Brian Masse

[Petitions, December 16th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is a good news story. It is supporting the banning of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization in South Bruce. Despite the fact that there was a good, positive decision as of November 28 and the final decision was made to choose an alternative location in northern Ontario for nuclear waste disposal, the petitioners still want the government to have a proper process in place.

The petitioners are concerned about the transportation, processing, burial and abandonment of close to 1,200 tonnes of nuclear waste that would remain radioactive for 100,000 years. They are calling for this to be reviewed and mandated through legislation and law because the process that was taken in South Bruce was dysfunctional for the community.

Again, the community has fought back and won this fight for themselves, their families and the future of our country by protecting the Great Lakes waterway, which has been asked for repeatedly over these number of years.

[Petitions, December 16th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table two petitions.

The first is with regard to 500 concerned citizens and workers from across Canada calling on the government to take immediate action to protect workers from the growing misuse of non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, in the case of harassment, violence and discrimination. NDAs are increasingly used to force workers into silence, preventing them from seeking help or speaking out about mistreatment and misconduct in the workplace. This is increasingly true for workers in low-wage or precarious employment situations.

The petitioners call for legislation that would ban the misuse of NDAs by the federal government and federally funded agencies, unless specifically requested by a worker who has received legal advice on alternative ways to protect their privacy. This is a crucial step to protect workers, especially those in vulnerable situations, and to ensure they are not silenced or forced to live in fear.

I urge all members to support this petition.

[Committees of the House, December 13th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work that has been done on this file. The Great Lakes Fisheries Commission has done wonderful work in the Great Lakes for the environment, but also for planning our fishery resources and so forth. What we have seen over the years is Canada not paying its fair share, whether it be for sea lamprey projects or other matters, and it created much consternation.

Some members here in the House have come with me to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress and the Senate. We have to deal with so many different issues, but this irritant comes up all the time because we are stiffing on the bill or we had been in the past. The recommendation here is to move the project back to where it belongs in Global Affairs.

Why are we creating another problem with the United States, unnecessarily hurting Canadians and Americans through bureaucratic stubbornness and reluctance to correct the field? We have to lobby on all kinds of new things coming up with President-elect Trump. Why would we not just be taking some of these irritants that do not even serve Canadians very well off the table?

Why is he protecting internal bureaucratic machinations instead of providing us the opportunity to get better results for Canadians and better fiscal accountability? This is a major irritant that is really unnecessary and will provoke more nonsense from the U.S.

[Canada Post Strike, December 13th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal labour minister has intervened in the negotiation process and ordered the CUPW members back to work, similar to what the government has done in the past under the Conservatives. Not respecting the bargaining process led to this in the very first place. No one makes the decision to go on strike lightly, especially as the holidays approach. This was the result of decades of disrespect and disregard.

Postal workers are crucial for our communities, often having to work late into the night. They do more than mail delivery; they keep us connected and our streets safe. Their absence during the strike has been deeply felt by all, proving their value for our present and our future. While Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger makes half a million dollars per year and executives earn easily over six figures, our dedicated postal workers are simply asking for a fair deal and safe working conditions.

Postal workers across Canada should know that I and New Democrats stand with them. Undermining the bargaining process comes at their expense, the public's expense and the expense of a successful future for Canada Post, which provides a key service in a functioning democracy and successful economy.

[Privilege, December 13th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I want to give thanks to my colleague who corrected actions in the House yesterday and did so in the traditions of the House. He has been here a little bit longer than I have. I wanted to recognize that that type of correction demonstrates a good example.

He does not know about this just yet, but there is an issue that is developing, which is related to back-to-work legislation that would be put on Canada Post workers. I know he was here the last time Canada Post workers were ordered back to work by the Liberals. I believe his party supported that. I would ask him to reflect on that now that this issue has been pushed to the forefront. Does he have any thoughts about that? I know he does not have the full information yet, but we are reflecting on what we did before because we pushed those problems decades along by putting workers back to work without an agreement.

[Privilege, December 12th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague's intervention was talking specifically to the issue.

However, I do have an indirect question. I know the member has been in the United States and visited J.D. Vance and others. I am vice-chair of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, with members from the Senate and the House of Commons, all parties, where we lobby effectively in the U.S.

What I would like to know, and I have asked this question many times, is where the Conservative Party is with regard to the CBSA. There were cuts during Stephen Harper's era, 1,100 officers, sniffer dogs, and so forth. To get from that point to where we are now, we have offered the suggestions of increasing the training facilities, because we are short 2,000 to 3,000 workers, expanding their powers to the 1932 order in council that was done rescinding that, and then, lastly, making sure that we do not focus on the issues of the past like ArriveCAN and those types of measures, the lack of equipment and so forth, but actually put officers on the border to alleviate problems.

[International Trade, December 12th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, last night the Prime Minister met with the premiers to discuss Trump's tariffs. Canadian workers were not consulted, yet it is their jobs that are at risk. Instead of waiting for the next threat from Trump or for premiers to run off with their own plans, why not create a Canadian plan that protects and increases our jobs?

The Conservatives parrot Trump's talking points, even after they fired 1,100 border officers when they were in power. Canada needs to turn the tables on President-elect Trump by promoting Canadian jobs and a workers' plan in manufacturing and natural resources.

The U.S. has buy America. Where is our buy Canada?

[Privilege, December 11th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the member is correct that, under that time frame, the Harper administration did bring in the largest Canadian deficit at that time, $56 billion. Prior to that, it was Brian Mulroney in a Conservative government, at $40 billion. Also, during that time frame, the Conservatives brought in the HST, thanks very much, with Brian Mulroney's GST before that, and they borrowed up to $6 billion to pay the different provinces to bring in the HST, which we are still paying for right now.

Does my colleague right now regret the Stephen Harper government for having us pay interest on the deficit that we have today and then, on top of that, for paying interest on the money we had to borrow to bring in its HST policy?

[Privilege, December 11th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, just to continue, this is a very serious issue because our men and women on the front lines, every single day, put their lives at risk. What the NDP has proposed is to eliminate the 1932 clause that restricted the CBSA officers; to get up to 3,000 officers, who are right now missing online, in terms of the frontline services; and to bring back the detector dogs that were cut, as well as other measures.

Why does the hon. member keep attacking the workers by denying what Stephen Harper and he and his colleagues did in the chamber?

[Privilege, December 11th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, as I am heckled by the member right over here, I simply ask this: Why do the Conservatives continue to attack the union when we know that the CBSA is 2,000 to 3,000 officers short and, at the same time, it was the member's former government that got rid of the detector dog program and the sniffer dog program, which were some of the best programs in the world?