44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 7, 2023 10:00AM
- Nov/7/23 10:09:34 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour to stand in this place and once again present a petition. This one has particular relevance, as I have heard from a number of constituents on this issue, including some heartbreaking personal stories of individuals who have been caught up in the circumstances that are taking place in Pakistan.
The petitioners state that the people of Pakistan and Pakistani Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about reports of political turmoil and uncertainty in that country, and that the restoration of democracy in Pakistan is in the best interests of Canada, Pakistan and the international community.
The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to use all reasonable avenues of diplomacy to influence the Government of Pakistan to respect fundamental elements of democracy, including free and fair elections, freedom of the press and judicial independence.
I have heard from a number of constituents on this issue. I have heard heartbreaking stories of people who have been persecuted for trying to do what is best for their own country. With those close connections and many Pakistani Canadians being impacted by this, it is an honour to table this petition in the House today.
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- Nov/7/23 10:46:28 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I find this really tragic. After the coalition's poll numbers have fallen, those members have become so desperate that now all of a sudden, because of the carbon tax chaos brought forward by the Liberals, the NDP is now trying to justify an argument for affordability on home heating.
If we go back to February of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating. In April, June, October and December of 2022, that party voted against a break on home heating. In February of this year, that party voted against a break on home heating. On June 6, that party voted against a break on home heating and did so again in October. Then, yesterday, the NDP finally figured out that Canadians were struggling.
My question for that member is simple. When will those members vote to actually axe the tax to give all Canadians a break so Canadians can afford to keep the heat on?
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- Nov/7/23 12:25:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would ask for a quorum call.
And the count having been taken:
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- Nov/7/23 1:53:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I find it incredibly disingenuous that now, all of a sudden, the NDP members claim, along with their coalition partners, to somehow be standing up for affordability for Canadians. Over the last number of years, such as in February 2022, we have seen them consistently vote against a measure that would have reduced costs for Canadians. In April 2022, it was the same thing, and they voted against a common-sense measure to reduce costs for Canadians. In June 2022, it was same thing. They voted against a measure the Conservatives brought forward to reduce costs. In October 2022, again, they voted against a measure to reduce costs. In December 2022, and in February, June and October of this year, they voted against.
Then, suddenly, we find that they are concerned about the impact the carbon tax has on affordability for Canadians. Can they at least admit they are wrong and maybe join with Conservatives to axe the tax so Canadians can keep the heat on?
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- Nov/7/23 2:01:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on Remembrance Day, Canadians honour the sacrifice made by past and present members of our Canadian Armed Forces. One such sacrifice is that of Flying Officer John Earl Stillings, known to our family as Jack, who was in the RCAF during World War II.
He was on voluntary redeployment when the Lancaster bomber he was in was lost over the North Sea on a training mission. To memorialize my great, great Uncle Jack's death, his brother Blake wrote the poem Ode to Jack, which I share with members today:
Your mortal frame must ever lieIn some deep cavern of the seaUnknown to man, by human eyeUnseen, for all eternity.But from that prison dark and cold,Unfettered, from its bonds set freeYour living spirit bright and boldShall soar, to course the sunlit skiesWhere you gave all for liberty.
All of us, indeed all Canadians, owe our existence to those who sacrificed, from the soldiers who went to fight wars overseas to the CAF members stationed locally at camp Wainwright, across Canada, and around the world.
On behalf of Canada's Conservatives, I saw this: may God bless our troops, may God bless all those who sacrificed and let us commit to always remembering. Lest we forget.
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- Nov/7/23 4:43:10 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, on a point of order, I am sure the NDP House leader in particular and certainly all parliamentarians would be very interested to ensure that there is quorum in this place on what is their opposition day, and so I would ask for a quorum call.
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- Nov/7/23 4:57:07 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I find it very interesting and somewhat tragic, actually. The Liberals have admitted their carbon tax simply does not work. The New Democrats are now scrambling to try to differentiate themselves from their coalition partners. The implications that this has for Canadians are truly the most tragic part of all.
In the last couple of years in this Parliament, dating back to February 2022, we saw the member and all the members of the coalition vote against a Conservative motion that would have, in part, removed GST from home heating fuels. They voted against it at that point in time. They did not care about affordability there. That was a great tragedy for Canadians.
The same thing took place on April 4, 2022, when the NDP voted with its coalition partners in the Liberal Party against an affordability measure put forward by common-sense Conservatives. Again, on June 7, 2022, the NDP voted against a Conservative measure that would have addressed some of these affordability challenges. On October 24, 2022, the New Democrats and the Liberals voted against a Conservative measure. On December—
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- Nov/7/23 4:58:34 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, there are numerous other examples, and it is unfortunate that I cannot get through them all. That is how great the hypocrisy of that member is, so—
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- Nov/7/23 5:29:54 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, what I find very interesting is when we unpack a bit of what the member said. I suggest that maybe the Liberals should stop handing out tinfoil hats in the Liberal lobby because there are conspiracies that abound when it comes to what they are accusing Conservatives of. The fact is that the environment commissioner recently released a report that definitively said, and could not have been clearer, that the Liberals are failing.
The member made some pretty significant accusations about members of the Conservative Party. I wonder if he would be willing to name any so-called climate deniers within our caucus. If he is going to throw out accusations like that, I would ask that he name them to stand behind his words or is he just fearmongering like the rest of them?
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- Nov/7/23 5:31:44 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The member is very specifically demeaning the integrity of others in this place, and I believe if you would—
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