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44th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION
EDITED HANSARD • No. 148
CONTENTS
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
House of Commons Debates
Volume 151
No. 148
1st SESSION
44th PARLIAMENT
OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD)
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
Speaker: The Honourable Anthony Rota
[Statements by Members]
[English]
The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay will now lead us in the singing of the national anthem.
[Members sang the national anthem]
Statements by Members
[Statements by Members]
[English]
Holiday Greetings
Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to return to our ridings and families, I rise to give thanks today to my children, all of my extended family, my staff Anthony, Conor, Chris and Sam, all of my interns, and all who have worked to support me and the residents of Halifax West.
[Translation]
I would also like to thank all those who help us on the Hill: the Private Members' Business Office, our committee clerks and all of the analysts and interpreters.
[English]
I also offer thanks to the offices of our whips, House leaders and pages.
[Translation]
To all my fellow MPs and my Senate colleagues from all parties, I want to say the following.
[English]
I wish everyone the blessings of the season. Let us spread kindness, compassion and love.
I wish my colleagues a joyeux Noël and happy new year.
Veterans Association Food Bank Edmonton
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize two veterans from Edmonton, John Kennedy and Bruce Given.
John served for two decades with tours in Cypress and Rwanda. After retiring, John helped found the Edmonton location of the Veterans Association Food Bank, serving as the assistant operations manager.
Bruce served for 23 years in the forces, including tours in Croatia, Sarajevo and Haiti. Due to health issues from his service, Bruce endured extreme hardships, but with the help of another veteran, he was able to find a new focus and new purpose in life assisting other veterans like himself. Bruce became the operations manager of the food bank.
Together with other veterans, John and Bruce assist hundreds of veterans with food hampers and programs to help them cope with life in the civilian world. It is shameful that here in Canada veterans are relying on food banks to get by, so thank heaven for John Kennedy and Bruce Given for always being there to help veterans.
Member for Mississauga—Lakeshore
Mr. Speaker, I rise today concerning the recent by-election in Mississauga—Lakeshore.
First, I would like to thank the former MP Sven Spengemann for his seven years of stellar service.
This week we elected his successor. I offer my sincere thanks to all the volunteers and candidates for participating in this election and working so hard. It was a tough election for many reasons, not the least of which was that there were 40 names on the ballot. I would say to those who are trying to mock our democracy that it will not work and to not do it again.
Soon we will welcome Mr. Charles Sousa to the House. This is the last time I will be able to say his name in this chamber. Going forward, he will be the hon. member for Mississauga—Lakeshore.
Charles brings a wealth of experience to the House. He will be a great addition, and we look forward to working with him. Knowing Charles the way I do, we “ain't seen nothin' yet”.
[Translation]
Selfless Generosity
Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to leave Parliament to spend the holidays in our respective ridings, I would like to take a few moments to celebrate selfless generosity.
It is the kind of generosity we see from people who get involved in their community for the sole purpose of helping others and bringing a smiles to their faces. It is the kind of generosity demonstrated by Santa Claus.
I actually know a Santa Claus. He is a kind and generous man of whom I am extremely proud. He has gotten involved everywhere he has gone, from the Lower St. Lawrence to Côte-Nord and Montérégie, with a few detours to Africa and Alberta. My father is “the” Santa Claus.
My colleagues may not see me as a gift, but my father is. Let us each, in our own way, be like my dad, people who are always generous and simply looking out for the welfare of others.
I wish everyone a merry Christmas.
I love you, Dad.
Sherbrooke Firefighters Toy Drive
Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, I had the chance to participate in the Sherbrooke firefighters' toy drive. Every December since 1940, the firefighters have been handing out new toys to more than 1,200 disadvantaged children in the region, or roughly 800 families. I sincerely thank our firefighters for carrying on this wonderful tradition.
During this holiday season, many families in Sherbrooke are going through a tough time. I thank all the organizations in our community that provide some relief to these families, including the ones that provide food aid. Our government will continue to support our families and these organizations.
By all accounts, 2022 was a year of ups and downs. Let this holiday season allow everyone to come together with their loved ones and recharge their batteries for the new year. I thank the members of my wonderful team for their dedication and their good work.
Happy holidays and a happy new year to everyone in Sherbrooke. May 2023 bring them together in peace and good health.
[English]
Women's Executive Network Award Winner
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to stand in Canada’s Parliament and congratulate Dr. Bittoo Malik on being named one of Canada’s top 100 most powerful women by the Women’s Executive Network.
Dr. Malik specializes in diagnostic radiology at Manitoba’s Dauphin Regional Health Centre and has dedicated her professional career to helping those in her community and across Canada. She has worked to advance medical imaging, helped shape the evolution of stroke and trauma assessment, and mentored many medical professionals who hope to follow in her footsteps.
The rural Canadians who proudly call the Parkland region their home are truly honoured to have a world-class physician in their community. On behalf of all Canadians, I want to thank Dr. Malik for her contributions to her patients, to her community and to medicine across Canada.
Congratulations on a well-deserved award.
Holiday Greetings
Mr. Speaker,
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the folks who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails and the winter tales
Will make you long for the cold;
The Northern Lights are beautiful sights,
For anyone to see,
For a night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
in the Yukon is the place to be;
Now whether you come from Calgary, to kick-sled or flirt in the snow,
Or leave home in the south to roam up on Air North, God only knows;
Embrace the cold, and the land of gold will hold you like a spell,
And then you will say, in your homely way that you have never lived so well.
On a Christmas day you can mush your way over the Dawson trail.
Lose a toe on the way? That’s okay, it will go in the next cocktail!
Ring in the New Year in Beaver Creek, Old Crow or Watson Lake;
Wherever you go, you will surely know many sights that will memories make.
There are strange things done in the winter’s night by all who would be bold;
On Arctic trails amid moonlight spruce you will ski, sled, or look for moose.
The northern lights are an incredible sight for all of you to see;
Now I welcome you all to the land that I love, happy holidays all, from me!
Elgin Street Mission
Mr. Speaker, for the past 31 years the Elgin Street Mission has served my community of Sudbury.
The mission provides two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, 365 days a year. Over the past year the number of meals has grown by 1,000 per month. With 90,000 meals being served yearly, as well as providing clothing, showers, and laundry facilities, the mission is a necessity for our community. It is a safe refuge in times of need for the people of Sudbury.
Throughout the month of December, businesses and organizations from the community will be helping to serve meals to clients, while raising important funds to ensure the mission is equipped for food and essentials throughout the year.
I want to highlight the important work being done by the Elgin Street Mission and the incredible team of volunteers. Without their dedication, the mission could not operate and support our community.
Prime Minister Award for Teaching Excellence
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Véronique Brunelle, from Calgary Shepard, who is the recipient of the 2022 Prime Minister Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM.
Véronique teaches at William Aberhart High School and works as a French immersion math teacher for grade 10, 11 and 12. Véronique is committed to innovation and her unique teaching style. It is not uncommon to see students writing on whiteboards, on the walls and even on the windows. Students are challenged, and she has especially worked to inspire and encourage students in their university aspirations.
Her encouragement has led to students joining the WISEST program at the U of A, which places young women from high school in research labs, providing teens with an opportunity to work on campus in a science or engineering related field.
[Translation]
Congratulations to Véronique. Her students, her colleagues and her Parliament are proud of her.
[English]
Hon. Jim Carr
Mr. Speaker, this Sunday will mark the first night of Hanukkah. In my riding of York Centre and in homes across Canada and around the world, millions of Jewish families will light the hanukkiah and celebrate the festival of lights. The light of the hanukkiah is a symbol of peace and life. As we add candles each night, peace and hope grow stronger and brighter. It is always light that triumphs over darkness.
This year, we have lost one of those lights as we mourn the loss of our friend and colleague Jim Carr. He was a model of kindness, compassion and selflessness in this House and for all Canadians. Jim's advice was always given with the love of life and country, a twinkle in his eye, a laugh and a smile. He was the eldest and wisest member of our Jewish and Jewish-Muslim caucuses. I can only hope that, in the time we were privileged to share with him, a bit of that wisdom has passed on to us. His love and pride of his heritage, the Prairies and the communities he was a part of were a source of strength for so many.
As we prepare to celebrate Hanukkah, may Jim's family find strength and comfort from his light and the legacy he held in the House, in Winnipeg South Centre and across Canada. Yehi zichro baruch. May his memory be a blessing.
Canadian Energy Sector
Mr. Speaker, the building of coal plants in China and the war in Ukraine show that Canada has a greater role to play in the global energy market.
If we better supply the world with energy, oil, gas and LNG, then dictators from oil-rich countries will not be able to fund their wars. If we better supply the world with our environmentally responsible energy products, then we can provide better alternatives to the resurgence of coal in China.
If we better supply the world with our Canadian LNG, we could help make real progress on lowering emissions by providing a cleaner alternative to coal. If we better supply the world with Canadian energy, we create jobs in Canada, we can build better communities in Canada and we can do our part for the environment and for global security.
We have the product. We have the people. We have the skills and knowledge. What we do not have is a government to champion Canadian energy.
Carbon Tax
Mr. Speaker, the carbon tax is, by Liberal design, an inflationary mechanism to drive consumer change. It has the stated goal of making Canadians pay more. Not only does it add directly to the costs of Canadians' bills, but the carbon tax adds to the cost of every step of the supply chain.
Let us take the example of a loaf of bread. Canadians pay the carbon tax on the inputs to grow the grain and then again to harvest the grain. They pay it on transportation and then to heat and store the grain. They then pay it on the equipment to process that wheat into flour, bake it into bread and transport it to the warehouse and then to the store. Every step of the process adds costs that Canadians have to pay, and it gets progressively worse with planned tax hikes.
With rising costs, record food bank usage and essentials becoming unaffordable, it is time that this out-of-touch Prime Minister and the left-leaning ideologues who keep him in power put their ideology aside and join with Conservatives to finally axe the carbon tax.
Holiday Greetings
Mr. Speaker,
'Tis the last sitting week before Christmas
And one thing unites the nation.
We all heartily dislike the scourge of inflation.
It has been quite the year.
Who ever thought we would see
Our very own Prime Minister
Singing “Bohemian Rhapsody”?
A different Queen passed away,
Leading to great lamentation
But her death was quickly followed
By [the opposition leader's] coronation.
The previous leader moved on
With barely a ripple
And now Conservatives can unite
Behind “triple, triple, triple”.
[Translation]
The Bloc's asking Santa for only one thing
They really don't want to take an oath to the King
[English]
I join the NDP as it wishes to
Change our laws
To get rid of the pre-emptive use
Of the notwithstanding clause.
And as for the Greens
Their leadership has created quite the fuss
Because their very own
Has lasted a thousand times longer than Truss.
With Hanukkah, Christmas and festive times
About to occur,
I wish all my colleagues and Canadians
A happy and healthy new year.
[Translation]
Women and the Green Transition
Mr. Speaker, we have a duty to take bold measures to deal with the climate crisis and build a strong economy while creating a work environment that helps women thrive and closes the gender wage gap.
By making a just transition, we can create the green energy jobs of the future and attract more women to the skilled trades.
[English]
This new economy can lift women and their families out of poverty, providing them with training and sustainable job opportunities currently not offered in our traditional natural resources sector. This work must start now. Just transition legislation should focus on delivering a credible plan for clean energy jobs, provide training programs for women in the industry and create affordable child care spaces that respond to the reality of shift work.
Organizations such as the Alberta Federation of Labour have been clear that just transition legislation can no longer be delayed. Canadians know we need to deal with climate change, and we must do all that we can to ensure that women are at the forefront of this new energy economy.
[Translation]
Holiday Greetings
Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that this is our last sitting in the House in 2022. I would like to say that a bit of fresh air will be good for our spirits. At the same time, not much was accomplished by all the shouting, which often owed more to showmanship than sincerity.
As we extend holiday greetings to our constituents, it is both my duty and my desire to tell them to take care of themselves. A faltering health care facility is no place to spend the holidays. A pair of handcuffs is no way to greet the desperate people finding their way to Roxham Road. A lack of support for new Quebeckers to learn the French language, a fundamental tool they will need to function in a French-speaking society, is no kind of gift.
If we are the wiser for sleeping on a problem, imagine what several weeks off could do. I sincerely wish all my colleagues in the House a very merry Christmas and a happy 2023.
My last word is for you, Mr. Speaker, along with the parliamentary staff, from the cooks to the pages, the security staff and yourself. Your patience and smiling faces remind us that we are here for the common good. Happy holidays to all of you and to Quebeckers.
[English]
Christmas for Ukrainian Refugees
Mr. Speaker,
'Tis just before Christmas, and 'tis both strange and true,
That our home's Yule colours will be yellow and blue.
That's not red, green and white, so let me explain
That our house is home to six guests from Ukraine.
It was back in the spring that from Dnipro they flew:
Two parents, three children and a babushka too.
Our home town of Perth is a welcoming place;
You’ll fit in, regardless of language or race.
Our guests live in our house; they've helped deck the halls,
The kids making snowmen and throwing snowballs,
But when those three kids nestle snug in their beds,
It's visions of home that must dance in their heads,
And how does a mom focus on the right gift to buy
When back home the missiles still drop each day from the sky?
And then there's the dad, who deserves admiration;
He must balance his duties to family and nation.
For exiles, no Christmas can be truly mellow
So our Christmas this year will be blue and yellow.
Government Programs
Mr. Speaker, as the son of immigrants, I say that it is embedded in us to seize every opportunity to work hard, give back to our communities and continue building a better Canada that works for everyone. This is a simple teaching that has become a beacon for many, and a reason for the residents of Mississauga—Lakeshore to elect a new MP, my dear friend Charles Sousa.
On this side of the house we know that a prosperous future for all Canadians requires responsible leadership and targeted support. That is why we show up. Our Prime Minister was in Mississauga—Lakeshore, unlike the Leader of the Opposition. Plainly and simply, our government has been there for Canadians through every challenge by putting more money back in their pockets when they need it most.
Our commitment is unwavering. This Christmas, families in Mississauga—Lakeshore, Vaughan—Woodbridge and across the country will continue to receive direct support from the programs our government has put forward, programs the people of Mississauga—Lakeshore clearly support.
To all Canadians, and those residents in my riding of Vaughan—Woodbridge, I thank them for a year led by their generosity and compassion.
Merry Christmas, buon natale and happy new year.
Oral Questions
[Oral Questions]
[Translation]
The Economy
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by wishing everyone a merry Christmas and happy holidays. However, it will not be very happy for some people. Unfortunately, the cost of putting Christmas dinner on the table has gone up by 20% since 2021. In fact, one Mississauga food bank has reported that not only are people visiting the food bank for food, but some of its client have said they are contemplating medical assistance in dying because they cannot afford to pay their bills.
How can the Prime Minister justify wasting so much money when people cannot even afford to eat?
Mr. Speaker, I join all my colleagues in wishing everyone a merry Christmas. We recognize that the holiday season will be difficult for many Canadians with the cost of living tied to global inflation. Times are tough. That is why we have been there to invest in families by doubling the GST credit, providing assistance for dental care for children who did not have access to it, providing assistance for low-income renters and cutting child care costs in half. We will continue to be there for Canadians this year, next year and in the future.
[English]
COVID-19 Economic Measures
Mr. Speaker, all his promises are not working.
We wish everyone a merry Christmas, but it will not be merry for a lot of people. One in five Canadians are skipping meals. There is a 20% increase in the cost of a turkey dinner for the average family. One Ontario food bank CEO said, “clients...are telling us they're considering medically assisted death or suicide because they can't live in grinding poverty anymore.”
This is after seven years of the Prime Minister. He can promise whatever he wants, but these are the results he has actually delivered.
How does he justify the $4.6 billion of waste when people cannot afford to eat?
Mr. Speaker, we know Canadians are facing difficult times, but we also know Canadians continue to step up for each other. That is why this government has continued to move forward with direct supports for Canadians, whether it was doubling the GST credit for six months, which gave hundreds of dollars more in the pockets of 11 million families, or whether it was moving forward on rental supports and dental support for low-income Canadians.
These are things the Conservative Party voted against, but we are delivering $1,300 over the next two years for families to help with bills on dental. We are delivering $500 on rental. We are going to continue to deliver for Canadians through this tough time.
Mr. Speaker, what he has delivered is a 40-year-high inflation, the fastest-rising interest rates in Canadian history and one in five Canadians not being able to afford food. What for? According to the Auditor General, there is $28 billion of suspicious spending and another $4.6 billion of outright waste, money that is driving up the inflationary prices Canadians are paying right now. He gave cheques to dead people and prisoners.
When will he recover the $4.6 billion of wasted money the Auditor General identified?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians will remember that when we hit the challenge of the pandemic, we needed to be there for each other. The government made the decision to move quickly to support Canadians, to support families, to support workers, to support seniors, to support youth and to move forward on supporting small businesses.
This was not only so that people could get through the pandemic and the health crisis that it was, but also so we could weather the economic storm that came with it. That is exactly what we did, and we saw our economy come back faster than most of our fellow economies around the world.
We are going to continue to support Canadians and make those investments that keep a better future.
Mr. Speaker, this is where the money went, though, according to the Auditor General: 1,500 prisoners got the money, dead people got the money, $60 million dollars of the money is under criminal investigation and $4.6 billion was wasted altogether.
The question was very simple. On what date will this Prime Minister and his government recover the $4.6 billion of waste identified by the Auditor General to date?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians, like the Canadians in Mississauga—Lakeshore, recognize the rhetoric from the Leader of the Opposition for what it is. The Conservatives are proposing cuts in Canadian pensions, proposing cuts for EI and proposing to do less for Canadians who need it. They voted against supports to make sure that families could send their kids to the dentist this year and next.
These are the kinds of things the Conservatives continue to propose in their “cuts and austerity” approach. On this side of the aisle, we will continue to be there to support Canadians who need it, because that is who are we are as Canadians. We support each other.
Carbon Pricing
Mr. Speaker, this is from a Prime Minister who is deliberately driving up home heating bills this winter. Home heating bills are expected to double right across the country. Forty per cent of Atlantic Canadians live in energy poverty. Rural Canadians in northern Ontario who are forced to heat with oil will have to pay more as well. Now the Liberal-NDP plan is to raise prices further by tripling the carbon tax.
Will the Prime Minister tell us exactly how much his carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family in higher home heating bills this winter?
Mr. Speaker, the carbon price in Atlantic Canada does not kick in until the spring, so it will not cost them any more this winter. If he had actually paid attention, instead of sharing disinformation with Canadians, he would know that.
The reality is that we are delivering a price on pollution that makes sure we are not only protecting our future against climate change but we are also putting more money in the pockets of hard-working Canadians to support them through this transition. That is what a price on pollution does. That is what it will continue to do. It will support Canadians while we fight climate change.
[Translation]
Health
Mr. Speaker, how about a little holiday spirit? The Prime Minister got a generous invitation from the provincial premiers. It is like a family gathering. Maybe they will talk to him about an old aunt who is sick. They will talk about how expensive it is. He will find it tedious, but one does not turn down that kind of invitation. It is simply not done.
In the spirit of the holidays, will the Prime Minister accept the invitation of Quebec and the provinces?
Mr. Speaker, no other prime minister in our country's history has met with the provincial premiers to discuss a health crisis more than I have.
I will continue to meet with the premiers regularly. I am looking forward to sitting down with the Premier of Quebec in a few days to talk about Quebeckers' concerns and discuss how we can continue to work together. We know that our health care systems need improvement. The federal government will be there to support the provinces while they make those improvements. We know how important this is to families across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is confusing a party with a face-to-face meeting, and I am not sure which would be more difficult. I am certain he is more gracious than that.
Premiers have a lot to say when they talk amongst themselves. They have cousins on stretchers in hospital hallways, an uncle waiting for kidney surgery, a friend named Guy who has pneumonia and is afraid of catching COVID-19, and my son, or his son, or someone else's son who may be grappling with a serious mental health issue. Soon, the premiers will be getting angry.
Is the Prime Minister really sure that he does not want to meet with them?
Mr. Speaker, we know how much Canadians need improvements to our health care services. Too many people do not have access to family doctors. Too many people have to wait months, even years, for appointments for their mental health emergencies. People continue to wait on waiting lists for far too long.
The federal government has invested an additional $72 billion in health care systems in recent years, and we will be there to invest more money. Quebeckers and all Canadians know that it does not just take money, it takes results, and that is what we are working on with the provinces.
[English]
Mr. Speaker, we have a crisis in our health care system that is impacting children. Children are suffering. The Prime Minister says that because of an impasse with the premiers, he cannot do anything. I want to remind the Prime Minister that he promised, in the last election, to hire 7,500 more nurses and doctors. It is a promise that, if it was kept, would absolutely help in dealing with this crisis.
My question is this: Did he mean what he said?
Mr. Speaker, we have all heard from across the country how Canadians need access to family doctors, how Canadians need access to better mental health services more quickly and how Canadians need to see shortened wait times and an end to surgery backlogs. That is exactly what we are committed to.
We have been working with the provinces. Our health minister has been directly engaged with his counterparts over the past many months to ensure that, as we invest more in health care across this country, we are delivering results and outcomes that Canadians can count on.
That is what Canadians want. That is what we are going to be delivering.
Mr. Speaker, when I am Prime Minister, I will keep my promises.
Another promise—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Order. I know everybody is excited that Christmas is coming. It is a week and a half or two weeks away. I would ask everybody to calm down and take a deep breath.
The hon. member for Burnaby South.
Mr. Speaker, for the folks over here, when I am Prime Minister, I will keep my promises, absolutely.
There is another promise that the Prime Minister made that would certainly help the crisis in our health care system. He promised a guaranteed—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Mr. Speaker, we know there are some people in this chamber who like the number three, so when I am Prime Minister, I will keep my promises.
There is another promise the Prime Minister made that would certainly help in this health care crisis. He promised a guaranteed wage of at least $25 an hour for long-term care workers. This would help free up spaces in the hospitals so that seniors could go into long-term care homes and get the proper respect and treatment that they need.
Did the Prime Minister mean what he said, or was he hoping that a fight with the provinces would mean that he would not have to deliver on this promise either?
Mr. Speaker, as we demonstrated through the depths of the pandemic, the federal government is going to step up and is going to continue to step up to support Canadians and to support the essential frontline workers. While all of us take a little time away from our work with our families and communities, they are going to continue to work long hours in hospitals and in seniors care homes. We are going to continue to work with the provinces in terms of making sure that wages are raised for our frontline workers.
The federal government will be there to do its part. We need to make sure we are recognizing those people who are heroes day in and day out and who care for our most vulnerable.
Firearms
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sent out his public safety minister today, we thought to back down on his hunting rifle ban. Instead, he gave a rambling endorsement of the same policy. He announced that his rural MPs from across the country, including rural Newfoundland, support the ban on hunting rifles. The Prime Minister has tried to deny that he is banning those rifles, even though first nations have said so, his experts have said so and his own caucus members have said so.
Will he stand in the House today, really look us in the eye and tell us that there are no hunting rifles on his banned list?
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment to Canadians a number of years ago to ban assault-style weapons from this country. There is no place for guns designed to kill the largest number of people as quickly as possible in this country. That is why we are moving forward with an amendment that ensures assault-style weapons are banned not only in the past, not only in the present but also in the future.
We are going to carefully work with hunters, farmers, caucus members and all parliamentarians from rural areas to ensure we get that list right. All Canadians want to see less gun violence in this country, and that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, that is not what he is doing. He is banning firearms that, in many cases, are not even semi-automatic. These are firearms that have to be re-chambered every single time. They are deliberately created for hunting and sustenance.
The Assembly of First Nations has unanimously spoken against this ban on hunting rifles, as have numerous experts and now members of his own caucus. They all agree that his ban does not target weapons that are designed to kill people. It targets weapons that are for the legitimate Canadian tradition of hunting.
Will he announce he is backing down from attacking our hunters today?
Mr. Speaker, we have heard clear concerns from first nations, Métis and Inuit partners. Our intent with this legislation is to target guns designed for the battlefield and not the ones commonly used for hunting. As I have mentioned, the Minister of Public Safety is taking the time to get this right, and that means consulting with partners to make sure we are not capturing weapons we should not be.
Part of that process is showing up to meet with indigenous leaders. That is something the leader of the official opposition failed to do last week when he had an opportunity to sit down with AFN chiefs.
Mr. Speaker, I have been meeting with first nations leaders from across the country, and they have been unanimous in their desire to protect their millennia-old tradition of hunting. That requires, in the modern sense, the use of hunting rifles. The Prime Minister's government has tabled 300 pages of banned hunting rifles before a Canadian parliamentary committee. He is wasting hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions, targeting the legitimate hunting tools of rural people and first nations.
Why does he not put that money into securing our borders and fighting crime instead?
Mr. Speaker, the government that the Leader of the Opposition was a part of, before we took office in 2015, cut close to a billion dollars from our border services and police services across the country.
We, on the contrary, have been investing to restore that funding, even as we move forward with close to a billion dollars for keeping our communities safer. We also have invested massively in our border protection. We ensured, for example, that last year we were able to collect double the number of illegal firearms trying to cross our borders than the year before.
We will continue to protect our borders. We will continue to protect Canadians. We will continue to move on gun control.
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that his policies are more expensive than our policies, but they have delivered poorer results. Today violent crime is 32% higher than when he took office and that includes a massive increase in gang violence.
The head of the Toronto Police Service said that 82% of the firearms that are used in crime in Canada's biggest city come smuggled in from the United States of America. They are not brought here by hunters from Cape Breton or rural Alberta.
Once and for all, will the Prime Minister stop wasting money on hunters and go after the real criminals instead?
Mr. Speaker, the last Conservative government, of which its leader was a key part, slashed nearly a billion dollars from our police and our borders. We are building back that capacity. We have invested nearly a billion dollars to end gun violence and keep guns out of the hands of criminals since 2018 alone. That includes another $137 million for the CBSA in the fall economic statement to fight gun smuggling and trafficking, and it is working.
We doubled the number of guns interdicted at the border last year, as compared to the year before.
Veterans Affairs
Mr. Speaker, again, they are going after the innocent people rather than the real problem.
I will move on to the heroes who protect our country and go to Veterans Affairs to get the services to which they are entitled. The government is now racking up an embarrassing and shameful record of having recommended medical assistance in dying. At least half a dozen veterans now report that they have been advised that medical assistance in dying might be the best solution for them.
Can the Prime Minister, having had time now, tell us exactly how many veterans have had it recommended to them that their lives come to an end?
Mr. Speaker, as I have said a number of times, this is absolutely unacceptable. Veterans Affairs Canada is taking serious measures to ensure not only that this never happens again but that any Veterans Affairs officers who have been making those recommendations irresponsibly, and on their own, no longer are in a position to make those.
I will highlight that we have invested over $10 billion in support for our veterans after 10 years of the previous Conservative government nickel-and-diming them and using them for photo ops. We will continue to support our veterans and respect the work they have done.
Mr. Speaker, this is from the Prime Minister who said that veterans are asking for more than he can give. This is from the first prime minister who has ever presided over a Veterans Affairs department and who recommends that the heroes who served our country should get medical assistance in dying instead of being given a good life, the one they have earned. One former soldier, a current veteran, said that the policy is triple D: delay, deny and dead veterans.
The question is very specific. How many veterans have been given the recommendation that they should go to medical assistance in dying? Give the number, please.
Mr. Speaker, even one would be too many. That is why we condemn, in the strongest terms, anyone who has recommended that to our veterans. Our veterans have lived a life of service and deserve the utmost quality of care from our governments. That is why we invested $10 billion after the previous government chose to shutter Veterans Affairs offices across the country and nickel and dime veterans every chance it could get.
We respect our veterans, which is why we are taking seriously the reports that this unacceptable behaviour happened within Veterans Affairs. Our veterans deserve the very best and that is what we will continue to give them.
[Translation]
Official Languages
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount commented on Bill C-13 and the French language and said, “It would be a big mistake for us, as federal MPs...to give Quebec free rein to do whatever it might want to do with respect to language in that province”.
He clearly said that Quebec's hands should be tied when it comes to protecting French, and indeed, what Bill C‑13 does is prevent Quebec from imposing the Charter of the French Language on federally regulated businesses.
Why is the Prime Minister protecting English in Quebec when French is the language that is at risk?
Mr. Speaker, we are the first federal government to recognize that we have a responsibility to protect French across Canada, including Quebec. Protecting French across Canada is also one of our responsibilities. That is why we introduced measures through Bill C-13 that will ensure that federally regulated businesses in Quebec and across the country promote the use of French. That is a way of ensuring that we remain a country where French is spoken proudly from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, let us recap. First, Quebec introduces its Bill 96, which imposes the Charter of the French Language on federally regulated businesses. Then, suddenly, Ottawa just happens to introduce its own reform of the Official Languages Act with Bill C‑13. This is neither a coincidence nor something that came out of thin air, judging by what the Liberals said in committee yesterday. Bill C‑13 is a response intended to prevent Quebec from making French the only language of work.
Why is the Prime Minister refusing to accept a Quebec where everyone works in French, the only common language of Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, for several years now we have recognized that the federal government has a role to play in protecting the French language in Quebec. Yes, the Government of Quebec has its own responsibility, but the federal government does too. We will always respect the areas of jurisdiction.
That is why we are ensuring that federally regulated businesses respect the principle of French first in Quebec, as well as in all the French-speaking communities across the country.
That is one way to protect French from coast to coast to coast and we are proud of that.
[English]
Health
Mr. Speaker, our hospitals are overflowing, children's hospitals being the worst case. I have seen it myself when taking my daughter to an emergency room. We were waiting with other small kids while there is a shortage.
Ironically, we have the doctors. In fact, we bring in thousands of immigrant doctors to the country every single year, but only 41% of them are able to practise in this country. Only 36% of immigrant nurses have the licence to practise.
The federal government could encourage provinces to speed up recognition of foreign credentials, as we successfully did under the previous government. Why has the Prime Minister failed so miserably at doing so?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to encouraging the provinces to make improvements in health care, we are doing more than just encouraging them. We are saying that we will flow significantly more money to the health care systems across the country if they can ensure better results for Canadians, if they can ensure better outcomes and if they can ensure that health human resources take advantage of the thousands of people who come here from around the world wanting to work and build a better life in this country, including in our medical system.
We are serious about improving results for Canadians in health care systems across the country, and that is what we are standing firm on with the provinces.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has had seven years to get results and he has gotten none. All he can do is brag about much money he spends without actually achieving real outcomes. Meanwhile, immigrants are forced to work in low-wage jobs even though they are qualified to serve as doctors and nurses in high-pay positions in desperately needed places within our medical system.
Less than half of nurses and doctors from abroad actually get a chance to work. The Prime Minister could make this possible by facilitating future immigrants to prepare for credentialing before they even get here, by providing small study loans for them to do that and by getting the province to speed up the recognition of credentials. Why will he not?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to getting provinces to speed up the recognition of credentials, I will highlight that it is an NDP government in British Columbia that has just taken significant measures to do that. If the member opposite thinks he can convince his fellow Conservatives, who happen to be premiers of some provinces, to accelerate those processes, it would be a welcomed change from the kind of obstructionism and two-tier health care that the Conservatives continue to push.
We are going to continue to stand with Canadians to ensure that we are improving and increasing opportunities for Canadians to get good health care and opportunities for new arrivals to work in the industries in which they are trained.
Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, there are now reports of Beijing-controlled police stations on Canadian soil. This, of course, would be a violation of international law. It is illegal for a foreign government to open a law enforcement office in another country without permission. The last we checked, there is no permission for that to happen.
My question to the Prime Minister is very simple: How many diplomats from Beijing involved in these police stations has he ordered expelled from Canada?
Mr. Speaker, foreign actors attempting to monitor, intimidate or threaten Canadians is completely unacceptable. The allegations detailed are concerning, which is why we will never tolerate threats to Canada's national security or to the safety of our citizens and residents.
The RCMP has announced that it is investigating these allegations, and I have asked officials to examine them very carefully. We will continue to work closely with our allies around the world to respond to illegal and unacceptable behaviour by authoritarian states like China.
[Translation]
Mr. Speaker, the question was “how many”.
There are reports of foreign-controlled police stations here in Canada. That is illegal. It is illegal for a foreign government to have police stations here in Canada. The Prime Minister has been aware of this situation for at least a month.
I will ask the question again. How many diplomats have been expelled from Canada since the Prime Minister learned of the existence of these police stations?
Mr. Speaker, the details of the allegations of interference are concerning. That is why we will never tolerate threats to Canada's national security or to the safety of our citizens and residents.
The RCMP has announced that it is investigating these allegations, and I have asked officials to keep a close watch on it.
[English]
The Chinese Canadian community is all too often the victim of foreign interference by China. We need to emphasize that Chinese Canadians continue to deliver extraordinary benefits to Canadians as proud Canadian citizens. We will continue to stand with the community that is the victim of interference, rather than perpetrators—
[Translation]
Health
Mr. Speaker, we are in a pediatric health crisis. The Prime Minister promised $3.2 billion to hire 7,500 new doctors and nurses. It is a promise that could help us deal with this crisis.
I have a simple question. Where is that money?
Mr. Speaker, we have made commitments to ensure that Canadians have access to family doctors, and we are delivering on those commitments.
We have the money to invest in health care systems across the country, but we need the provinces to make commitments and demonstrate that they will deliver the results Canadians expect.
For too long now, people have been waiting in emergency rooms, waiting for health care and waiting to get a family doctor. We need to see results. That is why we will be there with the money when we see promises to deliver results.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is ducking his responsibilities as well as his promises.
Here is another promise the Prime Minister made: He promised $4.5 billion to establish the Canada mental health transfer.
Here is another simple question: Where is that money?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that my NDP colleague is highlighting all the investments we are preparing to make in health care systems. However, Canadians know full well that we cannot just give the provinces blank cheques.
We need results. We need to see improvements in services to citizens, to families, to people who need those services.
That is why we are working with health ministers across the country. We want to make sure we are delivering real results to Canadian families.
[English]
The Economy
Mr. Speaker, my constituents in London West and all Canadians have been through a lot this year, whether it is the pandemic, global inflation, the devastating effects of climate change or the growing uncertainty on the world stage.
Canadians are looking to their government for both stability and solutions. As we approach this holiday season, can the Prime Minister inform us of the steps the government is taking to ensure that we have an economy that works for everyone in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for London West for her hard work on behalf of her constituents. I know that she will be pleased to welcome another strong advocate to the Ontario caucus in the newly elected Liberal member for Mississauga—Lakeshore.
Together, this government will continue to deliver results by putting more money back in the pockets of Canadians who need it most. People in Mississauga and across Canada reject the Conservative leader's reckless proposal to opt out of inflation with cryptocurrencies and are instead opting in to the government's plan to make life more affordable, to make our communities safer and to protect our environment.
Medical Assistance in Dying
Mr. Speaker, we have warned Canadians about the government's medical assistance in dying legislation. The bottom line is that this literally life-or-death legislation deserves thorough review.
We must ensure vulnerable people are protected. It is very disappointing to see that the Liberal government is offering state-sanctioned suicide to our military heroes instead of providing them with the care they need. This is so wrong on so many levels.
Will the Prime Minister please press pause on this deeply flawed legislation?
Mr. Speaker, medical assistance in dying is a deeply personal and complex choice that touches people and families at an extremely difficult time in their lives.
Since day one, our focus has been on creating a framework that has strong safeguards, that protects the most vulnerable and that remains compassionate. We will continue to make that our focus at every step and will continue to work closely with provinces, territories, medical experts and indeed all parliamentarians as we move forward on this process.
Mr. Speaker, the safeguards simply are not working. In too many cases, vulnerable Canadians, including injured veterans and persons with disabilities, are being offered assisted suicide instead of the supports they want and need from the system.
The heads of psychiatry at all of Canada's 17 medical schools have called for a delay to the Liberals' deeply flawed MAID legislation, which would expand eligibility to those with mental disorders in March of next year.
Will the Prime Minister finally listen to the experts, finally listen to vulnerable Canadians and press pause on this deeply flawed MAID expansion?
Mr. Speaker, the safety and security of our most vulnerable must remain at the forefront of our considerations. We need to be careful and thoughtful in our approach at every step. That is why we are continuing to work with experts, including those on the front lines and those with lived experience, while working with all parliamentarians and provinces and territories, to ensure there is a strong framework in place.
Firearms
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, a Toronto man shot and killed his friend. He spent only five years in jail. Then he was charged in 2021 with another shooting. While out on bail for that, he was charged for running a massive gun smuggling ring of the very guns that are being used by criminals like him to terrorize people in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Winnipeg.
This is what is going on in our cities. Clearly gangs are the problem. Why is the Prime Minister going after hunters?
Mr. Speaker, after the previous Conservative government cut about $1 billion from law enforcement and border agencies, we stepped up to ensure that our enforcement agencies had the tools they need. We have also invested massively in community safety programs and in support for young people, and, yes, have moved forward on gun control to make sure there is a freeze on the market for handguns and that we ban assault-style weapons.
This is something we are going to continue to work on. We will continue to work with law-abiding hunters and fishers to ensure that the right guns are banned, but we will make sure we are doing the right thing for all Canadians.
[Translation]
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the leader of the Bloc Québécois are totally out of touch when it comes to the safety of Quebeckers. They are working together to criminalize law-abiding citizens, while allowing criminals to roam free in our communities.
Why are they so out of touch?
Mr. Speaker, what we are seeing and what we have seen over the past few years is that the so-called “tough on crime” laws brought in by the former Conservative government have been gradually removed from the Criminal Code and struck down by the court because they did not work. Obviously, a law that cannot remain in place cannot work to protect our citizens.
That is why we are moving forward with respect for our justice system and our judges and ensuring that we really are keeping people safe with laws that have staying power.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
Mr. Speaker, Roxham Road is breaking records. By the end of the year, 40,000 asylum seekers will have likely used that route. That is why Quebec's immigration minister, Christine Fréchette, is asking the federal government for funding so that Quebec can give asylum seekers money to help them learn French. It is a good idea, one that is both humane and productive, and it would be one way of supporting them during the long months they will have to wait for Ottawa to issue them a work permit.
Since the Prime Minister is responsible for Roxham Road, will he provide funds to help asylum seekers learn French while waiting to work?
Mr. Speaker, since this situation started, we have been there to invest, to establish a partnership and to help Quebeckers continue showing their trademark generosity by welcoming asylum seekers.
We recognize that this is a heavy burden for the Quebec government to bear, so we are here to provide support. I would like to point out that we send more than $700 million a year to the Quebec government for French-language learning programs. We will continue to be there to ensure that Quebec continues to implement those programs.
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister says he wants Quebec to welcome 112,000 newcomers every year, what he really means is 112,000 plus the 40,000 from Roxham Road. He expects Quebec to welcome a total of 152,000 people every year, but is he also providing more money for French language instruction? We just got our answer, and it is no. Is he increasing health transfers in response to demographic changes? The answer is no. What about the full-blown housing crisis? Is he providing more money to keep pace with the growing population? Again, the answer is no.
Does the Prime Minister realize that immigration is about real people, not just a number to be bandied about?
Mr. Speaker, as I just said, we send the Government of Quebec more than $700 million every year for French-language learning programs. If Quebec wants more, it need only ask because we believe in helping newcomers learn French, and we are happy to help.
What I want to make crystal clear is that Quebec can set its own immigration thresholds. If it wants more immigrants, it can accept more. We will gladly rise to the challenge so we can address the labour shortage.
[English]
Ethics
Mr. Speaker, it is another day, and another Liberal minister is found guilty of breaking ethics laws. This time, it is the international trade minister who, through a shady deal, gave tens of thousands of dollars to her BFF, CBC pundit Amanda Alvaro. The history of this pair goes back to when they worked for the corrupt Ontario McGuinty Liberals. Old habits might die hard for these two, but Canadians deserve better.
Is the reason the Prime Minister will not fire his minister that he would be holding her to a higher standard than he holds himself?
Mr. Speaker, basically, we respect the work of the commissioner and the work the office does. The minister has taken full responsibility and apologized.
Mr. Speaker, “full responsibility” is not a forced apology and crocodile tears. It is a resignation, and that is what Canadians expect from members of the King's Privy Council. It was fine for Art Eggleton. When he gave tens of thousands of dollars to an old girlfriend, he knew he had to resign. What we do not know is why there is a different set of rules for the Prime Minister and for the minister.
Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing, show Canadians there are actions they need to be held accountable for, and fire the minister today?
Mr. Speaker, the minister has taken full responsibility and apologized.
[Translation]
Mr. Speaker, this is not the first Liberal scandal. There was also WE Charity, SNC-Lavalin, and the list goes on.
In the latest ethics violation, the Minister of International Trade awarded two contracts to her very close friend, Amanda Alvaro. An apology is just not enough when Canadians' wallets are empty and the Liberals are lining their friends' pockets on the backs of taxpayers. It is not complicated. The minister needs to step down.
Will the minister step down on her own, or will the Prime Minister have to force her to do so?
Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, since launching our detailed 2030 emissions reduction plan, attending COP27 in Egypt and organizing COP15 in Montreal, our government has been working diligently on climate action.
Can the Prime Minister inform the House of Canada's progress in the fight against climate change?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Madawaska—Restigouche for his question and his hard work.
We are taking concrete action to address climate change and the loss of biodiversity. This year, we launched Canada's very first national adaptation strategy. We also announced, together with 38 other countries, that we are ending new support for the international unabated fossil fuel energy sector by the end of the year.
We will continue to implement ambitious measures to ensure that we have clean air and can build a healthier future for all.
[English]
Statistics Canada
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have found a solution to record-high food inflation. It is to wipe the stats away from existence. We have record, 40-year high inflation, food prices are up 11%, and more than half of Canadian families are worried about their ability to put food on the table.
What is the Liberals' solution? It is to erase more than 25 years of historical food inflation data from the StatsCan website. The Liberal government, which pretends to make decisions based on science and data, has erased 25 years of vital inflation information from the website. Why?
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons on data from the former Conservative government, which tried to cancel the long-form census because it did not want decisions to be based on facts and data.
We will follow up. These are troubling allegations. We will ensure that the data remains accessible to Canadians every step of the way.
Canadians are facing tough times right now, but times would be even tougher if they had followed the advice of the leader of the official opposition when he said to buy cryptocurrencies to “opt out” of inflation. They would have lost half their life savings. That is not responsible leadership.
Mr. Speaker, these are not allegations. The Liberals are covering up their inflation record by erasing 25 years of vital food inflation data from the StatsCan website. The Prime Minister cannot hide from those facts. The facts are that the tripling of the carbon tax will cost a typical Canadian farmer $150,000 a year. The facts are that researchers have already said that eliminating this data is making the research harder, and it no longer believes or trusts the numbers coming from the Liberal government.
Those are the facts. The Prime Minister cannot hide from them. Why is he trying to cover up his inflation record by eliminating data from the StatsCan website?
Mr. Speaker, obviously these are concerning allegations and we will be following up on them, because we are the government that restored the long-form census; we are the government that bases policy on data and evidence, and we will continue to.
Talking about evidence and facts, it is important for the Conservatives to stop misleading Canadians and—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
I am sorry. The odd heckle coming out is one thing, but when you are trying to drown someone out, that is really not polite and is not parliamentary.
I would ask the right hon. Prime Minister to start from the top.
Mr. Speaker, obviously these allegations are concerning and we will be following up on them.
The Conservative Party, which continually waged war on facts when it was in government, by eliminating the long-form census and not being transparent with Canadians, continues to try to mislead Canadians on the price on pollution, which actually puts more money back in the pockets of hard-working Canadians every single year, four times a year, because it is a way of both fighting climate change and helping families balance their books. These are important things to continue—
[Translation]
The Economy
Mr. Speaker, today we learned that the position of prime minister is shared between the Liberals and the NDP. They are two peas in a pod.
No matter which leader the costly coalition chooses to sit in that chair—or at the cottage—the results will be the same: billions of dollars in inflationary spending on the backs of Canadians, who have never had to pay so much for their Christmas dinner, the worst inflation in 40 years, and food banks that cannot keep up with demand.
My question is the following: Will we see a difference in 2023?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives complain that we invest too much money in helping Canadians, we know that they are still pushing for austerity. We are giving $1,300 over the next two years to families who could not afford to take their children to the dentist. The Conservatives voted against those measures. That is $1,300 in the pockets of Canadian families who need it. Tens of thousands of families are already using this benefit, because it contributes to the health of their children and helps them cover expenses.
We are there to help the—
[English]
Housing
Mr. Speaker, in my riding of West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, many have long struggled with the high cost of housing. More recently this has been extended to high costs for those who are renting. That is why it is so important that our government introduced a $500 top-up payment to the Canada housing benefit, which passed in the House last month.
Can the Prime Minister please tell us about when folks can expect to receive this benefit?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country for his hard work for his constituents.
We know that higher rental costs are impacting so many Canadians across the country. That is why we brought in a $500 top-up to the Canada housing benefit, which will help almost two million Canadians who need it most. Just recently I had the pleasure to announce that applications for the payment are now open. I encourage those eligible to apply.
Our government will always have the backs of Canadians.
Indigenous Affairs
Mr. Speaker, yesterday family members and indigenous leaders wrote an urgent request to ministers. They are asking the government to provide resources for searches of the Prairie Green and Brady landfills to find the remains of loved ones, and to invite the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to oversee the searches after the Winnipeg Police said indigenous people are “on their own”.
The Prime Minister admitted the crisis of murdered and missing indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people was a genocide. Will he respond to these demands and make federal resources available now?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians' hearts are breaking for the terrible news coming out of Winnipeg on more missing and murdered indigenous women. This is absolutely unacceptable. We have received the letters from the families. We see the level of pain, and the federal government will look to do whatever it can to support the province, the city and whoever needs support in terms of getting closure and justice for these families.
Health
Mr. Speaker, in the last election the Liberals promised a new $4.5-billion mental health transfer to the provinces. To date, they have not funded a single cent of it. Mental health advocates across the country are calling for these funds.
In my community alone, almost 4,000 people are waiting for mental health and addictions care right now. Will the Prime Minister follow through on his election promise and fund the mental health transfer in budget 2023?
Mr. Speaker, we made the commitment to funding mental health supports across the country because we saw and heard clearly from Canadians that more needs to be done and that they need to have better access to mental health supports, whether they are students, whether they are seniors, whether they are working Canadians or whether they are farmers who are facing real challenges.
We know that being there for Canadians is essential. That is why we are working with the provinces to make sure they are delivering those mental health resources. Yes, we will be there with funding. We need to see results and better outcomes for Canadians.
Business of the House
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties, and I believe if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion.
I move:
That, notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House, following the completion of today's routine proceedings:
(a) a member from each recognized party and a member from the Green Party may make a brief statement regarding the end of the sitting; and
(b) after the statements, the House shall stand adjourned until Monday, January 30, 2023, provided that, for the purposes of any standing order, it shall be deemed to have been adjourned pursuant to Standing Order 28 and be deemed to have sat on Thursday, December 15 and Friday, December 16, 2022.
Routine Proceedings
[Routine Proceedings]
[English]
Committees of the House
Foreign Affairs and International Development
The House resumed from December 13 consideration of the motion.
(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)
(Division No. 243)
YEAS
Members
AboultaifAitchison
Albas
Aldag
Alghabra
Ali
Allison
Anand
Anandasangaree
Angus
Arnold
Arseneault
Arya
Atwin
Bachrach
Badawey
Bains
Baker
Baldinelli
Barlow
Barrett
Barron
Barsalou-Duval
Battiste
Beaulieu
Beech
Bendayan
Bennett
Benzen
Bergen
Bergeron
Berthold
Bérubé
Bezan
Bibeau
Bittle
Blaikie
Blair
Blanchet
Blanchette-Joncas
Blaney
Block
Blois
Boissonnault
Boulerice
Bradford
Bragdon
Brassard
Brière
Brock
Brunelle-Duceppe
Calkins
Cannings
Caputo
Carrie
Casey
Chabot
Chagger
Chahal
Chambers
Champagne
Champoux
Chatel
Chen
Chiang
Chong
Collins (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek)
Collins (Victoria)
Cooper
Cormier
Dabrusin
Dalton
Damoff
Dancho
Davidson
DeBellefeuille
d'Entremont
Desbiens
Desilets
Desjarlais
Dhaliwal
Dhillon
Diab
Dong
Dowdall
Dreeshen
Drouin
Dubourg
Duclos
Duguid
Duncan (Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry)
Duncan (Etobicoke North)
Dzerowicz
El-Khoury
Ellis
Epp
Erskine-Smith
Falk (Battlefords—Lloydminster)
Falk (Provencher)
Fast
Fergus
Ferreri
Fillmore
Findlay
Fisher
Fonseca
Fortier
Fortin
Fragiskatos
Fraser
Fry
Gaheer
Gallant
Garneau
Garon
Garrison
Gaudreau
Gazan
Généreux
Genuis
Gerretsen
Gill
Gladu
Godin
Goodridge
Gould
Gourde
Gray
Green
Guilbeault
Hajdu
Hallan
Hanley
Hardie
Hepfner
Hoback
Holland
Housefather
Hughes
Hussen
Hutchings
Iacono
Idlout
Ien
Jaczek
Jeneroux
Johns
Joly
Jowhari
Julian
Kayabaga
Kelly
Khalid
Khera
Kitchen
Kmiec
Koutrakis
Kram
Kramp-Neuman
Kurek
Kusie
Kusmierczyk
Kwan
Lake
Lalonde
Lambropoulos
Lametti
Lamoureux
Lantsman
Lapointe
Larouche
Lattanzio
Lauzon
Lawrence
LeBlanc
Lebouthillier
Lehoux
Lemire
Lewis (Essex)
Lewis (Haldimand—Norfolk)
Liepert
Lightbound
Lloyd
Lobb
Long
Longfield
Louis (Kitchener—Conestoga)
MacAulay (Cardigan)
MacDonald (Malpeque)
MacGregor
MacKenzie
MacKinnon (Gatineau)
Maguire
Maloney
Martel
Martinez Ferrada
Masse
Mathyssen
May (Cambridge)
May (Saanich—Gulf Islands)
Mazier
McCauley (Edmonton West)
McDonald (Avalon)
McGuinty
McKay
McKinnon (Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam)
McLean
McLeod
McPherson
Melillo
Mendès
Mendicino
Miao
Michaud
Miller
Moore
Morantz
Morrice
Morrison
Morrissey
Motz
Murray
Muys
Naqvi
Nater
Ng
Noormohamed
Normandin
O'Connell
Oliphant
O'Regan
O'Toole
Patzer
Paul-Hus
Pauzé
Perkins
Perron
Petitpas Taylor
Plamondon
Poilievre
Powlowski
Qualtrough
Rayes
Redekopp
Reid
Rempel Garner
Richards
Roberts
Robillard
Rodriguez
Rogers
Romanado
Rood
Ruff
Sahota
Sajjan
Saks
Samson
Sarai
Savard-Tremblay
Scarpaleggia
Scheer
Schiefke
Schmale
Seeback
Serré
Sgro
Shanahan
Sheehan
Shields
Shipley
Sidhu (Brampton East)
Sidhu (Brampton South)
Simard
Sinclair-Desgagné
Singh
Small
Sorbara
Soroka
Steinley
Ste-Marie
Stewart
St-Onge
Strahl
Stubbs
Sudds
Tassi
Taylor Roy
Thériault
Therrien
Thomas
Thompson
Tochor
Tolmie
Trudeau
Trudel
Turnbull
Uppal
Valdez
Van Bynen
van Koeverden
Van Popta
Vandal
Vandenbeld
Vecchio
Vidal
Viersen
Vignola
Villemure
Virani
Vis
Wagantall
Warkentin
Waugh
Webber
Weiler
Wilkinson
Williams
Williamson
Yip
Zahid
Zarrillo
Zimmer
Zuberi
Total: -- 324
NAYS
NilPAIRED
NilGovernment Orders
[Government Orders]
[Translation]
Online News Act
The House resumed from December 13 consideration of the motion that Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada, be read the third time and passed.
[English]
(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)
(Division No. 244)
YEAS
Members
AldagAlghabra
Ali
Anand
Anandasangaree
Angus
Arseneault
Arya
Ashton
Atwin
Bachrach
Badawey
Bains
Baker
Barron
Barsalou-Duval
Battiste
Beaulieu
Beech
Bendayan
Bennett
Bergeron
Bérubé
Bibeau
Bittle
Blaikie
Blair
Blanchet
Blanchette-Joncas
Blaney
Blois
Boissonnault
Boulerice
Bradford
Brière
Brunelle-Duceppe
Cannings
Casey
Chabot
Chagger
Chahal
Champagne
Champoux
Chatel
Chen
Chiang
Collins (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek)
Collins (Victoria)
Cormier
Coteau
Dabrusin
Damoff
Davies
DeBellefeuille
Desbiens
Desilets
Desjarlais
Dhaliwal
Dhillon
Diab
Dong
Drouin
Dubourg
Duclos
Duguid
Duncan (Etobicoke North)
Dzerowicz
El-Khoury
Erskine-Smith
Fergus
Fillmore
Fisher
Fonseca
Fortier
Fortin
Fragiskatos
Fraser
Fry
Gaheer
Garneau
Garon
Garrison
Gaudreau
Gazan
Gerretsen
Gill
Gould
Green
Guilbeault
Hajdu
Hanley
Hardie
Hepfner
Holland
Housefather
Hughes
Hussen
Hutchings
Iacono
Idlout
Ien
Jaczek
Johns
Jowhari
Julian
Kayabaga
Kelloway
Khalid
Khera
Koutrakis
Kusmierczyk
Kwan
Lalonde
Lambropoulos
Lametti
Lamoureux
Lapointe
Larouche
Lattanzio
Lauzon
LeBlanc
Lebouthillier
Lemire
Lightbound
Long
Longfield
Louis (Kitchener—Conestoga)
MacAulay (Cardigan)
MacDonald (Malpeque)
MacGregor
MacKenzie
MacKinnon (Gatineau)
Maloney
Martinez Ferrada
Masse
Mathyssen
May (Cambridge)
May (Saanich—Gulf Islands)
McDonald (Avalon)
McGuinty
McKay
McKinnon (Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam)
McLeod
McPherson
Mendès
Mendicino
Miao
Michaud
Miller
Morrice
Morrissey
Murray
Naqvi
Ng
Noormohamed
Normandin
O'Connell
Oliphant
O'Regan
Pauzé
Perron
Petitpas Taylor
Plamondon
Powlowski
Qualtrough
Rayes
Robillard
Rodriguez
Rogers
Romanado
Sahota
Sajjan
Saks
Samson
Sarai
Savard-Tremblay
Scarpaleggia
Schiefke
Serré
Sgro
Shanahan
Sheehan
Sidhu (Brampton East)
Sidhu (Brampton South)
Simard
Sinclair-Desgagné
Singh
Sorbara
Ste-Marie
St-Onge
Sudds
Tassi
Taylor Roy
Thériault
Therrien
Thompson
Trudeau
Trudel
Turnbull
Valdez
Van Bynen
van Koeverden
Vandal
Vandenbeld
Vignola
Villemure
Virani
Weiler
Wilkinson
Yip
Zahid
Zarrillo
Zuberi
Total: -- 213
NAYS
Members
AboultaifAitchison
Albas
Allison
Arnold
Baldinelli
Barlow
Barrett
Benzen
Bergen
Berthold
Bezan
Block
Bragdon
Brassard
Brock
Calkins
Caputo
Carrie
Chambers
Chong
Cooper
Dalton
Dancho
Davidson
d'Entremont
Dowdall
Dreeshen
Duncan (Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry)
Ellis
Epp
Falk (Battlefords—Lloydminster)
Falk (Provencher)
Fast
Ferreri
Findlay
Gallant
Généreux
Genuis
Gladu
Godin
Goodridge
Gourde
Gray
Hallan
Hoback
Jeneroux
Kelly
Kitchen
Kmiec
Kram
Kramp-Neuman
Kurek
Kusie
Lake
Lantsman
Lawrence
Lehoux
Lewis (Essex)
Lewis (Haldimand—Norfolk)
Liepert
Lloyd
Lobb
Maguire
Martel
Mazier
McCauley (Edmonton West)
McLean
Melillo
Moore
Morantz
Morrison
Motz
Muys
Nater
O'Toole
Patzer
Paul-Hus
Perkins
Poilievre
Redekopp
Reid
Rempel Garner
Richards
Roberts
Rood
Ruff
Scheer
Schmale
Seeback
Shields
Shipley
Small
Soroka
Steinley
Stewart
Strahl
Stubbs
Thomas
Tochor
Tolmie
Uppal
Van Popta
Vecchio
Vidal
Viersen
Vis
Wagantall
Warkentin
Waugh
Webber
Williams
Williamson
Zimmer
Total: -- 114
PAIRED
NilPrivate Members' Business
[Private Members' Business]
[English]
Criminal Code
The House resumed from December 7 consideration of the motion that Bill S-223, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (trafficking in human organs), be read the third time and passed.
Pursuant to order made on Thursday, June 23, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at third reading stage of Bill S-223 under Private Members' Business.
(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)
(Division No. 245)
YEAS
Members
AboultaifAitchison
Albas
Aldag
Alghabra
Ali
Allison
Anand
Anandasangaree
Arnold
Arseneault
Arya
Ashton
Atwin
Bachrach
Badawey
Bains
Baker
Baldinelli
Barlow
Barrett
Barron
Barsalou-Duval
Battiste
Beaulieu
Beech
Bendayan
Bennett
Benzen
Bergen
Bergeron
Berthold
Bérubé
Bezan
Bibeau
Bittle
Blaikie
Blair
Blanchet
Blanchette-Joncas
Blaney
Block
Blois
Boissonnault
Boulerice
Bradford
Bragdon
Brassard
Brière
Brock
Brunelle-Duceppe
Calkins
Cannings
Caputo
Carrie
Casey
Chabot
Chagger
Chahal
Chambers
Champagne
Champoux
Chatel
Chen
Chiang
Chong
Collins (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek)
Collins (Victoria)
Cooper
Cormier
Coteau
Dabrusin
Dalton
Damoff
Dancho
Davidson
Davies
DeBellefeuille
Desbiens
Desilets
Desjarlais
Dhaliwal
Dhillon
Diab
Dong
Dowdall
Dreeshen
Drouin
Dubourg
Duclos
Duguid
Duncan (Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry)
Duncan (Etobicoke North)
Dzerowicz
El-Khoury
Ellis
Epp
Erskine-Smith
Falk (Battlefords—Lloydminster)
Falk (Provencher)
Fast
Fergus
Ferreri
Fillmore
Findlay
Fisher
Fonseca
Fortier
Fortin
Fragiskatos
Fraser
Fry
Gaheer
Gallant
Garneau
Garon
Garrison
Gaudreau
Gazan
Généreux
Genuis
Gerretsen
Gill
Gladu
Godin
Goodridge
Gould
Gourde
Gray
Green
Guilbeault
Hajdu
Hallan
Hanley
Hardie
Hepfner
Hoback
Holland
Housefather
Hughes
Hussen
Hutchings
Iacono
Idlout
Ien
Jaczek
Jeneroux
Johns
Joly
Jowhari
Julian
Kayabaga
Kelloway
Kelly
Khalid
Khera
Kitchen
Kmiec
Koutrakis
Kram
Kramp-Neuman
Kurek
Kusie
Kusmierczyk
Kwan
Lake
Lalonde
Lametti
Lamoureux
Lantsman
Lapointe
Larouche
Lattanzio
Lauzon
Lawrence
LeBlanc
Lebouthillier
Lehoux
Lemire
Lewis (Essex)
Lewis (Haldimand—Norfolk)
Liepert
Lightbound
Lloyd
Lobb
Long
Longfield
Louis (Kitchener—Conestoga)
MacAulay (Cardigan)
MacDonald (Malpeque)
MacGregor
MacKinnon (Gatineau)
Maguire
Maloney
Martel
Martinez Ferrada
Masse
Mathyssen
May (Cambridge)
May (Saanich—Gulf Islands)
Mazier
McCauley (Edmonton West)
McDonald (Avalon)
McGuinty
McKay
McKinnon (Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam)
McLean
McLeod
McPherson
Melillo
Mendès
Mendicino
Miao
Michaud
Miller
Moore
Morantz
Morrice
Morrison
Morrissey
Motz
Murray
Muys
Naqvi
Nater
Ng
Noormohamed
Normandin
O'Connell
Oliphant
O'Regan
O'Toole
Patzer
Paul-Hus
Pauzé
Perkins
Perron
Petitpas Taylor
Plamondon
Poilievre
Powlowski
Qualtrough
Rayes
Redekopp
Reid
Rempel Garner
Richards
Roberts
Robillard
Rodriguez
Rogers
Romanado
Rood
Ruff
Sahota
Sajjan
Saks
Samson
Sarai
Savard-Tremblay
Scarpaleggia
Scheer
Schiefke
Schmale
Seeback
Serré
Sgro
Shanahan
Sheehan
Shields
Shipley
Sidhu (Brampton East)
Sidhu (Brampton South)
Simard
Sinclair-Desgagné
Singh
Small
Sorbara
Soroka
Steinley
Ste-Marie
Stewart
St-Onge
Strahl
Stubbs
Sudds
Tassi
Taylor Roy
Thériault
Therrien
Thomas
Thompson
Tochor
Tolmie
Trudeau
Trudel
Turnbull
Uppal
Valdez
Van Bynen
van Koeverden
Van Popta
Vandal
Vandenbeld
Vecchio
Viersen
Vignola
Villemure
Virani
Vis
Wagantall
Warkentin
Waugh
Webber
Weiler
Wilkinson
Williams
Williamson
Yip
Zahid
Zarrillo
Zimmer
Zuberi
Total: -- 323
NAYS
Members
VidalTotal: -- 1
PAIRED
NilHon. Jim Carr
[Tributes]
Mr. Speaker, on Monday, we lost Jim Carr. We heard the news a couple of hours later here in the House and held a moment of silence.
[Translation]
It is news that none of us wanted to hear, news that we were not expecting.
Jim was fighting multiple myeloma and kidney failure, but he always had energy and was able to bear a heavy burden.
[English]
Jim stood in the House last week and talked about how much he loved his country. He said, “I love this country, every square metre of it, in English, in French, in indigenous languages and in the languages of the newly arrived.”
He said this as part of one of his final moments in the House, which were marked by the triumph of passing his private member's bill, the building a green prairie economy act. It is an act that is about preserving a way of life in the Prairies and unleashing a new potential. It is an act that makes sure prairie people see themselves represented in national policy, and not just political leaders but workers' unions, indigenous people, farmers and businesses. It is an act that seeks to leave behind a healthier environment. It is an act of hope for the future and an act of love for his country.
It is also an act of courage. Jim understood that this would not be his future, but that it was ours, his kids' and his grandkids'.
In October, Jim told me that he was stopping treatment. It was a private moment in his hometown. Jim knew it was for the best, but he never let up on his commitment to serving Winnipeggers, western Canadians and all Canadians and to building a better future.
[Translation]
Each of us has only one life. Jim showed us how to live it right, how to live it with decency and integrity, how to give of ourselves to others and how to leave the world a better place than it was when we came into it.
We will miss Jim in caucus and at the cabinet table, but his family are the ones who will miss him most.
[English]
Jim embodied the unique set of characteristics that distinguish people from the Prairies: his clear-headedness, his pragmatism and his decency. Our government will forever be better for it. All the staff who worked for him were drawn in by his warmth, and the members of the public service too. Jim was a gentleman. He was a mentor. Jim was a friend to many. Jim was a great Canadian.
Jim dedicated himself to public service right up until the very end of his life, but Jim lived many lives and distinguished himself in many ways.
[Translation]
He was an oboist in the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and he was passionate about music. He was a journalist and a strong believer in the essential role that a free press plays in a strong democracy. He was a devout believer of Jewish faith and a leader in his spiritual community.
[English]
Most importantly, he was a husband to Colleen; a father to Ben, Rachel, Rebecca, Kiernan, Daniel and Jesse; and a grandfather to Michelle, Sophia and Markian. To his family, I hope that the gratitude of all Canadians for Jim's service, thoughtfulness, kindness and generosity up until the very end can comfort you as you grieve. May his memory be a blessing.
Mr. Speaker, “I am encouraged, excited and optimistic about how we can strengthen our federation in ways we have strived to achieve as a nation for decades.” These were words from the speech delivered just this year on his private member's bill. Jim was a nation builder and a gentleman, but most of all, Jim was a true mensch.
It is not easy for members to get their bills passed around here. It is a rare accomplishment. It is a blessing Jim lived to see his bill pass the House. His bill was the building of a green economy in the Prairies act. It just passed the House last week.
Although it is a rare accomplishment for any MP, for Jim it was one of many great accomplishments in his life. Jim was a husband, a father, a politician, a journalist and an accomplished musician. In fact, he was an oboist who played with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. He would always greet people with a great big smile, and he was always interested in how he could help them. As a politician, he was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in 1988 as the MLA for Fort Rouge and then Crescentwood in Winnipeg, where he served as the deputy leader of the official opposition for the Manitoba Liberals.
Jim left provincial politics in 1992 to become a well-respected editorial writer and columnist. In 1998, he co-founded the Business Council of Manitoba, where he served as its president and CEO until 2015.
It was in 2011 when he and I first met. I had decided to run in the 2011 provincial election, and I asked to meet with him in his capacity as head of the Business Council of Manitoba to discuss its policies. He immediately agreed to the meeting, and I am pretty sure we met for over two hours that day, debating the nuances of the Manitoba economy and the importance of well-developed policy. In fact, I remember a long discussion over whether the provincial sales tax should be increased from 7% to 8%. Of course, as a good Tory, I argued against this increase. In the end, a gentleman throughout, Jim agreed to disagree with me on that one.
During that meeting, Jim and I also discussed his admiration for former Manitoba premier Duff Roblin. Jim admired Roblin for bringing in transformative education reform in the 1960s, and of course everyone admired Premier Roblin for getting the Red River Floodway built, what Manitobans affectionately call “Duff's Ditch.”
During that meeting, Jim told me that he and Premier Roblin were in fact close friends. Premier Roblin had just passed away. Jim also told me he had assisted Premier Roblin in the writing of his memoir and was a close confidant of the former premier. Even then, Jim was building bridges. Premier Roblin was a Progressive Conservative and Jim was a Liberal, but it did not matter what one's political party was for Jim. What mattered was what could be accomplished together.
When Premier Roblin passed away in 2010, Jim gave the eulogy, saying “throughout his long stint in public life, Roblin never had an ill word to say about anybody...Civility and respect were never compromised.” Today, I am saying that about Jim.
In 2015, 23 years after he left the Manitoba legislature, Jim was elected as the member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre, a role he cherished. He loved serving his constituents and he loved solving problems. He served in cabinet as Minister of Natural Resources, Minister of International Trade Diversification and special representative for the Prairies.
It goes without saying that Jim had the respect of all members of the House regardless of their political affiliation. He was a fearless advocate for the interest of Winnipeg, Manitoba and Canada.
Just three weeks ago, I was with him at the grand opening of The Leaf at Diversity Garden in Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg, where he spoke optimistically about the future of Winnipeg. Jim was always an insightful and thoughtful speaker, and I always enjoyed very much listening to his words.
Jim was also a strong supporter and well-respected member of Winnipeg's Jewish community. He would regularly attend community events and give remarks. He was a fighter against all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, but in true form, always the bridge builder, he joined Winnipeg's Arab Jewish Dialogue, where members of both communities would meet regularly together to discuss and try to solve issues.
In the speech Jim gave about his bill, he started it by talking about how he had won the private member's bill lottery. He said, “one does not plan in life to win the lottery, but when one does, one is left with decisions about how to take advantage of the good fortune.” I think it is safe to say that all Canadians won the lottery for having Jim share his life with us. It was our good fortune.
On behalf of my Conservative colleagues, I want to offer our sincerest condolences to his spouse, Colleen Suche, his children, grandchildren and his extended family.
In Judaism, there is a concept called tikkun olam. It literally means repair the world to make it a better place. There can be no doubt that Jim Carr left this world a far better place.
May his soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life and may his memory be a blessing.
[Member spoke in Hebrew and provided the following translation:]
Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe, the judge of truth.
[English]
Jim will be missed.
[Translation]
Mr. Speaker, first of all, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I would like to offer our most sincere condolences to the family of the Hon. Jim Carr, to his friends and to his colleagues in the House, especially his colleagues in the Liberal Party.
Some words are harder to speak than others. I wish our colleague Jim could have heard the kind words we had for him today, but life decided otherwise. It is with a heavy heart, but with the greatest pride, that we pay tribute to him.
When I was asked to speak, I gave a great deal of thought about how to do it properly. I could begin by praising his poise, his sincerity and his sense of duty as a parliamentarian. I could highlight his early political career at the provincial level in Manitoba, where it quickly became clear that a formidable leader, proud of his roots and the people he represented, was emerging.
I could highlight his work as the special representative to the Prairies, as minister of international trade diversification or as minister of natural resources, where he undertook extensive work to ensure that our country would develop its resources in a way consistent with our environmental targets and the challenges of climate change.
In fact, he recently saw his own bill pass through third reading in the House and first reading in the Senate. He was determined that “his” prairies, which he held so dear, would become greener.
In politics, we have debates. We see the problems and the challenges facing our society, and we look for solutions. We rarely agree, and that is a good thing. The multiple ideas at play and the different perspectives help us reflect. From time to time, when we listen to one another, when we speak to one another without partisanship and with goodwill, we can come up with good ideas that serve the public interest.
Jim Carr was a politician who knew how to listen and who, as we saw last week in his last speech, respected his political opponents. We, in turn, respected him.
I could have just spoken about his political journey in the House. However, I would have missed what was important. Jim was first and foremost an extraordinary person. He was a good, gentle, generous and brilliant man. He was a man whose heart was in the right place. Jim saw the human being behind the parliamentarian no matter their political stripe.
I met Jim about a year ago. He had just been appointed chair of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, and he wanted to get to know the MPs he would be working with. We had a Zoom meeting one Tuesday in January, to talk about this and that, and to get to know one another. We talked about our lives, our backgrounds, our families and our interests.
With how busy our lives are all the time, I found it amazing that this gentleman took the time to do that. I enjoyed that time and all the time we had together. When he stepped down as chair of the committee a few months ago, we became even closer. We were both in the House on Wednesday afternoons, so that became our time to check in with one another. Jim wanted to be in Parliament until the very end, and he was. He was truly passionate, but more importantly, he was a fighter. I see Jim as a model of honesty and kindness. The time I spent with him is etched in my memory, and I will think of him every time I set foot in the House. I will no longer see his focused and caring gaze, but I know he will watch over us.
When we lose a loved one, we always immediately think of the last time we saw them and the last words we said to them. We want to turn back the clock and have more time. I will always cherish one of the last things he said to me.
[English]
He said, “You are a rising star in Parliament, and it is fun watching you grow day by day. I will see you in the House.”
[Translation]
To my dear friend Jim, you were a great inspiration to me and I will miss you terribly. Rest in peace.
[English]
I will see you in the House.
[Translation]
Once again, I offer my deepest condolences to all those who loved him.
[English]
Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon with sadness to pay tribute to our friend and colleague Jim Carr. Jim was very much a friend and colleague to everyone here. In my experience, he was the best kind of politician, someone who truly believed in serving his community, his province and his country. He was someone who was always trying to reach across the aisle to work together with all sides and who sought to bring people together.
I think some of those characteristics came from his varied career path. He used to say he was a bit of a hippie in his youth. He was even a member of the NDP for a while.
He was a professional musician, playing oboe with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and was a journalist with the Winnipeg Free Press.
For a number of years he was a member of the Manitoba legislature. He was also the president of the Business Council of Manitoba and an early advocate for a clean energy strategy for Canada. That is the kind of background that really allows someone to see all sides of an issue and different ways of solving problems.
I got to know Jim when I was the NDP critic for natural resources and he was the minister. We travelled together several times. I did not always agree with him, but he always treated me with complete respect. To my mild discomfort, he several times introduced me at conferences as his “nice critic”. I was a bit torn about that representation, but it really did reflect the collegial relationship we had.
Jim was someone who really wanted to bring people together. In 2017, he organized the Generation Energy conference in his home town of Winnipeg. Jim was very proud of that conference and how it brought together people from all over North America and, indeed, the world in his home town to talk about the shift to clean energy.
In the middle of the conference he invited many attendees to his own house for a party, which turned out to be his birthday party. I do not think the conference was planned to coincide with his birthday, but it was certainly a great way for us to meet interesting people who had come to tackle some of the difficult questions of our time, all the while enjoying Jim and Colleen's hospitality.
The following year, I travelled with Jim to the G20 energy summit in Argentina. There, he was very proud of the hard work he and his team put in to bring the United States on board, with a communiqué that talked of the climate crisis and the need to shift to a greener, low-carbon future. We should remember that this was in the middle of the Trump presidency.
Jim moved into the international trade portfolio later that year, so I did not see so much of him after that. By all accounts, he brought the same energy and conviction to that file as he did with natural resources, having faith that parties that seemed far apart on important issues could be brought closer together with honest dialogue. He was also a great chair at meetings and made sure that the honest dialogue actually led to meaningful action whenever possible.
Jim was so happy to see his private member's bill on building a green economy on the Prairies pass through the House of Commons last week. Despite his long battle with cancer, he looked great and spent time thanking all of us who had supported him. He knew his cancer was terminal, but, as he often said, “Every day counts.”
Jim loved his country. He cared about his community. He went out of his way to encourage new MPs of all parties. We need more people like Jim Carr in this place and at every level of government in Canada.
On behalf of the New Democratic Party caucus, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his wife Colleen and all of his family. I would like to thank them for sharing him with us these past seven years.
To Jim, I would like to say, “Farewell my friend. God speed. Shalom.”
[Translation]
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to all my colleagues for their tributes to our colleague and friend, Jim Carr. I am especially grateful to the Prime Minister, the member for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, the member for Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia and the member for South Okanagan—West Kootenay for their words.
I think everyone felt the same feelings because we lost someone dear to us, someone we all loved very much.
[English]
I had the great honour to know Jim for quite a long time. We got to know each other through an organization that is playing quite a role here at COP15. The International Institute for Sustainable Development is based in Winnipeg. Jim was a member of the board, and I overlapped with him on the board for five years, beginning in 2000. He went on to be the vice-chair of the International Institute for Sustainable Development, and I saw the influence of that experience in working on sustainable development in his work in Parliament. It bound us together as friends before we met in the chamber as fellow members of Parliament.
There have been many words said about Jim's enormous depth of character and his range of interests, none of them superficial. Imagine being interested in music and being able to play oboe at a symphony orchestra; being concerned with the rights of people around the world and serving to meet those ends in Parliament.
In his work for the community, particularly to the member for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley I want to mention knowing what a strong advocate for the Jewish community Jim Carr always was, with his Russian-Jewish ancestors having come to Canada in 1906. He never forgot those roots.
Jim was also, of course, a journalist. So much has been mentioned that I can think of only one thing that has not been shared yet, but I think a lot of us knew it. Jim was really funny. He had a killer sense of humour. He could perhaps have been a professional impersonator. I do not know how many members ever got to see his quite killing imitation of JFK. He had Kennedyesque looks, and he pulled off a Boston accent like nobody's business. He was enormously gifted, and he shared those talents with us all.
The president of the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Richard Florizone, said in the statement from that organization that Jim was “the rare polymath”. That is a tribute to the ways in which he was able to come into our lives, into policy, into politics, into the arts, into community, into business, and never superficially. He has left an enormous impact throughout his life on so many different facets of our society. No doubt, the Prime Minister is exactly right: He loved this country, every inch of it.
I will cherish the memory, but it is almost impossible to believe it was only seven days ago that I hugged Jim next to his desk when Bill C-235 passed. It was a distinct honour, and one I do not take for granted, that he asked me to be his official seconder. It is rare to ask someone who is not in one's own party to second one's bill, but I hold it as a cherished memory. I never would have believed that when I hugged him to congratulate him on Bill C-235, the building a green prairie economy act, it was the last time I would get to hug him.
We knew his days were not many, but each day made a difference, as he said every day he passed my desk to walk down to take his spot in the front row. I would say, “Jim, how are you?” He would say, “Every day is a blessing.” Let us remember his words and live our lives to be worthy of that knowledge, that every day is a blessing. Let us use each day as a blessing in the service of our Lord, whatever faith we follow. Let us remember that every day is a blessing.
We are honoured to have known Jim and to have loved him. I will miss him. I give my deepest condolences and sympathy to Colleen and all the family.
[Translation]
I thank all my colleagues for this opportunity to share a few words in honour of the great human, the great Canadian, the mensch we lost.
Hon. colleagues, it is with heavy hearts that we mark the passing of a great man and an exceptional parliamentarian, the Hon. Jim Carr.
[English]
Musician, journalist, business leader and politician, Jim was a Renaissance man. He excelled at whatever he chose to do. Luckily for those of us here today and for Canada, he chose a life of public service.
With intelligence, kindness and hard work, he committed to making the world a better place for the people of Winnipeg South Centre, Manitobans and all Canadians. His heart was as big as his beloved Prairies.
[Translation]
Jim was a man of passion and action dedicated to making Canada a better country. He was an inspiration to us all. With his smile and his calm and gentle demeanor, he showed us not only how to do politics, but how to live life.
[English]
When Jim had something to say, we all listened. He led by example, always ready to tackle the tough challenges of our time. He was a great communicator and a bridge-builder, not only between individuals but also between different interests and sectors.
He always saw the big picture and kept his focus on what really mattered. He was a wonderful friend and colleague who will be greatly missed.
I hope that in the midst of their grief, Jim's family finds comfort in knowing that his legacy will be deep and enduring in this place and across the country, this Canada that he so much loved.
I invite the hon. members to stand and observe a moment of silence in honour of our dear colleague, the hon. Jim Carr.
[A moment of silence observed]
Privilege
Alleged Misleading Statement by the Member for Burlington—Speaker's Ruling
[Speaker's Ruling]
I am now ready to rule on the question of privilege raised on December 13, 2022, by the member for Haldimand—Norfolk concerning an accusation made by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
The member argued that the minister falsely accused her of having used an offensive word, specifically “anti-Semite”, in relation to another member. She emphatically denies having made such a statement and feels that the minister's accusation has damaged her reputation. She also asked for an apology.
[Translation]
The Chair takes seriously all situations where the reputation of a member is at play. I understand how certain words or accusations can cause offence and the Chair does not doubt that the member from Haldimand—Norfolk felt that way.
After this matter was first raised on December 8, I undertook to review the Debates and audio recordings, not having heard the alleged comment myself that day.
[English]
The Chair can report that the word in question could not be heard through the audio. Since the alleged unparliamentary language could not be confirmed, the Chair is left with two versions of the same event and the impossible task to determine what was said.
Faced with a similar situation, Speaker Milliken stated, on October 30, 2006, in a ruling found at page 4414 of the Debates:
...requesting an apology or a withdrawal—is predicated on a common agreement about what actually took place, either because the exchange appears in the official record or because both parties acknowledge that the exchange took place.
In this case, the official record is not helpful and the Speaker is faced with a dispute, indeed a contradiction, about what actually happened.
[Translation]
Further down, at page 4415 of the Debates, Speaker Milliken added, and I quote:
In the case before the House now, the remarks may or may not have been said. However, it is not for the Speaker to decide where the truth lies.
[English]
There is nothing in the parliamentary record that allows for the Chair to determine whether such a comment was made and by whom. The member for Haldimand—Norfolk has denied making this comment and her denial is on the record. It is not clear to the Chair, though, how this situation prevented the member from accomplishing her parliamentary work.
Consequently, the Chair cannot find a prima facie case of privilege, and therefore cannot give the matter priority over all other proceedings.
[Translation]
The Chair takes this opportunity, once again, to ask all members to conduct themselves in a dignified manner and to show continued respect for one another. All members need to be judicious in their choice of words, on and off the record.
I thank all members for their attention.
Routine Proceedings
[Routine Proceedings]
[English]
Veterans Ombudsman
Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to table “2020-2021 Reports by Federal Authorities with Obligations under Section 71 of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012”. The report is to be forwarded to the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development pursuant to Standing Order 32(5).
Government Response to Petitions
[Translation]
Department of Employment and Social Development Act
Hon. Carla Qualtrough (Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Lib.)
moved for leave to introduce Bill C‑37, An Act to amend the Department of Employment and Social Development Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts (Employment Insurance Board of Appeal).(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Indian Act
[English]
Committees of the House
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, entitled “A Study into the Government of Canada's Promise to Cap Greenhouse Gas Emissions of the Oil and Gas Sector“.
Madam Speaker, on behalf of the members of the Conservative Party on the natural resources committee, I have the honour to table our dissenting report.
The report fails to mention the world-leading standards Canada has. It also fails to address issues like carbon leakage and to give credit to what rural, remote and indigenous communities provide when it comes to service work in the energy sector.
Canada has what the world needs, and that is clean, reliable and affordable energy, and the Liberal emissions cap will substantively prohibit Canada from being able to take its place as a world leader in energy production.
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, entitled “Survival Retirement Pension Benefits (Marriage After 60)”.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Health regarding Bill C-224, an act to establish a national framework for the prevention and treatment of cancers linked to firefighting.
[Translation]
The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.
[English]
We who work in the standing committees are privileged to have the support of some professional support folks from the House of Commons and the Library of Parliament, and I would like to recognize the clerk of the health committee, Patrick Williams, and the analysts from the Library of Parliament, Sarah Dodsworth and Kelly Farrah, and wish them a joyous and peaceful holiday season.
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, entitled “Responding to the Calls for Justice: Addressing Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls in the Context of Resource Development Projects”.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.
I would like to take the opportunity to say thanks for the incredible work that was done by the staff in this committee, with a special thanks to Alexie Labelle. She has served as our clerk for two years and will be graduating out of FEWO and continuing on her great journey.
I thank so much Dominique and Clare, the analysts. It has been wonderful working with everybody, and I am so proud to table this report on behalf of the committee members.
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 22nd report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts in relation to the motion adopted on Friday, December 9, regarding the 2022 reports 9 and 10 of the Auditor General of Canada. The motion reads, “That the committee report to the House that the committee affirms its support for the Auditor General and the independence and integrity of the office and that the committee also request a government response pursuant to Standing Order 109.”
[Translation]
I am also tabling the 23rd report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts entitled “Access to Benefits for Hard-to-Reach Populations”.
[English]
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to each of these two reports.
Like many other members in this House, I am looking forward to the Christmas recess to catch up, but I want to thank the staff of the House and, of course, my assistants on the public accounts committee, the clerk and the analysts.
I wish everyone a merry Christmas.
Madam Speaker, in this place we often talk about firsts, but we do not always get to talk about lasts. As the person who was the last seatmate of the Hon. Jim Carr in the House of Commons, I share my condolences with his family and with all of his team members. I want them to know that he adored them, and because they adored him, I want them to be assured that I adore them, and I will do whatever I can to ensure we get through this challenging time.
I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 19th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs entitled, “Protecting the Parliamentary Precinct: Responding to Evolving Risks”.
I would like to take a moment to thank all colleagues on PROC. Believe it or not, as it is sometimes tough, I really do appreciate all members on PROC, past and present. PROC members would like to thank Justin, our clerk, as well as Laurence and Andre, our analysts. We also appreciate the witnesses. PROC members also thank all support staff, including those in our teams, in the AV and IT crews. I would also like to thank the interpreters, those in food services and all involved in supporting the work that we do.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests the government table a comprehensive response to this report.
We would also like to thank you, Madam Speaker, and your crew. We would like to thank the House administration, all pages and everyone involved in making this place functional to the best of its ability. We hope all keep well and safe, and we look forward to seeing everyone again in 2023.
Madam Speaker, from the outset, Conservatives wish to acknowledge and thank our security and policing professionals for their hard and important work keeping our Parliament safe, secure, open and accessible, as these are important hallmarks of any democratic Legislature.
While I am on my feet, I would like to thank each and every one of those people, and wish them a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.
During the study, the committee heard testimony about the implications the closure of Wellington Street has had on local businesses in downtown Ottawa, which are already suffering from the pandemic and the Liberal government keeping public servants working at home, as well as the disruption it brought to Ottawa and Gatineau's public transit operators.
At the committee table, we also heard a lot about the importance of communication, coordination and collaboration among the assorted police and security services with responsibilities in the national capital region. The importance of taking time to get things right among stakeholders was stressed by witnesses, even by the Liberal public services minister who appeared.
What we did not hear was a call for politicians to decide security arrangements and impose them on the professionals. That is why Conservatives are dissenting from this report. Put simply, we think the majority on the committee is going too far and too fast with its prescriptive recommendations. We would have preferred the professionals collaborate on developing a coherent plan which reflects a consensus of implicated stakeholders subject to parliamentary oversight.
Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities on Bill C-22, an act to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit and making a consequential amendment to the Income Tax Act.
I would like to thank the staff of the committee and all the committee members from all parties who sat on the committee to review this important and historic piece of legislation.
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In regard to the vote on Bill S-223, I am asking for the consent of the House to reflect on the record that the vote in the House was unanimous in its opposition to organ harvesting. I erred when I used the app in my vote. I am looking for the consent of the House to make that vote unanimous.
Petitions
Madam Speaker, before I begin, let me just wish you a merry Christmas. If I may be indulged, I would like to extend that merry Christmas to all Canadians and especially my constituents in Canada's number one riding, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon. I also have a big special thanks to my alma mater Robert Bateman for winning the AA boys football provincial championships. Congratulations to them in their undefeated season. I will now turn to parliamentary business.
Today I am tabling a very important petition signed by constituents in Canada's number one riding about spam calls. Sitting here in Parliament today I had a call from China, from Yunnan province, and it was a spam call. Constituents are demanding that the telecom companies in Canada, and the Government of Canada through regulation, put in force strong anti-spam measures so people can use their home phones again and not be afraid to pick up the phone to hear from someone who should not have their number in the first place.
Madam Speaker, I too would like to extend to everyone in the House, including you and all members, a very merry Christmas and wishes for a happy and blessed new year.
It is an honour to serve in this, the people's House, and I would like to wish all those in Tobique—Mactaquac and their families a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.
I have the honour to present a petition, the signatories of which are calling on the government to pass legislation banning forced organ harvesting and trafficking.
A few minutes ago, legislation on this passed unanimously in the House. I congratulate the mover and all those who supported the bill so it could become law. Those who signed this petition can be quite happy today.
Madam Speaker, I am here today to present a petition from people across Canada who are growing increasingly concerned with what is happening in Iran with respect to the Government of Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp. There is a growing sense that the Government of Canada is not taking action on this issue.
We can all think of Mahsa Amini and some of the other people who have lost their lives through state-sanctioned executions, such as Mohsen Shekari, Majidreza Rahnavard and Kian Pirfalak, who was nine years old. These names join the other 55 Canadians and 30 permanent residents who died when the IRGC shot down Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752.
This petition seeks to immediately list Iran's IRGC as a terrorist entity, deport from Canada any individual connected with the Iranian government or the IRGC, seize the Canadian assets of these individuals and redistribute them to the victims of this regime.
I hope the House of Commons and the Government of Canada hear the plea of these petitioners and take swift action with respect to this matter.
Madam Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of Canadians. The petitioners are calling on Parliament to expeditiously pass legislation banning forced organ harvesting and trafficking.
This afternoon, this House unanimously passed such legislation, Bill S-223. I want to take this moment to commend Senator Salma Ataullahjan and the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan for their steadfast leadership. They are both great champions of human rights.
Madam Speaker, today I rise to present a petition on behalf of 565 constituents, many of whom are members of churches, volunteers for charities and staff in social services organizations in the riding of Haldimand—Norfolk. These constituents have expressed their concern about the pledge made by the Liberal Party in its 2021 platform to deny charitable status to organizations that it labels as providing dishonest counselling to women about their rights and options.
The petitioners are concerned that this policy will jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters and other charitable organizations, as these charitable organizations may not agree with the Liberal Party on this policy as a matter of conscience. The petitioners believe that charitable organizations provide help and services to all Canadians and should not have to pass the values test set out by the Liberals, as the government did when it—
I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member, but with respect to petitions, we tend to provide a very short description.
Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise one more time to present a petition by signatories who are calling on the government to pass legislation banning forced organ harvesting and trafficking.
I would like to note that the House passed legislation on this this afternoon. I congratulate all members who worked very hard on the passage of this bill.
I wish everyone a very merry Christmas.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be tabling 104 petitions in the House today. Members will be pleased to know that I will not be offering a unique description of each one. They are all on the same subject.
I have, for some time in the House, been tabling petitions related to forced organ harvesting and trafficking. Every single one of these petitions follows immense work done by community members who are out and about at various places encouraging others to sign these petitions.
There has been an immense amount of work done by people throughout this country that has gone into the petition campaign around forced organ harvesting and trafficking. Their work has helped raise the awareness of members of Parliament on this issue. Therefore, I thank and recognize them.
These petitions are calling on Parliament to pass legislation banning forced organ harvesting and trafficking, which has now occurred. This will likely be the last time I table any petitions on this subject, but members need not worry as I will have other petitions on other subjects on other days.
Merry Christmas.
Questions on the Order Paper
Madam Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 943, 946, 948, 949, 952, 957, 959, 961 and 962.
[Text]
With regard to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Post-Graduation Work Permit Program announcement of August 2, 2022: (a) why was the program structured to exclude those who were granted an extension of their post-graduation work permit in 2021; (b) what steps, if any, are being taken to mitigate this and grant an extension to those individuals that did not get an extension; and (c) if the government has not considered any mitigation measures, will it take action and grant extensions to these individuals?
Ms. Marie-France Lalonde (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is concerned, the 2021 post-graduation work permit, or PGWP, public policy facilitated access to 18-month open work permits, or OWP, to foreign nationals who had a PGWP expiring between January 20, 2020, and November 27, 2021. Its objective was to provide PGWP holders with additional time to gain Canadian work experience, given the volatility of the labour market caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of September 2022, 22,940 open work permits of 18 months in duration were issued under this facilitative measure. Of these, as of September 2022, just over 70%, or 16,305, have since been admitted to Canada as permanent residents. The remainder may have already transitioned to permanent residence since September 2022 or may choose to apply for permanent residence at a later date.
The 2022 PGWP public policy, which facilitates access to 18-month open work permits for those who have a PGWP expiring between September 20, 2021, and December 31, 2022, was conceived to give recent international graduates with expiring work permits an opportunity to stay in Canada longer, so that they can continue to gain work experience and have a better chance at qualifying for permanent residency.
As part of the mandate letter, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is working on expanding pathways to permanent residence for international students through the express entry system.
With regard to the Canadian Armed Forces Retention Strategy document released in October 2022: (a) how many employees or full time equivalents were assigned to work on the document; (b) what are the dates for when the work (i) began, (ii) was completed, on the document; (c) what are the total costs incurred to date in relation to the document or the strategy, broken down by type; and (d) what are the details of all contracts related to the document or the related strategy, including the (i) date, (ii) vendor, (iii) amount, (iv) description of goods or services, including the volume, (v) manner in which it was awarded (sole-sourced, a competitive bidding process, etc.)?
Mr. Bryan May (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, retention is a top priority for National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. As articulated in Canada’s defence policy, “Strong, Secured, Engaged”, people are the most valuable resource in the CAF. It is not simply enough to attract the best and brightest; it is essential to provide the support necessary to ensure a full and fulfilling career and to retain our members and their valuable experience.
The CAF retention strategy presents a renewed approach to managing retention through both broad and targeted activities to improve the experience of all CAF members and empower them to continue a challenging but extremely rewarding career in uniform.
While the strategy will initiate operational and procedural changes, it is also designed to align and work in collaboration with our other efforts to support broader culture change. This includes engaging in measures to ensure that the concerns of all our members are heard and addressed. Additionally, the strategy is designed to grow and evolve as necessary, instituting an evergreen effort to respond to the changing environment around us, the operational needs of the CAF and the needs of our members and their families now and in the future.
In response to parts (a), (c) and (d) of the question, the number of employees across National Defence and the CAF assigned to work on the retention strategy is not centrally tracked. However, a number of working-level civilian and military personnel worked on the retention strategy at various points of its development.
For example, within chief military personnel, CMP, the organization charged with developing the strategy, approximately 10 staff worked on developing the initial draft in 2019. As the strategy progressed over the years leading to publication, the team ranged in size between three and six full-time personnel. During this time, CMP consulted with relevant internal stakeholders, including the vice-chief of the defence staff, Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, Canadian Joint Operations Command, the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the assistant deputy minister of public affairs.
With respect to part (b) of the question, work commenced on the first draft of the strategy in spring 2019. It was released on October 6, 2022.
In response to parts (c) and (d), the only costs associated with the development of the retention strategy were the salaries of the military and civilian personnel supporting the development process. There were no contracts associated with its development.
With regard to enforcement officers at Environment and Climate Change Canada: (a) how many are employed by the government; (b) in how many instances have officers entered onto privately owned land since 2018, broken down by year and by province or territory; and (c) for each instance in (b), how many times did the officer obtain permission from the property owner prior to entering the premises?
Hon. Steven Guilbeault (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, in response to part (a) of the question, there are 263 environment and wildlife enforcement officers.
In response to parts (b) and (c), Environment and Climate Change Canada does not collect information on how many times enforcement officers enter privately owned land to carry out their duties. They may, at any reasonable time, enter and inspect any place, vehicle or vessel in which officers believe, on reasonable grounds, that there is anything to which an act or regulations enforced by ECCC apply. In addition, the acts enforced by ECCC provide enforcement officers with protection from liability for trespass, recognizing that it may be necessary for an enforcement officer to enter on or cross over private property in order to reach an inspection site. However, with respect to entering a “private dwelling”, officers must obtain the consent of the owner or occupant, or prior authorization from a justice of the peace in the form of a warrant.
With regard to Bill C-23, An Act respecting places, persons and events of national historic significance or national interest, archaeological resources and cultural and natural heritage: (a) why does the legislation provide Parks Canada wardens the authorization to enter, or pass through or over private property without being liable for doing so; (b) are the wardens’ authorization to enter or pass through private property limited to national parks and historic sites or is that power valid anywhere in Canada; and (c) what recourse, if any, is the government making available to individuals whose private property is unfairly entered into by a warden without any just cause?
Hon. Steven Guilbeault (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-23 would provide park wardens and enforcement officers with the law enforcement powers they need to protect historic places. The authorities would be similar to those under the Canada National Parks Act of 2000 and the Rouge National Urban Park Act of 2015. Park wardens may enter on and pass through or over private property only for specific and legitimate law enforcement purposes.
To answer part (a) of the question, Bill C-23 provides that in the performance of their law enforcement duties, park wardens and enforcement officers may enter on and pass through or over private property without being liable for doing so. This authority would enable park wardens and enforcement officers to travel over private lands in order to access other locations solely for law enforcement purposes.
In answer to part (b) of the question, Bill C-23 provides that park wardens and enforcement officers could enter on and pass through or over private property for law enforcement purposes anywhere in Canada.
In response to part (c), Bill C-23 provides that park wardens and enforcement officers could enter on and pass through or over private property for law enforcement purposes only. The rights of citizens are protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to prevent unreasonable search and seizure. If individuals were to believe that their private property had been entered unjustly by law enforcement officials, they would be entitled to report the incident to the Parks Canada Agency for investigation.
With regard to payments made by the Public Order Emergency Commission to Frank Graves or Ekos Research Associates Incorporated: (a) what are the details of all such payments made to date including for each (i) the amount, (ii) the recipient, (iii) the goods or services provided, (iv) the date, (v) whether the contract was sole-sourced or awarded through a competitive bidding process; and (b) for each payment made without a competitive bidding process, who made the decision to award the related contract to that specific vendor?
Hon. Greg Fergus (Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Treasury Board), Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council Office has not identified any information with regard to payments made by the Public Order Emergency Commission to Frank Graves or Ekos Research Associates Incorporated.
With regard to the reopening of NEXUS enrolment centres located within Canada: (a) what progress, if any, has the government made in 2022 so far on reopening the centres, and what is the timeline on any progress that has occurred; (b) what is the anticipated reopening date of each enrolment centre, broken down by location; and (c) what are the dates and locations of any meetings the Minister of Public Safety has had with his American counterparts to discuss the reopening of these centres, and what was achieved at each meeting?
Ms. Pam Damoff (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, in response to part (c) of the question, the Minister of Public Safety met with the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, virtually on August 3, August 16 and November 5, 2022, and in Washington, D.C. on September 12, 2022. The Minister of Public Safety also met virtually with the U.S. ambassador to Canada, David L. Cohen, on August 31, 2022. Each meeting resulted in a reaffirmation that Canada and the U.S. will continue to work co-operatively on the NEXUS program.
In response to part (a), the CBSA is working with United States Customs and Border Protection to mitigate the impact on NEXUS members by implementing various measures to address the extended closure of the enrolment centres. These include extending program benefits for up to five years from the date of expiration to members who apply to renew their membership prior to expiry, and holding seven free and secure trade, or FAST, enrolment events since 2021, which have led to 3,710 new approvals and reduced the number of FAST applicants awaiting interviews by approximately 20%.
In response to part (b), the enrolment centres in Canada remain closed at this time, and no dates have been confirmed for their reopening.
With regard to the collection of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the carbon tax or price on carbon, broken down by year since the introduction of the carbon tax: (a) how much GST has been collected on the carbon tax; and (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by province?
Hon. Chrystia Freeland (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the federal price on pollution is revenue neutral for the federal government; the direct proceeds from the federal pollution pricing system remain in the province or territory where they are collected. Put simply, every dollar collected from the pollution price is returned.
In Yukon and Nunavut, the direct proceeds from the federal fuel charge are returned to the governments of these jurisdictions. In provinces that do not have a fuel charge consistent with the federal benchmark, that is, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, 90% of direct proceeds from the federal fuel charge are returned to residents of those provinces through climate action incentive, or CAI, payments. As of July 1, 2023, the federal fuel charge will newly come into effect in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Residents of these provinces will start receiving quarterly CAI payments when the charge comes into effect. Most households receive more in CAI payments than the costs they face from the federal price on pollution.
With respect to the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax, or GST/HST, the GST/HST is a broad-based tax that is calculated on the final amount charged for a good or service. The general rule that was adopted at the inception of the GST, under the Mulroney government, and carried over for the HST, is that this final amount includes other taxes, levies and charges that apply to the good or service and are generally embedded in the final price. This long-standing approach to calculating the GST/HST helps to maintain the broad-based nature of the tax and ensures that tax is applied evenly across goods and services consumed in Canada. It also makes it easier for vendors to calculate the amount of tax payable, for consumers to understand and for the Canada Revenue Agency to administer.
With respect to the amounts of GST/HST that may be collected on supplies of specific goods and services that are subject to pollution pricing, no such data are available. Suppliers of goods and services in Canada report and remit the total amount of GST/HST collected on all of their taxable supplies to the Canada Revenue Agency during a GST/HST reporting period and do not report the GST/HST collected or remitted in respect of specific goods and services.
The GST credit helps offset the financial impact of the GST for low- and modest-income people and families. The credit is paid quarterly in January, April, July and October. For the July 2022 to June 2023 benefit year, the GST credit provides up to $467 for single Canadians and up to $934 for couples with two children. To support those most affected by inflation, starting November 4, 2022, an estimated 11 million low- and modest-income people and families will receive an additional GST credit payment, equivalent to doubling the credit for six months. Single Canadians without children will receive up to an extra $234, and couples with two children will receive up to an extra $467. Seniors will receive an extra $225 on average.
With regard to cyberattacks on government departments and agencies since January 1, 2020, broken down by year: (a) how many attempted cyberattacks on government websites or servers were successfully blocked; (b) how many cyberattacks on government websites or servers were not successfully blocked; (c) for each cyberattack in (b), what are the details, including (i) the date, (ii) the departments or agencies targeted, (iii) the summary of incident, (iv) whether or not police were informed or charges were laid; and (d) how many and which of the cyberattacks were committed by, or are suspected to have been committed by a foreign state sponsored actor, broken down by country?
Mr. Bryan May (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada takes the security of its networks very seriously. Cybersecurity is a foundation for Canada’s future, for our digital economy, personal safety, national prosperity and competitiveness.
As part of the Communications Security Establishment, or CSE, the Canadian centre for cybersecurity, or the cyber centre, is Canada’s authority on cybersecurity. CSE, including its cyber centre, provides a defence that is unparalleled in Canada.
Every day, CSE uses its sophisticated cyber and technical expertise to help monitor, detect and investigate threats against Canada’s information systems and networks, and to take active measures to address them.
On an ongoing basis the cyber centre shares actionable threat intelligence derived from Government of Canada cyber-attacks with Canadian critical infrastructure to help protect these systems of importance.
The definition of “cyber-attack” is highly variable. CSE uses the term “malicious cyber attempts” to capture unsuccessful attempts to identify vulnerabilities and penetrate a system. CSE does not track disaggregated statistics regarding the blocking of malicious cyber attempts on government servers or websites. On any given day, CSE’s defensive systems can block anywhere from three to five billion events targeting the Government of Canada’s networks, though the daily number can be as high as seven billion.
The cyber centre employs a cyber-defence system that blocks or otherwise mitigates malicious cyber attempts at multiple layers. As such, the cyber centre is unable to provide statistics that would respond to this question. Most malicious cyber attempts directed at Government of Canada networks are ultimately mitigated before they can have a significant impact.
The Government of Canada has publicly disclosed cyber-events when appropriate. For reasons of national security and to protect operational integrity, CSE cannot provide further information.
With regard to the effect of the federal carbon tax on the price of groceries: (a) does the government have any projections on how much each increase in the carbon tax will raise the price of groceries, and, if so, what are the projections; and (b) what is the projected increase in the cost of groceries each year for an average family in each of the next five years?
Hon. Chrystia Freeland (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, GGPPA, is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by ensuring that pollution pricing applies broadly throughout Canada. In those jurisdictions that do not meet the federal benchmark, that is, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, the bulk of the proceeds from pollution pricing are returned directly to individuals and families through climate action incentive payments, which help offset the additional cost associated with pollution pricing.
In 2023-24, the federal fuel charge will continue to apply in these provinces and will come into effect as of July 1, 2023, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, where 90% of direct proceeds will be returned to residents through climate action incentive payments. Starting in July 2023, a family of four will receive $328 in Newfoundland and Labrador, $240 in Prince Edward Island and $248 in Nova Scotia each quarter. Starting in April 2023, such a family will receive $244 in Ontario, $264 in Manitoba, $340 in Saskatchewan and $386 in Alberta on a quarterly basis. Families in rural and small communities are eligible to receive an extra 10%. Some eight out of 10 families receiving climate action incentive payments get more money back than they pay in direct costs under this system, with families that earn less benefitting the most, on average.
Canada and the rest of the world has also been experiencing a period of higher inflation, including for food and groceries. This is part of a global phenomenon, driven by the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which have led to sharply higher food and energy prices, as well as persistent impacts from supply chain disruptions and the COVID pandemic.
With respect to the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax, or GST/HST, the GST/HST is a broad-based tax that is calculated on the final amount charged for a good or service. The general rule that was adopted at the inception of the GST and carried over for the HST is that this final amount includes other taxes, levies and charges that apply to the good or service and are generally embedded in the final price. This long-standing approach to calculating the GST/HST helps to maintain the broad-based nature of the tax and ensures that tax is applied evenly across goods and services consumed in Canada. It also makes it easier for vendors to calculate the amount of tax payable, for consumers to understand and for the Canada Revenue Agency to administer.
To support those most affected by the high-inflation environment, starting November 4, 2022, an estimated 11 million low- and modest-income people and families will receive an additional goods and services tax credit payment, equivalent to doubling the credit for six months. Single Canadians without children will receive up to an extra $234, and couples with two children will receive up to an extra $467. Seniors will receive an extra $225 on average.
[English]
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
Furthermore, Madam Speaker, if the government's response to Questions Nos. 942, 944, 945, 947, 950, 951, 953 to 956, 958, 960, 963 and 964 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.
[Translation]
Is it the pleasure of the House that the foregoing questions be made orders for returns and that they be tabled immediately?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
[Text]
With regard to the government's plan for a just transition for workers in the oil and gas sector, broken down by department since fiscal year 2015-16: (a) what initiatives, programs, and projects have been created for workers to transition towards a green economy; (b) what funding has been allocated for the purpose of carrying out the initiatives, programs, and projects in (a); and (c) of the funding allocated in (b), how much funding has been spent?
(Return tabled)
With regard to violent crimes committed in Canada, since October 2015, broken down by year and by those committed in Ontario and in the riding of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound: how many crimes have been committed by individuals (i) out on bail, (ii) on probation, (iii) on conditional release, including day or full parole, statutory release, and temporary absences, pursuant to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act?
(Return tabled)
With regard to occupancy levels of government-owned building spaces, broken down by metropolitan area: (a) how many building spaces are owned by the government; (b) what are the maximum occupancy levels of the building spaces; (c) what are the current occupancy levels; (d) what are the projected occupancy levels, once the public service finalizes its transition from working remotely during the pandemic to the post-pandemic occupancy level; and (e) what is the estimated amount of square-footage represented by the (i) occupied building space, (ii) unoccupied building space, associated with (b) through (d)?
(Return tabled)
With regard to COVID-19 vaccine doses procured by the government, broken down by manufacturer (Pfizer, Moderna, etc.): (a) how many doses obtained by the government have been delivered to Canada but have yet to be administered as of October 27, 2022; (b) how many doses are set to be delivered between October 27, 2022, and the end of January 2023; (c) of the doses currently on hand in (a), how many are set to expire each month until the entire batch is expired; and (d) of the doses scheduled to be delivered in (b), when are those doses scheduled to expire?
(Return tabled)
With regard to changes made to the names of government departments or agencies, since November 4, 2015, broken down by each change made: (a) what was the name changed (i) from, (ii) to; (b) on what date did the new name officially come into force; (c) what are the total costs associated with the changes; and (d) what is the itemized breakdown of the costs in (c)?
(Return tabled)
With regard to misinformation or wrong information released by the government, since 2016, broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation or other government entity, and by year: (a) how many times did the government put out misinformation or wrong information; and (b) what are the details of each instance, including, for each (i) the date, (ii) the misinformation or wrong information that was released, (iii) the date of the correction, (iv) what was done to correct the original misinformation?
(Return tabled)
With regard to Proactive Disclosure and glitches in the travel expenses section of the Open Government website: (a) as of October 27, 2022, why do the expenses of other people with the same last name as the Prime Minister appear when a user enters the Prime Minister’s last name in the search bar, and none of the Prime Minister’s travel expenses appear; (b) have the Prime Minister’s travel expenses been removed from the site, and, if so, why; and (c) if the Prime Minister’s travel expenses are still listed on the site, what is the link to his expenses that functions correctly?
(Return tabled)
With regard to employees responsible for operationalizing the federal government’s pandemic support programs since 2020: (a) how many employees were assigned, broken down by month, department and program, to recovering overpayments related to the (i) Canada Emergency Response Benefit, (ii) Canada Recovery Benefit, (iii) Employment Insurance, (iv) the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit, (v) Canada Emergency Business Account; (b) of these employees, how many received bonuses, broken down by program; (c) of the employees in (b), how many were (i) below the executive (EX) level, (ii) at the EX level or higher; and (d) what was the total amount paid out in bonuses to such employees (i) below the EX level, (ii) at the EX level or higher?
(Return tabled)
With regard to the Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF), broken down by province: how much money was returned through the CAIF’s Municipalities, Universities, Schools and Hospitals Retrofit stream, in (i) 2019, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2021, (iv) 2022?
(Return tabled)
With regard to the Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF), broken down by province: how much money was returned through the CAIF’s Municipalities, Universities, Schools and Hospitals Retrofit stream, broken down by (i) municipality, (ii) university, (iii) school, (iv) hospital?
(Return tabled)
With regard to the carbon tax or price on carbon: (a) what are the annual costs to administer the (i) collection of the carbon tax, (ii) rebate program; and (b) how many employees or full-time equivalents are assigned to work on the (i) collection of the carbon tax, (ii) rebate program?
(Return tabled)
With regard to the procurement of 15 new Canadian surface combatant ships: (a) what are the total expenditures to date related to procurement; (b) what is the lifecycle cost for the ships; (c) what is the total value of contracts signed to date related to the procurement; and (d) what are the details of all contracts signed to date, including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) vendor, (iii) amount, (iv) summary of goods or services, (v) way in which it was awarded (sole-sourced or through a competitive bidding process)?
(Return tabled)
With regard to the plan announced by the government in 2018 to provide $600 million to select media outlets over five years: (a) how much of the $600 million has been delivered to date; and (b) what are the details of how much each media outlet has received to date?
(Return tabled)
With regard to statistics related to the Canadian Coast Guard's mid-shore patrol vessels, broken down by month since 2019: (a) how many ships were in service; (b) how many days was each ship (i) tied to the dock, (ii) operating out at sea; and (c) for each day that the ships were docked, was the docking due to weather conditions or other factors, specifying what the other factors were?
(Return tabled)
[English]
Business of the House
[Business of the House]
Pursuant to an order made earlier today, the House will now proceed to brief statements.
I now recognize the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.
Madam Speaker, let me start by saying that we heard wonderful tributes by all parties to our former colleague, the late Jim Carr. I really appreciate all the comments made by members. It is a very acute reminder of the brevity of our time on this planet. I want to thank all members for choosing to take the time they have on this earth to serve their communities and this country. I hope that all members have a wonderful Christmas.
I thank you, Madam Speaker, the Speaker and the entire Speaker team, for all the work you do throughout the year.
I thank my other House leader counterparts, whom I have enjoyed working with. I thank the newly appointed House leader for the Conservatives from Regina—Qu'Appelle, whom I have enjoyed working with and I am looking forward to the year ahead.
[Translation]
I also want to thank the member for La Prairie, a wonderful person and friend. I thank him for all of his efforts. I am very grateful to him.
[English]
I also thank the hon. House leader for the NDP from New Westminster—Burnaby, who is an incredible gentleman as well and whom I appreciate working with.
I also thank our own whip, the member for Gatineau, and his extraordinary deputy, the member for Brampton North, for their remarkable work. I thank the whips of the other parties. I know, having done it for three years, what a tough job it is. I thank the member for South Surrey—White Rock, the member for Salaberry—Suroît and the NDP whip from North Island—Powell River for their excellent work. I have enjoyed working with her, and also with the member from the Bloc in my time as whip, and I appreciate all that they do.
I thank the staff who worked so tirelessly for this place, the Parliamentary Protective Service that keeps us safe, the Sergeant-at-Arms and his team, the table officers and all the branches of the House administration.
I save my final words for the Clerk, Mr. Charles Robert, with 42 years of remarkable dedicated service to the chamber. The flame of democracy is delicate and perhaps has never been more delicate than it has over the last number of years. The service that he has done to our democracy over that period of time is recognized, seen and sincerely appreciated.
We wish Mr. Clerk all the best in his future endeavours. We are greatly indebted to him for all the work that he did silently. I do not think anybody knows the fullness of not only his dedication to this place but the impact of his service, the impact of modernizing this place and his passion for the chamber. I thank Mr. Clerk on behalf of all parliamentarians for his service and wish him all the best in the future.
I wish all parliamentarians and everybody who hears this a very merry Christmas, and I hope everybody has a wonderful holiday. That includes the member across, absolutely.
Madam Speaker, I do not want to sound too repetitive, but we are going to be thanking many of the same people. I, too, want to add my voice, on behalf of my colleagues, to wish everyone a merry Christmas around the parliamentary precinct.
It has been a tumultuous few years. The House has seen a lot and has had to grapple with a lot of challenges over the last few years. We are always served with such a high degree of professionalism and excellence by everyone around the precinct. This includes the procedural team at the table and the many people who work for them, like the Journals branch, Hansard, translation and security.
It takes a lot to allow the chamber to function and allow members of Parliament to represent their constituents and go about doing the people's work on their behalf.
I would like to add a special thanks to all the staff who work for members of Parliament. Our names and faces go on television, on campaign signs and on ballots, but we have a lot of people behind us helping us do our jobs. They are often the unsung heroes who are here late at night going through briefing materials and Auditor General reports, or translating things into one of the two official languages.
I know they will welcome the early adjournment this week and take a little time to recuperate. This has been a fairly lengthy stretch that is coming to a close now.
[Translation]
I would also like to thank my counterparts from the other parties. This is my second time serving as House leader for my party and the second time I have worked with the hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby.
It is my first time working with the hon. member for La Prairie.
Regardless of our party in the House, we all have the same motivation.
[English]
Regardless of which party members were elected as and regardless of our political philosophies, I have gotten to know over the years that members of Parliament are all motivated by the same thing. Even though we may disagree, and I may feel that some of my colleagues are misguided in their approaches, their motivation is to do what is right by their constituents and what is good for the country. This time of the season, it is a good opportunity for us to reflect on that and on the common bonds of humanity we all share.
Tragically, in the wake of a colleague's passing, and as we celebrate the birth of Christ and all the hope that brings to the world, it is a constant reminder that our time on this planet is short, so we should appreciate the best of each other.
As we enter into the Christmas break, we will all be attending events and visiting all corners of our constituencies. I hope it is a safe and happy holiday season. I know there will be a lot of travel back and forth. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas break and a very happy new year, and we will see everyone back here in January.
[Translation]
Mr. Speaker, I have made a little list so that I do not forget anyone. When I am saying thank you to people and forget someone, I feel like I look a little crazy. I do not want to end the parliamentary proceedings looking crazy.
First, I would like to thank the House leader of the official opposition, who is new here. I am slowly getting to know him and I must say that the future is bright. We get along well and I am certain that, despite the fact that we are at the beginning of our friendship, I have a lot of hope that we will develop something very solid, much like I have developed with the other leaders who came before him. I am very happy to work with this gentleman, and I know that we will develop a great relationship. I am convinced of that.
I would like to thank the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. I have been getting to know him for a year. We are getting to know each other, a bit like in The Little Prince. I see great things in his future. I feel that our relationship is improving, and we are developing a genuine friendship. I think he is an amazing guy, and so I salute the member for Ajax for the work he has done.
Finally, I want to thank a veteran of this place, the member for New Westminster—Burnaby. He is the NDP member with whom I have always worked. He teaches me a lot because he really has a great deal of experience. I have to say that we have a good relationship. We work well together, and I am certain that we will continue to do so.
The House leader of the official opposition mentioned that we have extraordinary staff, and I believe that everyone here recognizes that. I salute all the employees who help us do our jobs, be better people and, above all, do our work properly for our constituents.
As politicians, we work hard and often forget the people who make it possible for us to do our jobs properly. I have a list with me. It is very important.
I thank the House of Commons clerks, law clerks and analysts. I thank the team of interpreters, who are so important to our party, which insists on keeping French alive in the House.
I thank the pages, who have bright futures ahead of them. I imagine that this work is of great benefit to them. They learn much about what to do and what not to do. No matter, this experience will serve them well in the future. I salute them. Perhaps we will meet one day in another place. I will then reflect on the success of these young people who, quite frankly, are extraordinary.
I thank the maintenance and food service teams. I thank the IT technicians. Less capable people like me often call on them for help. I know first-hand how extraordinarily patient they are with dinosaurs.
I thank the shuttle drivers. We must not forget them. They are always there for us. I thank the Hill reporters, whose daily reports on the goings-on here are good for our democracy. Let us not forget that.
Lastly, I want to thank you, Madam Speaker, and your team, the Speaker and Deputy Speakers, who put us at ease. When I rise in the House and look at you, I feel that at least one person here is listening to me, and that is wonderful. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
I wish everyone a lovely holiday, a happy new year and a merry Christmas, and may 2023 bring us all that we desire.
If I may, I would also like to say a few words. I want to thank the hon. member for Joliette who often helped us, the chair occupants. I salute him and thank him for his help.
The hon. member for North Island—Powell River.
[English]
Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to rise here today to extend best wishes, happy holidays, merry Christmas to everyone, and a big thanks to everyone around the House from the New Democratic caucus.
Of course, that includes all my colleagues. I thank them all for their kind words here today. I know the House leaders and the whips of all parties work very hard to make things flow as well as they possibly can in this place, in sometimes very interesting circumstances.
Also, people across Canada may not know, but there are a lot of talented folks in this place who make everything run smoothly with their professional diligence.
First of all, I would like to thank the Speaker and his team, who do tremendous work and have very helpful procedural experts in the Clerk's office, the Table, the Journals Branch, the committee staff, the Library of Parliament staff and, of course, all of our incredible pages, who are so good to us.
I also want to recognize the Sergeant-at-Arms and his team. They must be doing something right, because one of them, upon retirement, continues to come here two days a week. I thank Darryl for that.
There is the parliamentary precinct security, as well as traffic operations, the drivers of the buses, dispatch operators, mailroom staff, and messengers who keep us all connected in various ways.
There are the cafeteria staff, the parliamentary restaurant, all the food services and the catering team.
Of course there are the amazing maintenance team, the tradespeople of the parliamentary precinct, matériel management and room allocation. They do invisible work, but boy, do we all appreciate it.
There is everyone in information services, including telecom, ISSI, printing services and the broadcasting team. There are the people who deal with HR, finance, travel and pay and benefits. Boy, do they help us a lot. There are the folks who document all of our words in Hansard and who translate and interpret them from one language to another.
The last two years in the pandemic have brought incredible challenges for everyone, and I am so grateful for the extraordinary work all these people have put in to ensure the House can operate efficiently and effectively.
Finally, I want to pay a special tribute to the Clerk, Charles Robert, who is retiring in January after 42 years of service on the Hill. I wish him all the best.
I would also like to thank our nurse consultant, Lise Séguin, who will be retiring after 32 years of loyal service. She has always been there for hundreds of members and staff here who have benefited from her incredible care.
Of course, a very special thanks go to the NDP whip and House leader's team, who make us look very good on this side of the House.
I thank you, Madam Speaker and everyone who works so hard in this place. I wish everyone all the best over the holidays.
Madam Speaker, I would like to start by joining in with a word of thanks to all House of Commons staff, which we have heard already from many of my colleagues, from clerks to pages and from interpreters to the Parliamentary Protective Service, food services, IT, the House administration and other staff on the Hill. As a newer member in this place, it has been interesting for me to come to understand all the people who are part of making our work here a possibility.
Much has been said by others, so I will be brief. I simply would share and recognize that the holidays can be a difficult time for many. It is particularly difficult for those living in poverty. It is difficult for those who have recently lost a loved one and those with a family member in hospital. We send our strength to those who are in positions like that.
I hope that as we reconvene in the new year, it will be with a renewed vigour to address poverty in this country, to strengthen our health care system and to advocate for those whose voices may be more rarely heard in this place.
I wish happy holidays to my neighbours in Waterloo Region, to colleagues here in the House of Commons, and to all those who make it possible for us to be here.
[Translation]
Hon. colleagues, before the House adjourns, I would like to take a moment to thank all House of Commons employees and wish them a very happy holiday season. Without the dedication and professionalism of each and every one of them, it would be particularly difficult for the House to function on a daily basis.
[English]
From the staff who keep our workplace clean and safe to the cafeteria, restaurant and catering staff, to our Parliamentary Protective Service, interpreters, translators, pages, table officers, administration, IT and communications professionals, policy analysts and everyone else who is here to serve Parliament, I thank you from the bottom of our collective hearts. Please know that your work matters and that through your excellence you make the House of Commons work in the service of Canada.
[Translation]
I hope the next few weeks will give everyone an opportunity to rest a bit and enjoy some precious time with their families and loved ones.
[English]
While members of Parliament take time over the coming weeks to reconnect with their constituents in their ridings, I hope they will also take the time to reconnect with what is most important to them.
[Translation]
We will be back at the end of January, refreshed and ready to continue our work for Parliament and for Canadians.
I wish everyone very happy holidays.
[English]
Have a wonderful holiday, and we will see everyone back on January 30.
[Translation]
It being 5:11 p.m., pursuant to order made earlier today, the House stands adjourned until Monday, January 30, 2023, at 11 a.m., pursuant to Standing Orders 28(2) and 24(1).
(The House adjourned at 5:11 p.m.)
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