Canada works. Only Conservatives are fighting for pipelines and energy corridors to secure the long-term viability of Alberta energy and to get Alberta energy to the world. Conservatives will repeal Liberal anti-energy laws and replace them with a law that will protect our environment, consult first nations and get things built. We will support economic reconciliation with indigenous communities and, within five years, we will set a goal to end dirty dictator oil in Canada altogether. We will not back down from politicians in this country and in this chamber who seek to land-lock and firewall our energy, leaving our workers without jobs. Canada and the world need Alberta energy.

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Mr. Sameer Zuberi (Pierrefonds—Dollard, Lib.)

Oct/5/22 2:18:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on October 1, people around the world demonstrated in solidarity with Iranian women. These people have been rising up since the tragic death of Mahsa Amini. In Montreal, I joined thousands on the streets who called for freedom and justice. Mahsa Amini was a vibrant 22-year-old Iranian woman. She was arrested by Iran's morality police and died a short while after, while in custody. According to Amnesty International, more than 75 people have been killed. More than 1,200 have been arrested. The government has cut off Internet access. Iranians' voices will not be silenced. They are being heard clearly and loudly across the globe. We must support them. We do support them in their struggle for freedom and justice.

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Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)

Oct/5/22 2:19:57 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, Savanna Pikuyak moved from my riding to Ottawa in pursuit of becoming a nurse. Savanna was murdered before the school year began. We all have failed her, her family and all indigenous girls, women and two-spirit people. Words of empathy are not enough. As parliamentarians, we need to do better. We must work in our constituencies to seek justice for Savanna and for all missing and murdered indigenous girls, women and two-spirit people. As parliamentarians, we need to take action. As parliamentarians, we all must take steps to end genocide. We must heed the calls for justice as recommended by the MMIWG commission.

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Ms. Christine Normandin (Saint-Jean, BQ)

Oct/5/22 2:21:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Andrée Ferretti, a staunch separatist from start to finish, passed away on Thursday. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I want to offer my condolences to her children Lucia and Vincent, and her immediate family and friends. Born Andrée Bertrand in a working-class neighbourhood in Montreal, Andrée Ferretti discovered very early a common thread that she would follow her entire life: freedom for the people of Quebec, which would lead her to join the Rassemblement pour l'indépendance nationale in 1963, then fight her entire life to make Quebec a country; the freedom of words, discovered alongside Miron, Aquin and so many others, developed in her novels, her essays and her articles; freedom for workers, doubly exploited as labour and as Quebeckers; and freedom for women, in politics and anywhere else. Named patriot of the year in 1979, Andrée Ferretti also made a name for herself by winning several literary awards. Today we bid a final farewell to Andrée Ferretti, separatist, writer, activist and free woman.

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Mr. Philip Lawrence (Northumberland—Peterborough South, CPC)

Oct/5/22 2:22:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the new Conservative leader will put the people first: their paycheques, their savings and their country. After years of government mismanagement and Liberal-made backlogs, it is time to get the gatekeepers out of our immigration system. Conservatives are bringing hope to doctors, nurses and newcomers who are dreaming of coming to our country but are blocked from working in their profession simply because of the country they come from. We will team up with the provinces to fix the broken foreign credential recognition system by guaranteeing within 60 days that immigrants applying for work in their profession will get an answer based on merit, not on their country of origin. As Canada faces a labour shortage, we need to empower workers to fill the gaps in our workforce. Red tape and bureaucracy should not stop newcomers from achieving their dreams. Enough talking, enough empty rhetoric and enough broken promises. It is time to remove the gatekeepers and get more doctors, nurses, skilled workers and inflation-protected paycheques for our hard-working and skilled immigrants.

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Mr. Yasir Naqvi (Ottawa Centre, Lib.)

Oct/5/22 2:24:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a resident of my community of Ottawa—Centre who has been an invaluable resource to the House of Commons. That person is Heather Bradley, Director of Communications at the Office of the Speaker, who is leaving us after 28 years of service to begin her well-deserved retirement. Throughout her time on Parliament Hill, Heather Bradley has served five Speakers over 10 parliaments. She has seen it all. Despite the often hectic pace of the House, she has been calm, competent and always kind. Our success as parliamentarians depends on the quality of the staff who support us. Ms. Bradley was one of the best. I thank Heather for her service. She leaves behind a legacy of excellence and hundreds of grateful colleagues who will miss her.

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Hon. Anthony Rota (Nipissing—Timiskaming, Lib.)

Oct/5/22 2:24:44 p.m.
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I would like to take a moment to add to the remarks of hon. members in recognition of Heather Bradley's upcoming retirement. In my role, I was privileged to receive advice from Heather, a consummate professional with the gift of wisdom, intelligence and tact. Heather has that singular gift of great leadership to steer one in the right direction without feeling pushed in any way. Under Heather's leadership, we also achieved greater transparency and efficiency in our communications. She helped Speakers of the House fulfill their roles more effectively and become more informed about parliamentary procedure and traditions. Heather almost always had the answers, and if not, she knew exactly who to talk to. Her contact list was amazing, a veritable who's who of Parliament Hill. We thank Heather for her decades of service. We hope that retirement brings her time to enjoy her beautiful family and many friends, as well as time to reflect on the legacy of excellence, kindness and everything else that she brought to this place. Some hon. members: Hear, hear!

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

Oct/5/22 2:26:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, according to Le Journal de Montréal, growing numbers of students affected by the rising cost of food are turning to food banks. A survey showed that the majority of Canadians—51%—are struggling to feed themselves. The carbon tax is a tax on food because it is a tax on farmers and the truckers who deliver our food. How much will groceries cost families when the Prime Minister implements his plan to triple the carbon tax again and again and again?

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

Oct/5/22 2:27:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, students and families across this country know full well that climate change is real and that we must fight it. At the same time, they also know they need help to buy groceries and gas. That is why our price on pollution is returning more money to the families who need it than it costs them. That is why we continue to put families first, to protect the future. Unfortunately, the plight of Atlantic Canadians shows just how costly climate change is. Inaction costs more. We will support families at the same time.

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

Oct/5/22 2:27:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I was at the Metcalfe Fair over the weekend and a farm family told me that they spent $12,645 on carbon taxes in July alone. Obviously, that gets passed on to customers. That is $12,645 in one month. Now the Prime Minister wants to triple the tax on that family, which they will have to pass on in even higher food prices, which have already gone up more than at any time in 40 years. How much will this family have to spend on carbon taxes when the Prime Minister triples them?

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

Oct/5/22 2:28:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition does not seem to understand that clever slogans do not help families. Investments in Canadians help families and cheques help families. That is why we were so pleased when he reversed his earlier opposition to our GST tax credit and is now supporting that direct support for Canadian families. Why will he now not move forward and support our investments to support low-income families with rent and low-income families with dental costs for their kids? Will he support rental and dental for low-income Canadians?

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

Oct/5/22 2:29:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, feeding people is not a clever slogan; it is a necessity of life. This family spent $12,645 on carbon taxes in a single month, but it is still not enough for the Prime Minister. He wants to triple the tax, increasing the cost for that farmer, who then has to pass it on to the customer. It means that more of our food will be produced abroad and shipped up here, polluting more of our environment by shipping, training and trucking that food. Again, will he answer the question? How much will this family have to spend on carbon taxes once he has tripled them?

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

Oct/5/22 2:29:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I just got back from Atlantic Canada, where people are reeling from the impacts of hurricane Fiona. The reality is that these 100-year storms are going to be arriving with greater and greater frequency. We know that climate change is real and that it takes real plans and supports to fight climate change. That is what we have been working on for the past seven years. At the same time as we have moved forward with ensuring that it is not free to pollute anywhere in this country, we are putting more money back into average families' pockets with the climate rebate. This is the focus we need to continue to have for Canadians.

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

Oct/5/22 2:30:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, one, his climate rebate comes nowhere near $12,645 for this farm family. Two, his carbon tax has not hit a single solitary emissions reduction target; it has not worked. Three, in the month of July, when this family was paying $12,645 in his carbon tax, supposedly for the environment, the Prime Minister jumped on his private jet 20 times. It is high-carbon hypocrisy. If he cannot tell us how much the tax will cost, will he tell us how much carbon he emitted in the month of July when he was raising taxes?

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