SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 270 - Jan/29/24

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Jan/29/24 5:06:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am rising for the first time since the former leader of the NDP, Ed Broadbent, passed. I want to send my condolences to his family and everybody across Canada who loved Ed, especially those in Oshawa and Ottawa. The Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs has been seized with this serious issue. We know this mistake was not just made by the current Speaker. When the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle was Speaker, he made the same error. In fact, he made that error as an MP as well. This is an ongoing occurrence, and we need it to stop. I was glad to hear my colleague talk about supporting recommendation 2, but what about recommendation 1 and recommendation 3? They are in this report. There are only three recommendations. This is not complicated. New Democrats are looking to work together in this House to ensure that this does not happen. Recommendation 1 asks: That the Speaker undertake the appropriate steps to reimburse a suitable amount for the use of parliamentary resources that were not related to the performance of parliamentary functions. Recommendation 3 is: That the Speaker issue another apology clearly stating that filming the video both in his office, and in his robes was inappropriate, [showing] his remorse for the situation.... This is not a lot to ask. It makes sense. We should come together on this. Hopefully, the Liberal government can listen to the rest of the parties in this House and support this report. Will my colleague support those other recommendations?

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Context: House Hansard - 270 - Jan/29/24

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Jan/29/24 6:08:43 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank the health care workers who supported the member through her difficult journey last month. The member talked about where this debate should take place. We know PROC has been seized with this issue. Here we are with another concurrence motion. I am not saying that this is not an important issue, but I am wondering where the debate should take place. We had concurrence motions before Christmas. I have been trying to table a petition in support of volunteer firefighters and search and rescue since early December, and the House has been seized with concurrence motions. We have not been able to table an e-petition that has been signed by over 16,000 people from rural Canada who cite that this is important. Are we going to get to that business? How are we going to get there?

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Context: House Hansard - 270 - Jan/29/24

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Jan/29/24 6:34:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, my colleague talked a bit earlier about the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle, who also was a Speaker and broke the rules but who is now coming forward in the House, which is the height of hypocrisy. My colleague from Hamilton stated that earlier as he moved a motion at the ethics committee to have the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle come and testify, because that member also broke the rules, not only when he was the Speaker but also when he was a member of Parliament, using parliamentary resources to support his candidate from Oxford in a partisan way. My comment is this. If the member for Regina—Qu'Appelle is calling for the resignation of the Speaker, should he also resign if the Speaker resigns? That would be my question for the member. Also, does he support the three items we have identified in the report?

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Context: House Hansard - 270 - Jan/29/24

Mr. Gord Johns

Jan/29/24 6:57:58 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, we are talking about relevance. The member is deep into OGGO and ArriveCAN. He is going through a list of “gotchas” instead of talking about relevant debate that is happening here in the House. That is exactly what is happening here.

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Context: House Hansard - 270 - Jan/29/24

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Jan/29/24 7:04:45 p.m.
Watch
Re: Bill C-310

Madam Speaker, it is a great honour for me to table petition e-4594, which was signed by 16,724 people from coast to coast to coast in support of Canada's volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers. Petitioners are asking the government to increase the tax credit from $3,000 to $10,000 to help with recruitment and to help deal with the cost of inflation, but most importantly, to let them know they are valued. These volunteers put their lives on the line, and it works out about $450 a year with this tax credit. It would be increased to just over $1,200. This is based on them doing 200-plus volunteer hours a year. I hope everyone in the House of Commons will join these e-petitioners in support of that, and I hope the government will acknowledge it in the upcoming budget. I have 91 certified petitions for any member in the House if they would like one to table in support of the volunteer firefighters and search and rescue volunteers of this great country.

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