SoVote

Context: House Hansard - 300 - Apr/16/24

Mr. Gord Johns (Courtenay—Alberni, NDP)

Apr/16/24 1:46:16 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to join my colleagues in congratulating my colleague on his election and his first speech. I recall a great quote by Scott Brison, who sat on both the Liberal and Conservative benches. When he sat in the House, he said that although he did not share a lot of the policies of the Conservative Party, regardless of where we sat in the House, we could have a huge impact and difference for Canadians. I hope my colleague will take that to heart and work collectively with members to try to find solutions to support Canadians as we walk forward together. With respect to the question on insulin, my colleague cited the delays by the Liberal government, and I agree, but does he believe that if insulin were free of charge, it would be of benefit to his constituents and would he be willing to work with us to find a pathway to expedite that?

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Mr. Jamil Jivani

Apr/16/24 1:47:12 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, when I was a cancer patient at North York General Hospital and Sunnybrook hospital, I saw many people in very dire health circumstances, people facing all sorts of challenges, some of with whom I shared a cancer ward. What was very clear to me was that we needed programs that could help people who did not have the money to purchase the drugs they needed. The cancer ward at North York General Hospital has a provincial program to help people with drugs. What I continue to be confused about, as I hear this debate on pharmacare, is why there is not a greater recognition of the need to work with the provinces to solve some of these problems. I saw people right beside me, hooked up to the same IVs as I was, getting their body pumped with chemotherapy drugs. They depended on those provincial programs to get the health care they needed. What I worry about, and I think what my fellow cancer patients at North York General Hospital would worry as well, including cancer patients all across the country, is whether this is a matter of creating more bureaucracy in Ottawa or whether we are actually concerned about providing people with what they need at an affordable price.

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Mr. Stephen Ellis (Cumberland—Colchester, CPC)

Apr/16/24 1:48:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, my colleague, the member for Durham, has had the opportunity to knock on doors very recently. I wonder if you can enlighten the House on the issues that you—

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The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Carol Hughes)

Apr/16/24 1:48:50 p.m.
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I would remind the hon. member to address his questions and comments through the Chair and not directly to the member.

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Mr. Stephen Ellis

Apr/16/24 1:48:54 p.m.
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I apologize, Madam Speaker. I was caught up in the moment. Could the member elaborate on the issues he heard, when he was knocking on doors in his most recent election, so all Canadians can understand what the issues are out there?

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Election

Mr. Jamil Jivani

Apr/16/24 1:49:16 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the short answer to my colleague's question is affordability. People from all ages, whether they are seniors who are concerned about their pensions and not being able to afford a good quality of life, or people my own age who are living in their parents' basement, hoping to move out and start a family one day, across generations, across cultures, across languages, are concerned about affordability and whether the NDP-Liberal government can make life easier so we can move forward with our lives. What is uniting Canadians right now is their concern about affordability.

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Mr. Mark Gerretsen (Kingston and the Islands, Lib.)

Apr/16/24 1:49:52 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-64

Madam Speaker, it is a real pleasure to rise today to speak to a very important piece of legislation, Bill C-64. I will be sharing my time today with the hon. member for Humber River—Black Creek. This is important legislation because, for decades, we have been talking about the need to bring in pharmacare. I look at this as the first step in bringing in pharmacare, which could cover a whole host of drugs and medicines that are very important for people. I would agree with the member for New Westminster—Burnaby, who was speaking earlier, that this is about preventative health care. This is about helping people before they get to the point when they would need to go to an emergency room. This is about getting people their very important medication. When we have an issue like this that further builds on our health care system, which is a health care system that has developed over generations through, at times, very difficult partnerships and relationships with provinces, I am disheartened to see that, in the very first speech on this issue, when Conservatives stood, they brought in a motion to amend the bill. The amendment would basically substitute everything after the word “That” with “The House decline to give second reading”. That is all the Conservatives did. Some hon. members: Oh, oh! Mr. Mark Gerretsen: Madam Speaker, now they are clapping. Conservatives are clapping as a result of this non-motion. They could have just voted against the bill to say they were not interested. Instead, they introduced a second vote. It will take 10 minutes to vote down their amendment before we vote in favour and pass this very important piece of legislation. I imagine that, much like there was with the piece of legislation on sustainable jobs, which we finally voted on yesterday, there will be obstruction after obstruction with Conservatives playing with the bill at committee and through the various stages of the House. I ask myself why Conservatives would be so dead set against legislation like this. In my opinion, this is about helping people, particularly the people who really need help. The vast majority of Conservative donors, and the people they look to for fundraising, are individuals who, quite frankly, could probably afford to have private insurance or work in a job that provides insurance. The individuals I see who would really benefit from this legislation are those vulnerable individuals in our society who are not covered by health care or pharmacare plans or who do not have insurance in one way or another. One of the criticisms we hear from Conservatives is that this is about provincial jurisdiction. The Conservatives have said that this is provincial jurisdiction and ask why we are getting in the way of it. I will then ask them why they voted in favour of the national child care plan. They got up to talk down the plan for hours on end, but ultimately, they ended up voting in favour of it. That was something we needed to work together with the provinces on to make it a reality. The Conservatives saw a benefit in voting in favour of that, so they did. However, they cannot seem to see the same way forward with this particular issue. This bill would introduce pharmacare by first setting up the system to provide for two drugs: insulin, for individuals with diabetes, and contraceptives. This is extremely important. There are nine million women and gender-diverse Canadians all across the country who would get access to the contraception and reproductive autonomy they deserve. This is really important in the context we are in, and I will explain why. Right now, when we look south of the border, we are literally watching state legislatures and the Supreme Court of the United States make rulings that are further confining the ability of a woman's right to choose. We are seeing legislation being adopted that is something that we thought would have been dreamt up, that we would have assumed the United States had moved away from decades ago. Canada will stand up to a very aggressive position to say that we will not go down the same road as the United States. Despite the fact that many Conservatives, I am sure, would love to do that, we will not. We will ensure that a woman would have not only the right to choose, but also free access to the necessary medication specifically for contraceptive purposes. I will certainly be voting in favour of this. I look forward to this bill coming to the House so we can have that vote, if the Conservatives ever let us get there.

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Mr. Dan Albas (Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, CPC)

Apr/16/24 1:55:49 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, in my province of British Columbia, we are sending cancer patients for therapy to the United States. Does the member have concerns about provinces sending people to the American system? The Minister of Health has said that we do not want to go to the United States' system, yet our public health care system in British Columbia is sending patients to the United States. Here we are, talking about expanding more bureaucracy, when we have provinces such as mine that are sending patients there. What does the member have to say about that sad state of affairs?

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Mr. Mark Gerretsen

Apr/16/24 1:56:37 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, if I understand the member correctly, what he is saying is that his province has to send people to the U.S. for treatment. I do not know about that, but I will take his word for it that he believes it. He is saying his province has to send people to the United States, so we should not try to do anything else to help Canadians. This legislation is about developing a national framework. I am sorry that there are issues in his province with health care. He should come to Ontario. I would love to have a chat with him about the issues that Doug Ford has created in Ontario. However, that is beside the point. What we are talking about is developing a national strategy as it relates to pharmacare. This member can find all the excuses in the book that he wants to vote against this. At the end of the day, what he is going to do is vote against helping vulnerable Canadians, in particular, getting access to the medications they need.

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Pharmacare

Mrs. Brenda Shanahan (Châteauguay—Lacolle, Lib.)

Apr/16/24 1:57:40 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I listened to the speech of my colleague with great interest, and I know he is a great advocate for health care for Canadians. I would like to ask him about the situation in Quebec. Maybe he is not that familiar with it, but we did hear how many unions are in favour of our health care plan, even if their members have employer drug insurance.

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Mr. Mark Gerretsen

Apr/16/24 1:58:11 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question because we have different levels of coverage throughout our country. Those levels of coverage, directly or indirectly, are going to correlate to whether individuals are more wealthy or not. Therefore, somebody who works in a corporation, for example an executive high up in the corporation, probably has really good coverage. As well, within the unions, there are going to be different levels of coverage. This is about accepting, realizing and coming to the conclusion that we all deserve the exact same level of coverage, regardless of who we are, where we work or what our income is.

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Mr. Luc Thériault (Montcalm, BQ)

Apr/16/24 1:59:00 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, in responding to the member from Quebec's question, the member just proved that he knows absolutely nothing about Quebec's pharmacare program. Everyone gets the same coverage and has access to the same molecules. The example he gave makes it absolutely clear that this government does not know what it is talking about when it talks about pharmacare. They are sorcerers' apprentices.

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Mr. Mark Gerretsen

Apr/16/24 1:59:31 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, the member is referring to the question that was previously asked and not to my answer. I would say that maybe the member did not hear what the question was. The question the member asked me was specifically about union support for this bill and unions in Quebec that support it. I would encourage my Bloc colleague, who stands up quite often for the workers of Quebec, to consider what the union folks in Quebec are saying about this legislation. From what I hear, they are saying that they are supportive of it, so maybe the Bloc members should really give some consideration to that when it comes time to vote for this.

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Mr. Brendan Hanley (Yukon, Lib.)

Apr/16/24 2:00:18 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, it is a different world up here in the Yukon. I am going to tell colleagues a few reasons why. Starting north on the Dempster Highway, someone can have the hike of their life in the magical Tombstone mountains. Then, drop into Dawson City, dine at BonTon, where each delicious bite is locally sourced. Then, get to the downtown for the sourtoe cocktail with a real toe that must touch one's lips. Then sally on to Diamond Tooth Gerties for a look at the showgirls and a round of roulette. Sleep at Bombay Peggy's, a Victorian Inn with a lubricious past. Yes, tourism is big in the Yukon, thanks to supports like the tourism growth program and the indigenous tourism fund. The Yukon itself is gold. Now, winter in the Yukon, “it's a little bit metal”, they say. We have snowmobiles, mountains, trails, ice fishing, skiing and fat biking. After it all, come soak in the soothing pools of Eclipse hot springs and gaze up at the northern lights. We have summer, fall or winter, but we do not really do spring. It is a different world up here, but be warned: once in the Yukon, one may never leave.

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Mr. Jacques Gourde (Lévis—Lotbinière, CPC)

Apr/16/24 2:01:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be the honorary president of the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Lotbinière/Lévis, which will take place on June 8. As a symbol of perseverance and a message of hope for those affected by cancer, participants of all ages have been joining forces and taking turns walking along a track or road since 1999. The highly anticipated event will be held at Terry Fox park in Saint-Apollinaire from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the next morning. Funds raised are used to support innovative research into all types of cancer, provide the most extensive support network to improve the lives of people with cancer and shape public health policies. I invite all members to set up teams and walk with me at the Lotbinière/Lévis Relay for Life in support of a noble cause that is especially important to me.

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Mr. Chandra Arya (Nepean, Lib.)

Apr/16/24 2:02:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the month of April marks Sikh Heritage Month. It is an opportunity for us to reflect on, celebrate and educate future generations about the important role that Sikh Canadians have played, and continue to play, in communities across the country. Saturday, April 13, many of us celebrated Vaisakhi, which marks the creation of the Khalsa and the Sikh articles of faith. Canada is the home to over 770,000 Sikh Canadians, making it one of the largest Sikh diasporas in the world. Since the arrival of Sikh immigrants in the late 19th century, Sikh Canadians have contributed immensely to Canada's social, economic, political and cultural fabric. This month and beyond, let us recognize and embrace the diversity that make our country strong and inclusive.

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Mr. Yves Perron (Berthier—Maskinongé, BQ)

Apr/16/24 2:03:32 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-282

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, the Senate will vote on the future of Bill C‑282 and supply-managed sectors in advance of upcoming international negotiations. We are asking members of the Senate to respect the House of Commons' solid vote at third reading and to vote in favour of sending Bill C‑282 to committee. Protecting supply-managed producers also means protecting their relevant suppliers and the entire agricultural ecosystem for the good of agricultural production as a whole. It means ensuring that our rural areas have a stable, prosperous and dynamic population. Most of all, supply management is about our people delivering a high-quality, home-grown product for our people. That is how we ensure our food security. We ask that members of the Senate vote in favour. The economies of our rural areas and villages depend on it.

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Mrs. Marie-France Lalonde (Orléans, Lib.)

Apr/16/24 2:04:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it was a privilege to welcome French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to Canada last week, on his first official foreign visit outside the European Union. As chair of the Canada-France Inter-Parliamentary Association, I also met with my French counterparts, Christopher Weissberg, Chair of the French branch of the Association, and Senator Yan Chantrel, Chair of the France–Canada Friendship Group in the Senate. Canada and France have a shared history and enjoy a close friendship, which we also celebrated alongside the Canadian and French prime ministers as we gathered at the Amicitia France-Canada monument at Beechwood National Cemetery. Canada and France remain key partners and share a number of priorities, such as climate change, the Francophonie, innovation and so on. I would like to thank the entire French delegation for this wonderful and fruitful visit.

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Mrs. Tracy Gray (Kelowna—Lake Country, CPC)

Apr/16/24 2:05:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today I would like to commemorate a dear friend, Kjell Sundin. Kjell passed away on March 23 at 91 years old and was predeceased by his wife Hazel. He retired as an air traffic controller in 1988. He also worked in construction and was an avid traveller. Kjell is survived by his nieces, nephews and many other relatives in Canada and in Sweden. Kjell gave back in many ways, supporting local fundraisers and helping people who needed a hand, like driving friends to appointments. Kjell had a great memory, was a wonderful storyteller and loved politics. He would start a conversation by saying, “I put out signs for Diefenbaker.” Kjell was the head sign guy on campaigns for all levels of government locally. His wooden sign design has been duplicated all over western Canada. In politics, he was always the first to volunteer and to mentor others, and was a serious campaigner. My family, Larry, Daniel and I, send our deepest condolences to the Sundin family. We love and will miss Kjell.

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Ms. Julie Dzerowicz (Davenport, Lib.)

Apr/16/24 2:06:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week is National Tourism Week, when we celebrate a pillar of the Canadian economy that employs nearly one in every 10 Canadians. In my constituency of Davenport, we attract many tourists to places such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, the Drake, the many amazing art galleries, as well as countless cafés and foodie restaurants on Dundas West, West Queen West and Ossington Avenue. In addition, across Canada, business events represent 40% of all tourism and over $25 billion in direct GDP. That is why our federal government has invested $50 million in the international convention attraction fund through Destination Canada, which is poised to inject another $170 million into our economy. This demonstrates our federal government's commitment to economic growth, job creation and it positions Canada as a global hub for business excellence and innovation. Tourism truly brings people together.

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