SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 116 - Oct/24/22

Mr. Wayne Long (Saint John—Rothesay, Lib.)

Oct/24/22 2:02:48 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, seven years ago, in 2015, I came to this great place on behalf of the constituents of Saint John—Rothesay with one major goal. That goal was to deliver much-needed federal investment in my riding, a riding that had become stalled under the previous government. I wanted to deliver strategic investment that would help my riding grow and thrive, and there is no better example than that of our government's $100-million investment in Port Saint John. A few years ago, Port Saint John did 60,000 containers per year. In the next several years, it will go up to 800,000 containers. That will create hundreds of well-paying, waterfront jobs. There is no better example of a government investing to create private sector investment. CP Rail and DP World will invest half a billion dollars in Port Saint John over the next several years. Port Saint John is growing and thriving. It is an economic catalyst for my riding and for all of New Brunswick. I am very proud of my government's investment.

181 words

Mr. Luc Desilets (Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, BQ)

Oct/24/22 2:04:04 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, October 15 to 22 was public library week in Quebec, which is why I am so delighted to recognize the 10th anniversary of our new library, La bibliothèque Guy-Bélisle, which is located in Saint-Eustache, in my riding, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles. After being inaugurated in October 2012, the library quickly became a cultural hub for our residents. Our library can boast about 2.8 million book loans and 1.3 million visitors but, more importantly, it serves to nourish the dreams, culture and curiosity of an entire community. This library is a remarkable asset that enriches the lives of the people of Saint-Eustache. I want to thank Monique Khouzam and Nicole Grimard, the chief librarians who have led this successful institution for 10 years. I also want to thank my friend Raymond Tessier, a municipal councillor in Saint-Eustache, who made this project possible. Happy 10th anniversary.

163 words

Mrs. Sophie Chatel (Pontiac, Lib.)

Oct/24/22 2:05:08 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, Canada has all the ingredients to become a global leader in the economy of tomorrow. We have critical minerals, productive farms, high-tech companies and world-class universities. The main threat to our prosperity are irresponsible policies, such as those of the Conservatives in the United Kingdom. This week, the opposition will once again give Canadians slogans rather than solutions. If we withdraw from the Paris Agreement, the Canadian economy will suffer and lose its momentum. Not only will our European G7 partners condemn us, they will add a carbon tax on our products at their borders. We will no longer be able to export our products. Canadians deserve responsible economic leadership.

114 words

Mr. Mel Arnold (North Okanagan—Shuswap, CPC)

Oct/24/22 2:06:15 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, Canadians cannot afford the costly coalition between the NDP and Liberals. As winter descends on Canada, Canadians are being warned that the average price of home heating will rise between 50% and 100% this winter. Some Canadians could see home heating bills bloat by 300%. Canadians who heat with natural gas, electricity, propane or even wood pellets are going to see home heating bills take a bigger chunk out of their budgets every month, leaving less for food for the dinner table. The Liberal-NDP plan to triple the carbon tax is making matters worse for Canadians with no alternatives for heating their homes. Again, the Conservatives cannot afford the costly Liberal-NDP coalition and the government's insatiable hunger for taxes, and its infliction of hunger and cold on Canadians. As winter arrives in Canada, our new Conservative leader and the Conservative caucus are standing up for Canadians by fighting the Liberal-NDP plan to tax hungry people out into the cold.

165 words

Mr. Sean Casey (Charlottetown, Lib.)

Oct/24/22 2:07:23 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, on Thanksgiving Monday in the aftermath of hurricane Fiona, history was made in P.E.I. The P.E.I. FC under 15 girls soccer team had the best result of any youth team in the history of the National Championships hosted in Charlottetown. They shut out the Alberta champions, beat best teams in the Maritimes and then they knocked off the London Alliance Mustangs champions from a province with 87 times the population of P.E.I. This was thanks to late-game heroics by keeper Quinn Gavin and a winning goal by Kali MacDonald in extra time playing short-handed. In the National Championship game, a depleted P.E.I. FC side played their hearts out and gave Winnipeg football all it could handle until late in the second half. The result was silver for the first time ever. I want to congratulate the players and everyone who did not let Fiona get in the way of this national championship and epic performance by a group of young islanders who simply refused to be outworked.

179 words

Ms. Julie Dabrusin (Toronto—Danforth, Lib.)

Oct/24/22 2:08:24 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, opportunity brings change. That is a motto that we were talking about yesterday at the Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre when we saw young people receiving awards for their accomplishments and as a vote of confidence in their future. There were three young people who received awards. Ahmad Arif and Ruqaiyah Chhiboo received grade10 scholarships. They are participants and volunteers at the Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre. Shahaddah Jack received the Youth of the Year Award. She is a journalism student and is a spoken word poet, and a very strong voice for people in her community. They all described Eastview as a safe place, a home, somewhere they gain strength to go forward. I want to congratulate Ruqaiyah, Ahmad and Shahaddah for their awards. I want to also thank everyone, the volunteers and all the staff at Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre. They are amazing people who bring opportunity and change.

151 words

All Topics

Mr. Jasraj Singh Hallan (Calgary Forest Lawn, CPC)

Oct/24/22 2:09:25 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, today marks Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, a time we commemorate Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji for standing up for the freedom and human rights of many others at the cost of his own. This also marks the Festival of Lights for many around the world. This celebration of the victory of good over evil sees families joining together to light diyas gather for fireworks and visit gurdwaras and temples to pray for blessings, prosperity and peace. People will also light their homes with bright lights to mark the occasion. Let us reflect upon the lessons of freedom and human rights Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji has taught us along with making efforts to challenge the darkness in our own lives with light, to remember to take a break during our busy lives and reflect on the good we can continue to do in the world, and being the voice for the voiceless. For all Canadians celebrating today, I wish them blessings with comfort, peace and fellowship. Happy Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas. [Member spoke in Punjabi]

177 words

Mr. Adam van Koeverden (Milton, Lib.)

Oct/24/22 2:10:30 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, three days after being detained by Iran's so-called morality police for supposedly wearing her hijab improperly, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was killed. This human rights violation began a series of protests across Iran in over 80 cities, leaving over 200 people killed by security forces. This indiscriminate killing has also left at least 23 children dead. My thoughts are with all Iranians, those living in my riding of Milton, Ontario, across Canada and the world as they collectively demand basic human rights, freedom and respect. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leadership group are serial human rights abusers, and the IRGC are state sponsors of terrorism. Last week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs hosted a meeting on the protests with foreign ministers of state from around the world. Canada will not sit idly by while Iran's oppressive patriarchal regime continues to strip women of their basic human rights. I stand in solidarity with the brave Iranian women who are risking their lives by demonstrating to those gathering, cutting their hair, tying it up and speaking out. They are seen and they are inspiring. We have a collective obligation to ensure that these courageous actions bring about positive and lasting change.

206 words

All Topics

Mr. John Barlow (Foothills, CPC)

Oct/24/22 2:11:39 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, farmers across Canada are wrapping up their harvest and there is a sense of pride and accomplishment, but also stress, stress because the Liberal-NDP carbon tax coalition is taking an average of $45,000 from the pockets of every single Canadian farm family; stress because Liberal inflation is driving up interest rates, making it harder for farmers to manage their debt and putting thousands of family operations at risk of foreclosure. Canadians are starting to feel there are real consequences to activist policy, burdening those who grow our food. Canadians can no longer afford the Liberal-NDP carbon tax coalition, which has already driven food prices to a record 41-year high. When bread prices are up 15%, Canadians cannot afford to put food on the table. When carbon taxes are driving up input costs, farmers can no longer afford to produce it. Unlike the Liberals, Conservatives are very proud of our Canadian producers and everything they do to help feed the world. Unlike the Liberals, a Conservative government will make sure that Canadian farmers are both environmentally and economically sustainable, because if there are no farms, there is no food.

194 words

Mr. Adam Chambers (Simcoe North, CPC)

Oct/24/22 2:12:48 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are bracing for a difficult period ahead. Winter is coming. Warnings about a slower economy and inflation resulting in higher food and energy prices are enough to increase the anxiety of all Canadian families. On this side of the House, the Leader of the Opposition warned the government how drastically increasing the money supply could lead to inflation. Even a few months ago, when anyone raised concerns about the risk of a slowing economy, the Deputy Prime Minister called those individuals “economically illiterate”. Do members remember when inflation was supposed to be transitory? The government spent years telling Canadians that deficits and debts were not a problem because interest rates were low. It added $100 billion to the debt before COVID, $500 billion during COVID, and now we are going to spend more in interest on the debt than we do on national defence. Canadians are told not to worry because the Liberal government has found fiscal restraint, but how can they trust the arsonist to put out the fire?

175 words

Mr. Darrell Samson (Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, Lib.)

Oct/24/22 2:13:48 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Fédération nationale des conseils scolaires francophones, or FNCSF, held its 32nd annual meeting in Whitehorse. As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and section 23 of that charter, which pertains to language of instruction, our government is modernizing the Official Languages Act through Bill C‑13. The FNCSF represents all francophone and Acadian school boards in minority communities in Canada and plays a key role in ensuring the vitality of our communities. It is thanks in part to the FNCSF that our young people are able to continue to live in their language and celebrate their language and culture. These meetings provide an opportunity for us to network, plan and address important education issues across Canada. I congratulate the elected representatives on the success of their meeting and thank them for all that they do for French-language education in Canada.

163 words

Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)

Oct/24/22 2:14:50 p.m.
Watch

[Member spoke in Inuktitut and provided the following text:] ᐅᖃᖅᑎᑦᑎᔨ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑕᐃᑦ ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᖃᒻᒪᕆᒃᐳᑦ ᑕᕆᐅᕐᒥᐅᑕᖁᑎᒥᓐᓂ. ᐅᒥᐊᕐᔪᐊᑦ ᐃᑳᕈᓐᓇᖅᓯᕙᓕᐊᓂᖏᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᒥᓱᙳᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᒻᒪᑕ. ᐊᑦᑕᓇᖅᑐᒦᑎᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᕗᖅ ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᐃᑦ ᑯᕕᔪᖃᕐᓂᖅᐸ ᓄᓇᓖᑦ ᐅᐸᓗᖓᐃᔭᖅᓯᒪᔪᓐᓇᖏᑕᖏᓐᓂ. ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᒧᑦ ᐱᒋᔭᐅᓂᕋᖅᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐊᑦᑕᓇᖅᑐᒦᑉᐳᖅ. ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ ᑕᑯᓂᕋᖅᐸᒃᑑᒐᓗᐊᑦ ᓱᖁᑎᒋᔭᐅᖏᒪᑕ. ᒐᕙᒪᑐᖃᒃᑯᓂ ᑎᓕᓯᕗᖓ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥᐅᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂ ᓴᐳᔾᔨᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᑐᓐᓂᖅᓴᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ [Member provided the following translation:] Uqaqtittiji, Nunavummiut are gravely concerned about the marine environment in Nunavut. The opening of the Northwest Passage means more vessel traffic. This increases the risks of oil spill, for which communities are not equipped to mitigate. Arctic sovereignty is at state. Nunavummiut are reporting changes and are being ignored. I call on the government to resource Nunavummiut so they can defend the Arctic environment.

323 words

All Topics

Ms. Andréanne Larouche (Shefford, BQ)

Oct/24/22 2:15:43 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to recognize the great contribution of an incredible volunteer from the riding of Shefford. Until just recently, Lise Faucher was a member of the board of directors of the Centre d'aide aux entreprises Haute-Yamaska et région, or CAE, where she served as a volunteer since the organization was established in 1985. Ms. Faucher spent 37 years working for the region's economic development. She served first as a board member and then as the president of the board from 2001 to 2022, the longest-serving president in the CAE's history. She even served as a representative of the community futures development corporation in Montérégie for many years. She is a woman of action working in a man's world who cares about the survival of the CAE and supporting entrepreneurship in our beautiful region. The CAE boardroom in Granby will be named after her because she embodies all that the organization stands for. We wish her a well-deserved retirement.

178 words

All Topics

Mr. Clifford Small (Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, CPC)

Oct/24/22 2:16:50 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, a very close friend of the Prime Minister, said in early September that putting a carbon tax on home heating fuel would place “undue economic burdens on the people of this province.” The four Atlantic premiers wrote to the federal environment minister around the same time to request an exemption on the deadline to end the tax exemption on home heating fuel. They were flatly turned down by the Liberal government, whose intent to tax the right to heat one's home reflects its cult-like beliefs that taxing the essentials of life will lower carbon emissions. The NDP coalition partners are partial to the same cult-like beliefs. According to the chair of the Council of Atlantic Premiers, energy poverty in Atlantic Canada is nearly 40%, the highest in the country. Atlantic Canadians are counting on their MPs to stand with them when they stand to vote today on a motion to axe the carbon tax on home heating fuel.

172 words

Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (London North Centre, Lib.)

Oct/24/22 2:18:00 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honour Tina Bax and Michelle Quintyn, who were recently inducted into the London and District Business Hall of Fame in recognition of outstanding contributions and ethics in business. Tina is the founder and former president of CultureWorks ESL and the founder of Canada Immigration Pathway. Founded in 1998, CultureWorks was the first public-private partnership of its kind in Canada, graduating thousands to colleges and universities across the country. Michelle is president and CEO of Goodwill Industries, Ontario Great Lakes. As CEO at Goodwill, serving across Ontario, she steered the company to a $59-million enterprise with 1,200 employees who train and work on several platforms, including thrift/recycling, food and hospitality, light manufacturing and more. I have come to know Tina and Michelle as titans in our community. They have made monumental impacts in their fields, and they have made London a better place to live. I congratulate them again.

157 words

Ms. Melissa Lantsman (Thornhill, CPC)

Oct/24/22 2:19:10 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, winter is coming but inflation is already here. Liberal inflation has driven up the price of food and driven up the cost of gas, and now the Prime Minister wants to make it more expensive to heat one's home this winter. Seniors across Canada could see their gas bills double because of the government’s tax hikes. If the Liberals will not listen to their own constituents, maybe they will listen to the Liberal Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, who said that rural seniors will struggle to keep the heat on. Will the Prime Minister show some compassion and vote this afternoon to cancel his plan to hike taxes on home heating?

116 words

Hon. Randy Boissonnault (Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, Lib.)

Oct/24/22 2:19:50 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-31

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative opposition has a golden opportunity to do this week what it did last week, which was to see the light, support Canadians and vote for a bill proposed by the Liberals to make life more affordable for Canadians. It can support half a million Canadian children with our dental plan. It can support low-cost renters with our housing plan. Will the opposition do the right thing and vote for Bill C-31? That is what Canadians want to know.

84 words

All Topics

Ms. Melissa Lantsman (Thornhill, CPC)

Oct/24/22 2:20:20 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, the minister knows that the vast majority of Canadians will never see a penny of that money, but every Canadian is paying the tax hike to heat their home. The question was about home heating. The Prime Minister wants to triple the tax on seniors for the crime of heating their homes in Canada, in the winter, in February. It is not a luxury; it is a necessity. Will the ministers driving inflation on the front bench allow their colleagues who understand the problem to vote this afternoon to exempt home heating from their planned tax hikes?

99 words

Hon. Randy Boissonnault (Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, Lib.)

Oct/24/22 2:20:58 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, let us set the record straight in terms of which side of the House is supporting Canadians when it comes to taxes. In 2015, we lowered taxes on Canadians, and the Conservatives voted against it. In 2019, we lowered taxes for Canadians again, and the Conservative leader and his party voted against it. In 2021, we lowered taxes on working Canadians, and the Conservatives voted against it. Just this summer, in 2022, when we lowered taxes on small businesses, the Conservatives voted against it. We are voting for Canadians. We are lowering taxes. They are voting against it.

100 words

Ms. Melissa Lantsman (Thornhill, CPC)

Oct/24/22 2:21:35 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are united by a cost of living crisis that the government has created. The Liberal MPs have an opportunity to vote today to cancel the planned tax increases on heating this winter. Today, they can stand up and tell seniors across this country that they understand heating one's home is essential; it is not a choice. Their plan does not reduce emissions, and the costly coalition with the NDP just hurts struggling Canadians. Everybody is watching. Will they vote today to do the right thing and exempt home heating from their tax hikes, yes or no?

100 words