House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2025, with 33% of the vote.
Points of Order December 6th, 2024
Madam Speaker, on the previous one, I just need some clarification from the Chair because, as I was sitting down, I missed something. Was it the Conservatives who said no to that unanimous consent for the brain injury community? I think they would really want to know.
Points of Order December 6th, 2024
Madam Speaker, I am raising a point of order with regard to the proceedings of the Standing Committee on Health back in October. As the House records will show, on October 3, 10 and 24, there were three meetings at that standing committee that were dealing with the subject matter of Bill C-277, an act to establish a national strategy on brain injuries. That bill was referred to the committee at second reading on June 12, and it was reported back to the House on October 28, again with unanimous support.
Because of those proceedings, I would ask for unanimous consent for the following motion that, notwithstanding any standing order—
Business of Supply December 6th, 2024
Madam Speaker, I think today we are obviously witnessing behaviour in the House from the Conservatives that is meant to disrupt the leader of the NDP's speech. I think they are sore because we forced them to vote against women's reproductive health and rights yesterday.
Taxation December 5th, 2024
Mr. Speaker, the translation is that they will not.
Canadians are feeling squeezed. A new report says that a family of four can expect to pay $800 more in food in 2025. While grocery CEOs are getting richer, workers are scrambling to put food on the table. Liberals let people down, and the Conservatives want tax breaks for CEOs, leaving Canadians paying more for everything. Billionaires do not need relief; the working class does.
Will the Liberals permanently remove the GST from life essentials so families can get a break?
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns December 4th, 2024
With regard to the government’s refocused spending initiative, broken down by department or agency, program and year: how much funding has been refocused away from initiatives that support Canada’s domestic fishing industry, broken down by (i) commercial fishing and aquaculture, (ii) fish processing and distribution, (iii) Indigenous fisheries?
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns December 4th, 2024
With regard to the government’s refocused spending initiative, broken down by department or agency, program and year: how much funding has been refocused away from policing-based initiatives, broken down by (i) crime prevention, (ii) crime response, (iii) community outreach?
Government Business No. 43—Proceedings on Bill C‑78 November 27th, 2024
Madam Speaker, once again, the Liberals have been caught copying the NDP's homework. Canadians need to understand that this Liberal measure was announced several days after we came out with our own proposal. Unfortunately, like a lot of Liberal initiatives, it is a poor imitation of the original idea. We were proposing a permanent relief of the GST on these essential items. What Canadians need to understand is that in this bill all these measures are going to come to an end on February 15.
Why is the Liberal Party so adept at offering half measures to Canadians? On the separate issue of the rebate cheque, as I know it is still being worked on, is he going to go back and make sure that when it is offered it actually goes to the people who need it, like persons with disabilities, low-income seniors and students? That is how it should have been originally crafted.
Privilege November 27th, 2024
Madam Speaker, the previous intervention was just a small snapshot of what Canadians have been treated to over the last two months, basically the Conservatives and the Liberals arguing with one another over whose record was worse while in government. I have news: They are equally bad. There is a long list of scandals in Conservative governments and in Liberal governments. To borrow from Tommy Douglas's Mouseland, the red cats and the blue cats are arguing in front of mice over who is going to be the better government.
That aside, I asked the following question previously to a Conservative colleague because there was some mix-up or poor understanding of what the RCMP actually wanted in this case. I do support Parliament's unfettered right to send for documents.
If the matter does eventually get to the procedure and House affairs committee, what would my hon. colleague think about using that opportunity to call the RCMP commissioner forward as a witness so he could explain to parliamentarians exactly what the correct process is? I am sure the member would agree with me that we do not want to interfere in or unjustly deviate from an ongoing police investigation.
Privilege November 27th, 2024
Mr. Speaker, I picked up something from my colleague's speech about the RCMP. There seems to be a lot of confusion in here about what the RCMP actually said. I am wondering about that.
I hold the same view as the Conservatives. I would like to see the documents. I believe in the supremacy of Parliament, and that has been reaffirmed again and again. We always have to stand up for Parliament's right to send for papers. However, given the current impasse and the questions we have over what the RCMP wants, I want to put this to my colleague: Would it not be a prudent measure to get this motion to the procedure and House affairs committee so we can call the RCMP commissioner before the committee to educate MPs on what the proper process is? I ask because if there is anything nefarious in those documents, the last thing we want to do is ruin a potential police investigation.
I am wondering if my colleague has thoughts on the police process and if he is curious about hearing directly from the RCMP commissioner at committee. Maybe the Conservatives could call him forward as a witness.
National Food Cooperative Strategy Act November 27th, 2024
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-421, An Act to establish a national food cooperative strategy.
Mr. Speaker, grocery prices in Canada are increasing at the fastest rate in over 40 years. Many Canadians are struggling to put food on the table, with more people than ever resorting to food banks for help. Canada's grocery industry is dominated by a handful of large corporations, limiting consumer choice, and in 2023, these corporations reported over $6 billion in profits, all at a time when Canadians were struggling with the cost of food.
The bill I am introducing today would develop a national strategy that would help food co-operatives in Canada enable more small and medium-sized businesses compete in Canada's grocery industry. The Competition Bureau Canada has highlighted that encouraging competition in the grocery sector can help lower prices. By supporting the establishment of more food co-operatives, we can foster a more competitive market and can create community-owned businesses. This would ensure greater economic resilience and would promote food security for all Canadians.
Canadians are sick and tired of billionaires getting richer while regular people pay more and more. This bill is a necessary step toward affordable groceries, greater choice for consumers, and a stronger, more sustainable food system for Canada.
I would like to thank my good friend, the member for Hamilton Centre, for being the seconder of this bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)