Frank Caputo

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Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the people of Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, and it is certainly no exception to speak to Bill C-31, the bill that is colloquially known as the budget implementation act. It feels like we are a little late because we are getting a new budget in two days. I find it interesting that the government would table a budget literally at the end of the day on Thursday. Western MPs like myself and ministers often travel on that day. For those who tune in to question period on Friday, it is usually a bit shorter, not shorter in time but a little less raucous, a little quieter, and people are all spread out because, I would say, probably half of the MPs are present. It is often called the Friday afternoon news dump, as we often hear about. At times, we have to ask why. The worst I saw, and I am trying to remember the example, was when the government made an announcement, and I am sure the member for Winnipeg North, with his repository of memories, would probably remember what it was. At 10 p.m., the government made what I believe was a military announcement, something deeply unpopular that it wanted to bury. I am left wondering why Thursday at 4 p.m. Who knows? We will see what is in this budget. We will see just how bad the deficit is. If the government wanted to tell people about all the good news, one would think, it would table the budget on a Monday. Not only that, but the next week is a break week. Sure, we will have question period on Friday, although most ministers will not be here. I will be surprised if they are. When I inevitably get a question from the Liberals, perhaps the Liberal member who invariably gets up and asks me a question can tell the House whether the finance minister will be here on the Friday to answer questions. If the finance minister is going to table a budget, one would think that both he and the Prime Minister would be prepared to defend that budget in question period the next day. I am very curious to hear whether the minister in charge of the budget and the Prime Minister will be here on Friday, because we will then go home for the Remembrance Day week, for what we call a constituency week, and those weeks are very important. We as MPs need time with our families, but we also need time with constituents. It is a time to connect with people, and that goes for members of Parliament from all parties. There are probably 10 different Remembrance Day ceremonies in my riding, maybe even 15 or 20, because there are upwards of 15 communities, 29 first nations and two regional districts in my riding alone. I look forward to connecting with people, but I am curious as to what will be in the budget. Now I am going to deviate and say what I really hope will be in the budget. There is one thing I am very proud of. When I was the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, I had the tremendous honour of tabling a petition in support of the community land trust concept. This is something that has been championed by one of Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola’s finest people, a wonderful volunteer, somebody who has been involved with the chamber of commerce. His name is Colin O’Leary. Colin has given so much of his time to this idea because he not only believes in it but believes this will have a tremendous impact for people. The Hill Times just did a story. It says November 3, so it is hot off the presses. The Hill Times did a story about the community land trust, and has a photo of Mr. O’Leary, as well as the chamber of commerce located in Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola. One of my former students in the faculty of business, Acacia Pangilinan, is also pictured in The Hill Times. This is what The Hill Times says about the community land trust: ...Community Land Trusts...could be a big part of the solution. CLTs are non-profit organizations that acquire land and buildings, and hold the land in trust for affordable housing. While people can purchase houses, duplexes, or apartments on CLT property, the land itself remains in ownership of the trust. The effect? Land costs are taken out of the equation, meaning that housing can be built for the cost of construction, at the same time the land is held in trust as a community asset, benefiting future generations and ensuring lasting affordability. The problem? Our current tax rules make it difficult to donate parcels of land to CLTs. In other words, people are punished for their own charity. This is something that has been advanced by the Kamloops and District Chamber of Commerce. It has been advanced by Mr. O’Leary, and I believe Mr. O’Leary deserves the lion’s share of the credit for this idea. Anybody who would claim otherwise simply does not know the history. I would say to Colin, and those who have supported him, like the Kamloops chamber and like Acacia, thanks for all he has done, on behalf of the people of Canada and as his member of Parliament for Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola. Another thing I would like to see addressed, and I have tabled a number of petitions in the House of Commons on it, is with respect to Merritt. Merritt is a new community in my riding. It was not in the former Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo riding. An atmospheric river went through Merritt, and the prime minister showed up, as he always did for the good photo ops. Justin Trudeau never missed a photo op. Let us be real. He showed up with Bill Blair, who ran in the last election and then got a patronage appointment. Nobody talks about the cost of his by-election in order to do that, one of many. Be that as it may, they showed up. They said, “We’ll have your backs.” The province put forward well over $100 million. I believe it was about $140 million, but I stand to be corrected on that number. The federal government indirectly, I am told, has contributed a couple of million dollars to this. When it was photo op time for the people of Merritt, hard-working blue-collar people like my family, so many of whom I identify with, as my dad was a sawmill worker, the government was so happy to say, “We’ll have your backs.” When it came time to write cheques, the Liberals were missing in action. We now have the West Coast Corridor Resiliency Partnership, which is a partnership of communities in my riding and in other ridings. It is time to deliver what the government promised to the people of Merritt. I have tabled petitions to this end, and I really hope that the government makes good on its promise. Let us face it. Talk is kind of cheap around here. We have heard so many promises that have not come to fruition. Barriere is another great community. It has a strong mill history that I can empathize with, given my family’s history. Barriere needs a new fire hall, and it needs a new fire truck. We talk about infrastructure, and we talk about community needs. This is really basic, and I have petitioned the government to fund those types of things. With respect to Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola itself, Kamloops had this iconic landmark, the Red Bridge, called the Red Bridge because the side was actually red. It was destroyed by arson, tragically. There were two attempts. The second attempt actually worked. The reality is that the people of Kamloops want the Red Bridge back. This is going to be a provincial responsibility, but we need federal funding for the fast-tracking of the rebuilding of the Red Bridge. It connected mainland Kamloops to the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc lands. It is an alternate route so that we actually have a second way of getting from downtown to the Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc territory. One would think that with a housing and infrastructure minister from British Columbia, we would be hearing about this. This is something on which I have put forward five petitions already. I really hope the government listens. This is exactly the type of thing it should be funding. I have a lot more to say, but I see my time is up. It is an honour to rise in this House to discuss these things.