44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 21, 2023 10:00AM
- Nov/21/23 6:28:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I too would like to welcome back our colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands. I am pleased to see her back on her feet and looking strong. That is what we want.
This economic statement shows that the Liberal government is moving closer to the centre. It has even introduced certain measures that were proposed by the Conservative Party. Meanwhile, the Liberal Party is forgetting a very important concept: equality for all. More importantly, it is ignoring environmental issues, which affect us all equally. The impact of climate change has been felt everywhere, especially in Quebec with this summer's forest fires. My colleague mentioned a number of issues. If she could have chosen one issue to be included in the economic statement and addressed quickly, what would it have been?
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- Nov/21/23 6:29:15 p.m.
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There are a few issues, Mr. Speaker, but since I have to pick one, I have to say that I am surprised to find no mention in this fall economic statement of the need to allocate more funds to the Canada greener homes grant, which is a program designed to make each home more energy efficient with the help of each homeowner. It is bizarre, because considering the recent announcements on carbon pricing and home heating costs, it is clear that this program is urgently needed, but most of the money has already been spent. The coffers are empty. We need a program that will allow every homeowner to green their home by making it more energy efficient, but no such program can be found in this economic statement.
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- Nov/21/23 6:30:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the story of northern Ontario is that we gave away the gold, the timber and the hydro, but the greatest resource we gave away, year after year, was the talent of our young people. That is why the investment in education was so fundamental.
We saw the destruction of Laurentian University through the exploitation of the CCAA and the destruction of the Franco-Ontarian programs, the indigenous programs and the midwifery program for northern women. New Democrats said we had to deal with it. We called for an emergency debate in the House. New Democrats brought forward legislation to call for the loopholes to be closed and to protect public institutions.
Finally, we are seeing the Liberals recognizing that there is a problem with the exploitation of the CCAA against post-secondary institutions. They have not included in their fall economic statement the need to protect all public institutions so that we do not have Danielle Smith, Premier Moe or Doug Ford putting hospitals and other institutions under CCAA to strip them, destroy them and take them apart.
Is my colleague willing to work with the New Democrats? We are going to fight to ensure that what happened at Laurentian University is never done again to a public university or any kind of public institution. Public investment will remain, and opportunities will remain in this age of privatization and corporate backroom deals.
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- Nov/21/23 6:32:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would be honoured. The Greens commit here and now to work with the NDP to make sure that public institutions, such as Laurentian University, never face the threats of insolvency and bankruptcy, and the scandalously bad management, that left students high and dry. I remember that debate. I remember so well what was done. Finally, we see something in this fall economic statement to end that kind of practice of predatory bankruptcies.
Let us keep working to keep what is public, public. Common sense is a good thing, and it sounds great, but let us return to common decency.
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- Nov/21/23 6:32:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, one element of my colleague's speech that I really appreciated was the framing that this is not as simple as what we choose to spend or not. It is also about what we should be cutting, including subsidies to oil and gas, for example, to the tune of $22 billion. What could we invest in if we were not wasting funds there?
I would like to hear more on the calls tonight to ensure we end legislative poverty for people with disabilities. The government has promised this many times over, but has yet to show any commitment in dollars for the Canada disability benefit. Could she share her reflections on that?
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- Nov/21/23 6:33:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to pay tribute to my colleague from Kitchener Centre for his consistent hard work to make the disability benefit real. He has been working tirelessly to get the Liberal government to keep its promise in this area.
We also had a promise from the Liberals, in I cannot remember how many campaigns, but starting in 2015, that they were going to get rid of subsidies to fossil fuels. Instead, they have expanded a number of them. They have promised to deliver this benefit to people who are disproportionately living in poverty or people who are living with disabilities. It is time to get that disability benefit. It is time to see it. I honestly cannot believe that it is not in the fall economic statement. Let us see it ASAP. Let us get it delivered to the people who need it most.
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- Nov/21/23 6:34:33 p.m.
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I would like to thank everyone for their interventions this evening.
It being 6:35 p.m., pursuant to order made on Thursday, November 9, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 2 p.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).
(The House adjourned at 6:35 p.m.)
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