This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.
Mr. Speaker, Thanks · 27 wordsit is a privilege to share my time with the hon. member, who so well articulated why this is an opposed item for His Majesty’s loyal opposition.Thanks Procedure · 56 wordsI would like to start my remarks with a quote from the installation speech of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Louise Arbour, the 31st Governor General of Canada.1 This is a quote from the speech she gave in the other place this morning to assembled guests and dignitaries, 2as well as to all Canadians. She said: ProcedureReasoning · 15 wordsHumanity has always sought to go further, to push the boundaries. And to go higher, Claims · 12 wordsas our Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen did on his mission into space. Positioning · 26 wordsHow could anyone be anything other than awestruck by the thought that he set his eyes on places no other human being had ever seen before?PositioningOff point Procedure · 5 wordsI say this with confidence: ProcedureReasoning · 54 wordslet us not slow our momentum toward progress out of fear of differences. Extreme polarization is dangerous—but so is extreme consensus. It is through our differences, and our fundamental right to express them, that we will nourish critical thinking, creativity and innovation. It is through our differences that we will build our common future. Claims · 25 wordsAs Canadians, we have the extraordinary privilege of living in a mature democracy. We benefit from strong institutions that allow different views to be expressed.Off point Reasoning · 83 wordsI offer that excerpt from the remarks of Her Excellency because it is regrettable that some who are new to this place do not know and some maybe have forgotten what it is that we are to do here and who we are doing it for.Partly on point The act of opposition exercised by His Majesty’s loyal opposition, and, in fact, by all members who are not in government, which is not the people in the governing party but members of the executive, is accountability. Claims · 34 wordsHowever, this discussion and debate, particularly around this $20 million annually or $200 million over 10 years, has been framed by some people, when Conservatives raise legitimate questions, as being an act of disloyalty, Procedure · 9 wordsso let us get a couple of things clear.Procedure Reasoning · 16 wordsCanada should be able to launch Canadian payloads from Canadian soil. That is a legitimate objective. Claims · 102 wordsCanada has a proud history in space, as noted by Her Excellency, in the recent successful journey of Colonel Jeremy Hansen, 3but there are also the Canadarm or Canadarm2; Marc Garneau, who was the first Canadian in space, in the year I was born, I would note; 4Roberta Bondar, who was the first Canadian woman in space; 5Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut who commanded the International Space Station; 6and many men and women who have made extraordinary contributions to humanity’s continued reach for the stars. The Canadian Space Agency says that a commercial launch is “a natural evolution” for Canada’s space sector, 7Positioning · 6 wordsand I agree with this objective.Positioning Reasoning · 49 wordsThe question is not whether Canada should pursue sovereign launch capability, as my hon. colleague noted previously. The question is whether taxpayers got good value for money in this $200‑million deal over 10 years, and we need to be clear about that. It is not about sovereign launch capability. Claims · 31 wordsWhen Conservatives vote against, for example, a budget that includes spending on national defence, we hear the cries from Liberal members, “They hate the military,” and, “Why don’t they love Canada?” Positioning · 28 wordsThat is an awful thing to hear. I believe the Liberals actually know better. We all ran and were elected to serve the people of this great country, PositioningPartly on pointClaims · 19 wordsand there are more than a few of us who have put on the uniform to serve our country. Thanks · 30 wordsI thank the men and women who came before us, and the men and women today who serve, not the least of whom are those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.Thanks Positioning · 14 wordsThis is not about disloyalty to Canada. In fact, it is quite the opposite.Positioning Reasoning · 12 wordsIt is about us exercising our responsibility to get accountability for taxpayers. Claims · 90 wordsWe are the representation for that taxation, and we have asked very simple questions about the $20 million. The government announced a 10-year, $200-million agreement to lease one dedicated launch pad for a spaceport in Nova Scotia.8 The government says it is going to support DND, the Canadian Armed Forces, the wider Government of Canada, our allies and our partners. It said the pad must reach its initial operational capability by the end of 2026 and that 90% of the funds must be spent in Canada.9 Those are important promises, Reasoning · 6 wordsbut they raise basic accountability questions. The ask · 45 wordsNumber one, how was the $200-million price tag determined? Number two, was there a competitive process, or was this a sole-source deal? Number three, what did taxpayers receive for the first year, given that Maritime Launch says the agreement is retroactive to April 1, 2025?10 Claims · 21 wordsIt is being paid $20 million per year, and the first payment of $20 million was due before March 31, 2026.11 The ask · 34 wordsNumber four, what milestones, holdbacks, clawbacks or cancellation rights protect taxpayers if the site is not ready by the end of 2026? Number five, what due diligence was done on Maritime Launch’s financial position? Claims · 23 wordsIts 2025 annual filings refer to the spaceport as “under construction” and note that depreciation begins when the spaceport is available for use.12 Reasoning · 15 wordsI am not here today to say that the project is bad or that the— An hon. member: Yes, you are. Michael Barrett: Claims · 14 wordsMr. Speaker, the hon. member just came in, and he was not paying attention. Positioning · 69 wordsHe misses the entire point. He is the kind of person who comes in here and starts screaming about people being disloyal for doing their job of holding the Liberals accountable for $20 million.Off point We love Canada. That is not something that they hold a licence on. We love this country. The hon. member, who put on a uniform for this country, knows better, and he should act better.PositioningOff point Reasoning · 9 wordsI would not say that this project is bad, The ask · 15 wordsbut I would say that the Liberals have to demonstrate basic due diligence to Canadians. Reasoning · 31 wordsThat is their responsibility. Parliament has to make sure that the money was handled properly. If everything was done properly, the government and the company should be able to show that. The ask · 13 wordsWe invite them to do it. I would welcome them to do that, Claims · 4 wordsbut they have not. Procedure · 19 wordsWith that in mind, I move: That the motion be amended by replacing the amount of “$17,968,133,395” with “$17,948,133,395”.13Procedure
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