44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 21, 2024 10:00AM
- Mar/21/24 2:13:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the one-year anniversary of Alpha's Discovery Kids's grand opening on Liruma Road.
With locations in Mississauga and Oakville, Alpha's Discovery Kids is a staple of early years education in the GTA. With a focus on children's development, they offer a unique curriculum based on four pillars: language and literacy, STEAM, physical activity and nutrition, and mindful awareness.
Alpha's Discovery Kids does this while also ensuring affordability for families. That is because they participate in Canada's national child care plan, which lowers overall costs and supports working parents while helping to develop the next generation of community leaders who will build up our economy.
I was pleased to join teachers, parents and children to celebrate this milestone. I say congratulations to Alpha's Discovery Kids.
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- Mar/21/24 2:14:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a day marked by the United Nations General Assembly to honour the 69 people killed by apartheid South African police at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960.
Today the legacy of colonialism, imperialism and systemic racism continues to plague the globe, particularly for those of African descent. From Sudan to Congo to Somalia, millions of Africans are still bearing the consequences.
Here in Canada, Black Canadians continue to experience anti-Black racism, hatred and discrimination. A coalition of Black and indigenous federal public service employees have sued this government for rampant systemic racism, pay inequality and mental suffering.
On this important day, I urge the government to move beyond lip service and give our Black federal public service employees what they deserve.
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- Mar/21/24 2:15:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Quebec has lost one of its greats and I have lost a friend. Born in Saint‑Hyacinthe in 1930, Yves Michaud has taken his last breath.
Whether as a journalist and editorial writer, activist, MNA, diplomat, CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal, or “Robin Hood of the banks”, Yves Michaud was a man of unshakable convictions who lived his life free and proud.
He was a larger-than-life figure, a generous man whom everybody liked. He was an impressive scholar who could recite the classics by heart. The French language was his home and Quebec his country. Whenever I was in Paris, a city he adored, I always used to phone him as I was crossing his beloved Place du Québec, the square named for the nation to which he was so devoted.
I have lasting memories of the hospitality offered by this bon vivant and notable wine connoisseur. On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I offer my condolences to his family, to his loved ones and to all separatists. Quebec will remember.
Thank you for everything, Mr. Michaud.
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- Mar/21/24 2:16:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our country is at a crossroads. On April 1, the Liberal government will raise the carbon tax by 23%. This tax increase is opposed by 70% of Canadians and 70% of Canada's premiers.
Canadians are struggling to make ends meet. People are choosing between heating their homes and putting gas in their cars. Millions of Canadians are relying on food banks. People are going through garbage dumpsters in search of food. Mothers are diluting their babies' milk to stretch the formula.
Canadians need a government that understands the struggles of daily living and commits to making life more affordable.
Today, Conservatives are calling for a carbon tax election. It is time that the House joins Conservatives, puts the people first, votes no confidence and brings home an election.
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- Mar/21/24 2:17:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on March 25, Greeks around the world will celebrate Greek Independence Day to honour the women and men who fought with courage, pride and determination for the freedom of their people, for future generations of Greeks and for a liberated Greece.
On March 25, 1821, the Greek War of Independence began with an insurrection led by such revolutionaries as the heroic Theodoros Kolokotronis, Laskarina Bouboulina, and Rigas Feraios, who said, “It's finer to live one hour as a free man than 40 years as a slave and prisoner”.
It is thanks to their victory in 1821 that Greeks around the world, including Greeks who make up our strong Greek Canadian community, are able to thrive and contribute so much to the countries in which they live.
This year's celebrations will be special because Greeks in Toronto and Montreal will be celebrating the Greek national day alongside two prime ministers: our very own Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
[Member spoke in Greek]
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- Mar/21/24 2:19:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, it is clear that the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the cost. It is not just grocery prices that have skyrocketed in the last year; it is Jamaican vacations too. The tab for the Prime Minister's trip this year came in at over $230,000, an increase of 42%. Of course while Canadians have to pay higher prices themselves, he gets to pass his bill on to taxpayers, so now they have to pay the bill for his high-carbon hypocrisy and the 23% carbon tax hike that is coming.
An hon. member Oh, oh!
Hon. Andrew Scheer: He has refused to cancel the hike. Will he at least let Canadians decide for themselves and call a carbon tax election?
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- Mar/21/24 2:19:47 p.m.
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Before we continue question period, I am going to ask the member for Timmins—James Bay to please keep his comments to himself until the moment that he has the floor.
The hon. Minister of Innovation.
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- Mar/21/24 2:20:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Conservative Party has become the CEO of Canada, the chief electoral officer. What he is advocating on that side of the House is inaction on climate change. It is inaction on clean growth. It is inaction on green jobs.
On this side of the House, along with millions of Canadians, we believe in action: action against climate change, action to build the economy of tomorrow and action to build the jobs of tomorrow. We are going to fight climate change and make sure that we put more money into the pockets of Canadians. That is our plan.
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- Mar/21/24 2:20:37 p.m.
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Again, I am going to ask members to be very careful about ascribing acronyms or titles to other hon. members.
The hon. member from Regina—Qu'Appelle.
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- Mar/21/24 2:20:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the action they have taken is forcing Canadians to food banks for the first time in their lives. It is forcing Canadians to turn down thermostats and put food back on the shelf because they cannot afford it. Meanwhile, their environment plan has been revealed to be just a tax plan, because they have fallen four spots in the climate change ranking after raising the carbon tax. Their own environment commissioner has said they have stacked failure on top of failure, but they have succeeded in driving up prices.
Will the Liberals do the right thing and let Canadians decide for themselves, and call a carbon tax election?
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- Mar/21/24 2:21:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the carbon rebate puts more money in the hands of eight out of 10 Canadians.
Just this morning, I had a call from Keith in my riding. He is retired and has been keeping track of all of his invoices since January 1. He was delighted to tell me that even with adding a little extra, because he might not have known the impact on his morning orange, he is ahead $68 with every single climate action rebate cheque.
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- Mar/21/24 2:22:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that is just false. Their own budget watchdog, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, whom they appointed, testified at committee, saying that “once you factor in the rebate and also the economic impacts...the majority of households will see a negative impact as a result of the carbon tax.”
In Newfoundland, hard-working middle-income families will be $377 poorer after the carbon tax and the rebate are factored in. Will the Liberals show courage and put their plan to quadruple the tax in front of Canadians so Canadians can have the choice between that and our plan to axe the tax?
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- Mar/21/24 2:22:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I love to get up to talk about my province of Newfoundland and Labrador and how the carbon rebate is putting more money back into pockets. With the rural top-up on April 15, the average family of four in my riding all throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, and part of St. John's, will be getting $1,430 a year to offset prices.
We have another benefit. Another lady in my riding, Katie, applied for the oil to heat pump program, which is going to save her $800 a year as well.
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- Mar/21/24 2:23:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years, this Prime Minister is not worth the cost of the support he is getting from the Bloc Québécois. How can the Bloc Québécois support a Prime Minister who has doubled our national debt? How can the Bloc Québécois support a Prime Minister who is sending hundreds of thousands of Quebeckers to food banks?
My question is for the Prime Minister. What promise did the Prime Minister make to the Bloc Québécois to save his career and his government?
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- Mar/21/24 2:23:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is clear to the thousands of Canadians watching us on television today that that is the party of inaction. Inaction is the Conservatives' approach to fighting climate change, to economic growth and to creating the jobs of tomorrow.
The thousands of Canadians watching at home believe in climate action. They want action to create the jobs of tomorrow. They want economic growth. That is what we believe, that is what Canadians believe and that is what we are going to do for this country.
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- Mar/21/24 2:24:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the thousands of Quebeckers who are watching at home would have liked to hear an answer to my question.
Here is the question that the members of the Bloc Québécois should be asking themselves today: Will they set their ideology aside for once and vote for the Quebeckers they represent, who cannot take any more of this government's arrogance? This Prime Minister broke our immigration system. He is raising taxes and allowing dangerous criminals to serve their sentences at home. This Prime Minister interferes in all of Quebec's jurisdictions.
I will ask my question again. What did the Prime Minister promise the Bloc Québécois to save his career and his government?
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- Mar/21/24 2:25:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that, during the last election campaign, the Conservative Party of Canada promised Canadians that it would implement carbon pricing. It promised Canadians that it would implement a pollution pricing system.
I would like to also remind my colleague that all he has to do is turn around and put that question to his colleague seated behind him. She was a minister in a Quebec government that fought against climate change and implemented one of the first carbon pricing systems in North America.
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- Mar/21/24 2:25:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are barely one-third of the way through the parliamentary year, and the Liberals are already breaking records for refusing legitimate requests from Quebec.
They have said no to the right to opt out of pharmacare, no to the right to opt out of dental care, no to advance requests for medical assistance in dying, no to full powers in immigration, no to paying back the billion dollars for asylum seekers, and no to Bill 21. It seems like a competition. They have started a “no” pool, but they are in for a shock when the time comes to claim their prize.
Do they not realize that there is only so much disrespect Quebeckers can take?
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- Mar/21/24 2:26:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we said yes to the child care program. We said yes to the health agreement. We said yes to dental care. We said yes to seniors and to young people. We said yes to everyone.
He must know what a “yes” is. Our friend usually wants to hear “yes”, yet Bloc members have become a chorus of “no”: no to collaboration, no to discussion and no to getting along. They do not like it when things are going well with Quebec. What is good for Quebeckers is bad for the Bloc Québécois.
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- Mar/21/24 2:27:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, their “no” list is so long that it stretches all the way to the north shore. I could go on and on.
Ottawa says no to transferring funds for infrastructure and housing, no to repatriating culture, no to establishing a single tax return, no to abolishing the monarchy. It is always no, no, no, no.
Gilles Vigneault said the following:
When you sow such a strong wind You will reap the storm that's brewing Perhaps you don't see your own undoing.
Do these parties realize that, after being told “no” time and time again, Quebeckers will soon be saying “yes”?
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