44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 1, 2023 02:00PM
- Nov/1/23 3:19:27 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is finally admitting he is not worth the cost. He removed his punitive carbon tax on home heating oil, temporarily relieving the burden on the backs of 3% of Canadians.
Over 90% of Saskatchewan households are heated with natural gas. Are there higher taxes for them because they do not vote Liberal? Well, Saskatchewan cleaned its house in 2019, and now coast to coast to coast, Canadians are calling for a majority common-sense Conservative government that will axe the tax.
How about them apples, Mr. Prime Minister?
93 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/1/23 4:25:09 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues and you, Speaker, for the opportunity to speak to the concurrence of the 10th report on Ukraine.
I am of Ukrainian heritage. My mom's parents came here after World War I and began a whole new life here in Canada. Because of that, Ukraine has a special place in my heart, although growing up, I knew very little about it because of some of the challenges my grandparents faced in coming over and in having experienced war. When I would talk to my grandmother about Ukraine, she knew actually very little about the history other than that the borders changed a lot, and she was not exactly sure where she had come from.
Ukraine has faced a lot of challenges throughout its history, and I am proud of the fact that Canada was the first, I believe, to recognize Ukraine's independence.
I also had the opportunity to visit Ukraine as a brand new member of Parliament. We sometimes hear the question of why members of Parliament should even do that and whether it is a waste of time. From my personal experience, it has enriched me greatly in my ability to do my work in this place. I was able to go after the war had started on Ukraine's border with Russia earlier on, and it was overwhelming to have the opportunity, in Kyiv, to go to the hospital and to see the injured soldiers and the conditions under which people were trying to take care of them. At the time, 20 Canadian surgeons were there. We did not get a chance to see them or to interact, because they were very busy, first of all, doing surgeries and, second, working on a textbook for the hospital, because the hospital had not experienced these types of injuries in a long time and did not have the capacity to do the surgeries it needed to do. Canadians were there on the ground in that hospital, helping out. As well, my own communities played a part in making sure there were new ambulances provided to Ukraine,
Our relationship with Ukraine is significant, and I am very grateful for my heritage and for the fact that the previous ambassador, Andriy Shevchenko, came to my riding to visit, with the huge Ukrainian community we have there. They talked so appreciatively of Canada's support for them in the past, and I cannot help but boast about the fact that here in Canada, Ukrainian community members are committed to their lives here in Canada, as was the case with my mom and dad. In the midst of all of that, they have done such an amazing job of maintaining their culture and their heritage, with their appreciation of their language, dance, food, dress and special occasions, that it has impacted my life.
I just want to give a shout-out to the wonderful Ukrainian community in my riding of Yorkton—Melville and our opportunity to work together with it in light of the circumstances that are going on with the horrific war in Ukraine at this time. It is due to an invasion by Russia that has been absolutely horrific, yet Ukrainians stand tall and continue to work. I know of veterans, being involved in Veterans Affairs, who have made the personal decision to go over to help train and provide resources to the Ukrainian army in these circumstances, and they find it an incredible privilege to be able to do that on their own effort. I have had circumstances in my riding where two individuals did pass away while there.
As a new member, when I would be part of a delegation that would welcome Ukrainian dignitaries, we were asked over and over again, in early 2016, why the government had removed our satellite surveillance system that was available to them and that showed the border line along Russia so Ukrainians could know for sure and be able to show the world what was happening on the ground. For some reason, the government took that away and would not reinstate it, and to this day I do not understand the rationale for why it chose to do that. Even now, the reality is, in so many of these wars, that the people on the ground suffer regardless of which side of the border they are on.
I do want to show the fact that, in my heart and mind, of course there is sympathy for the people whose lives are ruined on the ground in their own countries or in serving their governments, but, in this case, there is no question that Ukraine needs and deserves any help we can give it. I appreciate the work that was done on this concurrence report and the recommendations that are here. I will just mention, very briefly, the one that is near and dear to my heart, which I know that the government has responded to, but again, when I read its response, it is somewhat vague in the true level of support that we should be giving. This is in regard to recommendation 13. I will just read it: “That the Government of Canada adopt as a policy goal the enhancement of the energy security of Canada’s democratic allies, while fully complying with Canada’s domestic and international obligations related to climate change.”
On a political level, constantly in the House, accusations are made. On this side of the floor, the importance of balancing our economic growth and our economic resources with protecting our environment is constantly belittled and not reflected truthfully in regard to our perspectives on the importance of our environment. I sometimes feel that the response of the government is to blame Canadians beyond what is deserving. Of all the countries in the world that could be helping Ukraine in the circumstances it finds itself in, where Russia has been its source, let us say, of oil and gas, it is not there. The reason it is not there is that it is choosing to negatively impact the best oil and gas in the world that could have been available in the way that this country needed and that Germany needed.
The idea of “no business case” goes beyond the pale, because there definitely is a business case, especially when we are talking about global energy security and sustainable energy, good, clean energy, rather than what Russia is doing. Geopolitical stability would have happened sooner and far better, with far fewer lives lost, if we had acted the way that we know Canadians can act, to make something happen in a case where it is needed.
Of course, in terms of diversification of energy resources as well, Canada is on the cutting edge and has been for a long time, as 75% of the research going on in regard to alternative energy sources has been done by our oil and gas industries. They are exemplary in the world, and we should be proud of them. Instead, what we are doing is causing an economic lack of benefit for Canadians in the name of environmental responsibilities, which are talking points and messaging that is not accurate and is causing a great deal of angst in our country and, as result, in Ukraine specifically at this point in time.
The economic benefits are great. The opportunity for global security is great. If we were to actually move ahead in the way that I know, on this side of the floor, we see the ability of Canada to do.
1271 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/1/23 4:35:15 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the member's words towards me were kind. He is definitely right that this is an issue that is extremely important to me. That was remarkable. Sorry, that was a bit of a jab back in the midst of a compliment.
That being said, I can assure the member that Canadians on this side of the floor serving in the House support Ukraine 100%. It was under the Conservative government that we recognized it as a nation when it separated from Russia. If we look around Canada, there are Ukrainians everywhere, but notice how many of them have settled in and are committed to Saskatchewan and Alberta. That should tell the member right there, on the basis of where they choose to live, how much we value them as Canadians.
132 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/1/23 4:37:14 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I do love the veterans file, and I know that the member does as well.
I find it so incomprehensible that violence against women and children is used as a weapon of war, in war of all kinds. This is something that is taking place, and it is very disconcerting. However, just from the study we have been doing on women veterans in our own country, there is a lot there that I have to say we need to work on with our international partners, and we need to get our act together here at home as well.
100 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/1/23 4:39:09 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is not something I have a lot of background on. However, I know that this organization is for hire and that it is there to do the bidding of whoever pays it the money. They are terrorists and should be dealt with accordingly.
46 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
