Ken McDonald

[Budget Implementation Act, 2023, No. 1, April 27th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, Kitchener has a place in my heart as well, because I have family members who live and work in Kitchener. The member spent some time talking about the affordable housing issue and that not enough was being done in this budget. Does he agree with the Conservatives' thoughts on affordable housing, which is getting municipalities out of the way and letting the government go in, build houses and solve the problem? It has to have the municipal touch on it. Does the member agree with that statement?

[The Budget, April 19th, 2023]

We request a recorded division.

[The Budget, April 18th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I want to go back to a question from my colleague from Kingston and the Islands because the member really did not give an answer to the question. The question, as I heard it, was this: Which department in the civil service would the member cut jobs and fire people from?

[Committees of the House, April 18th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting, in both official languages, the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, entitled “Protection and Coexistence of the North Atlantic Right Whale in Canada”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

While I am on my feet, I thank all members of the committee for their work on this report, as well as the clerk, analyst, translation team and all the support staff who make our meetings possible.

[The Budget, April 17th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I wanted to highlight one particular issue. The member said that it is time to get rid of the gatekeepers and build more houses in our country, from one province to another. Before coming to this place, I was involved in municipal politics. I was the mayor of my hometown, the second-largest municipality in the province of Newfoundland.

Is she implying that we should take over the responsibility of issuing permits and regulations when somebody comes in to apply to build a home? I do not think that is where the federal government should go. It does not have the people on the ground to do it, and the municipalities in every province would not be happy with the government taking over that responsibility.

[The Budget, April 17th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I enjoyed working with the member opposite for some time on the fisheries and oceans committee.

He mentioned in his speech that people are finding it hard to access health care or other services, but the government has allocated $196 billion for health care for the provinces and territories over 10 years. That is $19.6 billion a year. Does the member think that is a worthwhile investment in our country, for the people who need various services in health care, or will he vote against the budget and not allow this money to go to the provinces as directed?

[The Budget, April 17th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, I just want to correct something the member for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford mentioned. He said there was a motion put forward by Mr. Jack Harris, a former MP in this House for St. John's East, and that the Liberals voted against it. I want to correct the record. I actually voted in favour of that motion with Mr. Harris at that time.

I am delighted that my colleague, in the speech he just gave, talked about credit card fees going down, student loan fees going down and dental care for kids. However, we are also going to expand it to low-income seniors. Could the member talk about the significance of that for seniors going forward?

[Committees of the House, March 29th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans entitled “Main Estimates 2023-24: Votes 1, 5 and 10 under Department of Fisheries and Oceans”.

[Tragedy in Amqui, March 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I have listened now, for weeks on end in question period, to members getting up and referring to a government that has been in power for eight years. This government will not have been in power for eight years until October 19.

I would like that to be corrected.

[Committees of the House, March 9th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans entitled “Science at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

I thank all the members of the committee for their input on this particular study and final report, and also thank the table staff, clerk, analyst and translation team for making our job much easier than it could be.