SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 244

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 1, 2023 02:00PM
  • Nov/1/23 2:55:16 p.m.
  • Watch
Order. Could I ask the member for Surrey—Newton to please allow me to continue? Colleagues, I ask all members to please exercise discretion. These are the things which you all raised with me and others in terms of improving discretion. Temperatures are running hot today. May I ask all members to respectfully sit down until I recognize them to speak, please? The hon. Leader of the Opposition.
69 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 2:57:51 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I can understand that as the Liberal members watch their Prime Minister in a panicked huddle, in the fetal position, shaking and trembling, they are losing control of themselves. The last few days of carbon tax chaos have been very hard on them, and now their leader is defending them. The minister says we should let Canadians decide, so why do we not pause the carbon tax on all home heat until the vote, when Canadians will decide whether they want the Prime Minister's plan to hike the 61¢ a litre or my common-sense plan to axe the tax for everyone forever?
107 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 2:58:49 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, there are several things that we as Liberals are united on. We are united on the fact that the Leader of the Opposition is trying to destroy the action that our government is taking on climate change, not only our government but governments across the world that are finally turning the tide. He wants to go back to the time when they were attacking climate action. We are united in the fact that we led the G7 in 2022 in growth, that we are going to be number one again in 2024 and that 64,000 jobs were created in Canada. Which country would he change places with when he denigrates Canada? What country does he think is better? This is the greatest country in the world, and we will stand up for it.
136 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 2:59:42 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, we have someone now auditioning for the job of prime minister. When the cat is away, the mice will play, but we do not need any more of this chaos. If the NDP would actually do its job and hold the government to account, it would announce today that its members would vote in accordance with the views of the NDP in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and now Manitoba, all of whom agree that people in cold climates, whether it be in Timmins, Kapuskasing or Churchill, should enjoy tax-free heat. Will they vote to keep the heat on by taking the tax off, or will they once again serve the out-of-touch Prime Minister?
118 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:00:33 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, as I have said a number of times, and perhaps the hon. Leader of the Opposition has not heard me, home heating oil is up to four times as expensive as natural gas. It creates challenges with respect to affordability for Canadians. We have come forward with a plan that applies in every province and territory in this country. It will address that particular issue in a manner that will be affordable and will ensure long-term savings for families, but will do so in a manner that continues the fight against climate change, a fight against climate change that would not happen if he was on the other side of the House.
115 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:01:14 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, a Palestinian refugee camp was bombed by the Israel Defence Forces. We saw lifeless children being pulled out of the rubble. We heard agonizing screams of the worst human suffering. Palestinians in Gaza are being used as human shields and being bombed for crimes they have not committed. Canada cannot stand by while innocent people die. We must demand a ceasefire and a release of all hostages now. How can the Prime Minister defend abstaining from the UN's call for a ceasefire?
86 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:01:58 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I think every member of this House of Commons is looking at the situation in Gaza and Israel as a crisis that is of proportions that are dire and are causing us to lose sleep at night. We continue to negotiate the best way possible for hostages to be released. We continue to work at getting humanitarian aid into the area and getting Canadians out. We will continue to monitor the situation even as hearts are breaking.
79 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:02:33 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, the media is reporting that members of the Canadian Forces are currently in Israel. Canada cannot participate in this blood bath and in the deaths of innocents. The Prime Minister is not calling for a ceasefire and is abstaining from the UN's call for a ceasefire. Can the Prime Minister confirm that no Canadian troops will participate in the war?
63 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:03:04 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear: We are not providing military assistance to Israel. What we are doing is providing force protection for Canadians and assisting the Canadian embassy in Israel with contingency planning. This is similar to the CANSOFCOM presence and assistance we have provided in other instances, including in Sudan.
54 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:03:40 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, our government is focused on building a Canada-wide early learning and child care system, but we know that this will not be possible without the hard work of all our early childhood educators. Attracting and retaining educators is critically important, and for too long, their working conditions and compensation have not met the desired standard. To the minister, what is our government doing to change this situation across the country and in my home province of British Columbia?
81 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:04:17 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, early childhood educators deserve to be well compensated and respected. That is why on Monday, alongside the Province of British Columbia, my colleague, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, announced a two-dollar-per-hour wage increase for eligible early childhood educators, effective December 1 of this year. In the first two years, British Columbia has created an additional 10,000 child care spaces, and parents have been saving up to $550 per month per child. This is what happens when governments work together. We can deliver even more for Canadians.
95 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:05:01 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, Canadians are struggling to eat as well as heat and house themselves, but money from the carbon tax is lining the pockets of Liberal insiders. One government official said that it is “a sponsorship-scandal level...giveaway”. It is clear that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost when his $1-billion green slush fund already has $40 million under investigation. One insider, Annette Verschuren, is a friend of the Prime Minister. It turns out she is also chair of the board. Can the Prime Minister stand up and tell us how much his friend received in contracts from his billion-dollar slush fund?
117 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:05:47 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the Conservative member began his question by talking about the affordability crisis here in Canada but did not end it that way. Allow me to address the fact that Canadians are struggling right now and that the supports we have put in place are helping them to make ends meet, whether they are supports through our child care program or supports to Canadians who are having a hard time paying their rent or mortgage. We have lifted over 2.3 million Canadians out of poverty since coming into government. These programs work and we will continue to make sure that Canadians benefit from them.
111 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:06:28 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is astounding to hear the member say this program works. This program is under investigation, and $40 million is the subject of gross mismanagement and conflicts of interest in the Prime Minister's billion-dollar green slush fund. After eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, it is picking Canadians' pockets with the carbon tax and putting it into Liberal insiders' pockets. The Prime Minister clearly is not worth the cost. His friend is chair of the board. She is receiving contracts. Can the government tell us exactly how much of the money it has taken out of Canadians' pockets he has put into the pocket of his friend?
112 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:07:09 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier with respect to SDTC, the Minister of Innovation welcomes the decision of the Auditor General to conduct a full audit. The SDTC has agreed to provide all of the information and documents necessary to the committee. I understand the Minister of Innovation will be appearing before the committee next week in order to answer everyone's questions.
63 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:07:35 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this Liberal government, another Liberal scandal involving the mismanagement of public funds has come to light. This time, it has to do with the $1-billion green fund that is currently under investigation by the Auditor General. That fund comes from the money collected through the carbon tax, which the Bloc Québécois supports and wants to radically increase. Today, Daniel Leblanc reported on CBC that a senior official said, “That is almost a sponsorship-scandal level kind of giveaway.” Will the Prime Minister rise in the House and clearly indicate which Liberal friend benefited from this misplaced generosity?
111 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:08:13 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, we expect the organizations to adhere to the strictest standards of governance. As I was saying, the Minister of Innovation welcomed the decision by the Auditor General of Canada to proceed with an audit. The minister himself is appearing before the committee next week to answer questions.
49 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:08:42 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, according to the report, whistle-blowers are very disappointed at how slow the federal government is to act. Again in the report, a senior official states that this is about “sloppiness”, “laziness” and “outright incompetence”. That is how this senior official describes this management of public funds by this Liberal government. After eight years of this Liberal government, here is more evidence that it is not worth the cost. What interest did the Prime Minister have in dragging his feet in this case, which, unfortunately for all Canadians, brings up sad memories, namely the sponsorship scandal?
104 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:09:16 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, I can confirm today that the department has been working in close collaboration with the Office of the Auditor General of Canada on this issue from day one. As I said, the Minister of Innovation welcomes the decision of the Auditor General to proceed with an audit and he is prepared to answer questions from the Conservatives and all members of the committee next week.
67 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
  • Nov/1/23 3:09:49 p.m.
  • Watch
Mr. Speaker, 250,000 businesses are at risk of bankruptcy if the federal government does not push back the deadline for repaying the Canada emergency business account loans without loss of subsidy. If the government thinks it is expensive to help businesses, it has not calculated how much it costs to abandon them. How many companies will be unable to repay the loans in full? How many collections will it have to undertake to get its money back? How many workers will end up on employment insurance? When will the minister finally realize that causing 250,000 bankruptcies is going to cost her dearly?
104 words
All Topics
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border