Harjit S. Sajjan

[Pensions, May 3rd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank all the wildland firefighters, who have done amazing work. We have been working very closely with provincial counterparts to address this issue, but one thing to make clear is that, in fact, we care very deeply about the work that they are doing. That is why we increased the tax credit for the volunteer firefighters as well.

We will do everything possible to make sure we support them.

[Emergency Preparedness, April 19th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for his very strong advocacy on flood protection.

We know of the devastating impacts that climate change is having on Canadians. Insurance companies are paying out billions of dollars, and those costs are being passed on to Canadians, making it even more expensive to own homes. With budget 2024, we are increasing our investments on a national, low-cost, flood insurance program. Over the next year, we will work with the provinces and territories to put this program in place.

We will be there for Canadians when climate change impacts their lives.

[Climate Change, April 16th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, last year, we had the worst wildfire season in Canadian history because of climate change, and potentially this season could be even worse. We have been working very closely with the provinces and territories and indigenous leaders to provide the resources they need. We are training more firefighters, providing additional firefighting equipment and adding more initiatives to provide humanitarian support.

On this side of the House, we know the devastating impact that climate change is having on Canadians and we will be there for them.

[Emergency Preparedness, February 29th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, actually, we are taking immediate action, taking lessons learned not only from last year but also from previous years.

First and foremost, we need to make sure that all the resources that have been put in place go directly to fighting wildfires, that is, to the local levels. We have already trained approximately 500 firefighters, putting in place more personnel to support the recovery.

Yes, we are reviewing the overall national system as well.

For any support that we provide, we are going to make sure that it actually has the maximum impact.

[Disaster Assistance, February 8th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all the members of Parliament from Nova Scotia who have kept me informed so we can make the appropriate and timely decisions to get the support to the people in need.

Parks Canada leveraged the crucial snow removing equipment, and we did that within hours. I also want to thank our partners like the Canadian Coast Guard and Team Rubicon that rapidly put people on the ground to help their neighbours get out from under the snow. Over 500 people were made available to provide this support.

[Emergency Preparedness, February 5th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the members of Parliament who kept me updated yesterday on the significant snowfall in Nova Scotia. We received a request for assistance from the Nova Scotia government late last night, which is something I approved. I am happy to report that search and rescue crews have been working all weekend. Heavy equipment for snow clearing from Parks Canada has been made available, as well as transportation support from the Coast Guard. Our humanitarian workforce will provide additional support as well.

[Business of Supply, January 30th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, February 1, shall be an allotted day.

[Questions on the Order Paper, December 12th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), concerning the Lytton Homeowner Resilient Rebuild Program, Pacific Economic Development Canada, or PacifiCan, distributed $0 between May 31 and October 24, 2023. In order to receive the fire-resilient or fire-resilient and net zero homes grant, the homeowner is required to complete home construction and meet all stated program requirements. As of October 24, 2023, all three applicants were in process but had not yet achieved the requirements.

With regard to (b), as of October 24, 2023, a total amount of $279,288 has been committed towards three recipients.

With regard to (c), the average payment to participants is $0 as of October 24, 2023. The average is expected to be $93,096 once grants are distributed.

With regard to (d), as of October 24, 2023, PacifiCan received three applications.

[Carbon Pricing, December 11th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, wildfires have ravaged our country. In the Northwest Territories, towns were almost burned down. We had to evacuate the capital city of the Northwest Territories. What did the Conservatives do? They voted against the measures that fight against climate change, and they voted against the measures to support Canadians in their time of need as well.

[Emergency Preparedness, December 6th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, our nation has been dealing with significant wildfire seasons because of climate change, and it is impacting the most vulnerable, especially when it comes to our indigenous communities.

Every time I have gone to visit the disaster-affected areas, I do meet with the indigenous communities. One of the things that we are looking at is making sure that we use their knowledge, in terms of the mitigation, and making sure that we have the appropriate response force.

We are going to get this right by making sure that the indigenous have the support to actually support us in our wildfire response.