SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 267 - Dec/13/23

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:34:14 p.m.
Watch

The hon. member for Mirabel for his right of reply.

10 words

Mirabel

Dec/13/23 6:34:24 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-290

Madam Speaker, I have always found you to be very charming, with your bright smile. I am feeling charmed today, but it is not because of you. It is because after hours of debate, after voting, testimony and amendments at committee, it is very moving to stand before you and my colleagues, who have worked with me for this last hour of debate on Bill C‑290 and on whistle-blower protection. Today, the House of Commons is at a crossroads. I will not go over the bill's history or its content once again. My colleagues did a great job—

103 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:35:05 p.m.
Watch

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member. There seems to be a problem with the interpretation. The problem seems to be resolved, so the hon. member for Mirabel may continue his speech.

33 words

Mr. Jean-Denis Garon

Dec/13/23 6:35:43 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-290

Madam Speaker, I was saying that we have reached a crossroads with this bill. All of the parties worked on it. It is a bit of a sliding scale. As we know, our interests diverge. Today, however, we have a good bill. This is obviously a first step, but everything starts with a first step. I would like to take this opportunity to do what I did during my previous speeches on Bill C‑290. Once again, I call on all the parties to work together, because absolutely nothing could be less partisan than protecting whistle-blowers, transparency and integrity. Absolutely nothing should be less partisan than that. I would add that today, we finally have a serious opportunity to send a message of hope to all federal public servants watching us today. They contact us, and we know that they are watching us. We want to tell them that their integrity and safety matter. I am speaking to them directly. Their safety, integrity, career, life and family matter. That is the profound message conveyed by this bill. Now, there are some people I would like to thank directly. I would like to thank whistle-blower Julie Dion and whistle-blower Luc Sabourin, both former public servants at the Canada Border Services Agency. They are courageous people with a sense of public service right down to their core. They paid dearly in order to stand up for transparency. I would like to thank whistle-blower Joanna Gualtieri, a former public servant—

253 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:37:22 p.m.
Watch

I must interrupt the hon. member. We have a point of order from the hon. member for Calgary Heritage.

19 words

Mr. Shuvaloy Majumdar

Dec/13/23 6:37:30 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I rise to inquire about Private Members' Business. It ends at 6:57 p.m. today, as I understand, but there are no questions and comments. Perhaps the hon. member could come back tomorrow for questions and comments.

40 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:37:44 p.m.
Watch

There are no questions and comments. The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean is also rising on a point of order.

21 words

Mr. Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe

Dec/13/23 6:37:56 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I think the reason some people are raising points of order is because the hon. member for Mirabel has been black-listed by the hon. member for Carleton. His Conservative Party cronies want to play games. Let us allow my colleague to finish. It is a great bill.

50 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:38:10 p.m.
Watch

The hon. member asked whether the hon. member for Mirabel could come back tomorrow to answer questions, because he would not have time to answer them today. However, there is no question period. That is all there is to it. The hon. member for Edmonton Griesbach has a point of order.

51 words

Mr. Blake Desjarlais

Dec/13/23 6:38:24 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I am very interested in the member for Mirabel's comments. I have seen the Conservatives several times attempt to shutdown debate in this place and censor members. If you could, please ensure that we have a lively debate and that the member has a full speech without interruption from the—

54 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:38:43 p.m.
Watch

There is no question that the hon. member for Mirabel will have his full time. We have another point of order, from the hon. member for Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola. An hon. member: They're doing it again.

40 words

Mr. Dan Albas

Dec/13/23 6:38:51 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, asking to make sure we have interpretation is the right of every member of Parliament. I take offence to what that member said.

25 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:39:01 p.m.
Watch

No, that was not the issue. The hon. member for Mirabel.

11 words

Mr. Jean-Denis Garon

Dec/13/23 6:39:11 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, I will refrain from rising on a point of order myself, but I will use the time I have left to thank Joanna Gualtieri, whistle-blower, former foreign affairs official and pioneer in this field in Canada. I would also like to thank Pamela Forward, president of Whistleblowing Canada; David Hutton, co-founder of the Whistleblowing International Network; Tom Devine, of the Government Accountability Project in Washington and Ian Bron, of the Centre for Free Expression, a former whistle-blower. This is clearly getting a lot of support. I would of course like to thank the members of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates for their work. In particular, I want to mention the members for Courtenay—Alberni and Edmonton West. The latter has been championing this cause for a long time. I also want to thank my colleague from Beauport—Limoilou. If ever there was a caring, competent and understanding person to do this work in committee, it is her. As my colleague clearly demonstrated in committee, the current legislation discourages whistle-blowers. There is a breach of trust. Rather than encouraging whistle-blowers to speak out, we are discouraging them. These people are acting in the public interest, in the interest of Canadians, Quebeckers and taxpayers. We are seeing it here in the House. We saw it a few minutes ago. Certain types of conduct are eroding people's confidence in our institutions. Whistle-blowers counterbalance that. I will use the minute I have left to wish all of my colleagues from all parties a happy holiday season. I want to take a moment to say happy holidays to my constituents in Saint‑Placide, Kanesatake, Oka, Pointe-Calumet, Saint‑Joseph‑du‑Lac and Sainte‑Marthe‑sur‑le‑Lac, as well as those in the north in Saint‑Colomban and those in the east in Saint‑Anne‑des‑Plaines. I want to wish a merry Christmas to everyone who lives in Mirabel, around the airport, and to you, Madam Speaker.

349 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:41:20 p.m.
Watch

I thank the hon. member for his kind wishes, and I wish him the same in return. Is the House ready for the question? Some hon. members: Question. The Assistant Deputy Speaker: The question is on the motion. If a member participating in person wishes that the motion be carried or carried on division, or if a member of a recognized party participating in person wishes to request a recorded division, I would invite them to rise and indicate it to the Chair.

83 words

Mr. Jean-Denis Garon

Dec/13/23 6:42:13 p.m.
Watch

Madam Speaker, if we could have a recorded division, I would be very grateful.

14 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:42:18 p.m.
Watch

Pursuant to Standing Order 98, a recorded division stands deferred until Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions.

26 words

Mr. Richard Lehoux (Beauce, CPC)

Dec/13/23 6:43:12 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-234

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise this evening to take part in my first adjournment debate in the House. I am speaking tonight to follow up on a question I asked the Prime Minister about Bill C-234 and, more importantly, the embarrassing way it was handled in the Senate. For some unknown reason, it was the Minister of Transport who rose to answer me and, frankly, I was not pleased with the response. Bill C-234 is a common-sense Conservative bill that would remove the carbon tax on propane and natural gas used for drying grain and heating buildings, to give farmers a chance to survive this government's crippling carbon tax and take the first step toward reducing the cost of food in our country. In his response, the Minister of Transport said that I was misleading Canadians. He used the same tired arguments he always does, such as the idea that the carbon tax does not apply in or affect Quebec. In my opinion, and in the opinion of anyone with an iota of common sense, the carbon tax obviously affects Quebec, directly and indirectly. Quebeckers will certainly be affected at the pump when the second carbon tax adds 17¢ per litre to the cost of gasoline. When Quebec farmers import their propane from Ontario or other parts of the country, the carbon tax applies to them. I have invoices from pork and chicken producers in my riding to prove it, but the government refuses to look at them. In other cases, the carbon tax applies indirectly, for example, when Quebeckers import any other domestic goods shipped by truck across the country into our province. The higher prices are getting passed on to us because, contrary to what the Bloc-Liberal coalition believes, Quebec is not self-sufficient. Bill C‑234 is extremely important. At the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, we have heard testimony from countless farmers from every part of the country. Every one of them agrees that this bill should be passed as soon as possible. The Prime Minister decided to pressure the Liberal senators he himself appointed to gut Bill C‑234 at the Senate and then send it back to the House. They managed to remove the clause on barn heating and reduce the sunset clause from eight years to three years at the Senate. Bill C‑234 will be sent back to the House with these amendments. It will no longer have an impact on the price of food, which was the original purpose of the bill. As we have heard many times, there is currently no other viable alternative for drying grain or heating buildings. That is why the Conservatives agreed to the eight-year sunset clause in the initial bill. The questions I have for the government are the following. Does the government think that the carbon tax affects Quebec, either directly or indirectly? When the Senate's new amendments are debated here in the House, will the government do the right thing and delete these two amendments that have completely gutted Bill C‑234, so that it can be adopted as it was the last time, by the vast majority—

545 words

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)

Dec/13/23 6:47:03 p.m.
Watch

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services.

10 words

Mrs. Jenica Atwin (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services, Lib.)

Dec/13/23 6:47:08 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-234

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to take part in this debate. As we know, Bill C-234 would remove farmers' obligation to pay a price for the greenhouse gas emissions they generate when they use propane and natural gas for farming activities, including to dry grain. The government, of course, appreciates that farming is critical to our country. Of course, we must safeguard our ability to feed our citizens and many more around the world. However, Canada already has a host of programs to support and assist farmers. For example, we have supply management systems for milk, eggs, chicken and maple products. We have insurance programs for crops, and we have trade protections. In addition, we have financing programs for farms and farm equipment, and we have laws to prevent the seizure of farming assets. The reality is that we are facing a climate crisis and we need to act now to mitigate a more serious situation. Unfortunately, climate change already threatens farming operations, biodiversity and the health and well-being of so many individuals in Canada and around the world. As we all know, Canada can suffer deeply from the catastrophic consequences of the climate crisis. Just in the last few months, we have had to deal with historic wildfires, floods and storms. Canada simply cannot afford to not take decisive actions to fight climate change. In 2018, damages to Canadian farms resulting from severe weather reached $2 billion, the fourth-highest cost on record. For Alberta crop farmers, we must not forget about 2019, the “harvest from hell”. The Western Producer noted then that the estimated total value of unharvested crops in Alberta, due to the severe weather events, was $778 million. Clearly, not acting on climate change now would not help our farmers at all. Experts tell us that the best way to tackle the climate crisis is through carbon pricing. That is what we are doing here in Canada. Putting a price on greenhouse gas emissions is a logical way to induce behavioural changes that will lead to widespread reductions in emissions. When it comes to farming, the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act contains specific provisions to support Canadian farmers. In fact, most fuel used on farms is already relieved from the fuel charge, which would otherwise apply. Furthermore, recognizing that many farmers use natural gas and propane in their operations, the government already implemented a refundable tax credit for farmers in provinces that are subject to the fuel charge, starting for the 2021-22 fuel charge year. The three-year-long exemption proposed in Bill C-234, as amended by the Senate, would eliminate an incentive to promptly adopt clean technologies that would undoubtedly emerge during that period.

455 words