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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 281

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 13, 2024 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 281 - Feb/13/24
Mr. Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, NDP)
  • Feb/13/24 2:14:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there are some incredible challenges facing Canadian farmers: changing markets and price fluctuations in commodities; rising debt levels; and climate change-driven extreme weather events. Despite these challenges, farmers in Canada continue to confront and to overcome adversity while showcasing the innovative ways they are leading us into the 21st century with advances in food production. Farmers are certainly not fans of the “Ottawa knows best” approach. Instead, as New Democrats, we want to partner with our farmers to help them build their resilience against climate change and confront the corporate greed that is driving up their input costs to unsustainable levels. To help our farmers, we need a government that is ready for action on a sustainable agriculture strategy, a critical input strategy and a mandatory grocery code of conduct. Today is Canada's Agriculture Day. On behalf of the NDP caucus, I hope we can all take a moment to celebrate both the hard-working Canadian farmers who grow the food we love and the essential contributions of agriculture to our nation's prosperity and well-being.
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Mrs. Julie Vignola (Beauport—Limoilou, BQ)
  • Feb/13/24 2:15:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in hockey, there is an event that shines so brightly, a tournament where young hopefuls take to the ice with all their hopes and dreams: the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. Every year, this emblematic competition brings together teams from around the world, offering young players a unique opportunity to see how they measure up to elite players in their age group. Behind every pass and every shot are the unsung heroes: volunteers, parents and organizers. Their invaluable dedication is what drives this tournament year after year. Let us thank them for their invaluable contribution. I would also like to thank the organizing committee and its general manager, Patrick Dom, and I hope the players will have fun and create friendships and lifelong memories.
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Mr. Mark Strahl (Chilliwack—Hope, CPC)
  • Feb/13/24 2:16:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal-NDP government's arrive scam app is not worth the cost or the corruption. The Auditor General has now confirmed that what should have cost taxpayers $80,000 ended up costing at least $60 million, with $12 million of that going to well-connected consultants who did no work on the app. The final true cost may never be known because the government's record-keeping was so outrageously poor that the Auditor General said it was impossible to calculate all the costs associated with this boondoggle. What did this colossal waste of tax dollars result in? At least 10,000 Canadians were erroneously sent into quarantine. The Prime Minister's arrive scam app is not worth the cost or the corruption. Conservatives are calling on the RCMP to expand its investigation into this scandal based on the revelations in the Auditor General's report. Will the Prime Minister join us, or will the costly coalition continue to cover up this corruption?
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Mr. Francis Drouin (Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, Lib.)
  • Feb/13/24 2:17:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today is Canada's Agriculture Day. Today and every day, we recognize our farmers and farm families' invaluable contributions and the resilience of our agricultural sector from coast to coast to coast. Our Liberal government is committed to supporting the hard-working Canadians who feed our country, strengthen our rural communities and drive our local economies. Since 2015, we have made critical investments to help farmers adapt to climate change and adopt sustainable practices. While Conservatives were cutting the agricultural budget, we increased it by 25%. Business risk management programs are more attractive and foster resilience and innovation in the face of environmental challenges. At the same time, agricultural exports have surged from $56 billion to over $92 billion, showcasing Canada's reputation as a trusted global supplier. Today, I invite my colleagues to celebrate our farmers' contributions and their dedication to feeding our country. From the potato farmer on Prince Edward Island to the blueberry farmer in British Columbia, we thank them.
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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)
  • Feb/13/24 2:19:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his arrive scam app are not worth the cost or the corruption. Following the Auditor General's revelations yesterday about corruption and waste, I wrote to the RCMP and asked it to expand the criminal investigation into the arrive scam scandal. The Prime Minister has a history of blocking criminal investigations. Will he allow the RCMP to investigate him and his arrive scam?
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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)
  • Feb/13/24 2:19:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the COVID‑19 pandemic was a once-in-a-generation, even once-in-a-century occurrence. Everything we did and every decision we made was designed to protect Canadians. Of course, we all expect public servants and others to follow the rules. We expect the RCMP and the authorities to do their job. However, it is worth remembering that our government is the one concerned about security at our borders. The Conservative Party continues to vote against help for the CBSA, against help to secure our borders.
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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)
  • Feb/13/24 2:20:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, corruption will not protect our borders. Yesterday's revelations are as follows: first, the business that benefited wrote the contract; second, two people working from their home basement got a $20‑million contract for an app that should have cost $80,000; and lastly, top Liberal government officials got whisky in exchange for giving out those contracts. Will the Prime Minister respect the independence of the criminal investigation?
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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)
  • Feb/13/24 2:21:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, of course, we will always encourage the authorities and let them do their job, and they will do it. We also know that the public service must follow certain rules and, if those rules were not followed, then there will be consequences. We welcome the Auditor General's report with open arms. It is important for us to ensure that we are managing investments properly, even at a time when we were investing to protect Canadians from the pandemic of the century. We must ensure that all of the rules were followed.
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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)
  • Feb/13/24 2:21:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his arrive scam are not worth the cost or the corruption. After yesterday's Auditor General's revelations of corruption, waste and mismanagement, I have written to the RCMP, asking it to expand its criminal investigation into the Prime Minister's arrive scam. He has a track record of blocking criminal investigations. He tried to protect SNC-Lavalin from prosecution. He blocked the RCMP from investigating his illegal vacation to billionaire island. Will he stay out of the way, or will he again try to block the RCMP's criminal investigation into arrive scam?
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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)
  • Feb/13/24 2:22:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic was a once-in-a-generation or even a once-in-a-century occurrence in which every decision we took was designed to protect Canadians' lives. At the same time, even in a situation like that, there are rules that need to be followed, and we expect, and all Canadians expect, public servants to follow those rules. We will, of course, encourage the RCMP to do its work, but it does not take politicians, not even leaders of the opposition, to tell the RCMP to do its job. It does its job, and it does it well.
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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)
  • Feb/13/24 2:23:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it does its job unless the Prime Minister blocks it from doing its job, like he did in his criminal offence where he committed the crime of accepting a gift from someone who was seeking a government contract from him. He blocked the RCMP from investigating him. COVID-19 is something the Prime Minister saw a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fill the pockets of his friends, whether it was the WE scandal, in which his family received a half million dollars, whether it was Frank Baylis or, now, the arrive scam. Will he stay out of the way and let the police investigate him and his corrupt government in the arrive scam?
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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)
  • Feb/13/24 2:23:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, even a few years after the pandemic, we see the Conservative leader revert to type. While we were focusing on protecting Canadians in every possible way we could, they were peddling conspiracy theories about vaccinations and what have you. While he continues to make personal attacks, we are going to continue to make sure that we are delivering for Canadians. Yes, we will make sure that all the rules are followed, and there are consequences for people who broke the laws or broke the rules. However, we will continue to be there for Canadians while he plays partisan games.
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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)
  • Feb/13/24 2:24:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is more proof that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost or the corruption. He is calling the Auditor General a conspiracy theorist, now that she has revealed that his arrive scam app went from $80,000 to at least $60 million and counting, that two insiders working from their home basement got $20 million from the Prime Minister, and that top Liberal government officials accepted high-end whiskies and dinners in exchange for contracts that they let the contractors write for themselves. Once again, will he stay out of the way and let the police investigate his government, or will he try to block it again?
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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)
  • Feb/13/24 2:25:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not think the official Leader of the Opposition needs to work on his French; I think he just needs to work on his listening skills, because in French, two answers ago, I complimented and thanked the Auditor General for her work in ensuring that rules are followed and processes have consequences if they are misdone. This is a fact, and we know that even during a pandemic we need to be stepping up to protect people within the rules. That is why there will be consequences for anyone who broke those rules or those laws, while we continue to do everything we need to do to deliver for Canadians, to support people in their daily lives and to build a better future for all Canadians.
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Mr. Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly, BQ)
  • Feb/13/24 2:25:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Montcalm proposed something in the context of medical assistance in dying that would allow us to postpone the final decision on the issue of mental health in general, while accommodating patients, or future patients, with respect to advance requests and respecting the will of Quebec. In that context, the motion could be fast-tracked to complete the process by March 17. Will the Prime Minister vote in favour of the amendment proposed by the member for Montcalm?
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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)
  • Feb/13/24 2:26:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we all know that medical assistance in dying is a difficult, deeply personal choice that families and individuals are confronted with at extremely difficult moments in their lives. We know that, as a government and a Parliament, we have a responsibility to ensure that vulnerable people are protected, but also to respect the choices and rights of people who want to use MAID. We will keep having these conversations, including with the Government of Quebec, to find the right path to take for everyone.
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Mr. Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly, BQ)
  • Feb/13/24 2:27:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that vote will be held right here in Parliament. Maybe he should talk to us a little. This is an opportunity to help him avoid problems with the conservative religious right and maybe even some small segments of his own caucus. This is an opportunity to show that members of Parliament can agree on important issues and respect choices that are, as he said, difficult and personal, without an agreement that is unlikely to last long. Does he not see an opportunity to do the right thing, the compassionate thing, by voting for the humane solution?
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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)
  • Feb/13/24 2:27:47 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Bloc Québécois for its compassionate and thoughtful contribution to this debate. These are the kinds of conversations we need to keep having in this Parliament. How are we going to properly protect Canadians? How are we going to protect everyone's choices and rights? We will keep looking at their proposals. We will keep working with the provinces involved. We will keep making sure that the well-being of all Canadians is at the heart of everything we do with respect to this extremely complex and difficult issue.
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Mr. Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South, NDP)
  • Feb/13/24 2:28:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal-appointed housing advocate gave the Liberal government a failing grade today. She has said, “Homeless encampments are a physical manifestation of exactly how broken our housing and homelessness system is across the country.” She has also described it as a “life and death crisis”. While the Prime Minister says he could and should have done more to build housing, this shows how out of touch he is. Will the Prime Minister take this crisis seriously, follow the recommendations and ensure people have a safe place to call home?
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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)
  • Feb/13/24 2:29:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I very much welcome the interest and the efforts of the New Democratic Party to support us in everything we are doing in delivering on housing. We recently signed housing accelerator agreements with Quebec, Nunavut and cities across the country to unlock over 500,000 new homes. We introduced a suite of new measures to unlock the construction of over 600,000 new apartments. We cracked down on short-term rentals to unlock up to 30,000 more apartments. We introduced a mortgage charter. We are continuing to step up on measures that counter homelessness, which is something that far too many Canadians are experiencing during these difficult times. We will keep being there for people.
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