Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the survivors of Graham James and other child sexual predators will never be able to forget the crimes inflicted upon them. We were reminded of that this week when Graham James was granted parole.Why is the government standing up for the rights of criminals like Graham James instead of their survivors?
Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the previous Conservative government passed legislation to ensure that convicted child sexual predators would never be able to apply for a pardon. This week, Canadians were horrified to see that an infamous serial child rapist was granted day parole.The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has indicated that the government will make it easier for criminals like that to get pardons. Why would the Liberal government do that?
Mr. Speaker, as the government seems blindly determined to normalize relations with the Iranian regime, I wonder whether the Minister of Foreign Affairs is aware of the latest poisonous utterances by the regime's supreme leader. Yesterday, on International Holocaust Remebrance Day, Ayatollah Khamenei posted a video on his website questioning the slaughter of six million Jews by the Nazis. Does the minister really believe he can engage in a meaningful dialogue with a regime that not only denies history but regularly calls for the destruction of Israel?
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to inform the House that we have introduced two bills to respond to attacks on the labour movement that were unwarranted, uncalled for, and undemocratic. This was not called for by industry or labour. The repealing of these two bills will bring back fairness and balance.
Mr. Speaker, given the government's vague intention to end sanctions against Iran, it is time for some specific answers. Which of Canada's two dozen prohibitions against the Iranian regime does the government plan to lift? Given new U.S. sanctions, provoked by Iran's ballistic missile tests, will Canada now look the other way as Iran works on a weapon aimed at Israel? Finally, does the government really intend to de-list Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day for Canadian democracy and accountability. This morning, the government announced that it would repeal two fundamental labour laws. The first is the law to allow union members to vote by secret ballot, and the second requires unions bosses to be accountable. Today it became clear that the Liberal Party is thanking the big union bosses for spending millions of dollars against the Conservative Party. That is the reality of the Liberal Party.How can the government go along with this lack of democracy and accountability? It is completely unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government systematically discriminated against indigenous children for years. In order to implement this week's decision, the government must take meaningful action immediately. We need to see an entire cultural shift in all government institutions. Other cases are still before the courts regarding access to education and health care.What specific actions has the government taken since Tuesday to finally respect the rights of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, I do not share the hon. member's cynicism, and with good reason. The new independent, non-partisan, merit-based, open and transparent process we have introduced is in the capable hands of nine of eminent Canadians who make up the advisory board, individuals like Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada. We believe that the presence of new non-partisan senators will enhance the effectiveness of this important democratic institution.
Mr. Speaker, it was my pleasure today to try to right some of the wrongs of the past. Earlier today I introduced legislation in this House to repeal Bill C-377 and Bill C-525, both a direct attack on the Canadian labour movement.
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Prime Minister is going to devastate the western economy with his own NEP, the no-energy program.We are debating a Conservative motion today that would send a clear signal of support to out of work Canadians. The thousands of families who are enduring job losses need a champion to promote projects that would get them back to work.The Prime Minister promised more free votes. Will he allow his members from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick to stand up and vote freely? Will he free the member for Wascana?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and the Conservatives have rubber-stamped countless foreign takeovers, and it seems the new government will be no different. Manitoba's Allstream owns a fibre optic network that carries the confidential information of the federal government and countless Canadians. However, the Liberals just stood by as it was sold to an American company, putting that information at risk of U.S. surveillance. The previous government blocked an earlier attempt based on national security concerns, so why is the Liberal minister refusing to do a review to protect Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the House has heard repeatedly that our government is absolutely committed to restoring the inequitable status that many indigenous peoples have faced in child care, in health care, and in many other capacities. I will certainly look into the situation that the hon. member has brought to my attention. I will look into that and bring back news to the House with details as to how we will respond.
Mr. Speaker, the rights of workers in my riding of AvignonLa MitisMataneMatapédia were violated for nearly a decade because of the Conservatives' anti-union positions.Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour tell the House what measures our government is taking to better protect the rights of workers?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that today we announced legislation to repeal two bills, which attacked the labour movement, by the former Conservative government and that these two bills will restore fairness and balance to the workplace, encouraging a stronger economy, which I hope every member of the House is working toward.
Mr. Speaker, on the very day that the Human Rights Tribunal ruled on the systemic discrimination against indigenous children, officials in Health Canada told a little indigenous girl named Kendall that they would not pay for badly needed orthodontic surgery. Now Kendall also has an ocular tumour and needs special drops to save her vision. The response from the officials was absolutely not. I ask myself, as a parent, how that is possible. For the health minister, what steps has she taken to issue directives to her ministers to make it right for Kendall and all the other children who are still being denied basic rights every single day?
Mr. Speaker, Syrian refugees are being abandoned by the Liberal government in cramped, temporary accommodations. Can the minister confirm if in fact in London, Ontario, one of the hotels in which these refugees are being housed is located next door to a gentlemen's club, which features exotic dancers? Can the minister tell Canadians how much these so-called temporary accommodations are costing taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claimed that bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada was only a matter of political will. From November 1 to December 14, 2015, the government brought in a grand total of 105 government-assisted Syrian refugees.Can the minister explain why it broke its biggest election promise and now sees government-sponsored refugees spending weeks in hotels as perfectly normal?
Mr. Speaker, it appears that there was a lot of time spent by the previous government looking at unfair, unjust attacks on the labour movement. In this case, we are looking at a bill that was put together that attacks the labour movement. It makes it more difficult to certify and much easier to decertify.That is not fair and balanced, and these bills need to be repealed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. It gives me the opportunity to say how moved the Canadian government and I were by the sadness and suffering of our families in Quebec City. These deaths occurred under extremely difficult circumstances thousands of kilometres away from home. This was a tragedy for the families and friends, for the entire Quebec City region, and for the entire Canadian government.
Mr. Speaker, the motion that the members opposite have put forward is simply a rehash of their failed policies of the past 10 years. Not only did Canadians vote against those policies in the last election but we will vote against those policies today in the House of Commons.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that my government looks into every item of that nature. However, the best summary was provided by a refugee from Syria, currently staying in a Toronto hotel, who was reported as saying this by the media today: Im just happy to be here. The tiny room I had in Lebanon was not safe.... I was suffering in Lebanon for two years. Compared to there, this is heaven. Of course, we all want to settle down quickly, but the wait is OK. That is from a refugee, and it is a very good answer.
Mr. Speaker, what is very clear is why the Liberals' priority is to reward union leadership. Just today, we found out that the unions illegally donated to the Liberals' campaign. It is no wonder that the Liberals want to hide this information from Canadians by repealing legislation that imposes transparency and accountability on union members.Why do Liberals have so much time to defend union leadership but no time to come up with a plan to get Canadians, to get Albertans, back to work?
Mr. Speaker, since January 1, 2016, millions of Canadians have been getting bigger paycheques as a result of our tax cuts for the middle class. To pay for this tax cut, we increased taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. I am still surprised that the NDP does not support this measure, since we normally all agree with the principle of asking those who are successful to do a little more for those in need.
Mr. Speaker, there are 16 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo who have been adopted by Canadian families. They are waiting for exit visas and the DRC has refused to issue them. Now there is legislation before the Congolese parliament that could force these Canadian families to wait years more.Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call President Kabila, and request 16 exit visas?
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the minister is confused about where her priorities should be. Why? It has come to light today that the Liberals received illegal union donations during the election.This morning, the minister was repaying her union friends. She announced the Liberals have made it their priority to remove accountability and transparency from government. The Liberal government had no intention to keep its commitment for accountability and transparency. Why is it important to reward union leaders rather than to come up with a plan to get Canadians back to work?
Mr. Speaker, it is shocking to hear this wrongful denial. The Liberals cannot even get a handle on their own baseline numbers. His own department is reporting a $600 million surplus for the first half of 2015. The Parliamentary Budget Officer forecasted a $1.2 billion surplus for the year, yet the finance minister and the parliamentary secretary appear to be working from a different set of numbers. These are taxpayers' dollars, and Canadians deserve transparency. Could the parliamentary secretary explain where he got his numbers?
Mr. Speaker, on January 15, six Canadians from the Quebec City region lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso.Since the beginning of this tragedy, the government has failed the victims. No government representative attended the vigil in memory of the victims. Yesterday, the minister from the Quebec City region refused to confirm whether he or a government representative would attend the funeral. The people in the Quebec City region are anxious to have their government take an interest in them.While respecting the families' wishes, can the minister help his government save face and confirm that he, the Prime Minister, or one of his cabinet colleagues will attend the funeral?
Mr. Speaker, our Conservative Party oversaw the approval of four major pipeline projects that created jobs in every region. Yesterday, the Prime Minister showed the hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work across the country that the Liberal government does not understand the problem. The Prime Minister's plan is to add more levels of red tape and a never-ending series of moving goalposts.Will the Prime Minister admit that his new process is simply designed to block job-creating energy projects?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families are struggling. They do not have jobs, do not qualify for employment insurance, and do not have adequate housing. However, according to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, these Canadians may be forced to wait. Inequality is rising in our society, but the government chose to make tax cuts for the wealthy a priority. Does the Prime Minister agree with his minister that many people will simply have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, National Bank economists announced that the federal deficit will reach $50 billion in the next two years.It is disappointing that the current Minister of Finance still believes in the old Keynesian theories whereby more government spending will lead to greater prosperity and that he is still applying them. Canadians know that spending more money will not make our country wealthier.Why is the Minister of Finance applying old theories and getting the government into more debt? These deficits will not create wealth.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot create jobs by inventing new barriers and new obstacles.The Liberal plan that was announced yesterday does nothing to streamline the assessment process or make it more effective. Hundreds of thousands of families are desperate. The energy east project would be good for Quebec's economy.Why is the Prime Minister more worried about the opinions of celebrities than those of unemployed Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, in December, at the climate change conference in Paris, Canada committed to a 1.5-degree rise in global temperature. Yesterday the minister announced pipeline reviews that would include climate tests but could not say what a pass or fail would actually look like. A test only matters if they know how they are being graded.The minister knows full well that current provincial efforts are not enough to meet the weak goal that Canada currently has. Canadians want to know the real impact a climate test could have for a government that does not even have a climate target.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to carrying out an independent review of Canada Post, which will look at every entity, every aspect of Canada Post. It will be done independently. I cannot imagine that my colleague would be adverse to that. It is important we have a Canada Post that delivers services that Canadians expect, and at a reasonable cost.
Mr. Speaker, the issue arising most recently with respect to James is a parole matter, not a pardon. I would indicate to the House that the pardon previously granted to this offender was a decision of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his great question. Obviously, when spouses entering Canada have a conditional status, they are at risk of domestic violence because they have no status here. The government is determined to change that, so that all spouses who enter Canada immediately become permanent residents.
Mr. Speaker, we now know that our economic growth is lower than anticipated. Therefore, it is important to have a plan to improve our situation.Our first step was a tax cut for the middle class, which will put more money in the pockets of nine million Canadians. The second step will also be good for the economy. We are introducing the Canada child tax benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families and hundreds of thousands of children who live in poverty.
Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity in December to introduce an economic and fiscal update to make absolutely clear the situation we inherited from the members across the aisle.We inherited a deficit, a deficit of $3 billion. Ten failed years of low growth have led us to a situation where we have failed to make the investments that will allow us to grow the economy. We have a new plan, one that will lead us to a place where we can actually grow the economy, to put Canadians in a better place in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know if that has ever happened in this chamber before.I have a very simple question. I know this is the part of Thursdays that members look forward to the most. I simply want to ask the government House leader if he can update the House as to the business for the rest of the week and into next week.I know he has already informed the House that the principle of secret ballots is so offensive to Liberals that they are going to repeal that very important legislation, but I just want to know if there are other pieces of legislation that he may be bringing forward next week as well.
Mr. Speaker, when I asked the minister a couple of days ago about why the government had baked so much secrecy into its Senate appointment process, she responded by hiding behind the courts. Her suggestion that the courts had interpreted the Constitution to require secrecy at any stage, let alone at all stages, of the appointment process is just wrong. What the Supreme Court actually says, in paragraph 50 of its Senate reference ruling, is that the practice of appointing senators on the advice of the Prime Minister is nothing more than a non-justiciable convention.Given that the courts do not require it, what is the real reason for all the secrecy?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance was wrong when he said his government had inherited a deficit. His own department states that, from April to October, the federal government posted a surplus of $600 million. It is in black and white, posted publicly on its website and available for all to see. We Conservatives left a surplus. Did the parliamentary secretary, in answering my question, wilfully mislead the House? If so, will he stand in his place, correct the record, and apologize.
Mr. Speaker, in spite of his best efforts, we just had a good example of embellishment right there. Why do I not focus on the very erudite question that comes on Thursdays that I know members look forward to all week. This afternoon we will resume debate on the Conservative Party's opposition motion.Tomorrow, the House will debate Bill C-2, which amends the Income Tax Act, at second reading, and we will continue that important debate on Monday. Tuesday, February 2, will be another opposition day.On Wednesday, we will debate Bill C-4, which repeals the Conservatives' unfair union bills. As colleagues know, this important legislation was introduced this morning.Lastly, Thursday, February 4, will be another opposition day.
Mr. Speaker, even after 10 years of failure, the Conservatives do not understand that we cannot create projects without the approval of the community, without working in partnership with the first nations, and without sound scientific evidence to reassure Canadians.The Conservatives refuse to accept that their approach does not work. Canadians and Albertans deserve better than what the Conservatives are offering.
Mr. Speaker, it seems the Conservatives have trouble figuring out whether we are doing it too fast or too slow. However, as I have said to Canadians many times, it is more important to do it right than to do it fast. We are certainly doing it right in terms of security and health. I can guarantee Canadians that the full 25,000 Syrian refugees will be on Canadian soil before the end of February.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians decided in October that they do in fact deserve transparency. They elected a new government that committed to being fair, open, and transparent. We immediately came out with an update to the numbers, so that Canadians could understand the situation we are actually in. We have seen a continued deterioration in our economic situation, which is a result of 10 years of failed policies. Happily for Canadians, we can now move to a new set of policies that will make a real difference for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely currently reviewing our sanctions against Iran, and as part of this review, we are exercising rigour in ensuring that any changes do not open the door to trade in proliferation-sensitive goods and services, of course. However, we are acting in concert with our allies, like the U.N., like the United States, like Europe. We feel it is an important signal. Our foreign policy is based on talking, something that the opposition was not that good at in the past.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important matter that our government is seized with. The foreign affairs minister has been in contact with the foreign affairs minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have raised this issue. We will continue to monitor the situation and we will follow it up. Any new changes will be reported to the House.
Mr. Speaker, we are really proud of the work that we accomplished in Paris and the ambitious agreement that was reached. I was there along with colleagues from all of the parties. Our government will rebuild Canadians' trust in the environmental assessment process. We are going to look at greenhouse gas emissions as part of our assessment process, and we are going to ensure that we have Canadians' trust.
Mr. Speaker, we realized the chronic underfunding that has existed in first nations, for many first nations children. We are very concerned about this, and for the first time our government is in a position to be able to take action. We are committed to investing more in first nations children in Canada, so that they too can have that equal opportunity, as all other Canadian children have.
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century the only way to get big projects like pipelines built is to do them responsibly and sustainably. That is the lesson we learned from 10 years of the members opposite being unable to deliver for the province of Alberta, unable to get resources to tidewater.
Mr. Speaker, this once again gives me the opportunity to explain to the member opposite that signing and ratifying an agreement are two completely different things.In order to discuss and review this proposal, we have to move on to the next step. The member will then have the opportunity to make his arguments here in the House. We want to continue the discussion and that is why we are going to sign the agreement.
Mr. Speaker, next week the Prime Minister intends to sign a Conservative trade deal that was negotiated in secret. However, in spite of calling for transparency before the election, the Liberals still have not released any economic impact study on the deal. In fact, according to recent reports, the Liberals are saying that they cannot find any economic impact study on the TPP. Meanwhile, independent studies have suggested that the TPP could cost Canada as many as 60,000 good jobs.Can the Prime Minister explain why he is willing to sign this deal without having seen an economic impact statement, when tens of thousands of good Canadian jobs are at risk?
Mr. Speaker, section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the government to annually present to Parliament a report that includes the government's desired immigration levels. Even in 2008, when a general election was held in October, this report was tabled on November 28 of that year. Today is January 28, a full two months later than this report has ever been tabled since the act came into force. Is the government delaying its release because it will show a significant reduction in provincial nominee program levels and other economic immigration streams?
Mr. Speaker, here is the fact: in the first 100 days since the election, it was tax breaks for the rich that made the list of urgent priorities, because if they make $200,000 a year, they got the maximum benefit. A family earning $45,000 got nothing. However, low-income seniors have also been left struggling with their rent and rising grocery bills. This, in spite of Liberal campaign promises to boost the guaranteed income supplement "immediately".The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development warns, "There will be things that will have to wait. So the question is clear: is it immediately, or tough luck this time?
Mr. Speaker, when someone has a hard time answering, that is because there are problems with transparency, accountability, and democracy.Something interesting came to light this morning. The Commissioner of Canada Elections revealed that UNIFOR Local 524 made a non-monetary contribution to the Liberal Party of Canada, which is forbidden because the organization is not an eligible donor.This kind of behaviour lowers democratic and accountability standards. How many other fishy manoeuvres like this one will never be made public?
Mr. Speaker, still more uncertainty for people whose jobs are in the balance, unfortunately.Now there is another area of confusion with the announcement yesterday. The government said that additional roadblocks would be in place for Kinder Morgan and energy east. It also said that the minister would look at all other projects under way in the NEB process and determine if those proponents would also need this additional assessment, which would look like more interference.Could the minister tell us how he will determine which other job-creating programs and projects will have to undergo this red tape?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance no longer has any credibility. During the election campaign, he said that tax cuts would be revenue neutral for the government. Today, all Canadians know that $1.7 billion has been added to the Liberal deficit.If the government wants to create wealth, it should start by creating stable and productive economic conditions for entrepreneurs and businesses, not putting Canada into a never-ending debt spiral. That is not the solution. Instead, we should control public spending.
Our government intends to--
Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that confusing a meritorious public policy and legislative change was an accident that happened during the election in terms of compliance.Let us be very clear. At the very moment that this was brought to our attention, the party followed the law, reimbursed the Receiver General, and the appropriate union signed a compliance agreement with the commissioner. That is something that the members opposite had a very difficult time doing.
Mr. Speaker, trade creates jobs for the middle class and growth for the Canadian economy. That is why we are a pro-trade party. On the TPP deal, we have consistently said, throughout the campaign and since, that we will consult with Canadians and allow parliamentarians an opportunity to discuss the impact on their regions and on the future of this country.In order to do so, however, we cannot stop debate on it. Therefore, we will be signing it as a way to consider it through ratification.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government said that upstream greenhouse gas emissions would be part of the transition assessment, but the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that downstream GHGs would also be part of that assessment.Did the minister misspeak? Could she confirm that downstream emissions will not be considered in the transition process announced yesterday or in the permanent new process that will be announced at a later date?
Mr. Speaker, public safety is always the consideration. We will look at the changes that were made by the previous government in terms of the waiting times and the fees that were charged to see if they were effective in the administering of public policy or whether they were intended for some other purpose. We will base our decisions on evidence, not on ideology and not on bias.
Mr. Speaker, I assure the hon. member that the levels plan will indeed be presented to Parliament well before the deadline date. We are working on this. One of the things to come out of it, as I mentioned earlier, is an astounding, unacceptable increase in the processing times, particularly for spouses. One of the things that will come out of our plan is a determined effort to bring down those processing times, which skyrocketed under 10 years of Conservative rule.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member, who I had the pleasure of meeting last night at the ParlAmericas conference, where our diplomacy was in fine form.As Minister Dion has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member was not part of the team that formed the government following the October 19 election. Perhaps she is not aware that every investment by a foreign company in a Canadian firm is subject to careful review under the Investment Canada Act. That is all I can say on the matter because, under the provisions of that legislation, I cannot disclose any commercial confidences.
Mr. Speaker, the CBC has suffered major funding cuts over the past few years, which are now jeopardizing the quality of programming, as well as accessibility and regional news in Quebec. The Liberals repeatedly promised during the election campaign to restore and enhance funding for the CBC, and they have continued to make that promise since they took office.On behalf of artists and the general public in particular, I am asking the minister whether she intends to keep her promise to
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister said, with regard to the Syrian refugee initiative, that the government had briefed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. ambassador to Canada and that there is a very open line of communication directly to the White House.What was the scope of these briefings? Who is the government communicating with in the White House administration, and have American officials raised any concerns with the government plan, and if so, what are they?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians were offered a brand new image, and that was the image of the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Natural Resources standing next to each other talking about sustainably developing the energy sector and the Canadian economy. Since then, many Canadians have told us, including provincial leaders, industry leaders, environmentalists, and others, that this is the better approach and the only way in the long term to develop our resources.
Mr. Speaker, very early in the going, as we were putting together the Syrian refugee initiative, we were communicating in a steady way with the American administration. They submitted a number of enquiries, which we were able to answer satisfactorily, and the line of communications remains open to this day. If the Americans have a concern, they are perfectly entitled to raise it, and we will make sure that the issues are properly addressed, as they are.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the voters of GaspésieLes Îles-de-la-Madeleine, who have placed their trust in me to represent them. I thank my colleague from Northwest Territories for the question.During the election we campaigned on increasing the deduction for northern residents. It is a priority. Canada's north and the people who live there can count on our government to help families living in remote areas contribute to the economy and benefit from Canada's economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, this agreement is bad for workers, bad for farmers, and bad for creators.The economy is already in bad shape, and now nearly 60,000 good jobs are on the line if the trans-Pacific partnership is signed.For someone who was elected on a campaign promise of transparency and change, the Prime Minister apparently has no problem signing an agreement negotiated behind closed doors.Canadians know that signing an agreement signals our intention to abide by it. Does the Prime Minister often sign deals that he does not fully agree with?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change will be meeting with her provincial counterparts to talk about climate change. Since returning from Paris, the minister has not told us what Canada's targets are. Yesterday, the minister announced that impact on climate change would be a component of pipeline project assessments, but she said nothing about acceptable greenhouse gas emissions targets.Can the minister tell us if the government is planning to introduce ambitious new targets or carry on with the old Conservative ones?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for joining me in Paris at the climate conference and also for his useful comments.We are committed to taking action on climate change. That is why I am meeting today with my colleagues from across the country to talk about what a pan-Canadian plan would be. It would be irresponsible to come up with a new target without actually having a plan to implement it, as the Conservatives did.
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian people elected this government with a clear mandate to support our seniors, to grow the middle class, to give help to those who need it by asking those who are doing well to do a little bit more.That is exactly what we are going to do. I look forward to our Minister of Finance presenting a budget that includes help for seniors, investments in infrastructure, and growth for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and Conservatives have approved thousands of takeovers of Canadian companies by foreign interests.Recently, Allstream, a Canadian company with a fibre optic network that carries confidential data on thousands of Canadians, was sold to an American firm. The upshot is that sensitive information will now be subject to American surveillance.Why did the government authorize that sale without even conducting a national security review?
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, I was proud of our commitment to grant immediate permanent residency to spouses who have been sponsored to immigrate to Canada. A number of my constituents are waiting on these regulatory changes to be reunited with their loved ones, whom they have not seen for years in some cases. Can the Minister of Immigration share his plans on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it very clear that we consider our climate change obligations to be very serious. We have been clear that in this process we will, in our new interim principles, include upstream greenhouse gas emissions.I am also happy to announce that I am meeting with environment ministers from across the country today, where we will be framing our new pan-Canadian climate change plan, which will include consideration of downstream greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Speaker, security screening is part of the process. That is in the law, and the Government of Canada follows the law.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister reminded the House that he promised to put a moratorium on the changes at Canada Post. That is strange, because during the election campaign, the Prime Minister stood in front of mayor Denis Coderre and promised to, and I quote, save home mail delivery.Will the minister honour the Prime Minister's word and restore home delivery, or will this promise be broken?
Mr. Speaker, residents in my riding of Northwest Territories, as well as other northern and remote parts of Canada, live with the reality of a very high cost of living. One way to help address this challenge is through our tax system, specifically the northern residents deductions.Could the Minister of National Revenue please advise the House of the commitment to increase the northern residents deductions?
Mr. Speaker, in Paris, the Prime Minister promised to help fight climate change. Yesterday, the government said that it wanted to consider the increase in greenhouse gas emissions related to the TransCanada pipeline project. In addition to putting more than 800 Quebec waterways at risk, this project would increase the production of oil from the oil sands and the associated greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. When will the Prime Minister realize that the construction of the energy east pipeline goes against the objectives that he set for himself in Paris?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for that important question.I want to reassure the House that we are going to reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada, because unlike the previous government, we believe in that corporation. That is why I am going to work with stakeholders to hold consultations on how best to support CBC/Radio-Canada in its digital transformation.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We need a pan-Canadian plan to tackle climate change. That is what we are working on. I am very pleased to be meeting with my colleagues from all corners of the country today to talk about the plan.
Mr. Speaker, we have a plan to grow the economy, and we have already started.In the 2016 budget, we will introduce infrastructure investments that will help us increase economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, I apologize for mentioning the minister's name.As the minister has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage much more than before. Engagement takes different forms, and in our case, it does not mean that we agree with all of Iran's policies, by any stretch, but it is a pathway toward economic opportunity and dialogue and possibly regional security, and we are not going to give up.
Mr. Speaker, the survivors of Graham James and other child sexual predators will never be able to forget the crimes inflicted upon them. We were reminded of that this week when Graham James was granted parole.Why is the government standing up for the rights of criminals like Graham James instead of their survivors?
Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the previous Conservative government passed legislation to ensure that convicted child sexual predators would never be able to apply for a pardon. This week, Canadians were horrified to see that an infamous serial child rapist was granted day parole.The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has indicated that the government will make it easier for criminals like that to get pardons. Why would the Liberal government do that?
Mr. Speaker, as the government seems blindly determined to normalize relations with the Iranian regime, I wonder whether the Minister of Foreign Affairs is aware of the latest poisonous utterances by the regime's supreme leader. Yesterday, on International Holocaust Remebrance Day, Ayatollah Khamenei posted a video on his website questioning the slaughter of six million Jews by the Nazis. Does the minister really believe he can engage in a meaningful dialogue with a regime that not only denies history but regularly calls for the destruction of Israel?
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to inform the House that we have introduced two bills to respond to attacks on the labour movement that were unwarranted, uncalled for, and undemocratic. This was not called for by industry or labour. The repealing of these two bills will bring back fairness and balance.
Mr. Speaker, given the government's vague intention to end sanctions against Iran, it is time for some specific answers. Which of Canada's two dozen prohibitions against the Iranian regime does the government plan to lift? Given new U.S. sanctions, provoked by Iran's ballistic missile tests, will Canada now look the other way as Iran works on a weapon aimed at Israel? Finally, does the government really intend to de-list Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day for Canadian democracy and accountability. This morning, the government announced that it would repeal two fundamental labour laws. The first is the law to allow union members to vote by secret ballot, and the second requires unions bosses to be accountable. Today it became clear that the Liberal Party is thanking the big union bosses for spending millions of dollars against the Conservative Party. That is the reality of the Liberal Party.How can the government go along with this lack of democracy and accountability? It is completely unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government systematically discriminated against indigenous children for years. In order to implement this week's decision, the government must take meaningful action immediately. We need to see an entire cultural shift in all government institutions. Other cases are still before the courts regarding access to education and health care.What specific actions has the government taken since Tuesday to finally respect the rights of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, I do not share the hon. member's cynicism, and with good reason. The new independent, non-partisan, merit-based, open and transparent process we have introduced is in the capable hands of nine of eminent Canadians who make up the advisory board, individuals like Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada. We believe that the presence of new non-partisan senators will enhance the effectiveness of this important democratic institution.
Mr. Speaker, it was my pleasure today to try to right some of the wrongs of the past. Earlier today I introduced legislation in this House to repeal Bill C-377 and Bill C-525, both a direct attack on the Canadian labour movement.
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Prime Minister is going to devastate the western economy with his own NEP, the no-energy program.We are debating a Conservative motion today that would send a clear signal of support to out of work Canadians. The thousands of families who are enduring job losses need a champion to promote projects that would get them back to work.The Prime Minister promised more free votes. Will he allow his members from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick to stand up and vote freely? Will he free the member for Wascana?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and the Conservatives have rubber-stamped countless foreign takeovers, and it seems the new government will be no different. Manitoba's Allstream owns a fibre optic network that carries the confidential information of the federal government and countless Canadians. However, the Liberals just stood by as it was sold to an American company, putting that information at risk of U.S. surveillance. The previous government blocked an earlier attempt based on national security concerns, so why is the Liberal minister refusing to do a review to protect Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the House has heard repeatedly that our government is absolutely committed to restoring the inequitable status that many indigenous peoples have faced in child care, in health care, and in many other capacities. I will certainly look into the situation that the hon. member has brought to my attention. I will look into that and bring back news to the House with details as to how we will respond.
Mr. Speaker, the rights of workers in my riding of AvignonLa MitisMataneMatapédia were violated for nearly a decade because of the Conservatives' anti-union positions.Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour tell the House what measures our government is taking to better protect the rights of workers?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that today we announced legislation to repeal two bills, which attacked the labour movement, by the former Conservative government and that these two bills will restore fairness and balance to the workplace, encouraging a stronger economy, which I hope every member of the House is working toward.
Mr. Speaker, on the very day that the Human Rights Tribunal ruled on the systemic discrimination against indigenous children, officials in Health Canada told a little indigenous girl named Kendall that they would not pay for badly needed orthodontic surgery. Now Kendall also has an ocular tumour and needs special drops to save her vision. The response from the officials was absolutely not. I ask myself, as a parent, how that is possible. For the health minister, what steps has she taken to issue directives to her ministers to make it right for Kendall and all the other children who are still being denied basic rights every single day?
Mr. Speaker, Syrian refugees are being abandoned by the Liberal government in cramped, temporary accommodations. Can the minister confirm if in fact in London, Ontario, one of the hotels in which these refugees are being housed is located next door to a gentlemen's club, which features exotic dancers? Can the minister tell Canadians how much these so-called temporary accommodations are costing taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claimed that bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada was only a matter of political will. From November 1 to December 14, 2015, the government brought in a grand total of 105 government-assisted Syrian refugees.Can the minister explain why it broke its biggest election promise and now sees government-sponsored refugees spending weeks in hotels as perfectly normal?
Mr. Speaker, it appears that there was a lot of time spent by the previous government looking at unfair, unjust attacks on the labour movement. In this case, we are looking at a bill that was put together that attacks the labour movement. It makes it more difficult to certify and much easier to decertify.That is not fair and balanced, and these bills need to be repealed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. It gives me the opportunity to say how moved the Canadian government and I were by the sadness and suffering of our families in Quebec City. These deaths occurred under extremely difficult circumstances thousands of kilometres away from home. This was a tragedy for the families and friends, for the entire Quebec City region, and for the entire Canadian government.
Mr. Speaker, the motion that the members opposite have put forward is simply a rehash of their failed policies of the past 10 years. Not only did Canadians vote against those policies in the last election but we will vote against those policies today in the House of Commons.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that my government looks into every item of that nature. However, the best summary was provided by a refugee from Syria, currently staying in a Toronto hotel, who was reported as saying this by the media today: Im just happy to be here. The tiny room I had in Lebanon was not safe.... I was suffering in Lebanon for two years. Compared to there, this is heaven. Of course, we all want to settle down quickly, but the wait is OK. That is from a refugee, and it is a very good answer.
Mr. Speaker, what is very clear is why the Liberals' priority is to reward union leadership. Just today, we found out that the unions illegally donated to the Liberals' campaign. It is no wonder that the Liberals want to hide this information from Canadians by repealing legislation that imposes transparency and accountability on union members.Why do Liberals have so much time to defend union leadership but no time to come up with a plan to get Canadians, to get Albertans, back to work?
Mr. Speaker, since January 1, 2016, millions of Canadians have been getting bigger paycheques as a result of our tax cuts for the middle class. To pay for this tax cut, we increased taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. I am still surprised that the NDP does not support this measure, since we normally all agree with the principle of asking those who are successful to do a little more for those in need.
Mr. Speaker, there are 16 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo who have been adopted by Canadian families. They are waiting for exit visas and the DRC has refused to issue them. Now there is legislation before the Congolese parliament that could force these Canadian families to wait years more.Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call President Kabila, and request 16 exit visas?
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the minister is confused about where her priorities should be. Why? It has come to light today that the Liberals received illegal union donations during the election.This morning, the minister was repaying her union friends. She announced the Liberals have made it their priority to remove accountability and transparency from government. The Liberal government had no intention to keep its commitment for accountability and transparency. Why is it important to reward union leaders rather than to come up with a plan to get Canadians back to work?
Mr. Speaker, it is shocking to hear this wrongful denial. The Liberals cannot even get a handle on their own baseline numbers. His own department is reporting a $600 million surplus for the first half of 2015. The Parliamentary Budget Officer forecasted a $1.2 billion surplus for the year, yet the finance minister and the parliamentary secretary appear to be working from a different set of numbers. These are taxpayers' dollars, and Canadians deserve transparency. Could the parliamentary secretary explain where he got his numbers?
Mr. Speaker, on January 15, six Canadians from the Quebec City region lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso.Since the beginning of this tragedy, the government has failed the victims. No government representative attended the vigil in memory of the victims. Yesterday, the minister from the Quebec City region refused to confirm whether he or a government representative would attend the funeral. The people in the Quebec City region are anxious to have their government take an interest in them.While respecting the families' wishes, can the minister help his government save face and confirm that he, the Prime Minister, or one of his cabinet colleagues will attend the funeral?
Mr. Speaker, our Conservative Party oversaw the approval of four major pipeline projects that created jobs in every region. Yesterday, the Prime Minister showed the hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work across the country that the Liberal government does not understand the problem. The Prime Minister's plan is to add more levels of red tape and a never-ending series of moving goalposts.Will the Prime Minister admit that his new process is simply designed to block job-creating energy projects?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families are struggling. They do not have jobs, do not qualify for employment insurance, and do not have adequate housing. However, according to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, these Canadians may be forced to wait. Inequality is rising in our society, but the government chose to make tax cuts for the wealthy a priority. Does the Prime Minister agree with his minister that many people will simply have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, National Bank economists announced that the federal deficit will reach $50 billion in the next two years.It is disappointing that the current Minister of Finance still believes in the old Keynesian theories whereby more government spending will lead to greater prosperity and that he is still applying them. Canadians know that spending more money will not make our country wealthier.Why is the Minister of Finance applying old theories and getting the government into more debt? These deficits will not create wealth.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot create jobs by inventing new barriers and new obstacles.The Liberal plan that was announced yesterday does nothing to streamline the assessment process or make it more effective. Hundreds of thousands of families are desperate. The energy east project would be good for Quebec's economy.Why is the Prime Minister more worried about the opinions of celebrities than those of unemployed Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, in December, at the climate change conference in Paris, Canada committed to a 1.5-degree rise in global temperature. Yesterday the minister announced pipeline reviews that would include climate tests but could not say what a pass or fail would actually look like. A test only matters if they know how they are being graded.The minister knows full well that current provincial efforts are not enough to meet the weak goal that Canada currently has. Canadians want to know the real impact a climate test could have for a government that does not even have a climate target.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to carrying out an independent review of Canada Post, which will look at every entity, every aspect of Canada Post. It will be done independently. I cannot imagine that my colleague would be adverse to that. It is important we have a Canada Post that delivers services that Canadians expect, and at a reasonable cost.
Mr. Speaker, the issue arising most recently with respect to James is a parole matter, not a pardon. I would indicate to the House that the pardon previously granted to this offender was a decision of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his great question. Obviously, when spouses entering Canada have a conditional status, they are at risk of domestic violence because they have no status here. The government is determined to change that, so that all spouses who enter Canada immediately become permanent residents.
Mr. Speaker, we now know that our economic growth is lower than anticipated. Therefore, it is important to have a plan to improve our situation.Our first step was a tax cut for the middle class, which will put more money in the pockets of nine million Canadians. The second step will also be good for the economy. We are introducing the Canada child tax benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families and hundreds of thousands of children who live in poverty.
Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity in December to introduce an economic and fiscal update to make absolutely clear the situation we inherited from the members across the aisle.We inherited a deficit, a deficit of $3 billion. Ten failed years of low growth have led us to a situation where we have failed to make the investments that will allow us to grow the economy. We have a new plan, one that will lead us to a place where we can actually grow the economy, to put Canadians in a better place in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know if that has ever happened in this chamber before.I have a very simple question. I know this is the part of Thursdays that members look forward to the most. I simply want to ask the government House leader if he can update the House as to the business for the rest of the week and into next week.I know he has already informed the House that the principle of secret ballots is so offensive to Liberals that they are going to repeal that very important legislation, but I just want to know if there are other pieces of legislation that he may be bringing forward next week as well.
Mr. Speaker, when I asked the minister a couple of days ago about why the government had baked so much secrecy into its Senate appointment process, she responded by hiding behind the courts. Her suggestion that the courts had interpreted the Constitution to require secrecy at any stage, let alone at all stages, of the appointment process is just wrong. What the Supreme Court actually says, in paragraph 50 of its Senate reference ruling, is that the practice of appointing senators on the advice of the Prime Minister is nothing more than a non-justiciable convention.Given that the courts do not require it, what is the real reason for all the secrecy?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance was wrong when he said his government had inherited a deficit. His own department states that, from April to October, the federal government posted a surplus of $600 million. It is in black and white, posted publicly on its website and available for all to see. We Conservatives left a surplus. Did the parliamentary secretary, in answering my question, wilfully mislead the House? If so, will he stand in his place, correct the record, and apologize.
Mr. Speaker, in spite of his best efforts, we just had a good example of embellishment right there. Why do I not focus on the very erudite question that comes on Thursdays that I know members look forward to all week. This afternoon we will resume debate on the Conservative Party's opposition motion.Tomorrow, the House will debate Bill C-2, which amends the Income Tax Act, at second reading, and we will continue that important debate on Monday. Tuesday, February 2, will be another opposition day.On Wednesday, we will debate Bill C-4, which repeals the Conservatives' unfair union bills. As colleagues know, this important legislation was introduced this morning.Lastly, Thursday, February 4, will be another opposition day.
Mr. Speaker, even after 10 years of failure, the Conservatives do not understand that we cannot create projects without the approval of the community, without working in partnership with the first nations, and without sound scientific evidence to reassure Canadians.The Conservatives refuse to accept that their approach does not work. Canadians and Albertans deserve better than what the Conservatives are offering.
Mr. Speaker, it seems the Conservatives have trouble figuring out whether we are doing it too fast or too slow. However, as I have said to Canadians many times, it is more important to do it right than to do it fast. We are certainly doing it right in terms of security and health. I can guarantee Canadians that the full 25,000 Syrian refugees will be on Canadian soil before the end of February.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians decided in October that they do in fact deserve transparency. They elected a new government that committed to being fair, open, and transparent. We immediately came out with an update to the numbers, so that Canadians could understand the situation we are actually in. We have seen a continued deterioration in our economic situation, which is a result of 10 years of failed policies. Happily for Canadians, we can now move to a new set of policies that will make a real difference for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely currently reviewing our sanctions against Iran, and as part of this review, we are exercising rigour in ensuring that any changes do not open the door to trade in proliferation-sensitive goods and services, of course. However, we are acting in concert with our allies, like the U.N., like the United States, like Europe. We feel it is an important signal. Our foreign policy is based on talking, something that the opposition was not that good at in the past.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important matter that our government is seized with. The foreign affairs minister has been in contact with the foreign affairs minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have raised this issue. We will continue to monitor the situation and we will follow it up. Any new changes will be reported to the House.
Mr. Speaker, we are really proud of the work that we accomplished in Paris and the ambitious agreement that was reached. I was there along with colleagues from all of the parties. Our government will rebuild Canadians' trust in the environmental assessment process. We are going to look at greenhouse gas emissions as part of our assessment process, and we are going to ensure that we have Canadians' trust.
Mr. Speaker, we realized the chronic underfunding that has existed in first nations, for many first nations children. We are very concerned about this, and for the first time our government is in a position to be able to take action. We are committed to investing more in first nations children in Canada, so that they too can have that equal opportunity, as all other Canadian children have.
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century the only way to get big projects like pipelines built is to do them responsibly and sustainably. That is the lesson we learned from 10 years of the members opposite being unable to deliver for the province of Alberta, unable to get resources to tidewater.
Mr. Speaker, this once again gives me the opportunity to explain to the member opposite that signing and ratifying an agreement are two completely different things.In order to discuss and review this proposal, we have to move on to the next step. The member will then have the opportunity to make his arguments here in the House. We want to continue the discussion and that is why we are going to sign the agreement.
Mr. Speaker, next week the Prime Minister intends to sign a Conservative trade deal that was negotiated in secret. However, in spite of calling for transparency before the election, the Liberals still have not released any economic impact study on the deal. In fact, according to recent reports, the Liberals are saying that they cannot find any economic impact study on the TPP. Meanwhile, independent studies have suggested that the TPP could cost Canada as many as 60,000 good jobs.Can the Prime Minister explain why he is willing to sign this deal without having seen an economic impact statement, when tens of thousands of good Canadian jobs are at risk?
Mr. Speaker, section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the government to annually present to Parliament a report that includes the government's desired immigration levels. Even in 2008, when a general election was held in October, this report was tabled on November 28 of that year. Today is January 28, a full two months later than this report has ever been tabled since the act came into force. Is the government delaying its release because it will show a significant reduction in provincial nominee program levels and other economic immigration streams?
Mr. Speaker, here is the fact: in the first 100 days since the election, it was tax breaks for the rich that made the list of urgent priorities, because if they make $200,000 a year, they got the maximum benefit. A family earning $45,000 got nothing. However, low-income seniors have also been left struggling with their rent and rising grocery bills. This, in spite of Liberal campaign promises to boost the guaranteed income supplement "immediately".The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development warns, "There will be things that will have to wait. So the question is clear: is it immediately, or tough luck this time?
Mr. Speaker, when someone has a hard time answering, that is because there are problems with transparency, accountability, and democracy.Something interesting came to light this morning. The Commissioner of Canada Elections revealed that UNIFOR Local 524 made a non-monetary contribution to the Liberal Party of Canada, which is forbidden because the organization is not an eligible donor.This kind of behaviour lowers democratic and accountability standards. How many other fishy manoeuvres like this one will never be made public?
Mr. Speaker, still more uncertainty for people whose jobs are in the balance, unfortunately.Now there is another area of confusion with the announcement yesterday. The government said that additional roadblocks would be in place for Kinder Morgan and energy east. It also said that the minister would look at all other projects under way in the NEB process and determine if those proponents would also need this additional assessment, which would look like more interference.Could the minister tell us how he will determine which other job-creating programs and projects will have to undergo this red tape?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance no longer has any credibility. During the election campaign, he said that tax cuts would be revenue neutral for the government. Today, all Canadians know that $1.7 billion has been added to the Liberal deficit.If the government wants to create wealth, it should start by creating stable and productive economic conditions for entrepreneurs and businesses, not putting Canada into a never-ending debt spiral. That is not the solution. Instead, we should control public spending.
Our government intends to--
Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that confusing a meritorious public policy and legislative change was an accident that happened during the election in terms of compliance.Let us be very clear. At the very moment that this was brought to our attention, the party followed the law, reimbursed the Receiver General, and the appropriate union signed a compliance agreement with the commissioner. That is something that the members opposite had a very difficult time doing.
Mr. Speaker, trade creates jobs for the middle class and growth for the Canadian economy. That is why we are a pro-trade party. On the TPP deal, we have consistently said, throughout the campaign and since, that we will consult with Canadians and allow parliamentarians an opportunity to discuss the impact on their regions and on the future of this country.In order to do so, however, we cannot stop debate on it. Therefore, we will be signing it as a way to consider it through ratification.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government said that upstream greenhouse gas emissions would be part of the transition assessment, but the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that downstream GHGs would also be part of that assessment.Did the minister misspeak? Could she confirm that downstream emissions will not be considered in the transition process announced yesterday or in the permanent new process that will be announced at a later date?
Mr. Speaker, public safety is always the consideration. We will look at the changes that were made by the previous government in terms of the waiting times and the fees that were charged to see if they were effective in the administering of public policy or whether they were intended for some other purpose. We will base our decisions on evidence, not on ideology and not on bias.
Mr. Speaker, I assure the hon. member that the levels plan will indeed be presented to Parliament well before the deadline date. We are working on this. One of the things to come out of it, as I mentioned earlier, is an astounding, unacceptable increase in the processing times, particularly for spouses. One of the things that will come out of our plan is a determined effort to bring down those processing times, which skyrocketed under 10 years of Conservative rule.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member, who I had the pleasure of meeting last night at the ParlAmericas conference, where our diplomacy was in fine form.As Minister Dion has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member was not part of the team that formed the government following the October 19 election. Perhaps she is not aware that every investment by a foreign company in a Canadian firm is subject to careful review under the Investment Canada Act. That is all I can say on the matter because, under the provisions of that legislation, I cannot disclose any commercial confidences.
Mr. Speaker, the CBC has suffered major funding cuts over the past few years, which are now jeopardizing the quality of programming, as well as accessibility and regional news in Quebec. The Liberals repeatedly promised during the election campaign to restore and enhance funding for the CBC, and they have continued to make that promise since they took office.On behalf of artists and the general public in particular, I am asking the minister whether she intends to keep her promise to
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister said, with regard to the Syrian refugee initiative, that the government had briefed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. ambassador to Canada and that there is a very open line of communication directly to the White House.What was the scope of these briefings? Who is the government communicating with in the White House administration, and have American officials raised any concerns with the government plan, and if so, what are they?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians were offered a brand new image, and that was the image of the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Natural Resources standing next to each other talking about sustainably developing the energy sector and the Canadian economy. Since then, many Canadians have told us, including provincial leaders, industry leaders, environmentalists, and others, that this is the better approach and the only way in the long term to develop our resources.
Mr. Speaker, very early in the going, as we were putting together the Syrian refugee initiative, we were communicating in a steady way with the American administration. They submitted a number of enquiries, which we were able to answer satisfactorily, and the line of communications remains open to this day. If the Americans have a concern, they are perfectly entitled to raise it, and we will make sure that the issues are properly addressed, as they are.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the voters of GaspésieLes Îles-de-la-Madeleine, who have placed their trust in me to represent them. I thank my colleague from Northwest Territories for the question.During the election we campaigned on increasing the deduction for northern residents. It is a priority. Canada's north and the people who live there can count on our government to help families living in remote areas contribute to the economy and benefit from Canada's economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, this agreement is bad for workers, bad for farmers, and bad for creators.The economy is already in bad shape, and now nearly 60,000 good jobs are on the line if the trans-Pacific partnership is signed.For someone who was elected on a campaign promise of transparency and change, the Prime Minister apparently has no problem signing an agreement negotiated behind closed doors.Canadians know that signing an agreement signals our intention to abide by it. Does the Prime Minister often sign deals that he does not fully agree with?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change will be meeting with her provincial counterparts to talk about climate change. Since returning from Paris, the minister has not told us what Canada's targets are. Yesterday, the minister announced that impact on climate change would be a component of pipeline project assessments, but she said nothing about acceptable greenhouse gas emissions targets.Can the minister tell us if the government is planning to introduce ambitious new targets or carry on with the old Conservative ones?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for joining me in Paris at the climate conference and also for his useful comments.We are committed to taking action on climate change. That is why I am meeting today with my colleagues from across the country to talk about what a pan-Canadian plan would be. It would be irresponsible to come up with a new target without actually having a plan to implement it, as the Conservatives did.
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian people elected this government with a clear mandate to support our seniors, to grow the middle class, to give help to those who need it by asking those who are doing well to do a little bit more.That is exactly what we are going to do. I look forward to our Minister of Finance presenting a budget that includes help for seniors, investments in infrastructure, and growth for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and Conservatives have approved thousands of takeovers of Canadian companies by foreign interests.Recently, Allstream, a Canadian company with a fibre optic network that carries confidential data on thousands of Canadians, was sold to an American firm. The upshot is that sensitive information will now be subject to American surveillance.Why did the government authorize that sale without even conducting a national security review?
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, I was proud of our commitment to grant immediate permanent residency to spouses who have been sponsored to immigrate to Canada. A number of my constituents are waiting on these regulatory changes to be reunited with their loved ones, whom they have not seen for years in some cases. Can the Minister of Immigration share his plans on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it very clear that we consider our climate change obligations to be very serious. We have been clear that in this process we will, in our new interim principles, include upstream greenhouse gas emissions.I am also happy to announce that I am meeting with environment ministers from across the country today, where we will be framing our new pan-Canadian climate change plan, which will include consideration of downstream greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Speaker, security screening is part of the process. That is in the law, and the Government of Canada follows the law.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister reminded the House that he promised to put a moratorium on the changes at Canada Post. That is strange, because during the election campaign, the Prime Minister stood in front of mayor Denis Coderre and promised to, and I quote, save home mail delivery.Will the minister honour the Prime Minister's word and restore home delivery, or will this promise be broken?
Mr. Speaker, residents in my riding of Northwest Territories, as well as other northern and remote parts of Canada, live with the reality of a very high cost of living. One way to help address this challenge is through our tax system, specifically the northern residents deductions.Could the Minister of National Revenue please advise the House of the commitment to increase the northern residents deductions?
Mr. Speaker, in Paris, the Prime Minister promised to help fight climate change. Yesterday, the government said that it wanted to consider the increase in greenhouse gas emissions related to the TransCanada pipeline project. In addition to putting more than 800 Quebec waterways at risk, this project would increase the production of oil from the oil sands and the associated greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. When will the Prime Minister realize that the construction of the energy east pipeline goes against the objectives that he set for himself in Paris?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for that important question.I want to reassure the House that we are going to reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada, because unlike the previous government, we believe in that corporation. That is why I am going to work with stakeholders to hold consultations on how best to support CBC/Radio-Canada in its digital transformation.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We need a pan-Canadian plan to tackle climate change. That is what we are working on. I am very pleased to be meeting with my colleagues from all corners of the country today to talk about the plan.
Mr. Speaker, we have a plan to grow the economy, and we have already started.In the 2016 budget, we will introduce infrastructure investments that will help us increase economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, I apologize for mentioning the minister's name.As the minister has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage much more than before. Engagement takes different forms, and in our case, it does not mean that we agree with all of Iran's policies, by any stretch, but it is a pathway toward economic opportunity and dialogue and possibly regional security, and we are not going to give up.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, on January 15, six Canadians from the Quebec City region lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso.Since the beginning of this tragedy, the government has failed the victims. No government representative attended the vigil in memory of the victims. Yesterday, the minister from the Quebec City region refused to confirm whether he or a government representative would attend the funeral. The people in the Quebec City region are anxious to have their government take an interest in them.While respecting the families' wishes, can the minister help his government save face and confirm that he, the Prime Minister, or one of his cabinet colleagues will attend the funeral?
Mr. Speaker, this agreement is bad for workers, bad for farmers, and bad for creators.The economy is already in bad shape, and now nearly 60,000 good jobs are on the line if the trans-Pacific partnership is signed.For someone who was elected on a campaign promise of transparency and change, the Prime Minister apparently has no problem signing an agreement negotiated behind closed doors.Canadians know that signing an agreement signals our intention to abide by it. Does the Prime Minister often sign deals that he does not fully agree with?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister reminded the House that he promised to put a moratorium on the changes at Canada Post. That is strange, because during the election campaign, the Prime Minister stood in front of mayor Denis Coderre and promised to, and I quote, save home mail delivery.Will the minister honour the Prime Minister's word and restore home delivery, or will this promise be broken?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. It gives me the opportunity to say how moved the Canadian government and I were by the sadness and suffering of our families in Quebec City. These deaths occurred under extremely difficult circumstances thousands of kilometres away from home. This was a tragedy for the families and friends, for the entire Quebec City region, and for the entire Canadian government.
Mr. Speaker, the motion that the members opposite have put forward is simply a rehash of their failed policies of the past 10 years. Not only did Canadians vote against those policies in the last election but we will vote against those policies today in the House of Commons.
Mr. Speaker, it appears that there was a lot of time spent by the previous government looking at unfair, unjust attacks on the labour movement. In this case, we are looking at a bill that was put together that attacks the labour movement. It makes it more difficult to certify and much easier to decertify.That is not fair and balanced, and these bills need to be repealed.
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century the only way to get big projects like pipelines built is to do them responsibly and sustainably. That is the lesson we learned from 10 years of the members opposite being unable to deliver for the province of Alberta, unable to get resources to tidewater.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member was not part of the team that formed the government following the October 19 election. Perhaps she is not aware that every investment by a foreign company in a Canadian firm is subject to careful review under the Investment Canada Act. That is all I can say on the matter because, under the provisions of that legislation, I cannot disclose any commercial confidences.
Mr. Speaker, public safety is always the consideration. We will look at the changes that were made by the previous government in terms of the waiting times and the fees that were charged to see if they were effective in the administering of public policy or whether they were intended for some other purpose. We will base our decisions on evidence, not on ideology and not on bias.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and Conservatives have approved thousands of takeovers of Canadian companies by foreign interests.Recently, Allstream, a Canadian company with a fibre optic network that carries confidential data on thousands of Canadians, was sold to an American firm. The upshot is that sensitive information will now be subject to American surveillance.Why did the government authorize that sale without even conducting a national security review?
Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day for Canadian democracy and accountability. This morning, the government announced that it would repeal two fundamental labour laws. The first is the law to allow union members to vote by secret ballot, and the second requires unions bosses to be accountable. Today it became clear that the Liberal Party is thanking the big union bosses for spending millions of dollars against the Conservative Party. That is the reality of the Liberal Party.How can the government go along with this lack of democracy and accountability? It is completely unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, given the government's vague intention to end sanctions against Iran, it is time for some specific answers. Which of Canada's two dozen prohibitions against the Iranian regime does the government plan to lift? Given new U.S. sanctions, provoked by Iran's ballistic missile tests, will Canada now look the other way as Iran works on a weapon aimed at Israel? Finally, does the government really intend to de-list Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, what is very clear is why the Liberals' priority is to reward union leadership. Just today, we found out that the unions illegally donated to the Liberals' campaign. It is no wonder that the Liberals want to hide this information from Canadians by repealing legislation that imposes transparency and accountability on union members.Why do Liberals have so much time to defend union leadership but no time to come up with a plan to get Canadians, to get Albertans, back to work?
Mr. Speaker, in December, at the climate change conference in Paris, Canada committed to a 1.5-degree rise in global temperature. Yesterday the minister announced pipeline reviews that would include climate tests but could not say what a pass or fail would actually look like. A test only matters if they know how they are being graded.The minister knows full well that current provincial efforts are not enough to meet the weak goal that Canada currently has. Canadians want to know the real impact a climate test could have for a government that does not even have a climate target.
Mr. Speaker, on the very day that the Human Rights Tribunal ruled on the systemic discrimination against indigenous children, officials in Health Canada told a little indigenous girl named Kendall that they would not pay for badly needed orthodontic surgery. Now Kendall also has an ocular tumour and needs special drops to save her vision. The response from the officials was absolutely not. I ask myself, as a parent, how that is possible. For the health minister, what steps has she taken to issue directives to her ministers to make it right for Kendall and all the other children who are still being denied basic rights every single day?
Mr. Speaker, the CBC has suffered major funding cuts over the past few years, which are now jeopardizing the quality of programming, as well as accessibility and regional news in Quebec. The Liberals repeatedly promised during the election campaign to restore and enhance funding for the CBC, and they have continued to make that promise since they took office.On behalf of artists and the general public in particular, I am asking the minister whether she intends to keep her promise to
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and the Conservatives have rubber-stamped countless foreign takeovers, and it seems the new government will be no different. Manitoba's Allstream owns a fibre optic network that carries the confidential information of the federal government and countless Canadians. However, the Liberals just stood by as it was sold to an American company, putting that information at risk of U.S. surveillance. The previous government blocked an earlier attempt based on national security concerns, so why is the Liberal minister refusing to do a review to protect Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the minister is confused about where her priorities should be. Why? It has come to light today that the Liberals received illegal union donations during the election.This morning, the minister was repaying her union friends. She announced the Liberals have made it their priority to remove accountability and transparency from government. The Liberal government had no intention to keep its commitment for accountability and transparency. Why is it important to reward union leaders rather than to come up with a plan to get Canadians back to work?
Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity in December to introduce an economic and fiscal update to make absolutely clear the situation we inherited from the members across the aisle.We inherited a deficit, a deficit of $3 billion. Ten failed years of low growth have led us to a situation where we have failed to make the investments that will allow us to grow the economy. We have a new plan, one that will lead us to a place where we can actually grow the economy, to put Canadians in a better place in the future.
Mr. Speaker, this once again gives me the opportunity to explain to the member opposite that signing and ratifying an agreement are two completely different things.In order to discuss and review this proposal, we have to move on to the next step. The member will then have the opportunity to make his arguments here in the House. We want to continue the discussion and that is why we are going to sign the agreement.
Our government intends to--
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to inform the House that we have introduced two bills to respond to attacks on the labour movement that were unwarranted, uncalled for, and undemocratic. This was not called for by industry or labour. The repealing of these two bills will bring back fairness and balance.
Mr. Speaker, security screening is part of the process. That is in the law, and the Government of Canada follows the law.
Mr. Speaker, there are 16 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo who have been adopted by Canadian families. They are waiting for exit visas and the DRC has refused to issue them. Now there is legislation before the Congolese parliament that could force these Canadian families to wait years more.Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call President Kabila, and request 16 exit visas?
Mr. Speaker, when I asked the minister a couple of days ago about why the government had baked so much secrecy into its Senate appointment process, she responded by hiding behind the courts. Her suggestion that the courts had interpreted the Constitution to require secrecy at any stage, let alone at all stages, of the appointment process is just wrong. What the Supreme Court actually says, in paragraph 50 of its Senate reference ruling, is that the practice of appointing senators on the advice of the Prime Minister is nothing more than a non-justiciable convention.Given that the courts do not require it, what is the real reason for all the secrecy?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister said, with regard to the Syrian refugee initiative, that the government had briefed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. ambassador to Canada and that there is a very open line of communication directly to the White House.What was the scope of these briefings? Who is the government communicating with in the White House administration, and have American officials raised any concerns with the government plan, and if so, what are they?
Mr. Speaker, residents in my riding of Northwest Territories, as well as other northern and remote parts of Canada, live with the reality of a very high cost of living. One way to help address this challenge is through our tax system, specifically the northern residents deductions.Could the Minister of National Revenue please advise the House of the commitment to increase the northern residents deductions?
Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that confusing a meritorious public policy and legislative change was an accident that happened during the election in terms of compliance.Let us be very clear. At the very moment that this was brought to our attention, the party followed the law, reimbursed the Receiver General, and the appropriate union signed a compliance agreement with the commissioner. That is something that the members opposite had a very difficult time doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian people elected this government with a clear mandate to support our seniors, to grow the middle class, to give help to those who need it by asking those who are doing well to do a little bit more.That is exactly what we are going to do. I look forward to our Minister of Finance presenting a budget that includes help for seniors, investments in infrastructure, and growth for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, it was my pleasure today to try to right some of the wrongs of the past. Earlier today I introduced legislation in this House to repeal Bill C-377 and Bill C-525, both a direct attack on the Canadian labour movement.
Mr. Speaker, the issue arising most recently with respect to James is a parole matter, not a pardon. I would indicate to the House that the pardon previously granted to this offender was a decision of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, it is shocking to hear this wrongful denial. The Liberals cannot even get a handle on their own baseline numbers. His own department is reporting a $600 million surplus for the first half of 2015. The Parliamentary Budget Officer forecasted a $1.2 billion surplus for the year, yet the finance minister and the parliamentary secretary appear to be working from a different set of numbers. These are taxpayers' dollars, and Canadians deserve transparency. Could the parliamentary secretary explain where he got his numbers?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance was wrong when he said his government had inherited a deficit. His own department states that, from April to October, the federal government posted a surplus of $600 million. It is in black and white, posted publicly on its website and available for all to see. We Conservatives left a surplus. Did the parliamentary secretary, in answering my question, wilfully mislead the House? If so, will he stand in his place, correct the record, and apologize.
Mr. Speaker, here is the fact: in the first 100 days since the election, it was tax breaks for the rich that made the list of urgent priorities, because if they make $200,000 a year, they got the maximum benefit. A family earning $45,000 got nothing. However, low-income seniors have also been left struggling with their rent and rising grocery bills. This, in spite of Liberal campaign promises to boost the guaranteed income supplement "immediately".The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development warns, "There will be things that will have to wait. So the question is clear: is it immediately, or tough luck this time?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know if that has ever happened in this chamber before.I have a very simple question. I know this is the part of Thursdays that members look forward to the most. I simply want to ask the government House leader if he can update the House as to the business for the rest of the week and into next week.I know he has already informed the House that the principle of secret ballots is so offensive to Liberals that they are going to repeal that very important legislation, but I just want to know if there are other pieces of legislation that he may be bringing forward next week as well.
Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the previous Conservative government passed legislation to ensure that convicted child sexual predators would never be able to apply for a pardon. This week, Canadians were horrified to see that an infamous serial child rapist was granted day parole.The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has indicated that the government will make it easier for criminals like that to get pardons. Why would the Liberal government do that?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government said that upstream greenhouse gas emissions would be part of the transition assessment, but the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that downstream GHGs would also be part of that assessment.Did the minister misspeak? Could she confirm that downstream emissions will not be considered in the transition process announced yesterday or in the permanent new process that will be announced at a later date?
Mr. Speaker, this is an important matter that our government is seized with. The foreign affairs minister has been in contact with the foreign affairs minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have raised this issue. We will continue to monitor the situation and we will follow it up. Any new changes will be reported to the House.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the voters of GaspésieLes Îles-de-la-Madeleine, who have placed their trust in me to represent them. I thank my colleague from Northwest Territories for the question.During the election we campaigned on increasing the deduction for northern residents. It is a priority. Canada's north and the people who live there can count on our government to help families living in remote areas contribute to the economy and benefit from Canada's economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government systematically discriminated against indigenous children for years. In order to implement this week's decision, the government must take meaningful action immediately. We need to see an entire cultural shift in all government institutions. Other cases are still before the courts regarding access to education and health care.What specific actions has the government taken since Tuesday to finally respect the rights of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, trade creates jobs for the middle class and growth for the Canadian economy. That is why we are a pro-trade party. On the TPP deal, we have consistently said, throughout the campaign and since, that we will consult with Canadians and allow parliamentarians an opportunity to discuss the impact on their regions and on the future of this country.In order to do so, however, we cannot stop debate on it. Therefore, we will be signing it as a way to consider it through ratification.
Mr. Speaker, as the government seems blindly determined to normalize relations with the Iranian regime, I wonder whether the Minister of Foreign Affairs is aware of the latest poisonous utterances by the regime's supreme leader. Yesterday, on International Holocaust Remebrance Day, Ayatollah Khamenei posted a video on his website questioning the slaughter of six million Jews by the Nazis. Does the minister really believe he can engage in a meaningful dialogue with a regime that not only denies history but regularly calls for the destruction of Israel?
Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely currently reviewing our sanctions against Iran, and as part of this review, we are exercising rigour in ensuring that any changes do not open the door to trade in proliferation-sensitive goods and services, of course. However, we are acting in concert with our allies, like the U.N., like the United States, like Europe. We feel it is an important signal. Our foreign policy is based on talking, something that the opposition was not that good at in the past.
Mr. Speaker, section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the government to annually present to Parliament a report that includes the government's desired immigration levels. Even in 2008, when a general election was held in October, this report was tabled on November 28 of that year. Today is January 28, a full two months later than this report has ever been tabled since the act came into force. Is the government delaying its release because it will show a significant reduction in provincial nominee program levels and other economic immigration streams?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claimed that bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada was only a matter of political will. From November 1 to December 14, 2015, the government brought in a grand total of 105 government-assisted Syrian refugees.Can the minister explain why it broke its biggest election promise and now sees government-sponsored refugees spending weeks in hotels as perfectly normal?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians were offered a brand new image, and that was the image of the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Natural Resources standing next to each other talking about sustainably developing the energy sector and the Canadian economy. Since then, many Canadians have told us, including provincial leaders, industry leaders, environmentalists, and others, that this is the better approach and the only way in the long term to develop our resources.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance no longer has any credibility. During the election campaign, he said that tax cuts would be revenue neutral for the government. Today, all Canadians know that $1.7 billion has been added to the Liberal deficit.If the government wants to create wealth, it should start by creating stable and productive economic conditions for entrepreneurs and businesses, not putting Canada into a never-ending debt spiral. That is not the solution. Instead, we should control public spending.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for joining me in Paris at the climate conference and also for his useful comments.We are committed to taking action on climate change. That is why I am meeting today with my colleagues from across the country to talk about what a pan-Canadian plan would be. It would be irresponsible to come up with a new target without actually having a plan to implement it, as the Conservatives did.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member, who I had the pleasure of meeting last night at the ParlAmericas conference, where our diplomacy was in fine form.As Minister Dion has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage
Mr. Speaker, our Conservative Party oversaw the approval of four major pipeline projects that created jobs in every region. Yesterday, the Prime Minister showed the hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work across the country that the Liberal government does not understand the problem. The Prime Minister's plan is to add more levels of red tape and a never-ending series of moving goalposts.Will the Prime Minister admit that his new process is simply designed to block job-creating energy projects?
Mr. Speaker, I apologize for mentioning the minister's name.As the minister has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage much more than before. Engagement takes different forms, and in our case, it does not mean that we agree with all of Iran's policies, by any stretch, but it is a pathway toward economic opportunity and dialogue and possibly regional security, and we are not going to give up.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it very clear that we consider our climate change obligations to be very serious. We have been clear that in this process we will, in our new interim principles, include upstream greenhouse gas emissions.I am also happy to announce that I am meeting with environment ministers from across the country today, where we will be framing our new pan-Canadian climate change plan, which will include consideration of downstream greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Speaker, still more uncertainty for people whose jobs are in the balance, unfortunately.Now there is another area of confusion with the announcement yesterday. The government said that additional roadblocks would be in place for Kinder Morgan and energy east. It also said that the minister would look at all other projects under way in the NEB process and determine if those proponents would also need this additional assessment, which would look like more interference.Could the minister tell us how he will determine which other job-creating programs and projects will have to undergo this red tape?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to carrying out an independent review of Canada Post, which will look at every entity, every aspect of Canada Post. It will be done independently. I cannot imagine that my colleague would be adverse to that. It is important we have a Canada Post that delivers services that Canadians expect, and at a reasonable cost.
Mr. Speaker, I assure the hon. member that the levels plan will indeed be presented to Parliament well before the deadline date. We are working on this. One of the things to come out of it, as I mentioned earlier, is an astounding, unacceptable increase in the processing times, particularly for spouses. One of the things that will come out of our plan is a determined effort to bring down those processing times, which skyrocketed under 10 years of Conservative rule.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change will be meeting with her provincial counterparts to talk about climate change. Since returning from Paris, the minister has not told us what Canada's targets are. Yesterday, the minister announced that impact on climate change would be a component of pipeline project assessments, but she said nothing about acceptable greenhouse gas emissions targets.Can the minister tell us if the government is planning to introduce ambitious new targets or carry on with the old Conservative ones?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians decided in October that they do in fact deserve transparency. They elected a new government that committed to being fair, open, and transparent. We immediately came out with an update to the numbers, so that Canadians could understand the situation we are actually in. We have seen a continued deterioration in our economic situation, which is a result of 10 years of failed policies. Happily for Canadians, we can now move to a new set of policies that will make a real difference for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families are struggling. They do not have jobs, do not qualify for employment insurance, and do not have adequate housing. However, according to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, these Canadians may be forced to wait. Inequality is rising in our society, but the government chose to make tax cuts for the wealthy a priority. Does the Prime Minister agree with his minister that many people will simply have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, National Bank economists announced that the federal deficit will reach $50 billion in the next two years.It is disappointing that the current Minister of Finance still believes in the old Keynesian theories whereby more government spending will lead to greater prosperity and that he is still applying them. Canadians know that spending more money will not make our country wealthier.Why is the Minister of Finance applying old theories and getting the government into more debt? These deficits will not create wealth.
Mr. Speaker, since January 1, 2016, millions of Canadians have been getting bigger paycheques as a result of our tax cuts for the middle class. To pay for this tax cut, we increased taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. I am still surprised that the NDP does not support this measure, since we normally all agree with the principle of asking those who are successful to do a little more for those in need.
Mr. Speaker, when someone has a hard time answering, that is because there are problems with transparency, accountability, and democracy.Something interesting came to light this morning. The Commissioner of Canada Elections revealed that UNIFOR Local 524 made a non-monetary contribution to the Liberal Party of Canada, which is forbidden because the organization is not an eligible donor.This kind of behaviour lowers democratic and accountability standards. How many other fishy manoeuvres like this one will never be made public?
Mr. Speaker, we have a plan to grow the economy, and we have already started.In the 2016 budget, we will introduce infrastructure investments that will help us increase economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, even after 10 years of failure, the Conservatives do not understand that we cannot create projects without the approval of the community, without working in partnership with the first nations, and without sound scientific evidence to reassure Canadians.The Conservatives refuse to accept that their approach does not work. Canadians and Albertans deserve better than what the Conservatives are offering.
Mr. Speaker, next week the Prime Minister intends to sign a Conservative trade deal that was negotiated in secret. However, in spite of calling for transparency before the election, the Liberals still have not released any economic impact study on the deal. In fact, according to recent reports, the Liberals are saying that they cannot find any economic impact study on the TPP. Meanwhile, independent studies have suggested that the TPP could cost Canada as many as 60,000 good jobs.Can the Prime Minister explain why he is willing to sign this deal without having seen an economic impact statement, when tens of thousands of good Canadian jobs are at risk?
Mr. Speaker, the House has heard repeatedly that our government is absolutely committed to restoring the inequitable status that many indigenous peoples have faced in child care, in health care, and in many other capacities. I will certainly look into the situation that the hon. member has brought to my attention. I will look into that and bring back news to the House with details as to how we will respond.
Mr. Speaker, it seems the Conservatives have trouble figuring out whether we are doing it too fast or too slow. However, as I have said to Canadians many times, it is more important to do it right than to do it fast. We are certainly doing it right in terms of security and health. I can guarantee Canadians that the full 25,000 Syrian refugees will be on Canadian soil before the end of February.
Mr. Speaker, I do not share the hon. member's cynicism, and with good reason. The new independent, non-partisan, merit-based, open and transparent process we have introduced is in the capable hands of nine of eminent Canadians who make up the advisory board, individuals like Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada. We believe that the presence of new non-partisan senators will enhance the effectiveness of this important democratic institution.
Mr. Speaker, Syrian refugees are being abandoned by the Liberal government in cramped, temporary accommodations. Can the minister confirm if in fact in London, Ontario, one of the hotels in which these refugees are being housed is located next door to a gentlemen's club, which features exotic dancers? Can the minister tell Canadians how much these so-called temporary accommodations are costing taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, we realized the chronic underfunding that has existed in first nations, for many first nations children. We are very concerned about this, and for the first time our government is in a position to be able to take action. We are committed to investing more in first nations children in Canada, so that they too can have that equal opportunity, as all other Canadian children have.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that today we announced legislation to repeal two bills, which attacked the labour movement, by the former Conservative government and that these two bills will restore fairness and balance to the workplace, encouraging a stronger economy, which I hope every member of the House is working toward.
Mr. Speaker, in Paris, the Prime Minister promised to help fight climate change. Yesterday, the government said that it wanted to consider the increase in greenhouse gas emissions related to the TransCanada pipeline project. In addition to putting more than 800 Quebec waterways at risk, this project would increase the production of oil from the oil sands and the associated greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. When will the Prime Minister realize that the construction of the energy east pipeline goes against the objectives that he set for himself in Paris?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his great question. Obviously, when spouses entering Canada have a conditional status, they are at risk of domestic violence because they have no status here. The government is determined to change that, so that all spouses who enter Canada immediately become permanent residents.
Mr. Speaker, we now know that our economic growth is lower than anticipated. Therefore, it is important to have a plan to improve our situation.Our first step was a tax cut for the middle class, which will put more money in the pockets of nine million Canadians. The second step will also be good for the economy. We are introducing the Canada child tax benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families and hundreds of thousands of children who live in poverty.
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Prime Minister is going to devastate the western economy with his own NEP, the no-energy program.We are debating a Conservative motion today that would send a clear signal of support to out of work Canadians. The thousands of families who are enduring job losses need a champion to promote projects that would get them back to work.The Prime Minister promised more free votes. Will he allow his members from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick to stand up and vote freely? Will he free the member for Wascana?
Mr. Speaker, we cannot create jobs by inventing new barriers and new obstacles.The Liberal plan that was announced yesterday does nothing to streamline the assessment process or make it more effective. Hundreds of thousands of families are desperate. The energy east project would be good for Quebec's economy.Why is the Prime Minister more worried about the opinions of celebrities than those of unemployed Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, very early in the going, as we were putting together the Syrian refugee initiative, we were communicating in a steady way with the American administration. They submitted a number of enquiries, which we were able to answer satisfactorily, and the line of communications remains open to this day. If the Americans have a concern, they are perfectly entitled to raise it, and we will make sure that the issues are properly addressed, as they are.
Mr. Speaker, the survivors of Graham James and other child sexual predators will never be able to forget the crimes inflicted upon them. We were reminded of that this week when Graham James was granted parole.Why is the government standing up for the rights of criminals like Graham James instead of their survivors?
Mr. Speaker, the rights of workers in my riding of AvignonLa MitisMataneMatapédia were violated for nearly a decade because of the Conservatives' anti-union positions.Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour tell the House what measures our government is taking to better protect the rights of workers?
Mr. Speaker, in spite of his best efforts, we just had a good example of embellishment right there. Why do I not focus on the very erudite question that comes on Thursdays that I know members look forward to all week. This afternoon we will resume debate on the Conservative Party's opposition motion.Tomorrow, the House will debate Bill C-2, which amends the Income Tax Act, at second reading, and we will continue that important debate on Monday. Tuesday, February 2, will be another opposition day.On Wednesday, we will debate Bill C-4, which repeals the Conservatives' unfair union bills. As colleagues know, this important legislation was introduced this morning.Lastly, Thursday, February 4, will be another opposition day.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for that important question.I want to reassure the House that we are going to reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada, because unlike the previous government, we believe in that corporation. That is why I am going to work with stakeholders to hold consultations on how best to support CBC/Radio-Canada in its digital transformation.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that my government looks into every item of that nature. However, the best summary was provided by a refugee from Syria, currently staying in a Toronto hotel, who was reported as saying this by the media today: Im just happy to be here. The tiny room I had in Lebanon was not safe.... I was suffering in Lebanon for two years. Compared to there, this is heaven. Of course, we all want to settle down quickly, but the wait is OK. That is from a refugee, and it is a very good answer.
Mr. Speaker, we are really proud of the work that we accomplished in Paris and the ambitious agreement that was reached. I was there along with colleagues from all of the parties. Our government will rebuild Canadians' trust in the environmental assessment process. We are going to look at greenhouse gas emissions as part of our assessment process, and we are going to ensure that we have Canadians' trust.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We need a pan-Canadian plan to tackle climate change. That is what we are working on. I am very pleased to be meeting with my colleagues from all corners of the country today to talk about the plan.
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, I was proud of our commitment to grant immediate permanent residency to spouses who have been sponsored to immigrate to Canada. A number of my constituents are waiting on these regulatory changes to be reunited with their loved ones, whom they have not seen for years in some cases. Can the Minister of Immigration share his plans on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, on January 15, six Canadians from the Quebec City region lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso.Since the beginning of this tragedy, the government has failed the victims. No government representative attended the vigil in memory of the victims. Yesterday, the minister from the Quebec City region refused to confirm whether he or a government representative would attend the funeral. The people in the Quebec City region are anxious to have their government take an interest in them.While respecting the families' wishes, can the minister help his government save face and confirm that he, the Prime Minister, or one of his cabinet colleagues will attend the funeral?
Mr. Speaker, this agreement is bad for workers, bad for farmers, and bad for creators.The economy is already in bad shape, and now nearly 60,000 good jobs are on the line if the trans-Pacific partnership is signed.For someone who was elected on a campaign promise of transparency and change, the Prime Minister apparently has no problem signing an agreement negotiated behind closed doors.Canadians know that signing an agreement signals our intention to abide by it. Does the Prime Minister often sign deals that he does not fully agree with?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister reminded the House that he promised to put a moratorium on the changes at Canada Post. That is strange, because during the election campaign, the Prime Minister stood in front of mayor Denis Coderre and promised to, and I quote, save home mail delivery.Will the minister honour the Prime Minister's word and restore home delivery, or will this promise be broken?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. It gives me the opportunity to say how moved the Canadian government and I were by the sadness and suffering of our families in Quebec City. These deaths occurred under extremely difficult circumstances thousands of kilometres away from home. This was a tragedy for the families and friends, for the entire Quebec City region, and for the entire Canadian government.
Mr. Speaker, the motion that the members opposite have put forward is simply a rehash of their failed policies of the past 10 years. Not only did Canadians vote against those policies in the last election but we will vote against those policies today in the House of Commons.
Mr. Speaker, it appears that there was a lot of time spent by the previous government looking at unfair, unjust attacks on the labour movement. In this case, we are looking at a bill that was put together that attacks the labour movement. It makes it more difficult to certify and much easier to decertify.That is not fair and balanced, and these bills need to be repealed.
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century the only way to get big projects like pipelines built is to do them responsibly and sustainably. That is the lesson we learned from 10 years of the members opposite being unable to deliver for the province of Alberta, unable to get resources to tidewater.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member was not part of the team that formed the government following the October 19 election. Perhaps she is not aware that every investment by a foreign company in a Canadian firm is subject to careful review under the Investment Canada Act. That is all I can say on the matter because, under the provisions of that legislation, I cannot disclose any commercial confidences.
Mr. Speaker, public safety is always the consideration. We will look at the changes that were made by the previous government in terms of the waiting times and the fees that were charged to see if they were effective in the administering of public policy or whether they were intended for some other purpose. We will base our decisions on evidence, not on ideology and not on bias.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and Conservatives have approved thousands of takeovers of Canadian companies by foreign interests.Recently, Allstream, a Canadian company with a fibre optic network that carries confidential data on thousands of Canadians, was sold to an American firm. The upshot is that sensitive information will now be subject to American surveillance.Why did the government authorize that sale without even conducting a national security review?
Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day for Canadian democracy and accountability. This morning, the government announced that it would repeal two fundamental labour laws. The first is the law to allow union members to vote by secret ballot, and the second requires unions bosses to be accountable. Today it became clear that the Liberal Party is thanking the big union bosses for spending millions of dollars against the Conservative Party. That is the reality of the Liberal Party.How can the government go along with this lack of democracy and accountability? It is completely unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, given the government's vague intention to end sanctions against Iran, it is time for some specific answers. Which of Canada's two dozen prohibitions against the Iranian regime does the government plan to lift? Given new U.S. sanctions, provoked by Iran's ballistic missile tests, will Canada now look the other way as Iran works on a weapon aimed at Israel? Finally, does the government really intend to de-list Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, what is very clear is why the Liberals' priority is to reward union leadership. Just today, we found out that the unions illegally donated to the Liberals' campaign. It is no wonder that the Liberals want to hide this information from Canadians by repealing legislation that imposes transparency and accountability on union members.Why do Liberals have so much time to defend union leadership but no time to come up with a plan to get Canadians, to get Albertans, back to work?
Mr. Speaker, in December, at the climate change conference in Paris, Canada committed to a 1.5-degree rise in global temperature. Yesterday the minister announced pipeline reviews that would include climate tests but could not say what a pass or fail would actually look like. A test only matters if they know how they are being graded.The minister knows full well that current provincial efforts are not enough to meet the weak goal that Canada currently has. Canadians want to know the real impact a climate test could have for a government that does not even have a climate target.
Mr. Speaker, on the very day that the Human Rights Tribunal ruled on the systemic discrimination against indigenous children, officials in Health Canada told a little indigenous girl named Kendall that they would not pay for badly needed orthodontic surgery. Now Kendall also has an ocular tumour and needs special drops to save her vision. The response from the officials was absolutely not. I ask myself, as a parent, how that is possible. For the health minister, what steps has she taken to issue directives to her ministers to make it right for Kendall and all the other children who are still being denied basic rights every single day?
Mr. Speaker, the CBC has suffered major funding cuts over the past few years, which are now jeopardizing the quality of programming, as well as accessibility and regional news in Quebec. The Liberals repeatedly promised during the election campaign to restore and enhance funding for the CBC, and they have continued to make that promise since they took office.On behalf of artists and the general public in particular, I am asking the minister whether she intends to keep her promise to
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and the Conservatives have rubber-stamped countless foreign takeovers, and it seems the new government will be no different. Manitoba's Allstream owns a fibre optic network that carries the confidential information of the federal government and countless Canadians. However, the Liberals just stood by as it was sold to an American company, putting that information at risk of U.S. surveillance. The previous government blocked an earlier attempt based on national security concerns, so why is the Liberal minister refusing to do a review to protect Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the minister is confused about where her priorities should be. Why? It has come to light today that the Liberals received illegal union donations during the election.This morning, the minister was repaying her union friends. She announced the Liberals have made it their priority to remove accountability and transparency from government. The Liberal government had no intention to keep its commitment for accountability and transparency. Why is it important to reward union leaders rather than to come up with a plan to get Canadians back to work?
Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity in December to introduce an economic and fiscal update to make absolutely clear the situation we inherited from the members across the aisle.We inherited a deficit, a deficit of $3 billion. Ten failed years of low growth have led us to a situation where we have failed to make the investments that will allow us to grow the economy. We have a new plan, one that will lead us to a place where we can actually grow the economy, to put Canadians in a better place in the future.
Mr. Speaker, this once again gives me the opportunity to explain to the member opposite that signing and ratifying an agreement are two completely different things.In order to discuss and review this proposal, we have to move on to the next step. The member will then have the opportunity to make his arguments here in the House. We want to continue the discussion and that is why we are going to sign the agreement.
Our government intends to--
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to inform the House that we have introduced two bills to respond to attacks on the labour movement that were unwarranted, uncalled for, and undemocratic. This was not called for by industry or labour. The repealing of these two bills will bring back fairness and balance.
Mr. Speaker, security screening is part of the process. That is in the law, and the Government of Canada follows the law.
Mr. Speaker, there are 16 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo who have been adopted by Canadian families. They are waiting for exit visas and the DRC has refused to issue them. Now there is legislation before the Congolese parliament that could force these Canadian families to wait years more.Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call President Kabila, and request 16 exit visas?
Mr. Speaker, when I asked the minister a couple of days ago about why the government had baked so much secrecy into its Senate appointment process, she responded by hiding behind the courts. Her suggestion that the courts had interpreted the Constitution to require secrecy at any stage, let alone at all stages, of the appointment process is just wrong. What the Supreme Court actually says, in paragraph 50 of its Senate reference ruling, is that the practice of appointing senators on the advice of the Prime Minister is nothing more than a non-justiciable convention.Given that the courts do not require it, what is the real reason for all the secrecy?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister said, with regard to the Syrian refugee initiative, that the government had briefed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. ambassador to Canada and that there is a very open line of communication directly to the White House.What was the scope of these briefings? Who is the government communicating with in the White House administration, and have American officials raised any concerns with the government plan, and if so, what are they?
Mr. Speaker, residents in my riding of Northwest Territories, as well as other northern and remote parts of Canada, live with the reality of a very high cost of living. One way to help address this challenge is through our tax system, specifically the northern residents deductions.Could the Minister of National Revenue please advise the House of the commitment to increase the northern residents deductions?
Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that confusing a meritorious public policy and legislative change was an accident that happened during the election in terms of compliance.Let us be very clear. At the very moment that this was brought to our attention, the party followed the law, reimbursed the Receiver General, and the appropriate union signed a compliance agreement with the commissioner. That is something that the members opposite had a very difficult time doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian people elected this government with a clear mandate to support our seniors, to grow the middle class, to give help to those who need it by asking those who are doing well to do a little bit more.That is exactly what we are going to do. I look forward to our Minister of Finance presenting a budget that includes help for seniors, investments in infrastructure, and growth for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, it was my pleasure today to try to right some of the wrongs of the past. Earlier today I introduced legislation in this House to repeal Bill C-377 and Bill C-525, both a direct attack on the Canadian labour movement.
Mr. Speaker, the issue arising most recently with respect to James is a parole matter, not a pardon. I would indicate to the House that the pardon previously granted to this offender was a decision of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, it is shocking to hear this wrongful denial. The Liberals cannot even get a handle on their own baseline numbers. His own department is reporting a $600 million surplus for the first half of 2015. The Parliamentary Budget Officer forecasted a $1.2 billion surplus for the year, yet the finance minister and the parliamentary secretary appear to be working from a different set of numbers. These are taxpayers' dollars, and Canadians deserve transparency. Could the parliamentary secretary explain where he got his numbers?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance was wrong when he said his government had inherited a deficit. His own department states that, from April to October, the federal government posted a surplus of $600 million. It is in black and white, posted publicly on its website and available for all to see. We Conservatives left a surplus. Did the parliamentary secretary, in answering my question, wilfully mislead the House? If so, will he stand in his place, correct the record, and apologize.
Mr. Speaker, here is the fact: in the first 100 days since the election, it was tax breaks for the rich that made the list of urgent priorities, because if they make $200,000 a year, they got the maximum benefit. A family earning $45,000 got nothing. However, low-income seniors have also been left struggling with their rent and rising grocery bills. This, in spite of Liberal campaign promises to boost the guaranteed income supplement "immediately".The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development warns, "There will be things that will have to wait. So the question is clear: is it immediately, or tough luck this time?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know if that has ever happened in this chamber before.I have a very simple question. I know this is the part of Thursdays that members look forward to the most. I simply want to ask the government House leader if he can update the House as to the business for the rest of the week and into next week.I know he has already informed the House that the principle of secret ballots is so offensive to Liberals that they are going to repeal that very important legislation, but I just want to know if there are other pieces of legislation that he may be bringing forward next week as well.
Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the previous Conservative government passed legislation to ensure that convicted child sexual predators would never be able to apply for a pardon. This week, Canadians were horrified to see that an infamous serial child rapist was granted day parole.The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has indicated that the government will make it easier for criminals like that to get pardons. Why would the Liberal government do that?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government said that upstream greenhouse gas emissions would be part of the transition assessment, but the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that downstream GHGs would also be part of that assessment.Did the minister misspeak? Could she confirm that downstream emissions will not be considered in the transition process announced yesterday or in the permanent new process that will be announced at a later date?
Mr. Speaker, this is an important matter that our government is seized with. The foreign affairs minister has been in contact with the foreign affairs minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have raised this issue. We will continue to monitor the situation and we will follow it up. Any new changes will be reported to the House.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the voters of GaspésieLes Îles-de-la-Madeleine, who have placed their trust in me to represent them. I thank my colleague from Northwest Territories for the question.During the election we campaigned on increasing the deduction for northern residents. It is a priority. Canada's north and the people who live there can count on our government to help families living in remote areas contribute to the economy and benefit from Canada's economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government systematically discriminated against indigenous children for years. In order to implement this week's decision, the government must take meaningful action immediately. We need to see an entire cultural shift in all government institutions. Other cases are still before the courts regarding access to education and health care.What specific actions has the government taken since Tuesday to finally respect the rights of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, trade creates jobs for the middle class and growth for the Canadian economy. That is why we are a pro-trade party. On the TPP deal, we have consistently said, throughout the campaign and since, that we will consult with Canadians and allow parliamentarians an opportunity to discuss the impact on their regions and on the future of this country.In order to do so, however, we cannot stop debate on it. Therefore, we will be signing it as a way to consider it through ratification.
Mr. Speaker, as the government seems blindly determined to normalize relations with the Iranian regime, I wonder whether the Minister of Foreign Affairs is aware of the latest poisonous utterances by the regime's supreme leader. Yesterday, on International Holocaust Remebrance Day, Ayatollah Khamenei posted a video on his website questioning the slaughter of six million Jews by the Nazis. Does the minister really believe he can engage in a meaningful dialogue with a regime that not only denies history but regularly calls for the destruction of Israel?
Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely currently reviewing our sanctions against Iran, and as part of this review, we are exercising rigour in ensuring that any changes do not open the door to trade in proliferation-sensitive goods and services, of course. However, we are acting in concert with our allies, like the U.N., like the United States, like Europe. We feel it is an important signal. Our foreign policy is based on talking, something that the opposition was not that good at in the past.
Mr. Speaker, section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the government to annually present to Parliament a report that includes the government's desired immigration levels. Even in 2008, when a general election was held in October, this report was tabled on November 28 of that year. Today is January 28, a full two months later than this report has ever been tabled since the act came into force. Is the government delaying its release because it will show a significant reduction in provincial nominee program levels and other economic immigration streams?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claimed that bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada was only a matter of political will. From November 1 to December 14, 2015, the government brought in a grand total of 105 government-assisted Syrian refugees.Can the minister explain why it broke its biggest election promise and now sees government-sponsored refugees spending weeks in hotels as perfectly normal?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians were offered a brand new image, and that was the image of the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Natural Resources standing next to each other talking about sustainably developing the energy sector and the Canadian economy. Since then, many Canadians have told us, including provincial leaders, industry leaders, environmentalists, and others, that this is the better approach and the only way in the long term to develop our resources.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance no longer has any credibility. During the election campaign, he said that tax cuts would be revenue neutral for the government. Today, all Canadians know that $1.7 billion has been added to the Liberal deficit.If the government wants to create wealth, it should start by creating stable and productive economic conditions for entrepreneurs and businesses, not putting Canada into a never-ending debt spiral. That is not the solution. Instead, we should control public spending.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for joining me in Paris at the climate conference and also for his useful comments.We are committed to taking action on climate change. That is why I am meeting today with my colleagues from across the country to talk about what a pan-Canadian plan would be. It would be irresponsible to come up with a new target without actually having a plan to implement it, as the Conservatives did.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member, who I had the pleasure of meeting last night at the ParlAmericas conference, where our diplomacy was in fine form.As Minister Dion has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage
Mr. Speaker, our Conservative Party oversaw the approval of four major pipeline projects that created jobs in every region. Yesterday, the Prime Minister showed the hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work across the country that the Liberal government does not understand the problem. The Prime Minister's plan is to add more levels of red tape and a never-ending series of moving goalposts.Will the Prime Minister admit that his new process is simply designed to block job-creating energy projects?
Mr. Speaker, I apologize for mentioning the minister's name.As the minister has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage much more than before. Engagement takes different forms, and in our case, it does not mean that we agree with all of Iran's policies, by any stretch, but it is a pathway toward economic opportunity and dialogue and possibly regional security, and we are not going to give up.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it very clear that we consider our climate change obligations to be very serious. We have been clear that in this process we will, in our new interim principles, include upstream greenhouse gas emissions.I am also happy to announce that I am meeting with environment ministers from across the country today, where we will be framing our new pan-Canadian climate change plan, which will include consideration of downstream greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Speaker, still more uncertainty for people whose jobs are in the balance, unfortunately.Now there is another area of confusion with the announcement yesterday. The government said that additional roadblocks would be in place for Kinder Morgan and energy east. It also said that the minister would look at all other projects under way in the NEB process and determine if those proponents would also need this additional assessment, which would look like more interference.Could the minister tell us how he will determine which other job-creating programs and projects will have to undergo this red tape?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to carrying out an independent review of Canada Post, which will look at every entity, every aspect of Canada Post. It will be done independently. I cannot imagine that my colleague would be adverse to that. It is important we have a Canada Post that delivers services that Canadians expect, and at a reasonable cost.
Mr. Speaker, I assure the hon. member that the levels plan will indeed be presented to Parliament well before the deadline date. We are working on this. One of the things to come out of it, as I mentioned earlier, is an astounding, unacceptable increase in the processing times, particularly for spouses. One of the things that will come out of our plan is a determined effort to bring down those processing times, which skyrocketed under 10 years of Conservative rule.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change will be meeting with her provincial counterparts to talk about climate change. Since returning from Paris, the minister has not told us what Canada's targets are. Yesterday, the minister announced that impact on climate change would be a component of pipeline project assessments, but she said nothing about acceptable greenhouse gas emissions targets.Can the minister tell us if the government is planning to introduce ambitious new targets or carry on with the old Conservative ones?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians decided in October that they do in fact deserve transparency. They elected a new government that committed to being fair, open, and transparent. We immediately came out with an update to the numbers, so that Canadians could understand the situation we are actually in. We have seen a continued deterioration in our economic situation, which is a result of 10 years of failed policies. Happily for Canadians, we can now move to a new set of policies that will make a real difference for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families are struggling. They do not have jobs, do not qualify for employment insurance, and do not have adequate housing. However, according to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, these Canadians may be forced to wait. Inequality is rising in our society, but the government chose to make tax cuts for the wealthy a priority. Does the Prime Minister agree with his minister that many people will simply have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, National Bank economists announced that the federal deficit will reach $50 billion in the next two years.It is disappointing that the current Minister of Finance still believes in the old Keynesian theories whereby more government spending will lead to greater prosperity and that he is still applying them. Canadians know that spending more money will not make our country wealthier.Why is the Minister of Finance applying old theories and getting the government into more debt? These deficits will not create wealth.
Mr. Speaker, since January 1, 2016, millions of Canadians have been getting bigger paycheques as a result of our tax cuts for the middle class. To pay for this tax cut, we increased taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. I am still surprised that the NDP does not support this measure, since we normally all agree with the principle of asking those who are successful to do a little more for those in need.
Mr. Speaker, when someone has a hard time answering, that is because there are problems with transparency, accountability, and democracy.Something interesting came to light this morning. The Commissioner of Canada Elections revealed that UNIFOR Local 524 made a non-monetary contribution to the Liberal Party of Canada, which is forbidden because the organization is not an eligible donor.This kind of behaviour lowers democratic and accountability standards. How many other fishy manoeuvres like this one will never be made public?
Mr. Speaker, we have a plan to grow the economy, and we have already started.In the 2016 budget, we will introduce infrastructure investments that will help us increase economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, even after 10 years of failure, the Conservatives do not understand that we cannot create projects without the approval of the community, without working in partnership with the first nations, and without sound scientific evidence to reassure Canadians.The Conservatives refuse to accept that their approach does not work. Canadians and Albertans deserve better than what the Conservatives are offering.
Mr. Speaker, next week the Prime Minister intends to sign a Conservative trade deal that was negotiated in secret. However, in spite of calling for transparency before the election, the Liberals still have not released any economic impact study on the deal. In fact, according to recent reports, the Liberals are saying that they cannot find any economic impact study on the TPP. Meanwhile, independent studies have suggested that the TPP could cost Canada as many as 60,000 good jobs.Can the Prime Minister explain why he is willing to sign this deal without having seen an economic impact statement, when tens of thousands of good Canadian jobs are at risk?
Mr. Speaker, the House has heard repeatedly that our government is absolutely committed to restoring the inequitable status that many indigenous peoples have faced in child care, in health care, and in many other capacities. I will certainly look into the situation that the hon. member has brought to my attention. I will look into that and bring back news to the House with details as to how we will respond.
Mr. Speaker, it seems the Conservatives have trouble figuring out whether we are doing it too fast or too slow. However, as I have said to Canadians many times, it is more important to do it right than to do it fast. We are certainly doing it right in terms of security and health. I can guarantee Canadians that the full 25,000 Syrian refugees will be on Canadian soil before the end of February.
Mr. Speaker, I do not share the hon. member's cynicism, and with good reason. The new independent, non-partisan, merit-based, open and transparent process we have introduced is in the capable hands of nine of eminent Canadians who make up the advisory board, individuals like Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada. We believe that the presence of new non-partisan senators will enhance the effectiveness of this important democratic institution.
Mr. Speaker, Syrian refugees are being abandoned by the Liberal government in cramped, temporary accommodations. Can the minister confirm if in fact in London, Ontario, one of the hotels in which these refugees are being housed is located next door to a gentlemen's club, which features exotic dancers? Can the minister tell Canadians how much these so-called temporary accommodations are costing taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, we realized the chronic underfunding that has existed in first nations, for many first nations children. We are very concerned about this, and for the first time our government is in a position to be able to take action. We are committed to investing more in first nations children in Canada, so that they too can have that equal opportunity, as all other Canadian children have.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that today we announced legislation to repeal two bills, which attacked the labour movement, by the former Conservative government and that these two bills will restore fairness and balance to the workplace, encouraging a stronger economy, which I hope every member of the House is working toward.
Mr. Speaker, in Paris, the Prime Minister promised to help fight climate change. Yesterday, the government said that it wanted to consider the increase in greenhouse gas emissions related to the TransCanada pipeline project. In addition to putting more than 800 Quebec waterways at risk, this project would increase the production of oil from the oil sands and the associated greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. When will the Prime Minister realize that the construction of the energy east pipeline goes against the objectives that he set for himself in Paris?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his great question. Obviously, when spouses entering Canada have a conditional status, they are at risk of domestic violence because they have no status here. The government is determined to change that, so that all spouses who enter Canada immediately become permanent residents.
Mr. Speaker, we now know that our economic growth is lower than anticipated. Therefore, it is important to have a plan to improve our situation.Our first step was a tax cut for the middle class, which will put more money in the pockets of nine million Canadians. The second step will also be good for the economy. We are introducing the Canada child tax benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families and hundreds of thousands of children who live in poverty.
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Prime Minister is going to devastate the western economy with his own NEP, the no-energy program.We are debating a Conservative motion today that would send a clear signal of support to out of work Canadians. The thousands of families who are enduring job losses need a champion to promote projects that would get them back to work.The Prime Minister promised more free votes. Will he allow his members from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick to stand up and vote freely? Will he free the member for Wascana?
Mr. Speaker, we cannot create jobs by inventing new barriers and new obstacles.The Liberal plan that was announced yesterday does nothing to streamline the assessment process or make it more effective. Hundreds of thousands of families are desperate. The energy east project would be good for Quebec's economy.Why is the Prime Minister more worried about the opinions of celebrities than those of unemployed Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, very early in the going, as we were putting together the Syrian refugee initiative, we were communicating in a steady way with the American administration. They submitted a number of enquiries, which we were able to answer satisfactorily, and the line of communications remains open to this day. If the Americans have a concern, they are perfectly entitled to raise it, and we will make sure that the issues are properly addressed, as they are.
Mr. Speaker, the survivors of Graham James and other child sexual predators will never be able to forget the crimes inflicted upon them. We were reminded of that this week when Graham James was granted parole.Why is the government standing up for the rights of criminals like Graham James instead of their survivors?
Mr. Speaker, the rights of workers in my riding of AvignonLa MitisMataneMatapédia were violated for nearly a decade because of the Conservatives' anti-union positions.Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour tell the House what measures our government is taking to better protect the rights of workers?
Mr. Speaker, in spite of his best efforts, we just had a good example of embellishment right there. Why do I not focus on the very erudite question that comes on Thursdays that I know members look forward to all week. This afternoon we will resume debate on the Conservative Party's opposition motion.Tomorrow, the House will debate Bill C-2, which amends the Income Tax Act, at second reading, and we will continue that important debate on Monday. Tuesday, February 2, will be another opposition day.On Wednesday, we will debate Bill C-4, which repeals the Conservatives' unfair union bills. As colleagues know, this important legislation was introduced this morning.Lastly, Thursday, February 4, will be another opposition day.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for that important question.I want to reassure the House that we are going to reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada, because unlike the previous government, we believe in that corporation. That is why I am going to work with stakeholders to hold consultations on how best to support CBC/Radio-Canada in its digital transformation.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that my government looks into every item of that nature. However, the best summary was provided by a refugee from Syria, currently staying in a Toronto hotel, who was reported as saying this by the media today: Im just happy to be here. The tiny room I had in Lebanon was not safe.... I was suffering in Lebanon for two years. Compared to there, this is heaven. Of course, we all want to settle down quickly, but the wait is OK. That is from a refugee, and it is a very good answer.
Mr. Speaker, we are really proud of the work that we accomplished in Paris and the ambitious agreement that was reached. I was there along with colleagues from all of the parties. Our government will rebuild Canadians' trust in the environmental assessment process. We are going to look at greenhouse gas emissions as part of our assessment process, and we are going to ensure that we have Canadians' trust.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We need a pan-Canadian plan to tackle climate change. That is what we are working on. I am very pleased to be meeting with my colleagues from all corners of the country today to talk about the plan.
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, I was proud of our commitment to grant immediate permanent residency to spouses who have been sponsored to immigrate to Canada. A number of my constituents are waiting on these regulatory changes to be reunited with their loved ones, whom they have not seen for years in some cases. Can the Minister of Immigration share his plans on this issue?
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Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, I was proud of our commitment to grant immediate permanent residency to spouses who have been sponsored to immigrate to Canada. A number of my constituents are waiting on these regulatory changes to be reunited with their loved ones, whom they have not seen for years in some cases. Can the Minister of Immigration share his plans on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We need a pan-Canadian plan to tackle climate change. That is what we are working on. I am very pleased to be meeting with my colleagues from all corners of the country today to talk about the plan.
Mr. Speaker, we are really proud of the work that we accomplished in Paris and the ambitious agreement that was reached. I was there along with colleagues from all of the parties. Our government will rebuild Canadians' trust in the environmental assessment process. We are going to look at greenhouse gas emissions as part of our assessment process, and we are going to ensure that we have Canadians' trust.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that my government looks into every item of that nature. However, the best summary was provided by a refugee from Syria, currently staying in a Toronto hotel, who was reported as saying this by the media today: Im just happy to be here. The tiny room I had in Lebanon was not safe.... I was suffering in Lebanon for two years. Compared to there, this is heaven. Of course, we all want to settle down quickly, but the wait is OK. That is from a refugee, and it is a very good answer.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for that important question.I want to reassure the House that we are going to reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada, because unlike the previous government, we believe in that corporation. That is why I am going to work with stakeholders to hold consultations on how best to support CBC/Radio-Canada in its digital transformation.
Mr. Speaker, in spite of his best efforts, we just had a good example of embellishment right there. Why do I not focus on the very erudite question that comes on Thursdays that I know members look forward to all week. This afternoon we will resume debate on the Conservative Party's opposition motion.Tomorrow, the House will debate Bill C-2, which amends the Income Tax Act, at second reading, and we will continue that important debate on Monday. Tuesday, February 2, will be another opposition day.On Wednesday, we will debate Bill C-4, which repeals the Conservatives' unfair union bills. As colleagues know, this important legislation was introduced this morning.Lastly, Thursday, February 4, will be another opposition day.
Mr. Speaker, the rights of workers in my riding of AvignonLa MitisMataneMatapédia were violated for nearly a decade because of the Conservatives' anti-union positions.Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour tell the House what measures our government is taking to better protect the rights of workers?
Mr. Speaker, the survivors of Graham James and other child sexual predators will never be able to forget the crimes inflicted upon them. We were reminded of that this week when Graham James was granted parole.Why is the government standing up for the rights of criminals like Graham James instead of their survivors?
Mr. Speaker, very early in the going, as we were putting together the Syrian refugee initiative, we were communicating in a steady way with the American administration. They submitted a number of enquiries, which we were able to answer satisfactorily, and the line of communications remains open to this day. If the Americans have a concern, they are perfectly entitled to raise it, and we will make sure that the issues are properly addressed, as they are.
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Prime Minister is going to devastate the western economy with his own NEP, the no-energy program.We are debating a Conservative motion today that would send a clear signal of support to out of work Canadians. The thousands of families who are enduring job losses need a champion to promote projects that would get them back to work.The Prime Minister promised more free votes. Will he allow his members from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick to stand up and vote freely? Will he free the member for Wascana?
Mr. Speaker, we cannot create jobs by inventing new barriers and new obstacles.The Liberal plan that was announced yesterday does nothing to streamline the assessment process or make it more effective. Hundreds of thousands of families are desperate. The energy east project would be good for Quebec's economy.Why is the Prime Minister more worried about the opinions of celebrities than those of unemployed Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we now know that our economic growth is lower than anticipated. Therefore, it is important to have a plan to improve our situation.Our first step was a tax cut for the middle class, which will put more money in the pockets of nine million Canadians. The second step will also be good for the economy. We are introducing the Canada child tax benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families and hundreds of thousands of children who live in poverty.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his great question. Obviously, when spouses entering Canada have a conditional status, they are at risk of domestic violence because they have no status here. The government is determined to change that, so that all spouses who enter Canada immediately become permanent residents.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that today we announced legislation to repeal two bills, which attacked the labour movement, by the former Conservative government and that these two bills will restore fairness and balance to the workplace, encouraging a stronger economy, which I hope every member of the House is working toward.
Mr. Speaker, in Paris, the Prime Minister promised to help fight climate change. Yesterday, the government said that it wanted to consider the increase in greenhouse gas emissions related to the TransCanada pipeline project. In addition to putting more than 800 Quebec waterways at risk, this project would increase the production of oil from the oil sands and the associated greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. When will the Prime Minister realize that the construction of the energy east pipeline goes against the objectives that he set for himself in Paris?
Mr. Speaker, we realized the chronic underfunding that has existed in first nations, for many first nations children. We are very concerned about this, and for the first time our government is in a position to be able to take action. We are committed to investing more in first nations children in Canada, so that they too can have that equal opportunity, as all other Canadian children have.
Mr. Speaker, Syrian refugees are being abandoned by the Liberal government in cramped, temporary accommodations. Can the minister confirm if in fact in London, Ontario, one of the hotels in which these refugees are being housed is located next door to a gentlemen's club, which features exotic dancers? Can the minister tell Canadians how much these so-called temporary accommodations are costing taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, I do not share the hon. member's cynicism, and with good reason. The new independent, non-partisan, merit-based, open and transparent process we have introduced is in the capable hands of nine of eminent Canadians who make up the advisory board, individuals like Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada. We believe that the presence of new non-partisan senators will enhance the effectiveness of this important democratic institution.
Mr. Speaker, it seems the Conservatives have trouble figuring out whether we are doing it too fast or too slow. However, as I have said to Canadians many times, it is more important to do it right than to do it fast. We are certainly doing it right in terms of security and health. I can guarantee Canadians that the full 25,000 Syrian refugees will be on Canadian soil before the end of February.
Mr. Speaker, the House has heard repeatedly that our government is absolutely committed to restoring the inequitable status that many indigenous peoples have faced in child care, in health care, and in many other capacities. I will certainly look into the situation that the hon. member has brought to my attention. I will look into that and bring back news to the House with details as to how we will respond.
Mr. Speaker, next week the Prime Minister intends to sign a Conservative trade deal that was negotiated in secret. However, in spite of calling for transparency before the election, the Liberals still have not released any economic impact study on the deal. In fact, according to recent reports, the Liberals are saying that they cannot find any economic impact study on the TPP. Meanwhile, independent studies have suggested that the TPP could cost Canada as many as 60,000 good jobs.Can the Prime Minister explain why he is willing to sign this deal without having seen an economic impact statement, when tens of thousands of good Canadian jobs are at risk?
Mr. Speaker, even after 10 years of failure, the Conservatives do not understand that we cannot create projects without the approval of the community, without working in partnership with the first nations, and without sound scientific evidence to reassure Canadians.The Conservatives refuse to accept that their approach does not work. Canadians and Albertans deserve better than what the Conservatives are offering.
Mr. Speaker, we have a plan to grow the economy, and we have already started.In the 2016 budget, we will introduce infrastructure investments that will help us increase economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, when someone has a hard time answering, that is because there are problems with transparency, accountability, and democracy.Something interesting came to light this morning. The Commissioner of Canada Elections revealed that UNIFOR Local 524 made a non-monetary contribution to the Liberal Party of Canada, which is forbidden because the organization is not an eligible donor.This kind of behaviour lowers democratic and accountability standards. How many other fishy manoeuvres like this one will never be made public?
Mr. Speaker, since January 1, 2016, millions of Canadians have been getting bigger paycheques as a result of our tax cuts for the middle class. To pay for this tax cut, we increased taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. I am still surprised that the NDP does not support this measure, since we normally all agree with the principle of asking those who are successful to do a little more for those in need.
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families are struggling. They do not have jobs, do not qualify for employment insurance, and do not have adequate housing. However, according to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, these Canadians may be forced to wait. Inequality is rising in our society, but the government chose to make tax cuts for the wealthy a priority. Does the Prime Minister agree with his minister that many people will simply have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, National Bank economists announced that the federal deficit will reach $50 billion in the next two years.It is disappointing that the current Minister of Finance still believes in the old Keynesian theories whereby more government spending will lead to greater prosperity and that he is still applying them. Canadians know that spending more money will not make our country wealthier.Why is the Minister of Finance applying old theories and getting the government into more debt? These deficits will not create wealth.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians decided in October that they do in fact deserve transparency. They elected a new government that committed to being fair, open, and transparent. We immediately came out with an update to the numbers, so that Canadians could understand the situation we are actually in. We have seen a continued deterioration in our economic situation, which is a result of 10 years of failed policies. Happily for Canadians, we can now move to a new set of policies that will make a real difference for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change will be meeting with her provincial counterparts to talk about climate change. Since returning from Paris, the minister has not told us what Canada's targets are. Yesterday, the minister announced that impact on climate change would be a component of pipeline project assessments, but she said nothing about acceptable greenhouse gas emissions targets.Can the minister tell us if the government is planning to introduce ambitious new targets or carry on with the old Conservative ones?
Mr. Speaker, I assure the hon. member that the levels plan will indeed be presented to Parliament well before the deadline date. We are working on this. One of the things to come out of it, as I mentioned earlier, is an astounding, unacceptable increase in the processing times, particularly for spouses. One of the things that will come out of our plan is a determined effort to bring down those processing times, which skyrocketed under 10 years of Conservative rule.
Mr. Speaker, still more uncertainty for people whose jobs are in the balance, unfortunately.Now there is another area of confusion with the announcement yesterday. The government said that additional roadblocks would be in place for Kinder Morgan and energy east. It also said that the minister would look at all other projects under way in the NEB process and determine if those proponents would also need this additional assessment, which would look like more interference.Could the minister tell us how he will determine which other job-creating programs and projects will have to undergo this red tape?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to carrying out an independent review of Canada Post, which will look at every entity, every aspect of Canada Post. It will be done independently. I cannot imagine that my colleague would be adverse to that. It is important we have a Canada Post that delivers services that Canadians expect, and at a reasonable cost.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it very clear that we consider our climate change obligations to be very serious. We have been clear that in this process we will, in our new interim principles, include upstream greenhouse gas emissions.I am also happy to announce that I am meeting with environment ministers from across the country today, where we will be framing our new pan-Canadian climate change plan, which will include consideration of downstream greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Speaker, I apologize for mentioning the minister's name.As the minister has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage much more than before. Engagement takes different forms, and in our case, it does not mean that we agree with all of Iran's policies, by any stretch, but it is a pathway toward economic opportunity and dialogue and possibly regional security, and we are not going to give up.
Mr. Speaker, our Conservative Party oversaw the approval of four major pipeline projects that created jobs in every region. Yesterday, the Prime Minister showed the hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work across the country that the Liberal government does not understand the problem. The Prime Minister's plan is to add more levels of red tape and a never-ending series of moving goalposts.Will the Prime Minister admit that his new process is simply designed to block job-creating energy projects?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member, who I had the pleasure of meeting last night at the ParlAmericas conference, where our diplomacy was in fine form.As Minister Dion has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for joining me in Paris at the climate conference and also for his useful comments.We are committed to taking action on climate change. That is why I am meeting today with my colleagues from across the country to talk about what a pan-Canadian plan would be. It would be irresponsible to come up with a new target without actually having a plan to implement it, as the Conservatives did.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance no longer has any credibility. During the election campaign, he said that tax cuts would be revenue neutral for the government. Today, all Canadians know that $1.7 billion has been added to the Liberal deficit.If the government wants to create wealth, it should start by creating stable and productive economic conditions for entrepreneurs and businesses, not putting Canada into a never-ending debt spiral. That is not the solution. Instead, we should control public spending.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians were offered a brand new image, and that was the image of the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Natural Resources standing next to each other talking about sustainably developing the energy sector and the Canadian economy. Since then, many Canadians have told us, including provincial leaders, industry leaders, environmentalists, and others, that this is the better approach and the only way in the long term to develop our resources.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claimed that bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada was only a matter of political will. From November 1 to December 14, 2015, the government brought in a grand total of 105 government-assisted Syrian refugees.Can the minister explain why it broke its biggest election promise and now sees government-sponsored refugees spending weeks in hotels as perfectly normal?
Mr. Speaker, section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the government to annually present to Parliament a report that includes the government's desired immigration levels. Even in 2008, when a general election was held in October, this report was tabled on November 28 of that year. Today is January 28, a full two months later than this report has ever been tabled since the act came into force. Is the government delaying its release because it will show a significant reduction in provincial nominee program levels and other economic immigration streams?
Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely currently reviewing our sanctions against Iran, and as part of this review, we are exercising rigour in ensuring that any changes do not open the door to trade in proliferation-sensitive goods and services, of course. However, we are acting in concert with our allies, like the U.N., like the United States, like Europe. We feel it is an important signal. Our foreign policy is based on talking, something that the opposition was not that good at in the past.
Mr. Speaker, as the government seems blindly determined to normalize relations with the Iranian regime, I wonder whether the Minister of Foreign Affairs is aware of the latest poisonous utterances by the regime's supreme leader. Yesterday, on International Holocaust Remebrance Day, Ayatollah Khamenei posted a video on his website questioning the slaughter of six million Jews by the Nazis. Does the minister really believe he can engage in a meaningful dialogue with a regime that not only denies history but regularly calls for the destruction of Israel?
Mr. Speaker, trade creates jobs for the middle class and growth for the Canadian economy. That is why we are a pro-trade party. On the TPP deal, we have consistently said, throughout the campaign and since, that we will consult with Canadians and allow parliamentarians an opportunity to discuss the impact on their regions and on the future of this country.In order to do so, however, we cannot stop debate on it. Therefore, we will be signing it as a way to consider it through ratification.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government systematically discriminated against indigenous children for years. In order to implement this week's decision, the government must take meaningful action immediately. We need to see an entire cultural shift in all government institutions. Other cases are still before the courts regarding access to education and health care.What specific actions has the government taken since Tuesday to finally respect the rights of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the voters of GaspésieLes Îles-de-la-Madeleine, who have placed their trust in me to represent them. I thank my colleague from Northwest Territories for the question.During the election we campaigned on increasing the deduction for northern residents. It is a priority. Canada's north and the people who live there can count on our government to help families living in remote areas contribute to the economy and benefit from Canada's economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important matter that our government is seized with. The foreign affairs minister has been in contact with the foreign affairs minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have raised this issue. We will continue to monitor the situation and we will follow it up. Any new changes will be reported to the House.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government said that upstream greenhouse gas emissions would be part of the transition assessment, but the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that downstream GHGs would also be part of that assessment.Did the minister misspeak? Could she confirm that downstream emissions will not be considered in the transition process announced yesterday or in the permanent new process that will be announced at a later date?
Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the previous Conservative government passed legislation to ensure that convicted child sexual predators would never be able to apply for a pardon. This week, Canadians were horrified to see that an infamous serial child rapist was granted day parole.The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has indicated that the government will make it easier for criminals like that to get pardons. Why would the Liberal government do that?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know if that has ever happened in this chamber before.I have a very simple question. I know this is the part of Thursdays that members look forward to the most. I simply want to ask the government House leader if he can update the House as to the business for the rest of the week and into next week.I know he has already informed the House that the principle of secret ballots is so offensive to Liberals that they are going to repeal that very important legislation, but I just want to know if there are other pieces of legislation that he may be bringing forward next week as well.
Mr. Speaker, here is the fact: in the first 100 days since the election, it was tax breaks for the rich that made the list of urgent priorities, because if they make $200,000 a year, they got the maximum benefit. A family earning $45,000 got nothing. However, low-income seniors have also been left struggling with their rent and rising grocery bills. This, in spite of Liberal campaign promises to boost the guaranteed income supplement "immediately".The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development warns, "There will be things that will have to wait. So the question is clear: is it immediately, or tough luck this time?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance was wrong when he said his government had inherited a deficit. His own department states that, from April to October, the federal government posted a surplus of $600 million. It is in black and white, posted publicly on its website and available for all to see. We Conservatives left a surplus. Did the parliamentary secretary, in answering my question, wilfully mislead the House? If so, will he stand in his place, correct the record, and apologize.
Mr. Speaker, it is shocking to hear this wrongful denial. The Liberals cannot even get a handle on their own baseline numbers. His own department is reporting a $600 million surplus for the first half of 2015. The Parliamentary Budget Officer forecasted a $1.2 billion surplus for the year, yet the finance minister and the parliamentary secretary appear to be working from a different set of numbers. These are taxpayers' dollars, and Canadians deserve transparency. Could the parliamentary secretary explain where he got his numbers?
Mr. Speaker, the issue arising most recently with respect to James is a parole matter, not a pardon. I would indicate to the House that the pardon previously granted to this offender was a decision of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, it was my pleasure today to try to right some of the wrongs of the past. Earlier today I introduced legislation in this House to repeal Bill C-377 and Bill C-525, both a direct attack on the Canadian labour movement.
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian people elected this government with a clear mandate to support our seniors, to grow the middle class, to give help to those who need it by asking those who are doing well to do a little bit more.That is exactly what we are going to do. I look forward to our Minister of Finance presenting a budget that includes help for seniors, investments in infrastructure, and growth for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that confusing a meritorious public policy and legislative change was an accident that happened during the election in terms of compliance.Let us be very clear. At the very moment that this was brought to our attention, the party followed the law, reimbursed the Receiver General, and the appropriate union signed a compliance agreement with the commissioner. That is something that the members opposite had a very difficult time doing.
Mr. Speaker, residents in my riding of Northwest Territories, as well as other northern and remote parts of Canada, live with the reality of a very high cost of living. One way to help address this challenge is through our tax system, specifically the northern residents deductions.Could the Minister of National Revenue please advise the House of the commitment to increase the northern residents deductions?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister said, with regard to the Syrian refugee initiative, that the government had briefed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. ambassador to Canada and that there is a very open line of communication directly to the White House.What was the scope of these briefings? Who is the government communicating with in the White House administration, and have American officials raised any concerns with the government plan, and if so, what are they?
Mr. Speaker, when I asked the minister a couple of days ago about why the government had baked so much secrecy into its Senate appointment process, she responded by hiding behind the courts. Her suggestion that the courts had interpreted the Constitution to require secrecy at any stage, let alone at all stages, of the appointment process is just wrong. What the Supreme Court actually says, in paragraph 50 of its Senate reference ruling, is that the practice of appointing senators on the advice of the Prime Minister is nothing more than a non-justiciable convention.Given that the courts do not require it, what is the real reason for all the secrecy?
Mr. Speaker, this once again gives me the opportunity to explain to the member opposite that signing and ratifying an agreement are two completely different things.In order to discuss and review this proposal, we have to move on to the next step. The member will then have the opportunity to make his arguments here in the House. We want to continue the discussion and that is why we are going to sign the agreement.
Our government intends to--
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to inform the House that we have introduced two bills to respond to attacks on the labour movement that were unwarranted, uncalled for, and undemocratic. This was not called for by industry or labour. The repealing of these two bills will bring back fairness and balance.
Mr. Speaker, security screening is part of the process. That is in the law, and the Government of Canada follows the law.
Mr. Speaker, there are 16 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo who have been adopted by Canadian families. They are waiting for exit visas and the DRC has refused to issue them. Now there is legislation before the Congolese parliament that could force these Canadian families to wait years more.Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call President Kabila, and request 16 exit visas?
Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity in December to introduce an economic and fiscal update to make absolutely clear the situation we inherited from the members across the aisle.We inherited a deficit, a deficit of $3 billion. Ten failed years of low growth have led us to a situation where we have failed to make the investments that will allow us to grow the economy. We have a new plan, one that will lead us to a place where we can actually grow the economy, to put Canadians in a better place in the future.
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the minister is confused about where her priorities should be. Why? It has come to light today that the Liberals received illegal union donations during the election.This morning, the minister was repaying her union friends. She announced the Liberals have made it their priority to remove accountability and transparency from government. The Liberal government had no intention to keep its commitment for accountability and transparency. Why is it important to reward union leaders rather than to come up with a plan to get Canadians back to work?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and the Conservatives have rubber-stamped countless foreign takeovers, and it seems the new government will be no different. Manitoba's Allstream owns a fibre optic network that carries the confidential information of the federal government and countless Canadians. However, the Liberals just stood by as it was sold to an American company, putting that information at risk of U.S. surveillance. The previous government blocked an earlier attempt based on national security concerns, so why is the Liberal minister refusing to do a review to protect Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the CBC has suffered major funding cuts over the past few years, which are now jeopardizing the quality of programming, as well as accessibility and regional news in Quebec. The Liberals repeatedly promised during the election campaign to restore and enhance funding for the CBC, and they have continued to make that promise since they took office.On behalf of artists and the general public in particular, I am asking the minister whether she intends to keep her promise to
Mr. Speaker, on the very day that the Human Rights Tribunal ruled on the systemic discrimination against indigenous children, officials in Health Canada told a little indigenous girl named Kendall that they would not pay for badly needed orthodontic surgery. Now Kendall also has an ocular tumour and needs special drops to save her vision. The response from the officials was absolutely not. I ask myself, as a parent, how that is possible. For the health minister, what steps has she taken to issue directives to her ministers to make it right for Kendall and all the other children who are still being denied basic rights every single day?
Mr. Speaker, in December, at the climate change conference in Paris, Canada committed to a 1.5-degree rise in global temperature. Yesterday the minister announced pipeline reviews that would include climate tests but could not say what a pass or fail would actually look like. A test only matters if they know how they are being graded.The minister knows full well that current provincial efforts are not enough to meet the weak goal that Canada currently has. Canadians want to know the real impact a climate test could have for a government that does not even have a climate target.
Mr. Speaker, what is very clear is why the Liberals' priority is to reward union leadership. Just today, we found out that the unions illegally donated to the Liberals' campaign. It is no wonder that the Liberals want to hide this information from Canadians by repealing legislation that imposes transparency and accountability on union members.Why do Liberals have so much time to defend union leadership but no time to come up with a plan to get Canadians, to get Albertans, back to work?
Mr. Speaker, given the government's vague intention to end sanctions against Iran, it is time for some specific answers. Which of Canada's two dozen prohibitions against the Iranian regime does the government plan to lift? Given new U.S. sanctions, provoked by Iran's ballistic missile tests, will Canada now look the other way as Iran works on a weapon aimed at Israel? Finally, does the government really intend to de-list Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day for Canadian democracy and accountability. This morning, the government announced that it would repeal two fundamental labour laws. The first is the law to allow union members to vote by secret ballot, and the second requires unions bosses to be accountable. Today it became clear that the Liberal Party is thanking the big union bosses for spending millions of dollars against the Conservative Party. That is the reality of the Liberal Party.How can the government go along with this lack of democracy and accountability? It is completely unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and Conservatives have approved thousands of takeovers of Canadian companies by foreign interests.Recently, Allstream, a Canadian company with a fibre optic network that carries confidential data on thousands of Canadians, was sold to an American firm. The upshot is that sensitive information will now be subject to American surveillance.Why did the government authorize that sale without even conducting a national security review?
Mr. Speaker, public safety is always the consideration. We will look at the changes that were made by the previous government in terms of the waiting times and the fees that were charged to see if they were effective in the administering of public policy or whether they were intended for some other purpose. We will base our decisions on evidence, not on ideology and not on bias.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member was not part of the team that formed the government following the October 19 election. Perhaps she is not aware that every investment by a foreign company in a Canadian firm is subject to careful review under the Investment Canada Act. That is all I can say on the matter because, under the provisions of that legislation, I cannot disclose any commercial confidences.
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century the only way to get big projects like pipelines built is to do them responsibly and sustainably. That is the lesson we learned from 10 years of the members opposite being unable to deliver for the province of Alberta, unable to get resources to tidewater.
Mr. Speaker, it appears that there was a lot of time spent by the previous government looking at unfair, unjust attacks on the labour movement. In this case, we are looking at a bill that was put together that attacks the labour movement. It makes it more difficult to certify and much easier to decertify.That is not fair and balanced, and these bills need to be repealed.
Mr. Speaker, the motion that the members opposite have put forward is simply a rehash of their failed policies of the past 10 years. Not only did Canadians vote against those policies in the last election but we will vote against those policies today in the House of Commons.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. It gives me the opportunity to say how moved the Canadian government and I were by the sadness and suffering of our families in Quebec City. These deaths occurred under extremely difficult circumstances thousands of kilometres away from home. This was a tragedy for the families and friends, for the entire Quebec City region, and for the entire Canadian government.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister reminded the House that he promised to put a moratorium on the changes at Canada Post. That is strange, because during the election campaign, the Prime Minister stood in front of mayor Denis Coderre and promised to, and I quote, save home mail delivery.Will the minister honour the Prime Minister's word and restore home delivery, or will this promise be broken?
Mr. Speaker, this agreement is bad for workers, bad for farmers, and bad for creators.The economy is already in bad shape, and now nearly 60,000 good jobs are on the line if the trans-Pacific partnership is signed.For someone who was elected on a campaign promise of transparency and change, the Prime Minister apparently has no problem signing an agreement negotiated behind closed doors.Canadians know that signing an agreement signals our intention to abide by it. Does the Prime Minister often sign deals that he does not fully agree with?
Mr. Speaker, on January 15, six Canadians from the Quebec City region lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso.Since the beginning of this tragedy, the government has failed the victims. No government representative attended the vigil in memory of the victims. Yesterday, the minister from the Quebec City region refused to confirm whether he or a government representative would attend the funeral. The people in the Quebec City region are anxious to have their government take an interest in them.While respecting the families' wishes, can the minister help his government save face and confirm that he, the Prime Minister, or one of his cabinet colleagues will attend the funeral?
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, I was proud of our commitment to grant immediate permanent residency to spouses who have been sponsored to immigrate to Canada. A number of my constituents are waiting on these regulatory changes to be reunited with their loved ones, whom they have not seen for years in some cases. Can the Minister of Immigration share his plans on this issue?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We need a pan-Canadian plan to tackle climate change. That is what we are working on. I am very pleased to be meeting with my colleagues from all corners of the country today to talk about the plan.
Mr. Speaker, we are really proud of the work that we accomplished in Paris and the ambitious agreement that was reached. I was there along with colleagues from all of the parties. Our government will rebuild Canadians' trust in the environmental assessment process. We are going to look at greenhouse gas emissions as part of our assessment process, and we are going to ensure that we have Canadians' trust.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that my government looks into every item of that nature. However, the best summary was provided by a refugee from Syria, currently staying in a Toronto hotel, who was reported as saying this by the media today: Im just happy to be here. The tiny room I had in Lebanon was not safe.... I was suffering in Lebanon for two years. Compared to there, this is heaven. Of course, we all want to settle down quickly, but the wait is OK. That is from a refugee, and it is a very good answer.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for that important question.I want to reassure the House that we are going to reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada, because unlike the previous government, we believe in that corporation. That is why I am going to work with stakeholders to hold consultations on how best to support CBC/Radio-Canada in its digital transformation.
Mr. Speaker, in spite of his best efforts, we just had a good example of embellishment right there. Why do I not focus on the very erudite question that comes on Thursdays that I know members look forward to all week. This afternoon we will resume debate on the Conservative Party's opposition motion.Tomorrow, the House will debate Bill C-2, which amends the Income Tax Act, at second reading, and we will continue that important debate on Monday. Tuesday, February 2, will be another opposition day.On Wednesday, we will debate Bill C-4, which repeals the Conservatives' unfair union bills. As colleagues know, this important legislation was introduced this morning.Lastly, Thursday, February 4, will be another opposition day.
Mr. Speaker, the rights of workers in my riding of AvignonLa MitisMataneMatapédia were violated for nearly a decade because of the Conservatives' anti-union positions.Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour tell the House what measures our government is taking to better protect the rights of workers?
Mr. Speaker, the survivors of Graham James and other child sexual predators will never be able to forget the crimes inflicted upon them. We were reminded of that this week when Graham James was granted parole.Why is the government standing up for the rights of criminals like Graham James instead of their survivors?
Mr. Speaker, very early in the going, as we were putting together the Syrian refugee initiative, we were communicating in a steady way with the American administration. They submitted a number of enquiries, which we were able to answer satisfactorily, and the line of communications remains open to this day. If the Americans have a concern, they are perfectly entitled to raise it, and we will make sure that the issues are properly addressed, as they are.
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Prime Minister is going to devastate the western economy with his own NEP, the no-energy program.We are debating a Conservative motion today that would send a clear signal of support to out of work Canadians. The thousands of families who are enduring job losses need a champion to promote projects that would get them back to work.The Prime Minister promised more free votes. Will he allow his members from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick to stand up and vote freely? Will he free the member for Wascana?
Mr. Speaker, we cannot create jobs by inventing new barriers and new obstacles.The Liberal plan that was announced yesterday does nothing to streamline the assessment process or make it more effective. Hundreds of thousands of families are desperate. The energy east project would be good for Quebec's economy.Why is the Prime Minister more worried about the opinions of celebrities than those of unemployed Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we now know that our economic growth is lower than anticipated. Therefore, it is important to have a plan to improve our situation.Our first step was a tax cut for the middle class, which will put more money in the pockets of nine million Canadians. The second step will also be good for the economy. We are introducing the Canada child tax benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families and hundreds of thousands of children who live in poverty.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his great question. Obviously, when spouses entering Canada have a conditional status, they are at risk of domestic violence because they have no status here. The government is determined to change that, so that all spouses who enter Canada immediately become permanent residents.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that today we announced legislation to repeal two bills, which attacked the labour movement, by the former Conservative government and that these two bills will restore fairness and balance to the workplace, encouraging a stronger economy, which I hope every member of the House is working toward.
Mr. Speaker, in Paris, the Prime Minister promised to help fight climate change. Yesterday, the government said that it wanted to consider the increase in greenhouse gas emissions related to the TransCanada pipeline project. In addition to putting more than 800 Quebec waterways at risk, this project would increase the production of oil from the oil sands and the associated greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. When will the Prime Minister realize that the construction of the energy east pipeline goes against the objectives that he set for himself in Paris?
Mr. Speaker, we realized the chronic underfunding that has existed in first nations, for many first nations children. We are very concerned about this, and for the first time our government is in a position to be able to take action. We are committed to investing more in first nations children in Canada, so that they too can have that equal opportunity, as all other Canadian children have.
Mr. Speaker, Syrian refugees are being abandoned by the Liberal government in cramped, temporary accommodations. Can the minister confirm if in fact in London, Ontario, one of the hotels in which these refugees are being housed is located next door to a gentlemen's club, which features exotic dancers? Can the minister tell Canadians how much these so-called temporary accommodations are costing taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, I do not share the hon. member's cynicism, and with good reason. The new independent, non-partisan, merit-based, open and transparent process we have introduced is in the capable hands of nine of eminent Canadians who make up the advisory board, individuals like Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, president of the Native Women's Association of Canada. We believe that the presence of new non-partisan senators will enhance the effectiveness of this important democratic institution.
Mr. Speaker, it seems the Conservatives have trouble figuring out whether we are doing it too fast or too slow. However, as I have said to Canadians many times, it is more important to do it right than to do it fast. We are certainly doing it right in terms of security and health. I can guarantee Canadians that the full 25,000 Syrian refugees will be on Canadian soil before the end of February.
Mr. Speaker, the House has heard repeatedly that our government is absolutely committed to restoring the inequitable status that many indigenous peoples have faced in child care, in health care, and in many other capacities. I will certainly look into the situation that the hon. member has brought to my attention. I will look into that and bring back news to the House with details as to how we will respond.
Mr. Speaker, next week the Prime Minister intends to sign a Conservative trade deal that was negotiated in secret. However, in spite of calling for transparency before the election, the Liberals still have not released any economic impact study on the deal. In fact, according to recent reports, the Liberals are saying that they cannot find any economic impact study on the TPP. Meanwhile, independent studies have suggested that the TPP could cost Canada as many as 60,000 good jobs.Can the Prime Minister explain why he is willing to sign this deal without having seen an economic impact statement, when tens of thousands of good Canadian jobs are at risk?
Mr. Speaker, even after 10 years of failure, the Conservatives do not understand that we cannot create projects without the approval of the community, without working in partnership with the first nations, and without sound scientific evidence to reassure Canadians.The Conservatives refuse to accept that their approach does not work. Canadians and Albertans deserve better than what the Conservatives are offering.
Mr. Speaker, we have a plan to grow the economy, and we have already started.In the 2016 budget, we will introduce infrastructure investments that will help us increase economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, when someone has a hard time answering, that is because there are problems with transparency, accountability, and democracy.Something interesting came to light this morning. The Commissioner of Canada Elections revealed that UNIFOR Local 524 made a non-monetary contribution to the Liberal Party of Canada, which is forbidden because the organization is not an eligible donor.This kind of behaviour lowers democratic and accountability standards. How many other fishy manoeuvres like this one will never be made public?
Mr. Speaker, since January 1, 2016, millions of Canadians have been getting bigger paycheques as a result of our tax cuts for the middle class. To pay for this tax cut, we increased taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. I am still surprised that the NDP does not support this measure, since we normally all agree with the principle of asking those who are successful to do a little more for those in need.
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families are struggling. They do not have jobs, do not qualify for employment insurance, and do not have adequate housing. However, according to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, these Canadians may be forced to wait. Inequality is rising in our society, but the government chose to make tax cuts for the wealthy a priority. Does the Prime Minister agree with his minister that many people will simply have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, National Bank economists announced that the federal deficit will reach $50 billion in the next two years.It is disappointing that the current Minister of Finance still believes in the old Keynesian theories whereby more government spending will lead to greater prosperity and that he is still applying them. Canadians know that spending more money will not make our country wealthier.Why is the Minister of Finance applying old theories and getting the government into more debt? These deficits will not create wealth.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians decided in October that they do in fact deserve transparency. They elected a new government that committed to being fair, open, and transparent. We immediately came out with an update to the numbers, so that Canadians could understand the situation we are actually in. We have seen a continued deterioration in our economic situation, which is a result of 10 years of failed policies. Happily for Canadians, we can now move to a new set of policies that will make a real difference for the future of our country.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change will be meeting with her provincial counterparts to talk about climate change. Since returning from Paris, the minister has not told us what Canada's targets are. Yesterday, the minister announced that impact on climate change would be a component of pipeline project assessments, but she said nothing about acceptable greenhouse gas emissions targets.Can the minister tell us if the government is planning to introduce ambitious new targets or carry on with the old Conservative ones?
Mr. Speaker, I assure the hon. member that the levels plan will indeed be presented to Parliament well before the deadline date. We are working on this. One of the things to come out of it, as I mentioned earlier, is an astounding, unacceptable increase in the processing times, particularly for spouses. One of the things that will come out of our plan is a determined effort to bring down those processing times, which skyrocketed under 10 years of Conservative rule.
Mr. Speaker, still more uncertainty for people whose jobs are in the balance, unfortunately.Now there is another area of confusion with the announcement yesterday. The government said that additional roadblocks would be in place for Kinder Morgan and energy east. It also said that the minister would look at all other projects under way in the NEB process and determine if those proponents would also need this additional assessment, which would look like more interference.Could the minister tell us how he will determine which other job-creating programs and projects will have to undergo this red tape?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to carrying out an independent review of Canada Post, which will look at every entity, every aspect of Canada Post. It will be done independently. I cannot imagine that my colleague would be adverse to that. It is important we have a Canada Post that delivers services that Canadians expect, and at a reasonable cost.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it very clear that we consider our climate change obligations to be very serious. We have been clear that in this process we will, in our new interim principles, include upstream greenhouse gas emissions.I am also happy to announce that I am meeting with environment ministers from across the country today, where we will be framing our new pan-Canadian climate change plan, which will include consideration of downstream greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Speaker, I apologize for mentioning the minister's name.As the minister has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage much more than before. Engagement takes different forms, and in our case, it does not mean that we agree with all of Iran's policies, by any stretch, but it is a pathway toward economic opportunity and dialogue and possibly regional security, and we are not going to give up.
Mr. Speaker, our Conservative Party oversaw the approval of four major pipeline projects that created jobs in every region. Yesterday, the Prime Minister showed the hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work across the country that the Liberal government does not understand the problem. The Prime Minister's plan is to add more levels of red tape and a never-ending series of moving goalposts.Will the Prime Minister admit that his new process is simply designed to block job-creating energy projects?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member, who I had the pleasure of meeting last night at the ParlAmericas conference, where our diplomacy was in fine form.As Minister Dion has stated, Canada needs to engage on the international stage
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for joining me in Paris at the climate conference and also for his useful comments.We are committed to taking action on climate change. That is why I am meeting today with my colleagues from across the country to talk about what a pan-Canadian plan would be. It would be irresponsible to come up with a new target without actually having a plan to implement it, as the Conservatives did.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance no longer has any credibility. During the election campaign, he said that tax cuts would be revenue neutral for the government. Today, all Canadians know that $1.7 billion has been added to the Liberal deficit.If the government wants to create wealth, it should start by creating stable and productive economic conditions for entrepreneurs and businesses, not putting Canada into a never-ending debt spiral. That is not the solution. Instead, we should control public spending.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians were offered a brand new image, and that was the image of the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Natural Resources standing next to each other talking about sustainably developing the energy sector and the Canadian economy. Since then, many Canadians have told us, including provincial leaders, industry leaders, environmentalists, and others, that this is the better approach and the only way in the long term to develop our resources.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claimed that bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada was only a matter of political will. From November 1 to December 14, 2015, the government brought in a grand total of 105 government-assisted Syrian refugees.Can the minister explain why it broke its biggest election promise and now sees government-sponsored refugees spending weeks in hotels as perfectly normal?
Mr. Speaker, section 94 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act requires the government to annually present to Parliament a report that includes the government's desired immigration levels. Even in 2008, when a general election was held in October, this report was tabled on November 28 of that year. Today is January 28, a full two months later than this report has ever been tabled since the act came into force. Is the government delaying its release because it will show a significant reduction in provincial nominee program levels and other economic immigration streams?
Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely currently reviewing our sanctions against Iran, and as part of this review, we are exercising rigour in ensuring that any changes do not open the door to trade in proliferation-sensitive goods and services, of course. However, we are acting in concert with our allies, like the U.N., like the United States, like Europe. We feel it is an important signal. Our foreign policy is based on talking, something that the opposition was not that good at in the past.
Mr. Speaker, as the government seems blindly determined to normalize relations with the Iranian regime, I wonder whether the Minister of Foreign Affairs is aware of the latest poisonous utterances by the regime's supreme leader. Yesterday, on International Holocaust Remebrance Day, Ayatollah Khamenei posted a video on his website questioning the slaughter of six million Jews by the Nazis. Does the minister really believe he can engage in a meaningful dialogue with a regime that not only denies history but regularly calls for the destruction of Israel?
Mr. Speaker, trade creates jobs for the middle class and growth for the Canadian economy. That is why we are a pro-trade party. On the TPP deal, we have consistently said, throughout the campaign and since, that we will consult with Canadians and allow parliamentarians an opportunity to discuss the impact on their regions and on the future of this country.In order to do so, however, we cannot stop debate on it. Therefore, we will be signing it as a way to consider it through ratification.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government systematically discriminated against indigenous children for years. In order to implement this week's decision, the government must take meaningful action immediately. We need to see an entire cultural shift in all government institutions. Other cases are still before the courts regarding access to education and health care.What specific actions has the government taken since Tuesday to finally respect the rights of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the voters of GaspésieLes Îles-de-la-Madeleine, who have placed their trust in me to represent them. I thank my colleague from Northwest Territories for the question.During the election we campaigned on increasing the deduction for northern residents. It is a priority. Canada's north and the people who live there can count on our government to help families living in remote areas contribute to the economy and benefit from Canada's economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important matter that our government is seized with. The foreign affairs minister has been in contact with the foreign affairs minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have raised this issue. We will continue to monitor the situation and we will follow it up. Any new changes will be reported to the House.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government said that upstream greenhouse gas emissions would be part of the transition assessment, but the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that downstream GHGs would also be part of that assessment.Did the minister misspeak? Could she confirm that downstream emissions will not be considered in the transition process announced yesterday or in the permanent new process that will be announced at a later date?
Mr. Speaker, in 2010, the previous Conservative government passed legislation to ensure that convicted child sexual predators would never be able to apply for a pardon. This week, Canadians were horrified to see that an infamous serial child rapist was granted day parole.The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has indicated that the government will make it easier for criminals like that to get pardons. Why would the Liberal government do that?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know if that has ever happened in this chamber before.I have a very simple question. I know this is the part of Thursdays that members look forward to the most. I simply want to ask the government House leader if he can update the House as to the business for the rest of the week and into next week.I know he has already informed the House that the principle of secret ballots is so offensive to Liberals that they are going to repeal that very important legislation, but I just want to know if there are other pieces of legislation that he may be bringing forward next week as well.
Mr. Speaker, here is the fact: in the first 100 days since the election, it was tax breaks for the rich that made the list of urgent priorities, because if they make $200,000 a year, they got the maximum benefit. A family earning $45,000 got nothing. However, low-income seniors have also been left struggling with their rent and rising grocery bills. This, in spite of Liberal campaign promises to boost the guaranteed income supplement "immediately".The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development warns, "There will be things that will have to wait. So the question is clear: is it immediately, or tough luck this time?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance was wrong when he said his government had inherited a deficit. His own department states that, from April to October, the federal government posted a surplus of $600 million. It is in black and white, posted publicly on its website and available for all to see. We Conservatives left a surplus. Did the parliamentary secretary, in answering my question, wilfully mislead the House? If so, will he stand in his place, correct the record, and apologize.
Mr. Speaker, it is shocking to hear this wrongful denial. The Liberals cannot even get a handle on their own baseline numbers. His own department is reporting a $600 million surplus for the first half of 2015. The Parliamentary Budget Officer forecasted a $1.2 billion surplus for the year, yet the finance minister and the parliamentary secretary appear to be working from a different set of numbers. These are taxpayers' dollars, and Canadians deserve transparency. Could the parliamentary secretary explain where he got his numbers?
Mr. Speaker, the issue arising most recently with respect to James is a parole matter, not a pardon. I would indicate to the House that the pardon previously granted to this offender was a decision of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, it was my pleasure today to try to right some of the wrongs of the past. Earlier today I introduced legislation in this House to repeal Bill C-377 and Bill C-525, both a direct attack on the Canadian labour movement.
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian people elected this government with a clear mandate to support our seniors, to grow the middle class, to give help to those who need it by asking those who are doing well to do a little bit more.That is exactly what we are going to do. I look forward to our Minister of Finance presenting a budget that includes help for seniors, investments in infrastructure, and growth for the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that confusing a meritorious public policy and legislative change was an accident that happened during the election in terms of compliance.Let us be very clear. At the very moment that this was brought to our attention, the party followed the law, reimbursed the Receiver General, and the appropriate union signed a compliance agreement with the commissioner. That is something that the members opposite had a very difficult time doing.
Mr. Speaker, residents in my riding of Northwest Territories, as well as other northern and remote parts of Canada, live with the reality of a very high cost of living. One way to help address this challenge is through our tax system, specifically the northern residents deductions.Could the Minister of National Revenue please advise the House of the commitment to increase the northern residents deductions?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister said, with regard to the Syrian refugee initiative, that the government had briefed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. ambassador to Canada and that there is a very open line of communication directly to the White House.What was the scope of these briefings? Who is the government communicating with in the White House administration, and have American officials raised any concerns with the government plan, and if so, what are they?
Mr. Speaker, when I asked the minister a couple of days ago about why the government had baked so much secrecy into its Senate appointment process, she responded by hiding behind the courts. Her suggestion that the courts had interpreted the Constitution to require secrecy at any stage, let alone at all stages, of the appointment process is just wrong. What the Supreme Court actually says, in paragraph 50 of its Senate reference ruling, is that the practice of appointing senators on the advice of the Prime Minister is nothing more than a non-justiciable convention.Given that the courts do not require it, what is the real reason for all the secrecy?
Mr. Speaker, this once again gives me the opportunity to explain to the member opposite that signing and ratifying an agreement are two completely different things.In order to discuss and review this proposal, we have to move on to the next step. The member will then have the opportunity to make his arguments here in the House. We want to continue the discussion and that is why we are going to sign the agreement.
Our government intends to--
Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to inform the House that we have introduced two bills to respond to attacks on the labour movement that were unwarranted, uncalled for, and undemocratic. This was not called for by industry or labour. The repealing of these two bills will bring back fairness and balance.
Mr. Speaker, security screening is part of the process. That is in the law, and the Government of Canada follows the law.
Mr. Speaker, there are 16 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo who have been adopted by Canadian families. They are waiting for exit visas and the DRC has refused to issue them. Now there is legislation before the Congolese parliament that could force these Canadian families to wait years more.Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call President Kabila, and request 16 exit visas?
Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity in December to introduce an economic and fiscal update to make absolutely clear the situation we inherited from the members across the aisle.We inherited a deficit, a deficit of $3 billion. Ten failed years of low growth have led us to a situation where we have failed to make the investments that will allow us to grow the economy. We have a new plan, one that will lead us to a place where we can actually grow the economy, to put Canadians in a better place in the future.
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the minister is confused about where her priorities should be. Why? It has come to light today that the Liberals received illegal union donations during the election.This morning, the minister was repaying her union friends. She announced the Liberals have made it their priority to remove accountability and transparency from government. The Liberal government had no intention to keep its commitment for accountability and transparency. Why is it important to reward union leaders rather than to come up with a plan to get Canadians back to work?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and the Conservatives have rubber-stamped countless foreign takeovers, and it seems the new government will be no different. Manitoba's Allstream owns a fibre optic network that carries the confidential information of the federal government and countless Canadians. However, the Liberals just stood by as it was sold to an American company, putting that information at risk of U.S. surveillance. The previous government blocked an earlier attempt based on national security concerns, so why is the Liberal minister refusing to do a review to protect Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the CBC has suffered major funding cuts over the past few years, which are now jeopardizing the quality of programming, as well as accessibility and regional news in Quebec. The Liberals repeatedly promised during the election campaign to restore and enhance funding for the CBC, and they have continued to make that promise since they took office.On behalf of artists and the general public in particular, I am asking the minister whether she intends to keep her promise to
Mr. Speaker, on the very day that the Human Rights Tribunal ruled on the systemic discrimination against indigenous children, officials in Health Canada told a little indigenous girl named Kendall that they would not pay for badly needed orthodontic surgery. Now Kendall also has an ocular tumour and needs special drops to save her vision. The response from the officials was absolutely not. I ask myself, as a parent, how that is possible. For the health minister, what steps has she taken to issue directives to her ministers to make it right for Kendall and all the other children who are still being denied basic rights every single day?
Mr. Speaker, in December, at the climate change conference in Paris, Canada committed to a 1.5-degree rise in global temperature. Yesterday the minister announced pipeline reviews that would include climate tests but could not say what a pass or fail would actually look like. A test only matters if they know how they are being graded.The minister knows full well that current provincial efforts are not enough to meet the weak goal that Canada currently has. Canadians want to know the real impact a climate test could have for a government that does not even have a climate target.
Mr. Speaker, what is very clear is why the Liberals' priority is to reward union leadership. Just today, we found out that the unions illegally donated to the Liberals' campaign. It is no wonder that the Liberals want to hide this information from Canadians by repealing legislation that imposes transparency and accountability on union members.Why do Liberals have so much time to defend union leadership but no time to come up with a plan to get Canadians, to get Albertans, back to work?
Mr. Speaker, given the government's vague intention to end sanctions against Iran, it is time for some specific answers. Which of Canada's two dozen prohibitions against the Iranian regime does the government plan to lift? Given new U.S. sanctions, provoked by Iran's ballistic missile tests, will Canada now look the other way as Iran works on a weapon aimed at Israel? Finally, does the government really intend to de-list Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day for Canadian democracy and accountability. This morning, the government announced that it would repeal two fundamental labour laws. The first is the law to allow union members to vote by secret ballot, and the second requires unions bosses to be accountable. Today it became clear that the Liberal Party is thanking the big union bosses for spending millions of dollars against the Conservative Party. That is the reality of the Liberal Party.How can the government go along with this lack of democracy and accountability? It is completely unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals and Conservatives have approved thousands of takeovers of Canadian companies by foreign interests.Recently, Allstream, a Canadian company with a fibre optic network that carries confidential data on thousands of Canadians, was sold to an American firm. The upshot is that sensitive information will now be subject to American surveillance.Why did the government authorize that sale without even conducting a national security review?
Mr. Speaker, public safety is always the consideration. We will look at the changes that were made by the previous government in terms of the waiting times and the fees that were charged to see if they were effective in the administering of public policy or whether they were intended for some other purpose. We will base our decisions on evidence, not on ideology and not on bias.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member was not part of the team that formed the government following the October 19 election. Perhaps she is not aware that every investment by a foreign company in a Canadian firm is subject to careful review under the Investment Canada Act. That is all I can say on the matter because, under the provisions of that legislation, I cannot disclose any commercial confidences.
Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century the only way to get big projects like pipelines built is to do them responsibly and sustainably. That is the lesson we learned from 10 years of the members opposite being unable to deliver for the province of Alberta, unable to get resources to tidewater.
Mr. Speaker, it appears that there was a lot of time spent by the previous government looking at unfair, unjust attacks on the labour movement. In this case, we are looking at a bill that was put together that attacks the labour movement. It makes it more difficult to certify and much easier to decertify.That is not fair and balanced, and these bills need to be repealed.
Mr. Speaker, the motion that the members opposite have put forward is simply a rehash of their failed policies of the past 10 years. Not only did Canadians vote against those policies in the last election but we will vote against those policies today in the House of Commons.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question. It gives me the opportunity to say how moved the Canadian government and I were by the sadness and suffering of our families in Quebec City. These deaths occurred under extremely difficult circumstances thousands of kilometres away from home. This was a tragedy for the families and friends, for the entire Quebec City region, and for the entire Canadian government.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister reminded the House that he promised to put a moratorium on the changes at Canada Post. That is strange, because during the election campaign, the Prime Minister stood in front of mayor Denis Coderre and promised to, and I quote, save home mail delivery.Will the minister honour the Prime Minister's word and restore home delivery, or will this promise be broken?
Mr. Speaker, this agreement is bad for workers, bad for farmers, and bad for creators.The economy is already in bad shape, and now nearly 60,000 good jobs are on the line if the trans-Pacific partnership is signed.For someone who was elected on a campaign promise of transparency and change, the Prime Minister apparently has no problem signing an agreement negotiated behind closed doors.Canadians know that signing an agreement signals our intention to abide by it. Does the Prime Minister often sign deals that he does not fully agree with?
Mr. Speaker, on January 15, six Canadians from the Quebec City region lost their lives in a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso.Since the beginning of this tragedy, the government has failed the victims. No government representative attended the vigil in memory of the victims. Yesterday, the minister from the Quebec City region refused to confirm whether he or a government representative would attend the funeral. The people in the Quebec City region are anxious to have their government take an interest in them.While respecting the families' wishes, can the minister help his government save face and confirm that he, the Prime Minister, or one of his cabinet colleagues will attend the funeral?