SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 195 - May/11/23

Mr. Charles Sousa (Mississauga—Lakeshore, Lib.)

May/11/23 2:06:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, 70 years ago, a group of 85 young men set sail to Canada from Portugal to start a new life. May 13 marks the anniversary of the first official labour migration of Portuguese arriving at Pier 21 aboard Saturnia in 1953. The community referred to them as pioneers. I would like to take this moment to recognize them and my father, Antonio Sousa, who made that inaugural journey in search of opportunity. Many were sent to work in farms and forestry. My dad went to work in the camps in Goose Bay, Labrador. His determination paid off, in making Toronto's Kensington Market my family's new home. Soon others followed, including my mother and brother a year later. This is but one story of the courage and resilience that define the Portuguese Canadian experience. Through hard work and perseverance, they and their descendants have contributed greatly to Canada's social, cultural and economic fabric. As the community celebrates this milestone, we recognize the legacy of those pioneers who opened doors. We thank them and many more Portuguese Canadians, men and women, who, to this day, continue to lead the way in building a strong and vibrant Canada. Parabéns e obrigado.

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Mrs. Rachael Thomas (Lethbridge, CPC)

May/11/23 2:08:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as if censoring what Canadians can see, say or hear online was not bad enough, the Liberals had to go even a step further. That was this past weekend at their convention. They decided to put forward a policy that would require journalists to give up their sources in order to be published online. It was not enough to censor Canadians at large; they had to target journalists. Imagine this for a moment. Imagine what would happen if journalists had to be vetted by the government in order to release a story on, say, donations given by the Beijing government to the Trudeau Foundation, or foreign interference in our elections, or the many, many ethical breaches of the government. I wonder what would happen if journalists had to be vetted in order to release those stories. They probably would not go public, which begs the question, is the government simply acting pre-emptively in order to get ahead of future stories they know will be coming? Why is the government so hell-bent on censoring the media?

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

May/11/23 2:09:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise in the House. This morning, we were horrified to learn about the tragic events that had unfolded in the community of Bourget, in my riding. Every time there is a shooting, we always say to ourselves that such a thing would never happen in our own community, that these things only happen somewhere else. Sadly, this morning, one police officer lost his life and two others were injured. I cannot stop thinking about Sergeant Mueller's family. I cannot stop thinking about those officers who had to deliver the news to Sergeant Mueller's family. I cannot stop thinking about those officers who were injured, and I cannot stop thinking about the OPP officers who lost a colleague. The next few days, weeks, months and years will be hard on our community, but especially on our local police officers. My deepest condolences go to Sergeant Mueller's family, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured officers. Let us never forget that every day police officers are putting their lives in danger to protect our communities. I want to thank all the police officers and the first responders who assisted with this morning's tragic events. Thank you to our police officers from the bottom of my heart.

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Mr. Randy Hoback (Prince Albert, CPC)

May/11/23 2:10:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the Prime Minister is completely out of touch. His government is driving up farmers' costs, and now he plans a 41¢-a-litre tax on gas, heat and food. Canada's largest megaproject, spring seeding, is now in progress. Farmers are planting their crops and they tell me this is the most expensive year ever. Farm cash expenses exceeded $11.5 billion in 2022, 11% higher than in 2020, and this year they will be even higher. His deficits have driven up borrowing rates, making it more expensive for farmers to finance their crop inputs. Thanks to the Prime Minister's carbon tax, farmers continue to have expenses that their global competitors do not have. Our farmers want a change. They are tired of the Prime Minister's out-of-touch policies. They want a government that does not punish them for growing food. They want a government that is committed to letting them do what they do best: feeding Canadians and feeding the world.

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Mr. Larry Maguire (Brandon—Souris, CPC)

May/11/23 2:11:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, instead of implementing a plan to fight inflation, the Liberals are determined to repeat their failed inflationary approach, and people are paying the price. Canadians are out of money and the Liberal government is out of touch. The good news is, Conservatives have a plan to clean up the Liberal mess. Our Conservative leader stands for the common sense of the common people, united for our common home: Canada. We will lower prices by ending inflationary deficits and scrapping the carbon tax on heat, gas and groceries. We will bring home powerful paycheques for workers by lowering taxes and clawbacks to reward their hard work. We will ensure people can find a place to call home, by firing the gatekeepers and freeing up land to build. We will protect communities by ending the catch-and-release of repeat violent criminals. Our Conservative team will keep working to turn hurt into hope, and under the leadership of our Conservative leader, we will bring back the common sense of the common people.

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Mrs. Rechie Valdez (Mississauga—Streetsville, Lib.)

May/11/23 2:12:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about Mother's Day. Mothers are the foundation of our families and the backbone of our communities. We must also remember that Mother's Day is a celebration for mothers across this country and for those who play a motherly role in our lives, who provide us with love, care and guidance. They all deserve our gratitude and appreciation. Our mothers nourish us, support us and play a defining role in our identity. Through thick and thin, they give us comfort, courage and wisdom when we need it most. Let us pay tribute to the mothers who showed us the way. I express my deepest gratitude to all mothers, including the members in this House, for their love, strength and resilience. Let us come together to express our heartfelt appreciation to all mothers for their selfless love, unwavering dedication and boundless sacrifice. To my mother, Norma, and my mother-in-law, Lerma, I love them so much. Happy Mother's Day.

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Mr. Taylor Bachrach (Skeena—Bulkley Valley, NDP)

May/11/23 2:13:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, postal workers play vital roles in our small communities, but Canada Post's model for rural communities is just not working. In many small towns, the postmasters themselves are responsible for providing a facility for the post office, something that Canada Post only pays them a couple of hundred dollars a month for, much less than market rates. The starting wage for these positions, which lie at the heart of community life, is less than $20 per hour. The community of Southbank was without its post office for almost a year. Local residents and the regional director, Clint Lambert, had to renovate a community building in order to restore postal services. In Atlin, where I am heading tomorrow, the community still has not received a permanent post office location from Canada Post, nor a postmaster. Rural places deserve reliable service delivery from the government, and Canada Post's model for rural post offices needs a lot of work. I hope the minister will improve the model for rural Canada and its postmasters.

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Ms. Andréanne Larouche (Shefford, BQ)

May/11/23 2:15:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the pathetic circus has returned to the Hill. With their fake smiles and their fake compassion, these anti-choice, anti-women demonstrators have returned. We see once again the generous Conservative donors eagerly waiting to applaud the few members of the official opposition who will come out to encourage them and sing the praises of their holy crusade against women's rights. They are there, en masse, with their signs, showing their sweetest, most inoffensive faces. However, these are the same people who intimidate doctors in front of abortion clinics, try to make young women feel guilty and threaten staff. They call themselves pro-life, but they have no problem wrecking anyone's life. They are incapable of recognizing that a woman's body belongs to her at all times. They are incapable of recognizing that women do not have to justify the decisions we make about our bodies to anyone. I am proud to belong to a party that defends women's right to abortion and even more proud to be a member of a nation that has already listened to the cause. These people have the right to protest, and that is truly their right. However, they should not expect our respect and they shall not have it.

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Ms. Raquel Dancho (Kildonan—St. Paul, CPC)

May/11/23 2:16:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today, I stand to honour our brave police officers, after the country received devastating news that, yet again, one of our police officers has fallen. Early this morning, in the small town of Bourget, Ontario, Sergeant Eric Mueller was killed and two more officers were injured on the job. Conservatives join with the OPP and police officers across the country in praying for the two officers still in hospital, for the family of Sergeant Mueller and for the safety of our brave police officers across Canada. This terrible tragedy follows nine months that have been the worst in recent memory for Canadian police. We have lost and we honour Constable Andrew Hong, Constable Morgan Russell, Constable Devon Northrup, Constable Shaelyn Yang, Constable Grzegorz Pierzchala, Constable Travis Jordan, Constable Brett Ryan, Sergeant Maureen Breau, Constable Harvinder Singh Dhami, and now, Sergeant Eric Mueller. To all our police, I say that we mourn with them and we stand with them today and every day.

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

May/11/23 2:17:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I speak, just outside this House, a protest is under way spouting anti-choice chants with the goal of tearing away a woman's access to abortion. Countless women have fought for years for our right to an abortion, a hard-earned freedom, to privacy, to autonomy and to choice. As the foundation that they built comes under threat from the rhetoric spewed by the Conservatives, we have a responsibility to not let up the fight. We cannot go back. We will not go back. As we fight tooth and nail to protect abortion as the safe health care practice that it is, we are relentless. I am proud to be part of a government that is committed to protecting my freedom and every woman's freedom to choose. I am proud of each and every woman and man on this side of the House who is committed to ensuring these rights are upheld indefinitely.

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

May/11/23 2:18:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, with his woke, egotistical, liberal ideology, the Prime Minister is trying to delete our history by erasing Terry Fox, who fought cancer, by erasing Quebec City and by erasing the soldiers at Vimy, only to replace them with a colouring book that includes a picture of the Prime Minister swimming at Harrington Lake. I am announcing today that a common-sense Conservative government will restore our history and our passport, which includes Vimy, Quebec City, Terry Fox, and all of the history that makes us proud.

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Hon. Sean Fraser (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)

May/11/23 2:19:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is important that we commemorate Canada's history, but let us not pretend that the only place we are able to do that is inside the pages of our passport. I know about Vimy Ridge because I have read books about it, researched it independently and talked to veterans who served in the military. I know that Brigadier-General A. E. Ross said, “in those few minutes I witnessed the birth of a nation”, but it is not because a picture was included in a passport. We are going to continue to take opportunities to commemorate our nation's heroes. Whether that includes statues on Parliament Hill or Viola Desmond on the $10 bill, or whether we seek other opportunities to commemorate our history, we will continue to engage Canadians along the way and make decisions that celebrate our nation's heroes.

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

May/11/23 2:20:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the current Prime Minister's woke and out-of-touch ideology is so egotistical that he cannot imagine there are any Canadian stories bigger than him. That is why he deleted Terry Fox, the soldiers who died at Vimy, the city of Quebec and the RCMP from our passport to replace them with a colouring book that includes an image of him swimming at Harrington Lake when he was a boy. I announce that a common-sense Conservative government would bring back Vimy, our memory of Terry Fox and pride in our country, and it would restore a passport that all of us can be proud of.

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Hon. Sean Fraser (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)

May/11/23 2:20:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would caution the opposition leader against claiming that he somehow has a monopoly on caring about Terry Fox. He should talk to the member for Oakville about her advocacy for Terry Fox and the money she has helped secure for cancer research. Terry Fox lives on in the memories of Canadians because of the courage he demonstrated during the Marathon of Hope and in— Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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The Speaker

May/11/23 2:21:16 p.m.
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I am going to have to interrupt the minister. The hon. Leader of the Opposition wants to hear the answer to the question he asked. I am going to let the minister start from the top so that the hon. Leader of the Opposition can hear the whole thing. The hon. minister.

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Hon. Sean Fraser

May/11/23 2:21:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would caution all members of this House against claiming some sort of a monopoly on caring about our nation's heroes. Terry Fox is loved by Canadians, not because his picture was in the passport but because of the courage he demonstrated during the Marathon of Hope, and the research funding that has come to help advance care for cancer patients. My family has been affected by cancer, and I still celebrate Terry Fox's contributions to our national discourse. Let us look at the advocacy of the member for Oakville on Terry Fox's behalf to help secure funding to perpetuate his legacy and continue to improve cancer research. We can commemorate our heroes in a number of ways, and we are committed to doing that.

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

May/11/23 2:22:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is out of touch and in hiding. Yesterday, as he left the House, he challenged me to have more of these debates, and now he will not even get out of his seat and answer my questions. We know why. He is afraid. He is afraid to defend not only his first carbon tax, which he admits will increase the price of gas by 41¢ a litre, at thousands of dollars of net costs per family, but he now has carbon tax 2, a second tax with no rebate, that will increase food, heat and gas prices even further. How much will the second carbon tax increase the cost of gas for hard-working Canadians?

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Hon. Steven Guilbeault (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

May/11/23 2:22:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we now have the Conservative premier of New Brunswick, at the request of one of the Conservative members, asking the federal government to put in place our carbon pricing system. We have a number of Conservative members who have argued in favour of carbon pricing. All the provinces and territories in Canada have put in place carbon pricing. While we have done that, we have increased jobs and economic development in Canada, and we have reduced our pollution by more than 50 million tonnes.

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

May/11/23 2:23:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the question that the Prime Minister was too afraid to stand up to answer and debate me on was about the cost of the second carbon tax. We know that the Prime Minister's first carbon tax will cost 41¢ a litre, at a net cost to average families of over $1,500. However, that is not enough for him. He wants a second carbon tax, which will add even more costs without any rebate at all. We know that he told falsehoods about the first tax. Will he finally have the guts to stand up and tell us how much his second tax will cost Canadians?

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Hon. Steven Guilbeault (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.)

May/11/23 2:24:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if allowed, I will read from the Conservative Party of Canada's election platform from the last election, the platform that this party stood and spoke to Canadians about. I am quoting from page 78, where it says, “Our plan will ensure that all Canadians can do their part—” Some hon. members: Oh, oh!

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