44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 5, 2023 11:00AM
- Jun/5/23 2:13:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today, during Canadian Environment Week, to honour all the work of indigenous land guardians and the movement of indigenous land protection, a hopeful, inspiring movement that is integral to protecting the lands and waters of this special place we call home.
It is based on the premise that the people best positioned to protect the land are the people of the land. I think of the Haida, whose modern land guardians have been patrolling the lands and waters of Gwaii Haanas since 1981. I think of the Kaska, whose bold vision for land protection in northern B.C. is called Dene K’éh Kusān in Kaska, translating to “Always will be there.” I think of the late Jarett Quock, whose work with the Tahltan land guardian program was so important and whose leadership is so dearly missed.
There are over 120 land guardian programs in Canada; I do not have enough time to speak of all of them. Suffice to say that, at a time when we are bombarded with bleak environmental news, indigenous land protection and land guardians are a source of hope. I am very proud that the NDP stands with indigenous land guardians and indigenous nations in this important work.
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- Jun/5/23 2:15:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, forest fires are currently burning across Quebec on a terrifying scale. The fires cover an area roughly equivalent to the Island of Montreal. People have had to be evacuated from Abitibi—Témiscamingue and northern Quebec, as well as the north shore. The smog filling the sky is a reminder that this situation is not normal.
Once again, at a time of crisis, we can count on the solidarity of the men and women who have been evacuated and who are co-operating with public safety authorities. We can count on the solidarity of the SOPFEU, the firefighters have come from all over Quebec, as well as the rest of Canada, France, Portugal and the United States, to battle the blaze. They are all working together tirelessly to fight this devastating fire. We can also count on the solidarity of members of the armed forces who are providing operational support in many ways, starting with aid for evacuees. Lastly, we can count on solidarity between levels of government, because we can and must work hand in hand when dealing with a disaster of this magnitude.
These forest fires will be put out. We will face them together, and we will defeat them together.
On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I wish everyone good luck.
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- Jun/5/23 2:16:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals want to blame emissions on the senior who simply wishes to visit her grandchildren or the farmer who takes the bounty off his field and turns it into finished goods to go on grocery store shelves. The Liberals would rather penalize the single mother who has to drive long hours to provide for her family than face the fact that it is neither making a difference for the environment nor, certainly, for Canadians. Adding insult to injury, the government is planning to up the tax by adding a second one on July 1. The Liberals sure know how to party, do they not?
Canadians cannot at all afford this, and they are calling for change. Seniors are delaying their retirement, students are using food banks at astronomical rates and half of all Canadians are reporting that they are close to bankruptcy. The answer to climate change is not more taxation but, rather, more technology. This means that Canadians are the solution rather than the problem. They are the way forward. They are the problem solvers; they are the innovators that this nation needs. It is time for the government to celebrate them as such.
On this side of the House, we are calling on the government to axe the tax.
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- Jun/5/23 2:17:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on May 12, the Hon. George Furey retired as the 45th speaker of the Senate. He was appointed in 1999, and at the time of his retirement, he was its longest-standing member. He is, however, much more than this. George was born in 1948, a year before Newfoundland joined Canada. He knew loss and challenges from a young age, as well as the importance of family, hard work and resilience. These guiding principles served him well as a teacher, principal, lawyer and politician.
I am pleased to join Canadians and Newfoundland and Labradorians from all political stripes in celebrating of George's retirement. I would like to thank Karen, George's wife and best friend, his four children and their families for sharing him with this country and my home province.
I look forward to watching how George shapes a traditional retirement. He has served his country and province as a statesman and courageous leader while maintaining humility and decency.
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- Jun/5/23 2:18:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, six months ago, the Minister of Finance promised a balanced budget by the year 2027. She said that deficits fuel inflation by throwing fuel on the inflationary fire. She was right. Her budget has added $60 billion of inflationary fuel. That amounts to $4,200 per family.
Will the Minister of Finance finally recognize that Canadians can pay no more and put before the House a plan to balance the budget in order to bring down inflation and interest rates?
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- Jun/5/23 2:19:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are demonstrating that they are completely irresponsible and that the only thing that matters to them is partisan parliamentary bickering.
Today, the Conservatives are attempting to prevent Canadians from receiving the assistance that the budget will give them. For example, in this budget we will enhance the Canada workers benefit. It will provide assistance for workers most—
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- Jun/5/23 2:20:12 p.m.
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The hon. leader of the official opposition.
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- Jun/5/23 2:20:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what is irresponsible are policies that drive up inflation and interest rates at a time when Canadian consumers are carrying the highest debt load in the G7. The fact is, consumers have the highest levels of debt. The total debt of all consumers in Canada is greater than the Canadian economy.
The inflation the minister is causing and admits to causing with her inflationary spending will drive up interest rates on the backs of these same indebted consumers, potentially leading to a crisis.
Will the Minister of Finance balance the budget in order to reduce inflation and interest rates before there is a crisis?
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- Jun/5/23 2:20:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what is truly astonishing is the Conservative Party's entirely irresponsible and immature position. They would rather engage in partisan bickering than do something to help Canadians.
I will explain what is in the budget and what Canadians need. The measures include automatic advance payments of the Canada workers benefit and doubling of the tradespeople's tools deduction. There are many other things, and I will list them—
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- Jun/5/23 2:21:36 p.m.
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The hon. leader of the official opposition.
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- Jun/5/23 2:21:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it was just six months ago that the minister promised a balanced budget by the year 2027. She said that deficits fuel inflation. The former finance minister John Manley, a Liberal, said that while the Bank of Canada was slamming on the brakes of inflation with higher rates, the government was slamming the gas with higher spending. This could cause the whole engine to blow when all that mortgage debt Canadians hold comes up for renewal unless the rates come down.
Therefore, will she act now to put in place a plan to balance the budget to bring down inflation and interest rates?
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- Jun/5/23 2:22:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am truly appalled by the reckless and irresponsible behaviour we are seeing from the Conservatives today. They are showing that they prefer adolescent partisan games over actually delivering support to Canadians.
Therefore, let us talk about what they are preventing Canadians from getting with their parliamentary childishness. They are preventing Canadians from getting the doubling of the tradespersons tool deduction. They are preventing us from putting in place an anti-flipping tax that is going to stop speculation in—
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- Jun/5/23 2:23:00 p.m.
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The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
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- Jun/5/23 2:23:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what is truly reckless is driving up inflation and interest rates on Canadian consumers who are the most indebted in the entire G7. In fact, the combined consumer debt is almost bigger than the entire Canadian economy. When the monster mortgages that Canadians took out, with the advice of the government back in 2021-22, come into higher rates for renewal there could be a massive mortgage meltdown.
Therefore, will the finance minister do what she promised only six months, and that is to stop putting fuel on the inflationary fire, balance the budget to bring down inflation and interest rates, yes or no?
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- Jun/5/23 2:23:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, someone who advised Canadians to opt out of inflation by investing in crypto is pretty ill-positioned to offer economic advice of any kind. What is he doing instead of providing a responsible economic plan? He is blocking the support that Canadians need, real measures in our budget implementation bill, for example, cracking down on predatory lending. Who could be opposed to that? Is that not what Canadians need right now? The Conservatives, with their frivolous childish behaviour, are stopping Canadians from getting that support.
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- Jun/5/23 2:24:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec families and communities are being hit hard by major forest fires. That includes fires in other places too.
The Conservatives are here to support any government action necessary to protect Canadians and control the forest fires.
I thank the minister for the briefing he gave me and I would like to give him the opportunity to update the House and all Canadians on the forest fire situation and on what the government is doing in response to it.
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- Jun/5/23 2:25:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the strong advocacy from every member of the House on behalf of their communities.
There are currently 370 wildfires burning in Canada, 217 of which are out of control. There have been over 26,000 evacuations from communities right across the country. In response to a request for assistance from the Provinces of Alberta, Quebec and Nova Scotia, we have deployed the Canadian Armed Forces into those three provinces. In each location, Canadian Armed Forces are now in the field assisting with firefighting efforts.
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- Jun/5/23 2:25:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I would like to express our solidarity with the Quebeckers who have been evacuated as a result of the forest fires and with all those who are worried. We stand with them. Our MPs are on the ground, and I want to point out that governments are currently working well together.
We are going to have to have a frank discussion about climate change but, in the short term, we must deal with the fires and fully support the victims.
Will the government accept our help and work with us?
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- Jun/5/23 2:26:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are all concerned about this situation.
First of all, I want to thank the firefighters for their work and acknowledge their courage. Quebec reached out with a request last Saturday and we answered yes within hours. The Canadian Armed Forces has deployed 150 service personnel. We will continue to be there for Quebeckers.
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- Jun/5/23 2:26:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, CBC revealed that David Johnston hired crisis communications firm Navigator. He has the right to hire whoever he wants. That is not the problem. What is strange is that he did not hire this crisis management firm when he was in crisis last week, after he submitted his report that said no to a public inquiry. He hired the firm on the first day of his mandate.
Did Mr. Johnston already know, from the start, that he was going to oppose the public inquiry that Quebeckers and Canadians are calling for?
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