44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 14, 2023 10:00AM
- Dec/14/23 3:07:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, racism has no place in Canada and never will.
This week, our government launched the renewed multiculturalism and anti-racism program and called for proposals to help organizations build capacity. This funding aims to help organizations have capacity to support their communities and foster inclusion.
Can the minister explain what actions the government has taken to address systemic racism and discrimination and celebrate our diversity?
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- Dec/14/23 3:08:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely right, this week we launched the call for proposals for the renewed multiculturalism and anti-racism program to help organizations build capacity.
This is yet another example of our government's unwavering commitment to addressing racism and promoting a more inclusive Canada. I wish I could say the same thing about the Conservative Party of Canada, which voted against Canada's anti-racism strategy and, just last week, voted against funding for the new Montreal Holocaust Museum and the redevelopment of the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. It is shameful.
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- Dec/14/23 3:08:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP-Liberal government's billion-dollar green, or greed, slush fund is in a crisis of corruption.
The CEO resigned in disgrace. The Liberal-appointed board chair resigned in disgrace. The Auditor General is investigating. The Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is investigating two Liberal appointees. This week we heard from whistle-blowers that $150 million was embezzled by Liberal insiders.
Canadians want to know: Where did the missing millions go, and who got rich?
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- Dec/14/23 3:09:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians watching at home are seeing the Conservative ideology on full display.
These folks are so against climate change that they will go after anyone and any organization that wants to fight climate change, even an organization that was created 20 years ago by Parliament. Now they want to attack the integrity of one of the most respected audit firms in this country.
On this side of the House, we will get to the bottom of this, but we will keep investing in clean technology. We will keep investing to fight climate change. We will keep investing in Canadians.
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- Dec/14/23 3:09:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, only Liberals would think shovelling hundreds of millions of dollars into the pockets of their friends is doing anything to fight climate change.
They are under multiple investigations. It is Liberal appointees who are being investigated. It is absolutely despicable. Canadians are lined up at food banks in record numbers, and Liberal grifters and embezzlers are jamming their pockets full of Canadian tax dollars. Canadians want to know who got rich. Where did the missing millions go?
With an Auditor General investigation and two Ethics Commissioner investigations, is the RCMP next?
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- Dec/14/23 3:10:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I know it is Christmas. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts.
It is very clear and Canadians understand that what we are seeing on full display in the House is the Conservative ideology against anyone and any organization, even those created by Parliament. What we are seeing is on full display.
We launched an investigation. We suspended funding. The leadership has resigned. We will get to the bottom of this. We will restore confidence. We will keep investing to fight climate change in this country.
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- Dec/14/23 3:11:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, friends of the Liberal Party keep getting richer at the expense of Canadians. Shocking whistle-blower testimony has revealed that $150 million of taxpayers' money was diverted from the Liberal green fund. The Ethics Commissioner has launched two investigations. The Auditor General is also investigating. It does not take an ethicist to see the ethical breach here. Surprisingly, however, the Bloc Québécois voted against an investigation by the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to shed light on the green fund corruption.
Canadians want to know which Liberal friends got rich off their money.
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- Dec/14/23 3:11:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question because it gives me an opportunity, just before Christmas, to remind Canadians who may be watching of the Conservative ideology that has just been revealed. The Conservative ideology is to attack any person or organization that wants to fight climate change.
Today, the Conservatives are attacking an institution that was created by Parliament 20 years ago, and they are attacking the integrity of one of the country's leading accounting firms.
On this side of the House, we will continue to invest in climate action. We will continue to invest in green technologies. We will continue to invest in Canadians.
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- Dec/14/23 3:12:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our children and all Canadians deserve a safe and responsible sport system that reflects our Canadian values of equality, fairness and inclusion. In other words, we need a system grounded in human rights, accountability, integrity and safety.
On Monday, the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity announced important measures that prioritize keeping our kids safe and keeping safe sport at the centre of sport governance and operations. Among other things, she announced the future of sport in Canada commission.
Can the minister share with the House details on the mandate of this commission?
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- Dec/14/23 3:13:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in the past two years, athlete survivors have bravely come forward to share their stories so that we can learn, so that we can make our processes more safe for our kids, and so that we could get to the point we have. Thanks to them, on Monday, we announced the future of sport commission, a trauma-informed, victims rights and human rights based process. We are going to dig into safe sport and make the entire system better.
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- Dec/14/23 3:13:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, big tech companies, like Amazon, Twitter and Uber, make billions of dollars a year and do not pay what they owe to Canadians. The Liberals said they would put a plan in place for a digital services tax by the end of this year, but they are delaying it. Canadians do not trust the Liberals and Conservatives to make big tech corporations pay their fair share, and this at a time when so many Canadians are struggling.
Will the government stand up for Canadians and implement a digital services tax, or will it bow down to American lobbyists?
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- Dec/14/23 3:14:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is supportive of international efforts to end the corporate tax race to the bottom and ensure that the world's largest corporations do pay their fair share. Our priority, of course, has always been a multilateral approach, but we must defend our national interests. We will not accept a delay to the implementation of our own digital services tax without a clear timeline for an implementation with our global partners.
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- Dec/14/23 3:14:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, despite evidence on the misuse of international aid by Hamas, Canada recently pledged $16.2 million to non-profit organizations in the region, including $10 million to the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, for its Palestinian programs.
How can Canada fund UNRWA when one of its own employees held an Israeli citizen hostage in Gaza? Hamas uses UNRWA buildings to launch rocket attacks. Over 100 Hamas terrorists attended UNRWA schools that teach anti-Semitism and Israel's elimination.
Will Canada review its UNRWA funding and suspend it if the agency is found to be in non-compliance with UN operational standards?
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- Dec/14/23 3:15:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have had numerous meetings with the head of UNRWA, Mr. Lazzarini. The decision to cut funds during an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe is actually counterproductive and jeopardizes the delivery of essential food, medicine and other life-saving materials to those who need it the most. In these crucial times, trusted agencies, like UNRWA, must receive more support, not less.
It is great to see the hon. member use political points against vulnerable people in their time of need. I wish we had more compassion from members of the House like the hon. member.
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- Dec/14/23 3:16:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion:
That the House:
(a) affirm that Radio-Canada plays a crucial role in Francophone information and cultural vitality in Quebec and in Canada's Francophone and Acadian communities;
(b) recognize that the announced cuts could be detrimental to the promotion of French-language culture, at a time when the federal government recognizes that the French language is under threat in Canada;
(c) express its strong reservations of planned cuts at Radio-Canada and that it reiterates that the preservation of the public broadcaster's services in the various regions of Quebec and in Canada's Francophone and Acadian communities must be a priority.
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- Dec/14/23 3:17:26 p.m.
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All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay.
It is agreed.
The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.
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- Dec/14/23 3:17:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Twice this week, I tried to table a document that the parliamentary secretary on environment quoted this morning in committee. I am convinced that, now—
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- Dec/14/23 3:18:04 p.m.
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I apologize for interrupting the member but I am already hearing “nays”.
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Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the official opposition, I want to start by thanking everyone in this chamber for their hard work over the last year and share merry Christmas wishes with colleagues and all staff who work on and around the Hill. I also want to wish a special merry Christmas to those in uniform who are serving our country, especially those overseas who will be sacrificing time with family and their usual Christmas traditions in order to serve our country and advance freedom and justice in a troubled world.
I wonder if the government House leader could update the House about the planned calendar of business for the rest of this week and the work when we return. In particular, Liberals have claimed that they want to pass Bill C-57 on Canada-Ukraine free trade as soon as possible. If they are serious, I will propose a motion following the Thursday question to bring the deal to an immediate and final vote.
The motion will be that, notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice of the House, all questions necessary for the disposal of the third reading stage of Bill C-57, an act to implement the 2023 free trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine, be deemed put and recorded divisions deemed requested and be not deferred.
I wonder if the government House leader could clarify whether the government intends to allow its bill to come to a vote or whether it intends to delay it for political reasons.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see that the hon. colleague wants to discuss Ukraine, because Conservatives have blocked and filibustered on several occasions when it comes to Bill C-57. They have moved concurrence motions several times.
I would also remind the member that I actually think it is really important that the Conservatives reflect over the holidays and perhaps consider changing their position, because it would be really nice to be able to show Ukraine that solidarity and unanimity that the House has always shown Ukraine. I am going to give them the time and space to reflect, to speak to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, to speak to Canadians of Ukrainian origin and to hear from them why this matters and why this is important, so that we can show the solidarity and unanimity that Canada has long been known for, which unfortunately the Conservatives, for reasons that I cannot understand but perhaps because of the right-wing American influence that we are seeing and the MAGA intentions of their leader, have decided not to support, based on falsehoods. Let us let them take the Christmas holidays to do that reflection.
This afternoon, we will continue with the second reading debate of Bill C-58 on replacement workers. Tomorrow, we will proceed with second reading debate of Bill S-9, which would amend the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act, again, another bill that we have not actually been able to debate because the Conservatives continue to move concurrence motions.
I want to take this opportunity to extend my best wishes for the season to everybody who works here on Parliament Hill and to all of my colleagues. I want to express a special gratitude to the employees here in the House of Commons who have done an absolutely tremendous job, even when they were forced to stay here for 30 hours during a marathon vote, which was difficult not just for members of Parliament but particularly for the staff who were forced to work overtime and stay up all night.
With that, I wish everybody in this chamber, and indeed all Canadians, a very merry Christmas and a very happy holiday season.
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