Carol Hughes

[George Farkouh, October 19th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, recently, the city of Elliot Lake lost a giant of a man who helped steer the city through some of its hardest challenges. George Farkouh was a legendary community leader. Born in Palestine and having spent his early years in Beirut and Lebanon, he and his family moved to Canada in 1959, settling in Elliot Lake.

While George and his wife Louise started their careers in Toronto, they eventually returned to Elliot Lake, where George became a pillar of the business community as owner of Algoma Chrysler.

George was elected mayor of Elliot Lake in 1988 and led the city for a remarkable 17 years. His days as mayor were not easy. The closing of the uranium mines in the early 1990s had a major impact on the local economy, but George saw a path to pivot the city from mining to retirement community. He created an economic model transition that allowed it not only to survive but to thrive. It is a model that other cities going through a major economic shift can look to for guidance.

I, along with all Elliot Lakers, owe George a debt of gratitude. May he rest in peace.

[Election of Speaker, October 3rd, 2023]

Mr. Chair, I want to begin by thanking the hon. member for Nipissing—Timiskaming for his service as Speaker of the House.

I would also like to thank the people of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing for placing their trust in me to represent them for the past 15 years. I am honoured to be their member of Parliament.

I begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin nation. It is important that we, as representatives of the Crown, acknowledge the people whose lands we stand on and the history that this place represents in this context, especially as we just marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation this past weekend.

We sit here today at a unique moment in the history of the House. It is obviously quite rare for us to discuss the election of a new Speaker in the middle of a Parliament. This has been done only once before, when Speaker John Bosley, who was coincidentally the last Speaker appointed to the role rather than elected, resigned to sit in the Progressive Conservative backbenches in 1986.

Speaker Bosley, whom you may remember was commemorated in the House last year following his passing, left the position because he was concerned about the erosion of public respect for Parliament and believed he could do more to build that respect from outside of the Speaker's chair. Speaker Bosley was clearly concerned about how the House was being perceived by the Canadian electorate. The erosion of public respect for Parliament is real, and I believe we, the members of the House, all have a responsibility to work toward improving it.

The role of the Speaker, as representative of the House of Commons, is to guide this institution in the debates, to oversee the rules and traditions that are so dear to us and, perhaps most importantly at this time, to maintain order and decorum so as to restore the public's respect for Parliament—something that Speaker Bosley was concerned about nearly 40 years ago.

I believe that my experience as Assistant Deputy Speaker has prepared me for this role. I have held this position for the duration of the past two Parliaments and the first half of this Parliament. During my terms, I have always been fair and reasonable in my duty to maintain order in the House.

I have made decisions that maybe, at times, were not popular, even with members of my own party, because the duties of the Chair demanded it. I have also heard from some members of all parties that they believe I am fair and even-handed and have been consistent in my application of the rules of the House. When we are here, regardless of what our party affiliation is, the rules are the rules.

Speaking of political parties, I know there is more that binds us together than divides us. We are all here because we love our nation and are all dedicated to seeing it flourish. We may have different ideas about how to accomplish this goal, and it is vital that we encourage healthy debate to find the common ground. However, I feel, as I am certain many of you do, that at times members can act in a manner that is challenging for the House. I believe that, in those moments, we do a disservice to the House and to Canadians by allowing unhealthy debate to proceed.

My commitment to each of you is that you will have your moment to engage in healthy debate, and you will allow your colleagues their moment to a healthy debate, without unacceptable interruptions, shouting or heckling. This is how we rebuild the public's trust in and respect for Parliament.

I am also looking forward to following in the footsteps of another of our predecessors, the Right Hon. Jeanne Sauvé, former governor general of Canada, who is to this day the only woman who has served as Speaker of the House of Commons. It has been over 40 years since she last presided over the House, and I believe that we must show young women that they too can see themselves represented in our institutions, including as Speaker of the House of Commons.

In closing, I would like to remind members that Canadians are looking to us to make Parliament work in a way that will deliver results for them. I have shown throughout my years in Parliament that I have the experience, judgment and temperament necessary for this role, which is vital for the functioning of our democracy.

Colleagues, this is why I ask for your support.

Your support is greatly appreciated.

[Events in Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, June 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is officially the first day of summer. There is no better place to spend those long summer days than Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing.

Whether we are talking about festivals, powwows or fairs, people can attend events all over Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing.

Next week, Elliot Lake will celebrate Uranium Heritage Days with special events and activities leading up to Canada Day. Hearst continues to celebrate its centennial with tons of activities during homecoming week.

Do you love powwows? There is one almost every weekend, from Sheguiandah First Nation to Michipicoten First Nation.

Do you love boating or camping? There is no shortage of lakes, including Lake Huron and Lake Superior.

Winnie's Hometown Festival in White River is the perfect place to celebrate the world's most famous bear, and the Wiikwemkoong Annual Cultural Festival should not be missed.

People will also find several agricultural fairs from Providence Bay to Bruce Mines. For music lovers, the Go North Music Festival, the Manitoulin Country Fest and Rockin' the Rock are a must.

As you can see, Mr. Speaker, AMK is the place to be for fun in the sun, so come on over.

[Radioactive Waste, June 15th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, constituents from Elliot Lake are demanding action from Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to clean up radioactive waste found at their homes in Elliot Lake.

This waste, from closed uranium mines, was widely used as fill for constructions in the 1960s.

Without their knowledge, these families were exposed to radiation exceeding allowable limits from mining waste buried under their properties.

Yes, this radiation was found in their yards and driveways.

There is a duty to ensure that all radioactive waste in Canada is managed, isolated from the public and safely stored for generations to come. This is the approach embraced by Natural Resources Canada's radioactive waste policy, yet these families' requests for action have been denied. It is imperative that this decades-long issue be permanently fixed. It should not be a family's responsibility to deal with radioactive waste, nor to bear the burden of health risks caused by the uranium mining industry.

Jennifer, Lisa, Kathleen, Margaret and Pamela are asking that this radioactive waste be removed from their properties.

[Defence of Canada Medal Act (1946-1989), June 5th, 2023]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-335, An Act respecting the establishment and award of a Defence of Canada Medal (1946-1989).

Mr. Speaker, Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine has been difficult to watch from afar. As one of Ukraine's closest allies, Canada has and will continue to support the efforts of those brave individuals defending their homeland. This conflict, in many ways, may conjure memories of Canadians working with our allies in other democratic nations to ward off a common foe: the Soviet Union and eastern bloc nations during the Cold War, which lasted from 1946 to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Many Canadians served their nation during this tense period in our history. To properly acknowledge their hard work and sacrifice, I am proud to introduce an act respecting the establishment and award of a defence of Canada medal for the men and women who served Canada during the Cold War.

This medal would be awarded to individuals who served in the Canadian Armed Forces, including reserves, as well as police organizations, emergency measures organizations and civilian assistance organizations, such as St. John Ambulance.

This act represents the vision of an Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing resident, retired captain Ulrich Krings, and has widespread support across the country, especially from those who worked so hard to keep us safe and prepared during those unsettling times.

I am very pleased my colleague from North Island—Powell River, who is also the NDP critic for Veterans Affairs, is seconding my bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Gender-Based Violence, May 31st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability recently released a report on gender-based violence and murder in Canada. The “#CallItFemicide” report, 2018 to 2022, shows gender-based violence and murder are on the rise, and the numbers are chilling.

The report notes a 27% increase in the number of women and girls killed by a male accused compared to 2019. Young women aged 25 to 34 are more likely to be victims. The report also states that one in five female victims killed by a male accused was an indigenous woman or girl.

The “#CallItFemicide” report shows exactly why Parliament needs to take the national action plan to end gender-based violence seriously. There is also a dire need to ensure that the funding for the indigenous shelter and transitional housing initiative is allocated, which would go a long way to protecting indigenous women from dangerous situations.

Let us immediately do all that we can to end gender-based violence.

[Petitions, May 30th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I rise one more time to table a petition that highlights the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

The petitioners indicate that Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline that consists of meditation exercises and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. They note that practitioners are the victims of various forms of persecution in China, including forced organ harvesting and trafficking.

The petitioners are asking this House to pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs; to amend Canadian legislation to combat forced organ harvesting; and to publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

[Business of Supply, May 29th, 2023]

The House will now resolve itself into committee of the whole to study all votes under Department of Finance in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.

Today's debate is a general one on all votes under the Department of Finance. The first round will begin with the official opposition, followed by the government, the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party. After that, we will follow the usual proportional rotation.

Periods of 15 minutes at a time will be allocated to each MP. Speaking time may be used for both debate and questions. If MPs wish to use this time to make a speech, it must not exceed 10 minutes, in order to leave at least five minutes for questions to the minister. When a member is given the floor, he or she must indicate to the Chair how the 15-minute period will be used. In other words, the member will need to indicate which portion will be used for a speech and which portion will be devoted to questions and answers.

In addition, pursuant to the order adopted on Thursday, May 18, members who wish to share their time with another member or members will need to indicate this to the Chair, and the Chair will not receive any quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent. When the time is used for questions and comments, the minister's response should roughly correspond to the time taken to ask the question, since this time will be counted in the time allotted to the MP.

Pursuant to order made Thursday, May 8, the time provided for the debate tonight may be extended beyond four hours, as needed, to include a minimum of 16 periods of 15 minutes each.

I also wish to indicate that in committee of the whole, comments should be addressed to the Chair. I ask for everyone's co-operation in upholding all established standards of decorum, parliamentary language and behaviour.

We will now begin tonight's debate.

The hon. leader of the official opposition.

[Indigenous Police Services, May 29th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, a few months ago, I asked that tripartite first nations policing agreements be renewed and their core funding be increased. As of March 31, funding has stopped flowing for Treaty 3, the Anishinabek Police Service and the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service.

Police services under the first nations and Inuit policing program, unlike other police services, are under threat because of contract imposition instead of fair negotiations. An expedited judicial order against the federal government has been filed just to get basic core funding back. There is deep concern about increasing crime rates, which puts the safety of first nations communities at risk.

The Crown has a legal obligation to ensure first nations policing is an essential service, negotiated based on identified needs and funded at a standard comparable to non-indigenous communities. Let us not repeat the mistakes of our colonial past. Let us ensure these indigenous police services immediately have the resources and specialized training they require to better protect their communities. They need a fair contract with clear terms of reference and adequate funding now.

[Petitions, May 17th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I am once again rising to table a petition regarding the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The petitioners indicate that Falun Gong practitioners in China are being targeted, adding that victims face various forms of persecution, including forced organ harvesting and trafficking.

The petitioners call on this Parliament to pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs; to amend Canadian legislation to combat forced organ harvesting; and to publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.