Cathay Wagantall
Yorkton—Melville, Saskatchewan · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, I will move on to this. I move: Amendment That the motion be amended: (a) by adding after the words “be disposed of as follows:” the following: “(a) the bill shall be divided into two bills: (i) Bill C-22A, An Act respecting timely access to data and information, which shall be composed of clauses 2 to 40 of Bill C-22, (ii) B…”
“(1705) Nobody recognized me. They had phones outside the door here, over there and downstairs. They were trying to find me. They could not find me, because in every campaign, I look a little different. I said, “You have to do a better job of this.”
“I wonder if she will get it done. I then had one on protecting pregnant women. A lot of women came and talked to me and said they wanted access to abortion. I said, “Fine.” The truth is that 84% of Canadians want access to abortion. I said that there was a DART & Maru/BLUE poll that was done.”
“I could not do my job without my staff who are in my riding and, certainly, those here on the Hill as well. I am so grateful for every one of them who has been a part of my team. I want to thank the pages and all the folks who help us out in the lobby and put up with us on a daily basis. They are remarkable.”
“I will stop there, but his heart is what drives him, as does his love for being a servant leader and caring about people. When my mom passed away, he phoned me. When this happens to anyone in our caucus, he makes that call, and no one ever feels rushed when he is talking with them.”
“Many members get their name pulled out of that hat, but never get the opportunity because they are too far down the list. My predecessor was here for 22 years, and I do not believe ever had that opportunity. My passion is caring about violence against women.”
The complete record
Every one of 262 lines we hold for Cathay Wagantall, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 6.
“As more and more media articles raise public concern over drought conditions, public and political perception may become more important than actual prescription windows.” In addition, ministers' answers to Conservative questions in the House repeatedly emphasized their commitment to preserving “ecological integrity” without defining what that means in practice. We now know that it meant ignoring experts and denying the science on effective forest management. The federal government has a responsibility to admit it failed and take immediate action to change its ideology, its behaviour and its lack of respect for those who are experts in forest management, preservation and conservation.”
“It is one thing to have the benefit of hindsight when holding a government to account for its failures, but to have been given hard lessons from a catastrophic event and not act on those lessons is contemptible. Recent conversations with the same forestry experts in Jasper do not give reason to believe that the Liberals have corrected their course, as Parks Canada continues to lack the appropriate response to effectively manage forests in national parks. Even more concerning is the role that ideology has played in forest management. It has been discovered that, under direction from this government, Parks Canada prioritized political optics over proactive, prescribed burns. The following is a quote from a senior Parks Canada director: “At what point do we make the organizational decision to cancel...prescribed burns in Western Canada?”
“Even after a sustained campaign of pressure on Parks Canada to change its approach, Jasper National Park remained much like “a powder keg waiting to blow up.” As experts predicted, the worst-case scenario unfolded. The 2024 Jasper fire was one of Canada's most devastating natural disasters, resulting in the destruction of nearly one-third of the town, $880 million in insured losses and the displacement of over 25,000 residents and visitors. Our thoughts remain today with the town of Jasper and all those who continue to rebuild their lives in the wake of the disaster. The same will apply to those who are grieving loss with these wildfires.”
“In their own words, the likelihood of a catastrophic wildfire event was “a matter of when, not if”. By suppressing fires over a long period of time, Parks Canada created unnatural forest conditions and a prime environment for the mountain pine beetle to thrive. Experts recommended an urgent program of prescribed burns and the removal of dead trees, which is just common sense. However, several years passed, and no significant policy changes to forest management were implemented. Every year from 2014 to 2020, the number of completed prescribed fires remained well below what was planned. In 2020, only eight of 33 planned fires were completed.”
“We also need to recognize what the federal government should not be doing. For this, I turn to a specific example that also greatly impacted westerners not too long ago. The Jasper National Park wildfire disaster is still fresh in the minds of Canadians. The federal government holds direct responsibility for wildfire management on federal lands, including our national parks. The Liberal government ignored repeated warnings from scientists, forestry experts and local residents about the increasing wildfire risk in Jasper National Park. (2200) The environment minister of the day was warned by foresters about the compounded threat that long-standing fire suppression, the mountain pine beetle epidemic and the warming climate posed to the region.”
“The Liberals must establish mandatory minimum sentences to deal with individuals who deliberately endanger communities and destroy livelihoods. It remains to be seen if the current government will truly change its ways regarding fighting climate change and natural disasters. Implementing tax after tax is not an environmental plan. Canadians are calling for targeted expenditures to reduce emissions, fight wildfires and build critical infrastructure resiliency and greater support for frontline firefighting, including labour incentives, not an inflationary carbon tax. When disaster strikes, there is no time for delay while different levels of government scramble to define their roles. Canadians deserve a plan with delineated responsibilities and a government that is focused on prevention and preparedness before disaster strikes.”
“However, there is currently no federal agency with the teeth, mandate or resources to coordinate equipment, aircraft or manpower. Other countries have interjurisdictional bodies that mobilize resources quickly and cut red tape. Why is it that Canada does not? Conservatives continue to call for a stronger mandate for federal emergency preparedness, not to override the provinces but to assist them to streamline response and bring order to chaos when every second counts. Furthermore, it is time to get serious about criminal arson. The current criminal penalty for arson is 14 years in prison. In some cases, perpetrators of intentional acts of arson resulting in property damage have faced less than one year of their prison sentence. Like all aspects of this government's approach to crime, this has to change.”
“Tonight, specifically, we are debating in what ways the federal government can and should be best responding to the crisis and where it needs to do better. Canadians are not entirely at the mercy of these wildfires. While the primary responsibility for wildfire suppression rests with municipalities, provinces and territories, the federal government is not a bystander. At the same time, the federal role in wildfire response remains ill-defined, underpowered and poorly understood, not just by Canadians, but by the very provinces that are supposed to rely on it in a time of crisis. In most cases, the provinces lead, and we must respect that. However, when disaster strikes on this scale, Canadians expect their federal government to show up with real coordination, real support and real action.”
“Many are community heroes and are facing the same danger and uncertainty as those they are serving. These emergencies and this crisis reveal the best of Canada: communities that care for each other and make sacrifices that go so far and beyond. For those of us who are not in the line of the fire but are dealing with heavy smoke, it can be very precarious, especially for the vulnerable. Staying inside with windows and doors closed, using an air purifier, and wearing an N95 mask if they must venture out when the air quality is poor are being recommended. If the worst-case scenario is a concern, prepare an emergency kit ahead of time, if at all possible, in case of sudden evacuation orders. Saskatchewanians are resilient and resourceful, looking out for one another, and we will get through this.”
“Yesterday, we learned that La Ronge, along with Air Ronge and Lac La Ronge Indian Band, are facing mandatory evacuations. Approximately 8,000 residents in Saskatchewan have been relocated, with the number expected to rise as the fires continue to grow. My thoughts and my prayers are with the thousands who have been forced to leave their homes and businesses behind and who have seen loved ones lost. My thoughts and prayers are with the first responders who have been working around the clock to contain the destruction. I think of their loved ones as they are putting everything on the line for the safety of other families, neighbours and friends. How thankful we need to be to charities and community groups that exist to provide shelter and aid.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am sharing my time with the member for Peace River—Westlock . As this is my first opportunity to speak at length in this House following the election, I would like to thank the good people of Yorkton—Melville for placing their trust in me once again, for a fourth term. Their endorsement and their faith in me mean the world to me, and I will strive every day to ensure they are represented and championed in this place. Today, I rise to speak about a real crisis that is affecting so many individuals, businesses and first responders in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and northeastern B.C. Wildfires, including many in northern Saskatchewan, continue to spread, prompting evacuations in over two dozen communities and impacting air quality across our region.”
“Mr. Speaker, can the minister help me square a circle here? Canadians were told that the Liberal Party had changed. They heard that a new government under the current Prime Minister would bolster Canada's resource economy so that we can compete toe-to-toe with the Americans. Just one month later, Canadians see how empty those promises were. The no new pipelines law, the shipping ban, the job-killing oil and gas production cap, and the industrial carbon tax all remain in place. When will the Liberal government repeal its damaging anti-energy agenda so that private energy investment will reignite in Canada?”