43rd PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION House of Commons Debates Official Report (Hansard) Volume 150 No. 114 Wednesday, June 9, 2021 Speaker: The Honourable Anthony Rota CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 8149 HOUSE OF COMMONS Wednesday, June 9, 2021 The House met at 2 p.m. ● (1405) TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS Mr. Arnold Viersen (Peace River—Westlock, CPC): Mr. Prayer Speaker, there is nothing more beautiful in all the world than a new mother with her new baby. Yesterday, my friend gave birth to two ● (1400) brand new baby boys. The miracle of carrying a new person created [English] with unlimited potential makes mothers tremendous. The Speaker: With the summer recess approaching, I would like Being a mom can feel overwhelming and impossible, but today I to thank the Pages for their extraordinary work this year. want to recognize all the mothers who bring new life into this world [Translation] and care for their children. It can make them feel unseen and under‐ appreciated, but their impact is infinite in the lives of their children. Normally, on a Wednesday in June, the House of Commons Moms shape the next generation. pages sing the national anthem at the beginning of the sitting. How‐ ever, this year has been exceptional for everyone, including this I thank moms for their sleepless nights, for bandaids on skinned year's group of pages. knees, for their first-day school tears, for late night heart-to-hearts and for their unconditional love. [English] Although they were not able to sing in person this year, they To all the moms to whom we owe our existence, I thank them. have collaborated virtually to maintain this tradition. * * * [Pages sang the national anthem] GEORGE MURPHY Mr. Ken McDonald (Avalon, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of George Murphy, who passed away sudden‐ STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS ly at the young age of 58 this past weekend. Every Newfoundlander [English] and Labradorian knew George Murphy. He had a unique personali‐ ty with a contagious smile and always a story to tell. APHASIA AWARENESS MONTH Ms. Pam Damoff (Oakville North—Burlington, Lib.): Mr. George was known in our province as the gas guru. With his ex‐ Speaker, June is Aphasia awareness month and that is important be‐ pert knowledge, he would give us the inside scoop on the weekly cause 95% of Canadians do not know what aphasia is. Aphasia is a price of gas, even in the middle of an election campaign or in the language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate. It middle of a pandemic. is most often caused by strokes that occur in areas of the brain that control speech and language. Aphasia does not affect intelligence, George was a well-known taxi driver and business manager for but it makes speech jumbled, fragmented or hard to understand, Jiffy Cabs. His personality and passion for our province brought which can be frustrating. him to the House of Assembly as the MHA for St. John's East from 2011 to 2015. In the recent provincial election he ran in his home This June, I would like to thank Carly Woods, a speech-language district of Harbour Main for the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and pathologist who for the past five years worked at the Halton-Peel Labrador. Community Aphasia Programs where she helped so many Halton residents regain their voice. George will be remembered as the loving husband to his wife, Joy, a wonderful father and grandfather. He was generous, a pas‐ Carly welcomed me into their group therapy room, taught me sionate man and above all else a gentle soul. George was taken about aphasia and introduced me to some of the kindest friends I from us way too soon. His legacy will live on. know. I thank her for her positivity, patience and kind heart. I wish her the best of luck in her new adventure. “Rest easy, my friend.” 8150 COMMONS DEBATES June 9, 2021 Statements by Members [Translation] carnivals, curling playdowns and the Lions Club fundraising bin‐ gos, but there was nothing that brought that place to life like play‐ SOLIDARITY IN SHEFFORD off hockey. Ms. Andréanne Larouche (Shefford, BQ): Mr. Speaker, there are some stories of solidarity that truly warm the heart. The heartbeat of our community, the arena is home to memories At the height of vine-pruning season at the new Girouard vine‐ for thousands of people across Canada, including NHL players and yard, Yoan, who is 14, had a serious skateboarding accident that Stanley Cup champions. While those memories will remain, jerseys left him lying on the side of the road with severe head trauma, as representing the pinnacle of careers, which hung from the rafters, well as other injuries. His friend Kayla, who was on her way to and all the championship banners on the east wall are now gone. meet him, found him and took it upon herself to run one kilometre to go get help. Yoan was then transported to the Fleurimont Hospi‐ I know that our community and the region will come together tal, where it was feared he might not make it. His parents, Josée and and one day soon we will be back in that arena cheering for our Martin, owners of the vineyard, have been by his side ever since. Broncos. When he heard of this tragedy, Michel Robert, from the Coteau Rougemont vineyard, asked the winemakers of the region for emer‐ * * * gency help. They answered the call. They took care of the parents' ● (1410) vineyard so they could stay by their son's bedside, and he is now recovering at home. FREDERICK BICKFORD By pulling together, the winemakers saved the season for the young vineyard, which plans to bottle its first batch of wine in Au‐ Mr. Marcus Powlowski (Thunder Bay—Rainy River, Lib.): gust. They probably ensured the survival of the business for this Mr. Speaker, I wish to note the passing of a well-known, well-re‐ couple of entrepreneurs, but, most importantly, Yoan's friend Kayla, spected labour lawyer, Frederick Bickford, a resident in my riding, in going to meet up with him, saved his life. who represented major industrial and institutional clients for 42 years. * * * LONDON TRAGEDY A true gentleman, Fred lived his life with faith and gratitude, generously working in the service of others to make the world a Mr. Francis Drouin (Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, Lib.): better place. A lifelong member of the Liberal Party, he loyally Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, I was shocked, outraged and horri‐ served the party in various roles over the years. fied by the attack in London, Ontario. A few days ago, three generations of one family paid the price As a young man, Fred served his country as a signal officer in for someone else's ignorance and hate. This is one tragedy too the military and, more recently, as honorary colonel and senate many, one that affects not only Canada's Muslim community, but member of the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment. all of us. We need to send a clear message. What happened in Lon‐ don, Ontario was nothing short of a terrorist act, motivated by noth‐ Fred's keen sense of justice governed his practice of law as well ing but ignorance and hate. as his work at the Ontario Bar Association and Law Society of Up‐ Islamophobia and racism have no place in our society. It is im‐ per Ontario. Fred used his voice as a bencher with the law society portant to reiterate it and to remind everyone. We have a duty to act to advance the goals of indigenous reconciliation, equality, diversi‐ and to intervene when we witness Islamophobia in our society, be‐ ty and inclusion, all principles he regarded as imperative for the vi‐ cause to do nothing is tantamount to supporting that kind of be‐ tality of our society. Fred's legacy of integrity, honour, kindness and haviour. compassion remain, to inspire others. On behalf of everyone in Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, I wish Our thoughts are with his beloved wife Cheryl; his loving sister to extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family. Joan; and his three cherished children Sean, Leanne and Robert, * * * and their families. [English] * * * MEADOW LAKE ARENA Mr. Gary Vidal (Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, MINING CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE CPC): Mr. Speaker, it was at 2:37 a.m. on Sunday that I received a message that the Meadow Lake arena was on fire. Mr. Eric Melillo (Kenora, CPC): Mr. Speaker, as the economy reopens, our focus must be on securing the future and supporting I still remember when the arena was first built. I was 12 years the families who have been impacted by the pandemic. It is vital old, and when I skated out onto that ice it felt like I was in the mid‐ that we have a strong recovery in all sectors and all regions of the dle of Maple Leaf Gardens. The arena was not just about hockey, country. That means targeted stimulus to the hardest-hit sectors and though; it has been home to many other community events through‐ supporting the development of natural resources across northern out the years, like trade shows, fairs, indoor rodeos, figure-skating Ontario. June 9, 2021 COMMONS DEBATES 8151 Statements by Members Recently, the first nations of Cat Lake, KI, Slate Falls and Lac ● (1415) Seul have created a historic mining partnership with the Sioux Lookout Friendship Accord and nine regional companies to create a centre of excellence. The centre will provide training and jobs, and PUBLIC SAFETY increase the first nations' participation in mining projects.