SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 234 - Oct/18/23

Ms. Arielle Kayabaga (London West, Lib.)

Oct/18/23 2:10:00 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House to condemn the attacks conducted by Hamas on October 7 and I call on Hamas to release and safely return the Israeli hostages to their loved ones. I condemn the air strike on the Al Ahli Hospital yesterday. What we are witnessing in Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe. Over one million people have now been displaced, 3,000 have been killed and a third of them are children. I implore us to exhaust all tools that will allow humanitarian corridors to open for humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians. Now, more than ever, we need governments to work together to de-escalate the situation in Gaza and ensure the safety of innocent civilians. My deepest condolences go out to every single person who has lost a loved one on either side of this conflict. Jewish and Palestinian communities are looking for leadership to see their humanity. That is our job as leaders.

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Mr. Dan Mazier (Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, CPC)

Oct/18/23 2:11:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the Prime Minister has added more to Canada's national debt than all other previous prime ministers combined. The Prime Minister told Canadians that his government would take on debt so Canadians would not have to, but now Canadians are paying the price for the Prime Minister's massive deficits and inflationary spending. After half a trillion dollars of inflationary deficits, the Bank of Canada was forced to hike interest rates 10 times in just 19 months, and now monthly mortgage payments have increased by 150% since the Prime Minister took office. To keep up with the Prime Minister's inflationary spending, Canada will spend $240 billion over the next five years to service our debt. The Prime Minister is wrong. It is not the government that is taking on debt; it is Canadians. Canadians will not be fooled. They know that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

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Mr. Bryan May (Cambridge, Lib.)

Oct/18/23 2:12:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week, we celebrate the 44th annual Small Business Week. Small business owners are the backbone of Canada's economy and the heart of our communities, and every October we celebrate their resilience and entrepreneurial spirit. Over the last few years, the challenges of running a small business have changed dramatically, but entrepreneurs across Canada have recovered, innovated and adapted. Through it all, our government has been there to support them, from the Canada emergency business account keeping doors open during the pandemic to the Canada digital adoption program helping businesses compete in the digital era to programs helping under-represented groups fulfill their entrepreneurial goals, our government has been there for small businesses. As the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, I am excited to roll up my sleeves and get to work with entrepreneurs and small business owners across the country.

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Mr. Warren Steinley (Regina—Lewvan, CPC)

Oct/18/23 2:13:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight long, miserable years, Canadians are sick and tired of the NDP-Liberal government. The Liberal ministers were happy for a photo op with grocery CEOs, and then they promised that prices would go down before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has come and gone, and the prices continue to climb. This is yet another broken promise by the Liberals. Canadians just cannot trust anything they say. First, the industry minister met with the grocery CEOs and said that he has a plan to lower food prices. Then he said that prices are stabilizing and that Canadians should look for this in their local grocery flyers. Now he seems to have no idea what is going on. What the Prime Minister needs to realize is that, just like budgets, grocery bills will not balance themselves. All Canadians know that the Prime Minister simply is not worth the cost.

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Mr. Damien Kurek (Battle River—Crowfoot, CPC)

Oct/18/23 2:14:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, housing costs have doubled, and people are struggling to pay their mortgages and make rent. This is something that affects small towns and big cities across Canada and Canadians both young and old. In a series of town halls and meetings I hosted last week, the number one concern I heard about was the cost of living's leading to a genuine fear about the future. After eight years, the Liberal Prime Minister is simply not worth the cost. Conservatives demand that the Liberals bring back a balanced budget, since we have painfully learned that budgets do not balance themselves. Goldy Hyder from the Business Council of Canada recently said, “With long-term interest rates at the highest they have been in years, it is irresponsible to suggest that economic growth will be higher than interest rates for years to come. Governments can no longer run permanent large deficits without fear.” It is time to balance the budget to bring home lower prices for Canadians.

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Mrs. Brenda Shanahan (Châteauguay—Lacolle, Lib.)

Oct/18/23 2:15:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as we mark Persons Day by paying tribute to the Famous Five, I would like to highlight the contribution made by Thérèse Casgrain, another great Canadian whose struggle not only gave Quebec women the right to vote in 1940, but who fought throughout her life to improve conditions for women in Quebec. Her political work, commitment and achievements are examples that inspire many of us to this day. When she became leader of the Parti social démocratique, she also became the first female leader of a political party in Canada. In 1970, she was appointed, as a person, to the Senate. The Famous Five, Thérèse Casgrain and the women of that era who fought for our rights opened doors for us. Let us make sure we keep them open.

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Ms. Lori Idlout (Nunavut, NDP)

Oct/18/23 2:16:19 p.m.
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Uqaqtittiji, despite the harsh colonial and genocidal policies my mom was forced to endure, she had the strength to have faith and to teach me about love and forgiveness, as many indigenous people have done. I am comforted in knowing that my mom is finally at peace. If she had had access to great programs like those provided by Dechinta, I think she would have worked harder to stop intergenerational trauma from being passed on to her great-grandchildren. Organizations like Dechinta are important because they show the benefits of first nations, Métis and Inuit leadership in helping each other. Their funding is running out, and we must ensure sustainable funding for healing and cultural programs to continue without interruptions. I call on all members to be champions of organizations like Dechinta in their ridings. Together, we can break systemic racism and act on reconciliation.

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Mr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe (Lac-Saint-Jean, BQ)

Oct/18/23 2:17:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in one of their great songs, Beau Dommage sings, “Tous mes cauchemars passent à six heures, à la télévision” or “all my nightmares appear on the six o'clock news”. Sadly, those words ring true during these terrible times we are living in. Ukraine, Nagorno-Karabakh, Gaza, war is sowing grief and desolation everywhere. No one will come out a winner. Who wins when children die? Who wins when the bodies of civilians are strewn across deserted streets, when hospitals or the sick and injured seeking care and refuge are bombed? Who wins? What god rejoices at the death of a child? What government will proudly avenge the death of a grandmother? What cause justifies these tears, this pain and this mourning? Who is proud of humanity? Who would look at our spineless approach to the climate crisis next to our fiery determination to kill each other and say, “keep up the good work”? I do not know how all of this is going to end and I have no desire to see the outcome of these dark days. I know that humanity must get its act together. I know that we must get our act together. I know one thing: We need to do better.

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Mr. Brad Vis (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, CPC)

Oct/18/23 2:18:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, small business owners are the unsung heroes of the Canadian economy. These entrepreneurs make up almost 98% of all employer businesses, employing nearly two-thirds of the private labour force, and they provide meaningful paycheques to millions of Canadians. However, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, I doubt that small business owners feel like unsung heroes. Higher inflation, higher payroll taxes, higher carbon taxes, a labour crisis, higher rent, more red tape and increased crime rates are hurting main street businesses across Canada. Business insolvencies continue to rise at alarming rates year over year and month over month. More businesses are closing than opening. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. This Small Business Week, I want small business owners to know that Conservatives are hearing their challenges and that we are committed to axing the carbon tax, lowering business taxes and fostering an environment where small businesses are able to grow, innovate and create powerful paycheques once again.

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Ms. Leah Taylor Roy (Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, Lib.)

Oct/18/23 2:19:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today is a special day for all of the women in this room and, indeed, across Canada. It is Persons Day. On October 18, 1929, the Privy Council of England ruled that women are indeed persons under the law. This victory was the result of a long and courageous legal battle by Canadian women known as the Famous Five. This ruling allowed women to fully participate in political life. However, not all women were included. Indigenous, Black and Asian women were not included until much later, and women from diverse backgrounds faced discriminations that limited their ability to participate. The struggle persists. Although we have made progress, women as a group, and, even more so, marginalized women, continue to be under-represented. Persons Day reminds us to continue the fight begun by the Famous Five until we achieve equal representation for all women and gender-diverse people, because there cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are clearly heard.

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The Speaker

Oct/18/23 2:20:59 p.m.
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As promised before the constituency week, the Chair would like to make a statement on order and decorum in the House. In a very simple way—

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre

Oct/18/23 2:21:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this government, the inflation rate in Quebec is the highest—

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The Speaker

Oct/18/23 2:21:48 p.m.
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The hon. member will have an opportunity to start Oral Questions once I make this statement to the House. Question period will follow immediately after the statement. An hon. member: It is question period. The Speaker: I will ask the hon. member to please take his seat for a moment while I consult with the table. Colleagues, the Speaker has the choice as to when to start question period. There will be a full question period that will follow after this declaration from the Speaker. It is important for us to make this declaration. The hon. opposition House leader is rising on a point of order.

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Hon. Andrew Scheer

Oct/18/23 2:23:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would just like to remind the Chair of Standing Order 30(5) under “Time for Statements by Members, Oral Questions and orders of the day”. It states, “Not later than 2:15 p.m...as the case may be, Oral Questions shall be taken up.” It does not say, “may be taken up”; it says, “shall be taken up”. It is well past 2:15 p.m.

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The Speaker

Oct/18/23 2:24:21 p.m.
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Following a consultation with the table officers, it is important to realize that we have deviated from the custom of commencing exactly at 2:15 p.m. due to Statements by Members. The Chair will make this statement. I do not intend to make this a habit. However, the Standing Orders allow me the option of starting Oral Questions after my statement. The hon. opposition House leader.

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Hon. Andrew Scheer

Oct/18/23 2:25:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, you ought to know that when rules are not followed or when there is a derogation from a rule, and when that is pointed out to the Speaker, the Speaker then enforces the rules. The Standing Orders are the property of the House. It is up to the House to decide when we are not going to follow a rule or when we are going to change a rule. This is a standing order that the House has adopted. You are a servant of the House; you should follow the standing order.

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The Speaker

Oct/18/23 2:26:10 p.m.
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I would like to thank the hon. member for pointing out the Standing Orders. He is indeed correct; there are written Standing Orders. However, there is a long tradition in the House that the Speaker has the ability to— An hon. member: Preside over Statements by Members. The Speaker: Can I ask the hon. member to please allow me to finish, as I have the floor at this time? I will be happy to recognize the hon. member for a point of order. It is really important that we understand that the Speaker does have this ability to make a statement. We will have full Oral Questions at the end of this statement from the Speaker. It is an important message, which I think members would appreciate hearing because it gives an indication as to how the Speaker is going to be proceeding in the months and years to follow. Order. The hon. Leader of the Opposition is rising on a point of order.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre

Oct/18/23 2:27:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every day in the House, the opposition has occasion to respond to the actions of the government and hold the government accountable for its actions on behalf of Canadians. That happens at 2:15 p.m. every single Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. That is not a “may”. That is not a “possible”. That is a “shall”. There is nothing in the clause that creates question period in the Standing Orders that allows the Speaker to arbitrarily change the time in order to give a speech. I will note that the Speaker has a plethora of occasions to stand on his feet to make any point he wants or any declaration he likes. He does not need to do it in the middle of the sacred period during which we hold the government to account. If I may, this is the first time in all of my years here that I have seen a Speaker interrupt question period to make a speech. I have never seen it. Furthermore, the fact that you have risen to your feet in order to impose, apparently, a series of guidelines that are not approved by the Board of Internal Economy or voted on by the House of Commons, and that you are doing it in violation of one of the rules that are already in place, suggests a very serious and unusual departure from the normal way in which Parliament exists. The government is here to serve Parliament, not the other way around. We ask that you allow us to proceed with question period and that you make your statement afterward.

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The Speaker

Oct/18/23 2:29:34 p.m.
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As promised before the constituency week, the Chair would like to make a statement on order and decorum in the House. In a very simple way, order and decorum are signs of respect for each other and for the institution, respect which is necessary for productive debate in a deliberative assembly. It is, in fact, fundamental to Parliament’s ability to fulfill its constitutional role. I decided to stand for Speaker because, in the eight years that I have been a member, and prior to that as a keen follower of parliamentary proceedings, I have noticed a deterioration in the collective decorum in this place. It is important to note that this deterioration was not inevitable. It is not a natural outgrowth of the advent of social media. We can choose to conduct ourselves differently. I suspected other members felt the same way and, during the many discussions that I held recently with members from all sides of the House, I have confirmed this feeling. Decorum and disorder was the one issue that was most often mentioned to me in the one-on-one exchanges that I had, and not just in passing. Perhaps most importantly of all, members felt that bad behaviour dishonours not only ourselves, as elected members of Parliament, but also Canadian democracy. On October 3, 2023, when I was invited to take the Chair for the first time, I said: We need to make sure that we treat each other with respect and that we show Canadians an example, because there can be no dialogue unless there is a mutual understanding of respect. There can be no ability to pursue arguments, to make points be heard, unless we all agree to extend to each other that sense of respect and decorum. I meant it then and I mean it now. Members should not be surprised by my statement today. Not long ago, on May 8, my predecessor rightly said in a ruling on decorum, which can be found at page 14090 of Debates: The rules and practices governing order and decorum are intended in part to ensure that proceedings are conducted in a civil, courteous and respectful manner. In particular, members are expected to address each other through the Chair and to avoid making any offensive or disruptive remarks. For example, stating directly, or indirectly, that a colleague is a liar, or has lied, is unacceptable.

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The Speaker

Oct/18/23 2:29:34 p.m.
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I would like to thank the hon. member for Carleton for his intervention. I would like to inform the House, though, that this is not the first time that the Speaker has interrupted the proceedings to make a statement from the Chair between the point of S.O. 31s and Oral Questions. So that everybody can understand this very clearly, my immediate predecessor, for example, has done this on at least two occasions, and it has also been done by Speakers in the past. I am going to continue with this statement. I think it is important for all members to understand this. I would like to reassure the member for Carleton and all members that there are going to be no new Standing Orders that would require the approval of members. I would invite members to listen to this statement in order to be able to improve order and decorum in this House.

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