Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the government is intent on imposing job-killing carbon taxes on the provinces. Its message is, Either you do this, or we will force you to. So much for sunny ways.Carbon taxes raise the price of everything, from filling up the gas tank to buying groceries to heating homes, and they kill jobs. Why is the current government so intent on raising the price of everything and killing jobs through its carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, that minister clearly has not been talking to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians in the energy sector whose jobs have been lost. She is not listening to the provinces that do not want a carbon tax. A carbon tax will kill jobs, and it is an imposition of Ottawa on the provinces. Why are the Liberals ignoring not only what the premiers are saying but what rural and remote Canadians are saying? They do not want a carbon tax. It is going to kill jobs. The Liberals need to listen to people outside of the city of Ottawa.
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker: nobody wants ancillary fees for health care services.Today we learned that the Minister of Health's plan for abolishing ancillary fees involves taking sick people in Quebec hostage by cutting transfer payments by an additional $160 million.The minister can say she is protecting the health care system all she wants, but she is actually victimizing sick people in Quebec. Enough is enough. Will the minister immediately and unconditionally restore the health transfers that she is planning to cut in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, maybe that minister is listening to CEOs, but she needs to start listening to premiers of provinces like Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and the territories, who have been clear. They do not want a carbon tax, because they know that Canadians, particularly rural and northern Canadians, cannot afford it.Why is the government ignoring the provinces and imposing a carbon tax that will hurt the economy, hurt Canadians, and do nothing for jobs?
Mr. Speaker, Parliament needs to know what type of high-risk mission the government is committing Canadians to.The Liberals are getting ready to send our soldiers to danger zones and claiming that it is a peacekeeping mission. Our soldiers will be standing targets of armed factions whose sole objective is to kill foreign nationals on their land, as Roméo Dallaire has said.In light of that fact, will the government hold a debate and a vote on this matter in Parliament or not?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have now confirmed that they are planning to impose a made-in-Ottawa carbon tax on all Canadians, no matter where they live and no matter if their province already has a carbon tax.British Columbia already has a carbon tax, but the Liberals in Ottawa are indicating that it might not be high enough to kill jobs, and it might not take enough money out of the pockets of hard-working British Columbians.Why are the Liberals in Ottawa threatening to force the government of B.C. to raise taxes on British Columbians?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are threatening the provinces and Canadians with new climate taxes. The Liberals have been clear: they do not get things their way, they are just going to slap on more taxes, including fuel taxes. Higher fuel taxes punish rural Canadians and agriculture more than anyone else. This is the start of Canadians paying more for everything. Why are the Liberals so viciously targeting rural people and agriculture with their new climate taxation fixation?
Mr. Speaker, a leopard cannot change its spots.The Liberals promised real change for health care, but today they are resorting to their favourite strategy from the past, a good fight with Quebec. Instead of attacking Quebec on a file the province has already taken care of, will the government deal with the underlying problem of the $36 billion in cuts made by Stephen Harper?
Mr. Speaker, when she says it is going according to plan, what she is actually saying is it is going according to the Conservative plan. As the Prime Minister talks to our allies today about the role of our country on the world stage, we are again reminded that actions speak louder than words. Despite the words about peace, just last month in Geneva the government actually voted against nuclear disarmament. Real leadership means acting in the interests of peace, not just talking about it.Will the Liberal government reverse this shameful position and vote in favour of nuclear disarmament at the UN General Assembly next week?
Mr. Speaker, the most effective way to reach a nuclear-free world is with a pragmatic step-by-step approach. We need to have a strategy of engagement. We will be at the table in Geneva and again in Japan with our G7 allies, working together for the elimination of nuclear weapons. We will continue to be present with our allies.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has a romantic notion about peacekeeping that simply does not match up to reality. This is 2016, not 1956. Increasingly, there is no peace to keep. The conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa are dangerous. Even Roméo Dallaire agrees that a mission there will be deadly.Does the Prime Minister understand this is not a peacekeeping mission but rather a dangerous deployment that will risk Canadian lives, and does he think it is worth it?
Mr. Speaker, we are ready to take action on climate change. I spent the summer talking with my counterparts all across the country.However, let us be clear, the Harper targets were fake targets. When one puts out targets and does not have a plan to meet them and emissions go upand we have been very transparent about how the emissions have gone upit is hard to meet them. What Canadians expect is real action, and we are going to deliver real action with the provinces and territories, with indigenous leaders, with business, with youth, with all Canadians, because that is what we are committed to doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are declaring all out war on the provinces that do not want to go along with their carbon tax scheme. They are not even willing to do their own work. Yesterday we saw paid PMO officials attacking Brad Wall, the most popular premier in Canada. Is this the best the Liberals can do on climate change, using unelected staff to attack a premier for defending his province's interests?
Mr. Speaker, the current government has ignored two compliance orders by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to end systemic racist discrimination against indigenous children. That Minister of Health was asked to end the systemic denials of emergency orthodontic surgery that run at denial rates of 99%. Instead, she has decided to spend more money fighting these families in court than the surgeries would cost. We are talking about a moral and legal obligation to children. Can the minister explain why she would rather spend the money on lawyers than on responding to the emergency needs of indigenous children who are being denied their rights?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government was elected with a promise to build a new nation-to-nation relationship, so why is it still discriminating against first nations children?The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found the government guilty of discrimination, but it is still failing to comply with the tribunal's order.My question is simple: how can the Prime Minister, the Minister of Youth, justify systematic discrimination against indigenous children in 2016?
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult and important decision that any government can make is to deploy our Canadian Forces in a war zone. Canadians must be able to trust that these decisions are made in our national interest, not the political interest of the Liberal Party. Sending our troops on a dangerous African mission appears to be about a purely political goalgetting a UN Security Council seat. However, our troops are not pawns on a political chessboard. Why has the Prime Minister decided that this is the best way to win over his friends at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, common-sense Canadians know that when we borrow money, we have to pay it back. The Liberals have borrowed a lot of money, and guess who is paying it back? Canadians. They have raised taxes on families and on small business, and now they are forcing through a carbon tax hike and a CPP tax hike that will cost many Canadian families thousands of dollars a year. At the end of the day, how much more money are they going to take from hard-working Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister recently visited a mosque.Members of the Bloc Québécois want to know whether this government would have found it more or less acceptable if, rather than women, homosexuals, Indigenous people or Blacks had been the ones relegated to the balcony. If that were the case, would the Prime Minister still have agreed to speak?
Mr. Speaker, it is pretty clear the Liberals already have an outcome in mind and it is one that will only benefit Liberal politicians. First the Liberals charged entry into their town halls, then the justice minister turned away over 30 people from her meeting, and now the Liberals are making shady deals with third parties to make sunny ways electoral ads, despite the claims we are hearing today.It has become abundantly clear this is not about Canadians; it is about Liberal politicians and their friends. Why are the Liberals rewarding their friends with advertising dollars instead of giving Canadians a say in a referendum?
What about the vote, Mr. Speaker? This summer, the Minister of National Defence admitted peacekeeping no longer exists, yet in the Speech from the Throne, the Liberals promised to renew Canadas commitment to United Nations peacekeeping. However, distinguished General Roméo Dallaire has said that there will be more Canadian casualties on the sub-Saharan mission.Will the Prime Minister admit that he misled Canadians by promising to do peacekeeping when he knew that our troops would be placed in harm's way on the UN mission in Africa?
Mr. Speaker, have Canadians heard correctly that it is Canada that is now backtracking on its international climate promises? The Liberals criticized the Harper government on its climate targets as totally inadequate, and they were right. In their platform, the Liberals promised to establish national emissions-reduction targets. Then, in Paris, they committed to doing better than the previous government.Why is the government now breaking its promise to the world and to future generations of Canadians? Why is it backtracking?
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not seem to understand that 110,000 energy workers have lost their jobs.B.C. is home to a developing LNG sector, where tens of thousands of jobs are riding on the investment decisions of LNG companies.When Liberals in Ottawa threaten to increase carbon taxes on B.C. employers, they threaten billions of dollars of investment in the economy, money that would pay for hospitals and schools and would provide thousands of family-supporting jobs. Why are the Liberals so intent on threatening British Columbia families with their made-in-Ottawa, job-killing carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, when our troops are deployed on dangerous missions Canadians deserve to know the details. The Prime Minister missed another opportunity to be open and transparent with Canadians. Rather than tabling his African mission in the House, the Prime Minister went to the UN instead. The Prime Minister is playing political games in hopes of getting a seat on the UN Security Council and is shamefully using our troops as pawns.Will the Prime Minister start respecting Parliament and bring this dangerous UN mission to the House for a full debate and a vote, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals recently stated that their government plans to use TV ads to promote their electoral reform campaign. Given the Liberal Party's history with the sponsorship of ad campaigns, there are a lot of questions and Canadians deserve the answers.Liberals have alluded to the fact that they will be working with third parties to create these ads. Who are these third parties? Are they taxpayer funded and what are their connections to the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the only people the minister is consulting in Alberta are NDP politicians, who did not even mention a carbon tax in their election campaign. We are going through the toughest recession we have had in decades, and the worst possible thing is to hike prices and impose new taxes on everything. Brad Wall understands that. He is opposed to the current government's top-down, do-it-or-else approach to federalism. Will the current government stop killing jobs and making a bad situation worse in Alberta? Will the Liberals stop their carbon tax plan?
Mr. Speaker, in 2014, the Prime Minister had this to say about the deployment of troops to fight ISIS: Canadians expect the highest standard of openness and honesty from a leader who wants to send our forces to war. He asked the government to allow the House of Commons to debate and vote on the issue, and that is what the previous government did. Will the Prime Minister walk the talk and allow debate and a vote in the House?
Mr. Speaker, the imminent retirement of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell will leave a vacancy for Atlantic Canada.The Minister of Justice has said that the next Supreme Court justice may not be from Atlantic Canada. This is very surprising, because it is a constitutional convention that Atlantic Canada is represented on the Supreme Court. It is also the fair thing to do.I would like to know what the Liberal problem is with doing right for Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, Wayne Smith, Canada's chief statistician, resigned Friday and blasted the Liberal government for failing to protect the independence of Stats Canada.The Liberals promised to restore Stats Canada's independence, but Mr. Smith said: ...that independence has never been more compromised. I ask the minister to resist the urge to simply blame the Harper Conservatives because Mr. Smith was referring to the Liberal government. How does the Liberal government defend this breach of independence and this clearly broken promise?
Mr. Speaker, a number of reports have revealed massive problems with Canada's arms exports program. We already know that Canadian weapons exported to Saudi Arabia have been used in Yemen.Now we learn that weapons manufactured by Streit Group have been sold to countries like Libya and Sudan, despite Canadian sanctions. The Liberals have already rejected our proposal to create a parliamentary committee to study arms exports. Will the Liberals reconsider their position and give parliamentarians the right to look
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadians suffer from arthritis, a disease that affects seniors in particular.With that in mind, what measures are this government and the Minister of Health taking to help arthritis sufferers and prevent new cases?
Mr. Speaker, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon. I am very proud of the leadership of the Alberta government that brought in a price on carbon, because it recognizes that it is the best way to reduce pollution and also to foster innovation. That is why we have energy companies that are saying, Please, put a price on carbon, because we will innovate, we will create good jobs, and we will position ourselves for the future.
Mr. Speaker, in Quebec, we believe that gender equality is fundamental and non-negotiable. This government clearly does not agree.Does the Minister of Status of Women think it is acceptable for her Prime Minister to speak in a gender-segregated mosque? Is that what Liberal Canada looks like?
Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned of allegations that implicate both CSIS and the RCMP in the report of three Canadians being tortured in Syria between 2001 and 2004. Seemingly even the Canadian ambassador was involved. These are very serious allegations against two of our security agencies and the reputation of our country.How does the government explain these troubling allegations, and is it going to investigate?
Mr. Speaker, there are no plans for television advertising. Certainly, what we do want to do is to engage Canadians on a pan-Canadian basis. I am very proud that more than 140 members of Parliament on this side of the House have either had, or will have in a very short while, town halls. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have had three. I am having that many on Sunday.If we are going to purport to listen to Canadians, let us actually engage them.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world, and we welcome a healthy debate both in the House and with Canadians. During my consultations with the defence policy review, we heard from Canadians, and peace operations was at the top there. Members should keep in mind that peace operations are just one small part. We have to look at conflict mediation, conflict prevention, and construction as well. I have to state over and over again that this will be a whole-of-government effort, not just strictly peace operations.
Mr. Speaker, travellers who use the Pierre Elliott Trudeau international airport are furious. The waiting time to clear Canadian customs is simply unacceptable. Since April 1, passengers in Montreal have been three times more likely than passengers in Toronto to wait more than one hour while staring at empty booths. This is a simple question: will the minister fix the problem quickly or call for another study in order to buy some time?
Mr. Speaker, the decision to send Canadian men and women in our armed forces into harm's way is one of the most serious decisions that parliamentarians will ever undertake. That is why the Conservative government always believed in taking it to debate in the House of Commons.Given that the Minister of National Defence formerly served for our country, and it seems like he will not allow this to come to a vote, can he explain both to our men and women in uniform and to Canadians why the Liberals will not put this to a vote in the House of Commons?
Mr. Speaker, we fully understand the complexity of peace operations, but we cannot be an island of stability in an ocean of turmoil. Canada needs to do its part. This is why I took retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire with me on my five-country trip to Africa, to learn about the complexities.We are taking a whole-of-government approach to this. We are going to make a thorough effort before we put all the facts together and before we have a thorough debate on this.
Mr. Speaker, I have spent the last eight months criss-crossing the country speaking with labour, speaking with business leaders, speaking with indigenous Canadians, speaking with everyone who would like to actually move forward on climate change. We have had discussions. I met with my territorial counterparts. They are concerned about the impact of carbon pricing, and we are having a good discussion with them. The bottom line is that right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where, through the leadership of the province, because there was inaction by the Conservative government, there is a price on carbon. We are going to move forward in a thoughtful way, working with provinces and territories
Mr. Speaker, the minister has just confirmed that they are in fact continuing with the cuts imposed by Stephen Harper. Those reductions are going to hurt health services in all of those provinces and territories she just referred to.Canadians were promised a change from the Conservative government's approach on health care, but now the Liberals are admitting that they are going to continue with those cuts. Could the minister explain to us how following the Conservative cuts in health care somehow constitutes real change in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the challenges facing middle-class Canadians are real. That is in fact why they elected us. They realized that making investments for the future is the answer, not austerity. What we have said to Canadians is that we are going to take what is the best balance sheet among the G7 countries and are going to make investments in their future. We are going to make sure that we find a way to have the next generation of Canadians better off than the last one. That is the commitment we make to Canadians today.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence had to go to Africa to find out that peacekeeping no longer exists. The losses suffered by the peacekeepers should be a clear indication that we are talking about an extremely dangerous mission. General Roméo Dallaire has said that the risk of casualties is far greater than before. Our soldiers will be standing targets.Will the government be open and hold a debate and a vote on this matter here in Parliament instead of at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, the election system is one of the aspects, perhaps the most important aspect, of a democracy. There is no playing games with that. The debate must be serious and balanced, and it must be fair for everyone. That is why we support a referendum at the end of the year.Meanwhile, to ensure that the debate will be fair and balanced, can the government assure us that its cronies from the sponsorship scandal, those who lined their pockets, will not be returning with the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, access to affordable housing is a problem for many Canadians.In Scarborough Centre, one in three people are spending 30% or more of their income on housing compared to the national average of one in five. The lack of affordable housing is especially challenging for seniors trying to make ends meet on fixed incomes.Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell us what the government is doing to encourage the building of more affordable housing, especially for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, in the last fiscal year, this government turned a large operating surplus into a deficit. The current government is spending non-stop.The government does not have a plan for returning to a balanced budget. The Minister of Finance is talking about a plan for the future that involves making our grandchildren pay off his debt. That is his plan for the future.When will the government present its plan for returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, I will continue talking with the provinces and territories, with business leaders, with indigenous leaders, and with labour, including labour groups in Alberta, because we know we need to tackle climate change, and we need to grow our economy. I am very surprised by the member opposite, who I thought would believe in free market economics and would understand that carbon pricing is a market mechanism that is the best way to reduce carbon pollution and innovate, but perhaps he does not believe in climate change, and that might be the problem.
Mr. Speaker, another area that is very important for our country's economy is the softwood lumber industry. In fact, 400,000 jobs depend on it.In 2006, we rectified a situation. People waited 10 years for the former Liberal government to find a solution to the problem, and we are the ones who solved it. Since then, Canadian businesses have been able to export their products to the United States with relative ease.The government made big promises, including a good relationship with the United States. Meanwhile, the Minister of International Trade has said that Canada will turn to the courts. What a great idea. Let us take our American partners to court rather than coming to an agreement with them.Why are the Liberals unable to settle this matter with the Americans through negotiations?
Mr. Speaker, our priority is to be here to fight for hard-working Canadians, but they are clearly not a priority for the Prime Minister. Thousands of Canadians were laid off this summer, household debt is at an all-time high, and Canadians do not believe that the Prime Minister can manage the economy. Canadians are worried about their future and jobs are not being created, so what is his answer?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, September 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite might not understand that B.C. has a carbon tax, and it is revenue neutral, so B.C. actually returns the revenues to its citizens.The energy companies are actually with us. Let me quote from Suncor CEO Steve Williams: We think climate change is happening. We think a broad-based carbon price is the right answer. CEO of Dutch Shell, Total, and four other major energy companies: We firmly believe that carbon pricing will discourage high carbon options.... We now need governments around the world to provide us with this framework....
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we are working with all provinces and territories to reduce emissions and also grow our economy. All of the premiers stepped up with the Prime Minister in the Vancouver declaration and said that they were committed to meeting our international obligations, so that is what we are doing. We are going to continue working with the provinces and territories so that we have a credible plan, so we reduce our emissions, so we grow our economy, and we make a better world for our kids.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians, and the world, are proud of the great work that all our men and women in uniform have done on operations with the United Nations and NATO and on all of the missions that have been done all over the world. We can be very proud of the work we will do. However, we cannot put the cart before the horse. We are doing our due diligence to get all the necessary information and when we do, we will make sure that we present it to Canadians and to the House.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to working with the provinces and territories to meet our international obligations. We are working very hard to understand the challenges and opportunities in different provinces and territories, and we are going to come forward with a plan.Let us be clear about the Harper target. The Harper government had absolutely no plan to reach the target. It did not care. It had a target out there, with no actions. That is not what we are going to do. We are going to come with concrete actions that are going to tackle our emissions and grow our economy in a thoughtful way.
Mr. Speaker, I certainly acknowledge that the waiting times are unacceptable.We know that tourism and the arrival of passengers from foreign countries are extremely important for Montreal and we are pleased to see the increased traffic. However, we must absolutely reduce these waiting times. It is important to go through security, but the waiting times need to be reduced.That is why I am working with my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, to find a solution to this problem.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together.Since I was elected, I have spent time criss-crossing the country, meeting with all provinces, all territories, meeting with labour leaders, meeting with indigenous leaders, meeting with Canadians, and meeting with business.Canadians expect us to act on climate change, because we are the first generation to feel the impact, and we are the only generation that can actually change things.We are going to move forward with our plan, because we understand that it is the right thing to do to tackle climate change and grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, on this step-by-step approach, let us suggest that one of those steps should be actually voting for nuclear disarmament. I was in Paris with the Prime Minister when he promised to take action on the crucial climate change file. This is the most important commitment for future generations. Apparently, instead of keeping its promise, the Liberal government is going to ratify the Paris agreement with the same targets and deadlines set by Stephen Harper.Does the minister believe that this is what constitutes change, the Conservative plan handed to us by the Liberals with a smile?
Mr. Speaker, I am no stranger to conflict. One of the reasons I wanted to actually get on the ground was that I like to get into the countries and find out for myself. That was one of the reasons I took retired General Roméo Dallaire and Madam Justice Louise Arbour with me, to get a full perspective and to get the interpretation from their own minds while we were actually talking to the leadership of those countries, talking to the international organizations. However, a lot of work needs to be done. We have a whole-of-government effort we want to bring to the table, plus we want to bring the whole of government from other countries, ensuring that we make a meaningful contribution to the world.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians rejected this type of pessimism in the last federal election. They voted for a party that promised to re-engage Canada in the world and a government that would be committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world. Over the last 10 months, under the leadership of our Prime Minister and our government, we have had the support of the United Nations on climate change, gender equality, in welcoming Syrian refugees, fighting disease, and investing in peace support operations as well. This will be a whole-of-government effort.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative critic for democratic reform has himself said that first past the post is not the best system. The minister has gone to SaanichGulf Islands, has gone to SkeenaBulkley Valley, has worked with members from all of the different parties.I would say to the Conservatives that it is the time to put forward ideas, to work with us, to improve our democracy, to make sure that every vote is counted, and to participate in this process.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to strengthening Canada's export controls, something the former government failed to do. We will provide more rigour and transparency. We are acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty. Currently we are consulting with NGOs and industry and look forward to input from our parliamentary colleagues at committee and in the House as we bring the legislation forward.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the environment and the economy go together. Right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon: B.C. and Alberta have a carbon tax; Ontario and Quebec have a cap and trade system. We understand that carbon pricing is the most efficient way to reduce emissions and to foster innovation. I am very proud that 25 Canadian companies have joined on to our carbon pricing leadership coalition calling for a price on carbon, because they know it is the way forward to innovate and to grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, conflicts in Africa are extremely complex. We need to ensure there is an appropriate mandate in place and ensure that contributing nations also fulfill those mandates. A lot of work needs to be done. We need to make sure that all the efforts from the international organizations, the United Nations, and all the other agencies there are also contributing well. When we have all the information, we will present it to Canadians and to the House for debate.
Mr. Speaker, I will start by thanking the member for Scarborough Centre for her hard work on behalf of all seniors.This government believes that all Canadians need and deserve housing that is safe, affordable, and secure. To give Canadians greater access to affordable housing, last year's budget invested a record $2.3 billion in assisting affordable housing, particularly the needs of seniors. This funding is expected to benefit more than 5,000 seniors across Canada.I will also take this opportunity to welcome our new cohort of pages and say that we look forward to working with them over the next few months.
Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about the challenges facing middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we decided to lower taxes on nine million middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we introduced the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of ten families with children to have more money to raise their children. We know that those things are going to make Canadian families better off today, and we are making investments for tomorrow so we can have a more productive and efficient economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been transparent right from the beginning. In my mandate letter, it is clearly stated we will be involved with peace operations. When I went on my fact-finding mission, I tried to make all my observations known. As we get more information, I look forward to having a healthy debate.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite is well aware, we do have a non-insured health benefits program that is available to first nations and Inuit families. These features of care are provided on the basis of medically necessary needs, including, of course, orthodontic care. I am pleased that the member continues to work with us to seek ways that the program can be improved, as all good programs can be. We will find ways to make sure that the care is there for the people who need it.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was pleased to introduce a new process for the appointment of Supreme Court justices to make it open and transparent.I was very pleased to be able to appoint a panel to review applications. I look forward to receiving those applications, two of which will be from Atlantic Canada. No decision has been made, but we are confident that we will appoint a diverse, functionally bilingual, high-calibre jurist to the Supreme Court of Canada. I look forward to participating in that.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about why our approach to health care does constitute real change. We are investing. The Canada health transfer this year is the largest ever, to the tune of $36.1 billion. It will go up accordingly next year, according to plan.However, what Canadians want are investments in innovation. Canadians know that while our health care system is something we are proud of, it could be better. We are going to talk with our colleagues in the provinces and territories about where those investments should be made and what Canadians can expect.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's middle class is struggling and that investments are needed immediately. We began by implementing programs that will help the middle class right now, such as the middle-class tax cut and the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families.It is important for our future that we make investments and stimulate growth, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is committed to reviewing child and family services on reserves and partnering with first nations to reform those services. We are working with first nations communities, key organizations, front-line service providers and other stakeholders to create better systems that will reduce the number of children placed and ensure a truly child-centred approach.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Arthritis is a disease that affects too many Canadians. Those who have it face a variety of difficult symptoms. We are continuing to invest $46 million in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to learn more about chronic inflamation and develop better prevention and treatment options.
Mr. Speaker, this issue is a priority for us and the opposition knows that.We are in the midst of serious negotiations on this issue. There is unprecedented co-operation with producers, industry workers, and the provinces and territories. Last week, the minister met with the U.S. trade representative, Mike Froman, in Washington.We do not want to reach just any old deal. We want a good deal for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system so that Canadians can access the care they need regardless of their ability or desire to pay.The government has renewed its commitment by restoring federal leadership on health and championing a national vision that upholds the principles laid out in the Canada Health Act, including universality and accessibility. That is what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the great pleasure of working collaboratively with my colleagues in the provinces and territories since the time I became minister of health. I have enjoyed many good conversations with my colleagues across the country. We have talked about our shared priorities and where we want to invest in health. There will be no cuts to health. We will continue to increase the Canada health transfer, as previously discussed, and we will discuss other areas where there can be investments made that are important to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we can be proud of our men and women who have served all over the world in previous missions, and even now. However, a lot of work needs to be done for peace operations. We are going to be going in with eyes wide open, making sure that we have all the necessary information to allow the military to do its work, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development. We will make sure that we have all the right information. We need to be able to get a full analysis. Once we have better information, we will be presenting this to Canadians, as we have done, moving forward. A lot of work needs to be done, and I look forward to the healthy debate once we have all the necessary information.
Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to gender equality in all areas of Canadian life, but we are also committed to respecting the diversity of Canadian communities. We will visit with people in ways that are appropriate for their communities, whether it is a military community, a religious community, or an indigenous community.I am very proud of our government, which understands that in order to develop a relationship we must be respectful of the community we are in.
Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we would like to thank the former chief statistician, Wayne Smith, on his long, 35 years of service to Canada and to Statistics Canada.We promised Canadians in the last election that we would reinstate the long-form census, and by golly, they responded in great numbers, historic numbers. That is a great testament to Mr. Smith's work.Our government remains committed to reinforcing the independence of Stats Canada. We are working on that. We are making sure that it is an important part of the minister's mandate letter. We are going to continue with that work.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Don Valley West, and indeed his fellow colleagues from the GTA, for raising this important issue.Certainly, mitigating noise is something that we try to do within the parameters of maintaining aviation safety. Recently my staff met with some of the community groups that have raised the issue of noise. I have passed that on to the CEO of Nav Canada.I am glad to say that the CEO of Nav Canada has hired a third party, which is looking into the matter. I will report when the results are obtained.
Mr. Speaker, it is really important that we improve our electoral system. This is an historic opportunity, not just for our party, but also for the House of Commons in general. I want to encourage the Conservative Party to participate, along with the other parties and the Liberal Party, in consultations that will be held across Canada with a view to improving our system.
Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents in the riding of Don Valley West, particularly in the neighbourhood of Leaside, have raised strong concerns about the number and timing of airplanes flying over their homes and the noise they generate. Could the Minister of Transport please update the House on what he is doing about these concerns?
Mr. Speaker, I have not thought of a good rhyme yet, but I will try. We are committed to taking action on climate change. We recognize that it is the thing we need to do. Take the example of B.C. It has a carbon tax. It is revenue neutral; it gives money back to the consumers. But what does it do? It is a market mechanism that reduces what we do not want. We do not want carbon pollution; we want less, so we innovate, businesses innovate, and we position ourselves for a cleaner future, because we want to create good jobs and we want to grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations, to a very large extent, have been examined by two very important commissions, Iacobucci and O'Connor. Those commissions made important recommendations. Some of those recommendations have been implemented. One key one was not implemented by the previous government, and that was the need for a parliamentary mechanism to provide review and scrutiny of all of the security and police agencies and all of their activities in Canada. We have introduced legislation to do exactly that in Bill C-22, and we look forward to that legislation being passed expeditiously.
Mr. Speaker, a fundamental component of feminism is supporting women's right to choose. When we respect communities, and the faith of communities, and we meet them in a place where they have determined the rules of engagement, that is exactly what we believe in when we support feminism in our country.
Mr. Speaker, the government is intent on imposing job-killing carbon taxes on the provinces. Its message is, Either you do this, or we will force you to. So much for sunny ways.Carbon taxes raise the price of everything, from filling up the gas tank to buying groceries to heating homes, and they kill jobs. Why is the current government so intent on raising the price of everything and killing jobs through its carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, that minister clearly has not been talking to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians in the energy sector whose jobs have been lost. She is not listening to the provinces that do not want a carbon tax. A carbon tax will kill jobs, and it is an imposition of Ottawa on the provinces. Why are the Liberals ignoring not only what the premiers are saying but what rural and remote Canadians are saying? They do not want a carbon tax. It is going to kill jobs. The Liberals need to listen to people outside of the city of Ottawa.
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker: nobody wants ancillary fees for health care services.Today we learned that the Minister of Health's plan for abolishing ancillary fees involves taking sick people in Quebec hostage by cutting transfer payments by an additional $160 million.The minister can say she is protecting the health care system all she wants, but she is actually victimizing sick people in Quebec. Enough is enough. Will the minister immediately and unconditionally restore the health transfers that she is planning to cut in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, maybe that minister is listening to CEOs, but she needs to start listening to premiers of provinces like Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and the territories, who have been clear. They do not want a carbon tax, because they know that Canadians, particularly rural and northern Canadians, cannot afford it.Why is the government ignoring the provinces and imposing a carbon tax that will hurt the economy, hurt Canadians, and do nothing for jobs?
Mr. Speaker, Parliament needs to know what type of high-risk mission the government is committing Canadians to.The Liberals are getting ready to send our soldiers to danger zones and claiming that it is a peacekeeping mission. Our soldiers will be standing targets of armed factions whose sole objective is to kill foreign nationals on their land, as Roméo Dallaire has said.In light of that fact, will the government hold a debate and a vote on this matter in Parliament or not?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have now confirmed that they are planning to impose a made-in-Ottawa carbon tax on all Canadians, no matter where they live and no matter if their province already has a carbon tax.British Columbia already has a carbon tax, but the Liberals in Ottawa are indicating that it might not be high enough to kill jobs, and it might not take enough money out of the pockets of hard-working British Columbians.Why are the Liberals in Ottawa threatening to force the government of B.C. to raise taxes on British Columbians?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are threatening the provinces and Canadians with new climate taxes. The Liberals have been clear: they do not get things their way, they are just going to slap on more taxes, including fuel taxes. Higher fuel taxes punish rural Canadians and agriculture more than anyone else. This is the start of Canadians paying more for everything. Why are the Liberals so viciously targeting rural people and agriculture with their new climate taxation fixation?
Mr. Speaker, a leopard cannot change its spots.The Liberals promised real change for health care, but today they are resorting to their favourite strategy from the past, a good fight with Quebec. Instead of attacking Quebec on a file the province has already taken care of, will the government deal with the underlying problem of the $36 billion in cuts made by Stephen Harper?
Mr. Speaker, when she says it is going according to plan, what she is actually saying is it is going according to the Conservative plan. As the Prime Minister talks to our allies today about the role of our country on the world stage, we are again reminded that actions speak louder than words. Despite the words about peace, just last month in Geneva the government actually voted against nuclear disarmament. Real leadership means acting in the interests of peace, not just talking about it.Will the Liberal government reverse this shameful position and vote in favour of nuclear disarmament at the UN General Assembly next week?
Mr. Speaker, the most effective way to reach a nuclear-free world is with a pragmatic step-by-step approach. We need to have a strategy of engagement. We will be at the table in Geneva and again in Japan with our G7 allies, working together for the elimination of nuclear weapons. We will continue to be present with our allies.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has a romantic notion about peacekeeping that simply does not match up to reality. This is 2016, not 1956. Increasingly, there is no peace to keep. The conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa are dangerous. Even Roméo Dallaire agrees that a mission there will be deadly.Does the Prime Minister understand this is not a peacekeeping mission but rather a dangerous deployment that will risk Canadian lives, and does he think it is worth it?
Mr. Speaker, we are ready to take action on climate change. I spent the summer talking with my counterparts all across the country.However, let us be clear, the Harper targets were fake targets. When one puts out targets and does not have a plan to meet them and emissions go upand we have been very transparent about how the emissions have gone upit is hard to meet them. What Canadians expect is real action, and we are going to deliver real action with the provinces and territories, with indigenous leaders, with business, with youth, with all Canadians, because that is what we are committed to doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are declaring all out war on the provinces that do not want to go along with their carbon tax scheme. They are not even willing to do their own work. Yesterday we saw paid PMO officials attacking Brad Wall, the most popular premier in Canada. Is this the best the Liberals can do on climate change, using unelected staff to attack a premier for defending his province's interests?
Mr. Speaker, the current government has ignored two compliance orders by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to end systemic racist discrimination against indigenous children. That Minister of Health was asked to end the systemic denials of emergency orthodontic surgery that run at denial rates of 99%. Instead, she has decided to spend more money fighting these families in court than the surgeries would cost. We are talking about a moral and legal obligation to children. Can the minister explain why she would rather spend the money on lawyers than on responding to the emergency needs of indigenous children who are being denied their rights?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government was elected with a promise to build a new nation-to-nation relationship, so why is it still discriminating against first nations children?The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found the government guilty of discrimination, but it is still failing to comply with the tribunal's order.My question is simple: how can the Prime Minister, the Minister of Youth, justify systematic discrimination against indigenous children in 2016?
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult and important decision that any government can make is to deploy our Canadian Forces in a war zone. Canadians must be able to trust that these decisions are made in our national interest, not the political interest of the Liberal Party. Sending our troops on a dangerous African mission appears to be about a purely political goalgetting a UN Security Council seat. However, our troops are not pawns on a political chessboard. Why has the Prime Minister decided that this is the best way to win over his friends at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, common-sense Canadians know that when we borrow money, we have to pay it back. The Liberals have borrowed a lot of money, and guess who is paying it back? Canadians. They have raised taxes on families and on small business, and now they are forcing through a carbon tax hike and a CPP tax hike that will cost many Canadian families thousands of dollars a year. At the end of the day, how much more money are they going to take from hard-working Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister recently visited a mosque.Members of the Bloc Québécois want to know whether this government would have found it more or less acceptable if, rather than women, homosexuals, Indigenous people or Blacks had been the ones relegated to the balcony. If that were the case, would the Prime Minister still have agreed to speak?
Mr. Speaker, it is pretty clear the Liberals already have an outcome in mind and it is one that will only benefit Liberal politicians. First the Liberals charged entry into their town halls, then the justice minister turned away over 30 people from her meeting, and now the Liberals are making shady deals with third parties to make sunny ways electoral ads, despite the claims we are hearing today.It has become abundantly clear this is not about Canadians; it is about Liberal politicians and their friends. Why are the Liberals rewarding their friends with advertising dollars instead of giving Canadians a say in a referendum?
What about the vote, Mr. Speaker? This summer, the Minister of National Defence admitted peacekeeping no longer exists, yet in the Speech from the Throne, the Liberals promised to renew Canadas commitment to United Nations peacekeeping. However, distinguished General Roméo Dallaire has said that there will be more Canadian casualties on the sub-Saharan mission.Will the Prime Minister admit that he misled Canadians by promising to do peacekeeping when he knew that our troops would be placed in harm's way on the UN mission in Africa?
Mr. Speaker, have Canadians heard correctly that it is Canada that is now backtracking on its international climate promises? The Liberals criticized the Harper government on its climate targets as totally inadequate, and they were right. In their platform, the Liberals promised to establish national emissions-reduction targets. Then, in Paris, they committed to doing better than the previous government.Why is the government now breaking its promise to the world and to future generations of Canadians? Why is it backtracking?
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not seem to understand that 110,000 energy workers have lost their jobs.B.C. is home to a developing LNG sector, where tens of thousands of jobs are riding on the investment decisions of LNG companies.When Liberals in Ottawa threaten to increase carbon taxes on B.C. employers, they threaten billions of dollars of investment in the economy, money that would pay for hospitals and schools and would provide thousands of family-supporting jobs. Why are the Liberals so intent on threatening British Columbia families with their made-in-Ottawa, job-killing carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, when our troops are deployed on dangerous missions Canadians deserve to know the details. The Prime Minister missed another opportunity to be open and transparent with Canadians. Rather than tabling his African mission in the House, the Prime Minister went to the UN instead. The Prime Minister is playing political games in hopes of getting a seat on the UN Security Council and is shamefully using our troops as pawns.Will the Prime Minister start respecting Parliament and bring this dangerous UN mission to the House for a full debate and a vote, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals recently stated that their government plans to use TV ads to promote their electoral reform campaign. Given the Liberal Party's history with the sponsorship of ad campaigns, there are a lot of questions and Canadians deserve the answers.Liberals have alluded to the fact that they will be working with third parties to create these ads. Who are these third parties? Are they taxpayer funded and what are their connections to the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the only people the minister is consulting in Alberta are NDP politicians, who did not even mention a carbon tax in their election campaign. We are going through the toughest recession we have had in decades, and the worst possible thing is to hike prices and impose new taxes on everything. Brad Wall understands that. He is opposed to the current government's top-down, do-it-or-else approach to federalism. Will the current government stop killing jobs and making a bad situation worse in Alberta? Will the Liberals stop their carbon tax plan?
Mr. Speaker, in 2014, the Prime Minister had this to say about the deployment of troops to fight ISIS: Canadians expect the highest standard of openness and honesty from a leader who wants to send our forces to war. He asked the government to allow the House of Commons to debate and vote on the issue, and that is what the previous government did. Will the Prime Minister walk the talk and allow debate and a vote in the House?
Mr. Speaker, the imminent retirement of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell will leave a vacancy for Atlantic Canada.The Minister of Justice has said that the next Supreme Court justice may not be from Atlantic Canada. This is very surprising, because it is a constitutional convention that Atlantic Canada is represented on the Supreme Court. It is also the fair thing to do.I would like to know what the Liberal problem is with doing right for Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, Wayne Smith, Canada's chief statistician, resigned Friday and blasted the Liberal government for failing to protect the independence of Stats Canada.The Liberals promised to restore Stats Canada's independence, but Mr. Smith said: ...that independence has never been more compromised. I ask the minister to resist the urge to simply blame the Harper Conservatives because Mr. Smith was referring to the Liberal government. How does the Liberal government defend this breach of independence and this clearly broken promise?
Mr. Speaker, a number of reports have revealed massive problems with Canada's arms exports program. We already know that Canadian weapons exported to Saudi Arabia have been used in Yemen.Now we learn that weapons manufactured by Streit Group have been sold to countries like Libya and Sudan, despite Canadian sanctions. The Liberals have already rejected our proposal to create a parliamentary committee to study arms exports. Will the Liberals reconsider their position and give parliamentarians the right to look
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadians suffer from arthritis, a disease that affects seniors in particular.With that in mind, what measures are this government and the Minister of Health taking to help arthritis sufferers and prevent new cases?
Mr. Speaker, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon. I am very proud of the leadership of the Alberta government that brought in a price on carbon, because it recognizes that it is the best way to reduce pollution and also to foster innovation. That is why we have energy companies that are saying, Please, put a price on carbon, because we will innovate, we will create good jobs, and we will position ourselves for the future.
Mr. Speaker, in Quebec, we believe that gender equality is fundamental and non-negotiable. This government clearly does not agree.Does the Minister of Status of Women think it is acceptable for her Prime Minister to speak in a gender-segregated mosque? Is that what Liberal Canada looks like?
Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned of allegations that implicate both CSIS and the RCMP in the report of three Canadians being tortured in Syria between 2001 and 2004. Seemingly even the Canadian ambassador was involved. These are very serious allegations against two of our security agencies and the reputation of our country.How does the government explain these troubling allegations, and is it going to investigate?
Mr. Speaker, there are no plans for television advertising. Certainly, what we do want to do is to engage Canadians on a pan-Canadian basis. I am very proud that more than 140 members of Parliament on this side of the House have either had, or will have in a very short while, town halls. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have had three. I am having that many on Sunday.If we are going to purport to listen to Canadians, let us actually engage them.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world, and we welcome a healthy debate both in the House and with Canadians. During my consultations with the defence policy review, we heard from Canadians, and peace operations was at the top there. Members should keep in mind that peace operations are just one small part. We have to look at conflict mediation, conflict prevention, and construction as well. I have to state over and over again that this will be a whole-of-government effort, not just strictly peace operations.
Mr. Speaker, travellers who use the Pierre Elliott Trudeau international airport are furious. The waiting time to clear Canadian customs is simply unacceptable. Since April 1, passengers in Montreal have been three times more likely than passengers in Toronto to wait more than one hour while staring at empty booths. This is a simple question: will the minister fix the problem quickly or call for another study in order to buy some time?
Mr. Speaker, the decision to send Canadian men and women in our armed forces into harm's way is one of the most serious decisions that parliamentarians will ever undertake. That is why the Conservative government always believed in taking it to debate in the House of Commons.Given that the Minister of National Defence formerly served for our country, and it seems like he will not allow this to come to a vote, can he explain both to our men and women in uniform and to Canadians why the Liberals will not put this to a vote in the House of Commons?
Mr. Speaker, we fully understand the complexity of peace operations, but we cannot be an island of stability in an ocean of turmoil. Canada needs to do its part. This is why I took retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire with me on my five-country trip to Africa, to learn about the complexities.We are taking a whole-of-government approach to this. We are going to make a thorough effort before we put all the facts together and before we have a thorough debate on this.
Mr. Speaker, I have spent the last eight months criss-crossing the country speaking with labour, speaking with business leaders, speaking with indigenous Canadians, speaking with everyone who would like to actually move forward on climate change. We have had discussions. I met with my territorial counterparts. They are concerned about the impact of carbon pricing, and we are having a good discussion with them. The bottom line is that right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where, through the leadership of the province, because there was inaction by the Conservative government, there is a price on carbon. We are going to move forward in a thoughtful way, working with provinces and territories
Mr. Speaker, the minister has just confirmed that they are in fact continuing with the cuts imposed by Stephen Harper. Those reductions are going to hurt health services in all of those provinces and territories she just referred to.Canadians were promised a change from the Conservative government's approach on health care, but now the Liberals are admitting that they are going to continue with those cuts. Could the minister explain to us how following the Conservative cuts in health care somehow constitutes real change in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the challenges facing middle-class Canadians are real. That is in fact why they elected us. They realized that making investments for the future is the answer, not austerity. What we have said to Canadians is that we are going to take what is the best balance sheet among the G7 countries and are going to make investments in their future. We are going to make sure that we find a way to have the next generation of Canadians better off than the last one. That is the commitment we make to Canadians today.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence had to go to Africa to find out that peacekeeping no longer exists. The losses suffered by the peacekeepers should be a clear indication that we are talking about an extremely dangerous mission. General Roméo Dallaire has said that the risk of casualties is far greater than before. Our soldiers will be standing targets.Will the government be open and hold a debate and a vote on this matter here in Parliament instead of at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, the election system is one of the aspects, perhaps the most important aspect, of a democracy. There is no playing games with that. The debate must be serious and balanced, and it must be fair for everyone. That is why we support a referendum at the end of the year.Meanwhile, to ensure that the debate will be fair and balanced, can the government assure us that its cronies from the sponsorship scandal, those who lined their pockets, will not be returning with the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, access to affordable housing is a problem for many Canadians.In Scarborough Centre, one in three people are spending 30% or more of their income on housing compared to the national average of one in five. The lack of affordable housing is especially challenging for seniors trying to make ends meet on fixed incomes.Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell us what the government is doing to encourage the building of more affordable housing, especially for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, in the last fiscal year, this government turned a large operating surplus into a deficit. The current government is spending non-stop.The government does not have a plan for returning to a balanced budget. The Minister of Finance is talking about a plan for the future that involves making our grandchildren pay off his debt. That is his plan for the future.When will the government present its plan for returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, I will continue talking with the provinces and territories, with business leaders, with indigenous leaders, and with labour, including labour groups in Alberta, because we know we need to tackle climate change, and we need to grow our economy. I am very surprised by the member opposite, who I thought would believe in free market economics and would understand that carbon pricing is a market mechanism that is the best way to reduce carbon pollution and innovate, but perhaps he does not believe in climate change, and that might be the problem.
Mr. Speaker, another area that is very important for our country's economy is the softwood lumber industry. In fact, 400,000 jobs depend on it.In 2006, we rectified a situation. People waited 10 years for the former Liberal government to find a solution to the problem, and we are the ones who solved it. Since then, Canadian businesses have been able to export their products to the United States with relative ease.The government made big promises, including a good relationship with the United States. Meanwhile, the Minister of International Trade has said that Canada will turn to the courts. What a great idea. Let us take our American partners to court rather than coming to an agreement with them.Why are the Liberals unable to settle this matter with the Americans through negotiations?
Mr. Speaker, our priority is to be here to fight for hard-working Canadians, but they are clearly not a priority for the Prime Minister. Thousands of Canadians were laid off this summer, household debt is at an all-time high, and Canadians do not believe that the Prime Minister can manage the economy. Canadians are worried about their future and jobs are not being created, so what is his answer?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, September 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite might not understand that B.C. has a carbon tax, and it is revenue neutral, so B.C. actually returns the revenues to its citizens.The energy companies are actually with us. Let me quote from Suncor CEO Steve Williams: We think climate change is happening. We think a broad-based carbon price is the right answer. CEO of Dutch Shell, Total, and four other major energy companies: We firmly believe that carbon pricing will discourage high carbon options.... We now need governments around the world to provide us with this framework....
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we are working with all provinces and territories to reduce emissions and also grow our economy. All of the premiers stepped up with the Prime Minister in the Vancouver declaration and said that they were committed to meeting our international obligations, so that is what we are doing. We are going to continue working with the provinces and territories so that we have a credible plan, so we reduce our emissions, so we grow our economy, and we make a better world for our kids.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians, and the world, are proud of the great work that all our men and women in uniform have done on operations with the United Nations and NATO and on all of the missions that have been done all over the world. We can be very proud of the work we will do. However, we cannot put the cart before the horse. We are doing our due diligence to get all the necessary information and when we do, we will make sure that we present it to Canadians and to the House.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to working with the provinces and territories to meet our international obligations. We are working very hard to understand the challenges and opportunities in different provinces and territories, and we are going to come forward with a plan.Let us be clear about the Harper target. The Harper government had absolutely no plan to reach the target. It did not care. It had a target out there, with no actions. That is not what we are going to do. We are going to come with concrete actions that are going to tackle our emissions and grow our economy in a thoughtful way.
Mr. Speaker, I certainly acknowledge that the waiting times are unacceptable.We know that tourism and the arrival of passengers from foreign countries are extremely important for Montreal and we are pleased to see the increased traffic. However, we must absolutely reduce these waiting times. It is important to go through security, but the waiting times need to be reduced.That is why I am working with my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, to find a solution to this problem.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together.Since I was elected, I have spent time criss-crossing the country, meeting with all provinces, all territories, meeting with labour leaders, meeting with indigenous leaders, meeting with Canadians, and meeting with business.Canadians expect us to act on climate change, because we are the first generation to feel the impact, and we are the only generation that can actually change things.We are going to move forward with our plan, because we understand that it is the right thing to do to tackle climate change and grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, on this step-by-step approach, let us suggest that one of those steps should be actually voting for nuclear disarmament. I was in Paris with the Prime Minister when he promised to take action on the crucial climate change file. This is the most important commitment for future generations. Apparently, instead of keeping its promise, the Liberal government is going to ratify the Paris agreement with the same targets and deadlines set by Stephen Harper.Does the minister believe that this is what constitutes change, the Conservative plan handed to us by the Liberals with a smile?
Mr. Speaker, I am no stranger to conflict. One of the reasons I wanted to actually get on the ground was that I like to get into the countries and find out for myself. That was one of the reasons I took retired General Roméo Dallaire and Madam Justice Louise Arbour with me, to get a full perspective and to get the interpretation from their own minds while we were actually talking to the leadership of those countries, talking to the international organizations. However, a lot of work needs to be done. We have a whole-of-government effort we want to bring to the table, plus we want to bring the whole of government from other countries, ensuring that we make a meaningful contribution to the world.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians rejected this type of pessimism in the last federal election. They voted for a party that promised to re-engage Canada in the world and a government that would be committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world. Over the last 10 months, under the leadership of our Prime Minister and our government, we have had the support of the United Nations on climate change, gender equality, in welcoming Syrian refugees, fighting disease, and investing in peace support operations as well. This will be a whole-of-government effort.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative critic for democratic reform has himself said that first past the post is not the best system. The minister has gone to SaanichGulf Islands, has gone to SkeenaBulkley Valley, has worked with members from all of the different parties.I would say to the Conservatives that it is the time to put forward ideas, to work with us, to improve our democracy, to make sure that every vote is counted, and to participate in this process.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to strengthening Canada's export controls, something the former government failed to do. We will provide more rigour and transparency. We are acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty. Currently we are consulting with NGOs and industry and look forward to input from our parliamentary colleagues at committee and in the House as we bring the legislation forward.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the environment and the economy go together. Right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon: B.C. and Alberta have a carbon tax; Ontario and Quebec have a cap and trade system. We understand that carbon pricing is the most efficient way to reduce emissions and to foster innovation. I am very proud that 25 Canadian companies have joined on to our carbon pricing leadership coalition calling for a price on carbon, because they know it is the way forward to innovate and to grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, conflicts in Africa are extremely complex. We need to ensure there is an appropriate mandate in place and ensure that contributing nations also fulfill those mandates. A lot of work needs to be done. We need to make sure that all the efforts from the international organizations, the United Nations, and all the other agencies there are also contributing well. When we have all the information, we will present it to Canadians and to the House for debate.
Mr. Speaker, I will start by thanking the member for Scarborough Centre for her hard work on behalf of all seniors.This government believes that all Canadians need and deserve housing that is safe, affordable, and secure. To give Canadians greater access to affordable housing, last year's budget invested a record $2.3 billion in assisting affordable housing, particularly the needs of seniors. This funding is expected to benefit more than 5,000 seniors across Canada.I will also take this opportunity to welcome our new cohort of pages and say that we look forward to working with them over the next few months.
Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about the challenges facing middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we decided to lower taxes on nine million middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we introduced the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of ten families with children to have more money to raise their children. We know that those things are going to make Canadian families better off today, and we are making investments for tomorrow so we can have a more productive and efficient economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been transparent right from the beginning. In my mandate letter, it is clearly stated we will be involved with peace operations. When I went on my fact-finding mission, I tried to make all my observations known. As we get more information, I look forward to having a healthy debate.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite is well aware, we do have a non-insured health benefits program that is available to first nations and Inuit families. These features of care are provided on the basis of medically necessary needs, including, of course, orthodontic care. I am pleased that the member continues to work with us to seek ways that the program can be improved, as all good programs can be. We will find ways to make sure that the care is there for the people who need it.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was pleased to introduce a new process for the appointment of Supreme Court justices to make it open and transparent.I was very pleased to be able to appoint a panel to review applications. I look forward to receiving those applications, two of which will be from Atlantic Canada. No decision has been made, but we are confident that we will appoint a diverse, functionally bilingual, high-calibre jurist to the Supreme Court of Canada. I look forward to participating in that.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about why our approach to health care does constitute real change. We are investing. The Canada health transfer this year is the largest ever, to the tune of $36.1 billion. It will go up accordingly next year, according to plan.However, what Canadians want are investments in innovation. Canadians know that while our health care system is something we are proud of, it could be better. We are going to talk with our colleagues in the provinces and territories about where those investments should be made and what Canadians can expect.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's middle class is struggling and that investments are needed immediately. We began by implementing programs that will help the middle class right now, such as the middle-class tax cut and the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families.It is important for our future that we make investments and stimulate growth, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is committed to reviewing child and family services on reserves and partnering with first nations to reform those services. We are working with first nations communities, key organizations, front-line service providers and other stakeholders to create better systems that will reduce the number of children placed and ensure a truly child-centred approach.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Arthritis is a disease that affects too many Canadians. Those who have it face a variety of difficult symptoms. We are continuing to invest $46 million in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to learn more about chronic inflamation and develop better prevention and treatment options.
Mr. Speaker, this issue is a priority for us and the opposition knows that.We are in the midst of serious negotiations on this issue. There is unprecedented co-operation with producers, industry workers, and the provinces and territories. Last week, the minister met with the U.S. trade representative, Mike Froman, in Washington.We do not want to reach just any old deal. We want a good deal for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system so that Canadians can access the care they need regardless of their ability or desire to pay.The government has renewed its commitment by restoring federal leadership on health and championing a national vision that upholds the principles laid out in the Canada Health Act, including universality and accessibility. That is what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the great pleasure of working collaboratively with my colleagues in the provinces and territories since the time I became minister of health. I have enjoyed many good conversations with my colleagues across the country. We have talked about our shared priorities and where we want to invest in health. There will be no cuts to health. We will continue to increase the Canada health transfer, as previously discussed, and we will discuss other areas where there can be investments made that are important to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we can be proud of our men and women who have served all over the world in previous missions, and even now. However, a lot of work needs to be done for peace operations. We are going to be going in with eyes wide open, making sure that we have all the necessary information to allow the military to do its work, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development. We will make sure that we have all the right information. We need to be able to get a full analysis. Once we have better information, we will be presenting this to Canadians, as we have done, moving forward. A lot of work needs to be done, and I look forward to the healthy debate once we have all the necessary information.
Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to gender equality in all areas of Canadian life, but we are also committed to respecting the diversity of Canadian communities. We will visit with people in ways that are appropriate for their communities, whether it is a military community, a religious community, or an indigenous community.I am very proud of our government, which understands that in order to develop a relationship we must be respectful of the community we are in.
Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we would like to thank the former chief statistician, Wayne Smith, on his long, 35 years of service to Canada and to Statistics Canada.We promised Canadians in the last election that we would reinstate the long-form census, and by golly, they responded in great numbers, historic numbers. That is a great testament to Mr. Smith's work.Our government remains committed to reinforcing the independence of Stats Canada. We are working on that. We are making sure that it is an important part of the minister's mandate letter. We are going to continue with that work.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Don Valley West, and indeed his fellow colleagues from the GTA, for raising this important issue.Certainly, mitigating noise is something that we try to do within the parameters of maintaining aviation safety. Recently my staff met with some of the community groups that have raised the issue of noise. I have passed that on to the CEO of Nav Canada.I am glad to say that the CEO of Nav Canada has hired a third party, which is looking into the matter. I will report when the results are obtained.
Mr. Speaker, it is really important that we improve our electoral system. This is an historic opportunity, not just for our party, but also for the House of Commons in general. I want to encourage the Conservative Party to participate, along with the other parties and the Liberal Party, in consultations that will be held across Canada with a view to improving our system.
Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents in the riding of Don Valley West, particularly in the neighbourhood of Leaside, have raised strong concerns about the number and timing of airplanes flying over their homes and the noise they generate. Could the Minister of Transport please update the House on what he is doing about these concerns?
Mr. Speaker, I have not thought of a good rhyme yet, but I will try. We are committed to taking action on climate change. We recognize that it is the thing we need to do. Take the example of B.C. It has a carbon tax. It is revenue neutral; it gives money back to the consumers. But what does it do? It is a market mechanism that reduces what we do not want. We do not want carbon pollution; we want less, so we innovate, businesses innovate, and we position ourselves for a cleaner future, because we want to create good jobs and we want to grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations, to a very large extent, have been examined by two very important commissions, Iacobucci and O'Connor. Those commissions made important recommendations. Some of those recommendations have been implemented. One key one was not implemented by the previous government, and that was the need for a parliamentary mechanism to provide review and scrutiny of all of the security and police agencies and all of their activities in Canada. We have introduced legislation to do exactly that in Bill C-22, and we look forward to that legislation being passed expeditiously.
Mr. Speaker, a fundamental component of feminism is supporting women's right to choose. When we respect communities, and the faith of communities, and we meet them in a place where they have determined the rules of engagement, that is exactly what we believe in when we support feminism in our country.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned of allegations that implicate both CSIS and the RCMP in the report of three Canadians being tortured in Syria between 2001 and 2004. Seemingly even the Canadian ambassador was involved. These are very serious allegations against two of our security agencies and the reputation of our country.How does the government explain these troubling allegations, and is it going to investigate?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the only people the minister is consulting in Alberta are NDP politicians, who did not even mention a carbon tax in their election campaign. We are going through the toughest recession we have had in decades, and the worst possible thing is to hike prices and impose new taxes on everything. Brad Wall understands that. He is opposed to the current government's top-down, do-it-or-else approach to federalism. Will the current government stop killing jobs and making a bad situation worse in Alberta? Will the Liberals stop their carbon tax plan?
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker: nobody wants ancillary fees for health care services.Today we learned that the Minister of Health's plan for abolishing ancillary fees involves taking sick people in Quebec hostage by cutting transfer payments by an additional $160 million.The minister can say she is protecting the health care system all she wants, but she is actually victimizing sick people in Quebec. Enough is enough. Will the minister immediately and unconditionally restore the health transfers that she is planning to cut in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has a romantic notion about peacekeeping that simply does not match up to reality. This is 2016, not 1956. Increasingly, there is no peace to keep. The conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa are dangerous. Even Roméo Dallaire agrees that a mission there will be deadly.Does the Prime Minister understand this is not a peacekeeping mission but rather a dangerous deployment that will risk Canadian lives, and does he think it is worth it?
Mr. Speaker, when our troops are deployed on dangerous missions Canadians deserve to know the details. The Prime Minister missed another opportunity to be open and transparent with Canadians. Rather than tabling his African mission in the House, the Prime Minister went to the UN instead. The Prime Minister is playing political games in hopes of getting a seat on the UN Security Council and is shamefully using our troops as pawns.Will the Prime Minister start respecting Parliament and bring this dangerous UN mission to the House for a full debate and a vote, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Wayne Smith, Canada's chief statistician, resigned Friday and blasted the Liberal government for failing to protect the independence of Stats Canada.The Liberals promised to restore Stats Canada's independence, but Mr. Smith said: ...that independence has never been more compromised. I ask the minister to resist the urge to simply blame the Harper Conservatives because Mr. Smith was referring to the Liberal government. How does the Liberal government defend this breach of independence and this clearly broken promise?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system so that Canadians can access the care they need regardless of their ability or desire to pay.The government has renewed its commitment by restoring federal leadership on health and championing a national vision that upholds the principles laid out in the Canada Health Act, including universality and accessibility. That is what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government was elected with a promise to build a new nation-to-nation relationship, so why is it still discriminating against first nations children?The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found the government guilty of discrimination, but it is still failing to comply with the tribunal's order.My question is simple: how can the Prime Minister, the Minister of Youth, justify systematic discrimination against indigenous children in 2016?
Mr. Speaker, we fully understand the complexity of peace operations, but we cannot be an island of stability in an ocean of turmoil. Canada needs to do its part. This is why I took retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire with me on my five-country trip to Africa, to learn about the complexities.We are taking a whole-of-government approach to this. We are going to make a thorough effort before we put all the facts together and before we have a thorough debate on this.
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not seem to understand that 110,000 energy workers have lost their jobs.B.C. is home to a developing LNG sector, where tens of thousands of jobs are riding on the investment decisions of LNG companies.When Liberals in Ottawa threaten to increase carbon taxes on B.C. employers, they threaten billions of dollars of investment in the economy, money that would pay for hospitals and schools and would provide thousands of family-supporting jobs. Why are the Liberals so intent on threatening British Columbia families with their made-in-Ottawa, job-killing carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to strengthening Canada's export controls, something the former government failed to do. We will provide more rigour and transparency. We are acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty. Currently we are consulting with NGOs and industry and look forward to input from our parliamentary colleagues at committee and in the House as we bring the legislation forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals recently stated that their government plans to use TV ads to promote their electoral reform campaign. Given the Liberal Party's history with the sponsorship of ad campaigns, there are a lot of questions and Canadians deserve the answers.Liberals have alluded to the fact that they will be working with third parties to create these ads. Who are these third parties? Are they taxpayer funded and what are their connections to the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, September 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, that minister clearly has not been talking to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians in the energy sector whose jobs have been lost. She is not listening to the provinces that do not want a carbon tax. A carbon tax will kill jobs, and it is an imposition of Ottawa on the provinces. Why are the Liberals ignoring not only what the premiers are saying but what rural and remote Canadians are saying? They do not want a carbon tax. It is going to kill jobs. The Liberals need to listen to people outside of the city of Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, we are ready to take action on climate change. I spent the summer talking with my counterparts all across the country.However, let us be clear, the Harper targets were fake targets. When one puts out targets and does not have a plan to meet them and emissions go upand we have been very transparent about how the emissions have gone upit is hard to meet them. What Canadians expect is real action, and we are going to deliver real action with the provinces and territories, with indigenous leaders, with business, with youth, with all Canadians, because that is what we are committed to doing.
Mr. Speaker, in 2014, the Prime Minister had this to say about the deployment of troops to fight ISIS: Canadians expect the highest standard of openness and honesty from a leader who wants to send our forces to war. He asked the government to allow the House of Commons to debate and vote on the issue, and that is what the previous government did. Will the Prime Minister walk the talk and allow debate and a vote in the House?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite might not understand that B.C. has a carbon tax, and it is revenue neutral, so B.C. actually returns the revenues to its citizens.The energy companies are actually with us. Let me quote from Suncor CEO Steve Williams: We think climate change is happening. We think a broad-based carbon price is the right answer. CEO of Dutch Shell, Total, and four other major energy companies: We firmly believe that carbon pricing will discourage high carbon options.... We now need governments around the world to provide us with this framework....
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to working with the provinces and territories to meet our international obligations. We are working very hard to understand the challenges and opportunities in different provinces and territories, and we are going to come forward with a plan.Let us be clear about the Harper target. The Harper government had absolutely no plan to reach the target. It did not care. It had a target out there, with no actions. That is not what we are going to do. We are going to come with concrete actions that are going to tackle our emissions and grow our economy in a thoughtful way.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence had to go to Africa to find out that peacekeeping no longer exists. The losses suffered by the peacekeepers should be a clear indication that we are talking about an extremely dangerous mission. General Roméo Dallaire has said that the risk of casualties is far greater than before. Our soldiers will be standing targets.Will the government be open and hold a debate and a vote on this matter here in Parliament instead of at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, when she says it is going according to plan, what she is actually saying is it is going according to the Conservative plan. As the Prime Minister talks to our allies today about the role of our country on the world stage, we are again reminded that actions speak louder than words. Despite the words about peace, just last month in Geneva the government actually voted against nuclear disarmament. Real leadership means acting in the interests of peace, not just talking about it.Will the Liberal government reverse this shameful position and vote in favour of nuclear disarmament at the UN General Assembly next week?
Mr. Speaker, our priority is to be here to fight for hard-working Canadians, but they are clearly not a priority for the Prime Minister. Thousands of Canadians were laid off this summer, household debt is at an all-time high, and Canadians do not believe that the Prime Minister can manage the economy. Canadians are worried about their future and jobs are not being created, so what is his answer?
Mr. Speaker, in the last fiscal year, this government turned a large operating surplus into a deficit. The current government is spending non-stop.The government does not have a plan for returning to a balanced budget. The Minister of Finance is talking about a plan for the future that involves making our grandchildren pay off his debt. That is his plan for the future.When will the government present its plan for returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, maybe that minister is listening to CEOs, but she needs to start listening to premiers of provinces like Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and the territories, who have been clear. They do not want a carbon tax, because they know that Canadians, particularly rural and northern Canadians, cannot afford it.Why is the government ignoring the provinces and imposing a carbon tax that will hurt the economy, hurt Canadians, and do nothing for jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the decision to send Canadian men and women in our armed forces into harm's way is one of the most serious decisions that parliamentarians will ever undertake. That is why the Conservative government always believed in taking it to debate in the House of Commons.Given that the Minister of National Defence formerly served for our country, and it seems like he will not allow this to come to a vote, can he explain both to our men and women in uniform and to Canadians why the Liberals will not put this to a vote in the House of Commons?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together.Since I was elected, I have spent time criss-crossing the country, meeting with all provinces, all territories, meeting with labour leaders, meeting with indigenous leaders, meeting with Canadians, and meeting with business.Canadians expect us to act on climate change, because we are the first generation to feel the impact, and we are the only generation that can actually change things.We are going to move forward with our plan, because we understand that it is the right thing to do to tackle climate change and grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, it is really important that we improve our electoral system. This is an historic opportunity, not just for our party, but also for the House of Commons in general. I want to encourage the Conservative Party to participate, along with the other parties and the Liberal Party, in consultations that will be held across Canada with a view to improving our system.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians rejected this type of pessimism in the last federal election. They voted for a party that promised to re-engage Canada in the world and a government that would be committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world. Over the last 10 months, under the leadership of our Prime Minister and our government, we have had the support of the United Nations on climate change, gender equality, in welcoming Syrian refugees, fighting disease, and investing in peace support operations as well. This will be a whole-of-government effort.
Mr. Speaker, Parliament needs to know what type of high-risk mission the government is committing Canadians to.The Liberals are getting ready to send our soldiers to danger zones and claiming that it is a peacekeeping mission. Our soldiers will be standing targets of armed factions whose sole objective is to kill foreign nationals on their land, as Roméo Dallaire has said.In light of that fact, will the government hold a debate and a vote on this matter in Parliament or not?
Mr. Speaker, conflicts in Africa are extremely complex. We need to ensure there is an appropriate mandate in place and ensure that contributing nations also fulfill those mandates. A lot of work needs to be done. We need to make sure that all the efforts from the international organizations, the United Nations, and all the other agencies there are also contributing well. When we have all the information, we will present it to Canadians and to the House for debate.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have now confirmed that they are planning to impose a made-in-Ottawa carbon tax on all Canadians, no matter where they live and no matter if their province already has a carbon tax.British Columbia already has a carbon tax, but the Liberals in Ottawa are indicating that it might not be high enough to kill jobs, and it might not take enough money out of the pockets of hard-working British Columbians.Why are the Liberals in Ottawa threatening to force the government of B.C. to raise taxes on British Columbians?
Mr. Speaker, the government is intent on imposing job-killing carbon taxes on the provinces. Its message is, Either you do this, or we will force you to. So much for sunny ways.Carbon taxes raise the price of everything, from filling up the gas tank to buying groceries to heating homes, and they kill jobs. Why is the current government so intent on raising the price of everything and killing jobs through its carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, in Quebec, we believe that gender equality is fundamental and non-negotiable. This government clearly does not agree.Does the Minister of Status of Women think it is acceptable for her Prime Minister to speak in a gender-segregated mosque? Is that what Liberal Canada looks like?
Mr. Speaker, have Canadians heard correctly that it is Canada that is now backtracking on its international climate promises? The Liberals criticized the Harper government on its climate targets as totally inadequate, and they were right. In their platform, the Liberals promised to establish national emissions-reduction targets. Then, in Paris, they committed to doing better than the previous government.Why is the government now breaking its promise to the world and to future generations of Canadians? Why is it backtracking?
Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister recently visited a mosque.Members of the Bloc Québécois want to know whether this government would have found it more or less acceptable if, rather than women, homosexuals, Indigenous people or Blacks had been the ones relegated to the balcony. If that were the case, would the Prime Minister still have agreed to speak?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are threatening the provinces and Canadians with new climate taxes. The Liberals have been clear: they do not get things their way, they are just going to slap on more taxes, including fuel taxes. Higher fuel taxes punish rural Canadians and agriculture more than anyone else. This is the start of Canadians paying more for everything. Why are the Liberals so viciously targeting rural people and agriculture with their new climate taxation fixation?
Mr. Speaker, it is pretty clear the Liberals already have an outcome in mind and it is one that will only benefit Liberal politicians. First the Liberals charged entry into their town halls, then the justice minister turned away over 30 people from her meeting, and now the Liberals are making shady deals with third parties to make sunny ways electoral ads, despite the claims we are hearing today.It has become abundantly clear this is not about Canadians; it is about Liberal politicians and their friends. Why are the Liberals rewarding their friends with advertising dollars instead of giving Canadians a say in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's middle class is struggling and that investments are needed immediately. We began by implementing programs that will help the middle class right now, such as the middle-class tax cut and the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families.It is important for our future that we make investments and stimulate growth, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadians suffer from arthritis, a disease that affects seniors in particular.With that in mind, what measures are this government and the Minister of Health taking to help arthritis sufferers and prevent new cases?
Mr. Speaker, the current government has ignored two compliance orders by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to end systemic racist discrimination against indigenous children. That Minister of Health was asked to end the systemic denials of emergency orthodontic surgery that run at denial rates of 99%. Instead, she has decided to spend more money fighting these families in court than the surgeries would cost. We are talking about a moral and legal obligation to children. Can the minister explain why she would rather spend the money on lawyers than on responding to the emergency needs of indigenous children who are being denied their rights?
Mr. Speaker, a number of reports have revealed massive problems with Canada's arms exports program. We already know that Canadian weapons exported to Saudi Arabia have been used in Yemen.Now we learn that weapons manufactured by Streit Group have been sold to countries like Libya and Sudan, despite Canadian sanctions. The Liberals have already rejected our proposal to create a parliamentary committee to study arms exports. Will the Liberals reconsider their position and give parliamentarians the right to look
Mr. Speaker, travellers who use the Pierre Elliott Trudeau international airport are furious. The waiting time to clear Canadian customs is simply unacceptable. Since April 1, passengers in Montreal have been three times more likely than passengers in Toronto to wait more than one hour while staring at empty booths. This is a simple question: will the minister fix the problem quickly or call for another study in order to buy some time?
Mr. Speaker, common-sense Canadians know that when we borrow money, we have to pay it back. The Liberals have borrowed a lot of money, and guess who is paying it back? Canadians. They have raised taxes on families and on small business, and now they are forcing through a carbon tax hike and a CPP tax hike that will cost many Canadian families thousands of dollars a year. At the end of the day, how much more money are they going to take from hard-working Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, on this step-by-step approach, let us suggest that one of those steps should be actually voting for nuclear disarmament. I was in Paris with the Prime Minister when he promised to take action on the crucial climate change file. This is the most important commitment for future generations. Apparently, instead of keeping its promise, the Liberal government is going to ratify the Paris agreement with the same targets and deadlines set by Stephen Harper.Does the minister believe that this is what constitutes change, the Conservative plan handed to us by the Liberals with a smile?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is committed to reviewing child and family services on reserves and partnering with first nations to reform those services. We are working with first nations communities, key organizations, front-line service providers and other stakeholders to create better systems that will reduce the number of children placed and ensure a truly child-centred approach.
Mr. Speaker, I am no stranger to conflict. One of the reasons I wanted to actually get on the ground was that I like to get into the countries and find out for myself. That was one of the reasons I took retired General Roméo Dallaire and Madam Justice Louise Arbour with me, to get a full perspective and to get the interpretation from their own minds while we were actually talking to the leadership of those countries, talking to the international organizations. However, a lot of work needs to be done. We have a whole-of-government effort we want to bring to the table, plus we want to bring the whole of government from other countries, ensuring that we make a meaningful contribution to the world.
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult and important decision that any government can make is to deploy our Canadian Forces in a war zone. Canadians must be able to trust that these decisions are made in our national interest, not the political interest of the Liberal Party. Sending our troops on a dangerous African mission appears to be about a purely political goalgetting a UN Security Council seat. However, our troops are not pawns on a political chessboard. Why has the Prime Minister decided that this is the best way to win over his friends at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, the minister has just confirmed that they are in fact continuing with the cuts imposed by Stephen Harper. Those reductions are going to hurt health services in all of those provinces and territories she just referred to.Canadians were promised a change from the Conservative government's approach on health care, but now the Liberals are admitting that they are going to continue with those cuts. Could the minister explain to us how following the Conservative cuts in health care somehow constitutes real change in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I will start by thanking the member for Scarborough Centre for her hard work on behalf of all seniors.This government believes that all Canadians need and deserve housing that is safe, affordable, and secure. To give Canadians greater access to affordable housing, last year's budget invested a record $2.3 billion in assisting affordable housing, particularly the needs of seniors. This funding is expected to benefit more than 5,000 seniors across Canada.I will also take this opportunity to welcome our new cohort of pages and say that we look forward to working with them over the next few months.
Mr. Speaker, another area that is very important for our country's economy is the softwood lumber industry. In fact, 400,000 jobs depend on it.In 2006, we rectified a situation. People waited 10 years for the former Liberal government to find a solution to the problem, and we are the ones who solved it. Since then, Canadian businesses have been able to export their products to the United States with relative ease.The government made big promises, including a good relationship with the United States. Meanwhile, the Minister of International Trade has said that Canada will turn to the courts. What a great idea. Let us take our American partners to court rather than coming to an agreement with them.Why are the Liberals unable to settle this matter with the Americans through negotiations?
Mr. Speaker, I have spent the last eight months criss-crossing the country speaking with labour, speaking with business leaders, speaking with indigenous Canadians, speaking with everyone who would like to actually move forward on climate change. We have had discussions. I met with my territorial counterparts. They are concerned about the impact of carbon pricing, and we are having a good discussion with them. The bottom line is that right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where, through the leadership of the province, because there was inaction by the Conservative government, there is a price on carbon. We are going to move forward in a thoughtful way, working with provinces and territories
Mr. Speaker, this issue is a priority for us and the opposition knows that.We are in the midst of serious negotiations on this issue. There is unprecedented co-operation with producers, industry workers, and the provinces and territories. Last week, the minister met with the U.S. trade representative, Mike Froman, in Washington.We do not want to reach just any old deal. We want a good deal for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations, to a very large extent, have been examined by two very important commissions, Iacobucci and O'Connor. Those commissions made important recommendations. Some of those recommendations have been implemented. One key one was not implemented by the previous government, and that was the need for a parliamentary mechanism to provide review and scrutiny of all of the security and police agencies and all of their activities in Canada. We have introduced legislation to do exactly that in Bill C-22, and we look forward to that legislation being passed expeditiously.
Mr. Speaker, we can be proud of our men and women who have served all over the world in previous missions, and even now. However, a lot of work needs to be done for peace operations. We are going to be going in with eyes wide open, making sure that we have all the necessary information to allow the military to do its work, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development. We will make sure that we have all the right information. We need to be able to get a full analysis. Once we have better information, we will be presenting this to Canadians, as we have done, moving forward. A lot of work needs to be done, and I look forward to the healthy debate once we have all the necessary information.
Mr. Speaker, a leopard cannot change its spots.The Liberals promised real change for health care, but today they are resorting to their favourite strategy from the past, a good fight with Quebec. Instead of attacking Quebec on a file the province has already taken care of, will the government deal with the underlying problem of the $36 billion in cuts made by Stephen Harper?
Mr. Speaker, I have not thought of a good rhyme yet, but I will try. We are committed to taking action on climate change. We recognize that it is the thing we need to do. Take the example of B.C. It has a carbon tax. It is revenue neutral; it gives money back to the consumers. But what does it do? It is a market mechanism that reduces what we do not want. We do not want carbon pollution; we want less, so we innovate, businesses innovate, and we position ourselves for a cleaner future, because we want to create good jobs and we want to grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Don Valley West, and indeed his fellow colleagues from the GTA, for raising this important issue.Certainly, mitigating noise is something that we try to do within the parameters of maintaining aviation safety. Recently my staff met with some of the community groups that have raised the issue of noise. I have passed that on to the CEO of Nav Canada.I am glad to say that the CEO of Nav Canada has hired a third party, which is looking into the matter. I will report when the results are obtained.
Mr. Speaker, I certainly acknowledge that the waiting times are unacceptable.We know that tourism and the arrival of passengers from foreign countries are extremely important for Montreal and we are pleased to see the increased traffic. However, we must absolutely reduce these waiting times. It is important to go through security, but the waiting times need to be reduced.That is why I am working with my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, to find a solution to this problem.
Mr. Speaker, there are no plans for television advertising. Certainly, what we do want to do is to engage Canadians on a pan-Canadian basis. I am very proud that more than 140 members of Parliament on this side of the House have either had, or will have in a very short while, town halls. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have had three. I am having that many on Sunday.If we are going to purport to listen to Canadians, let us actually engage them.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Arthritis is a disease that affects too many Canadians. Those who have it face a variety of difficult symptoms. We are continuing to invest $46 million in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to learn more about chronic inflamation and develop better prevention and treatment options.
What about the vote, Mr. Speaker? This summer, the Minister of National Defence admitted peacekeeping no longer exists, yet in the Speech from the Throne, the Liberals promised to renew Canadas commitment to United Nations peacekeeping. However, distinguished General Roméo Dallaire has said that there will be more Canadian casualties on the sub-Saharan mission.Will the Prime Minister admit that he misled Canadians by promising to do peacekeeping when he knew that our troops would be placed in harm's way on the UN mission in Africa?
Mr. Speaker, a fundamental component of feminism is supporting women's right to choose. When we respect communities, and the faith of communities, and we meet them in a place where they have determined the rules of engagement, that is exactly what we believe in when we support feminism in our country.
Mr. Speaker, the challenges facing middle-class Canadians are real. That is in fact why they elected us. They realized that making investments for the future is the answer, not austerity. What we have said to Canadians is that we are going to take what is the best balance sheet among the G7 countries and are going to make investments in their future. We are going to make sure that we find a way to have the next generation of Canadians better off than the last one. That is the commitment we make to Canadians today.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative critic for democratic reform has himself said that first past the post is not the best system. The minister has gone to SaanichGulf Islands, has gone to SkeenaBulkley Valley, has worked with members from all of the different parties.I would say to the Conservatives that it is the time to put forward ideas, to work with us, to improve our democracy, to make sure that every vote is counted, and to participate in this process.
Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we would like to thank the former chief statistician, Wayne Smith, on his long, 35 years of service to Canada and to Statistics Canada.We promised Canadians in the last election that we would reinstate the long-form census, and by golly, they responded in great numbers, historic numbers. That is a great testament to Mr. Smith's work.Our government remains committed to reinforcing the independence of Stats Canada. We are working on that. We are making sure that it is an important part of the minister's mandate letter. We are going to continue with that work.
Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents in the riding of Don Valley West, particularly in the neighbourhood of Leaside, have raised strong concerns about the number and timing of airplanes flying over their homes and the noise they generate. Could the Minister of Transport please update the House on what he is doing about these concerns?
Mr. Speaker, access to affordable housing is a problem for many Canadians.In Scarborough Centre, one in three people are spending 30% or more of their income on housing compared to the national average of one in five. The lack of affordable housing is especially challenging for seniors trying to make ends meet on fixed incomes.Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell us what the government is doing to encourage the building of more affordable housing, especially for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about the challenges facing middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we decided to lower taxes on nine million middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we introduced the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of ten families with children to have more money to raise their children. We know that those things are going to make Canadian families better off today, and we are making investments for tomorrow so we can have a more productive and efficient economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world, and we welcome a healthy debate both in the House and with Canadians. During my consultations with the defence policy review, we heard from Canadians, and peace operations was at the top there. Members should keep in mind that peace operations are just one small part. We have to look at conflict mediation, conflict prevention, and construction as well. I have to state over and over again that this will be a whole-of-government effort, not just strictly peace operations.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite is well aware, we do have a non-insured health benefits program that is available to first nations and Inuit families. These features of care are provided on the basis of medically necessary needs, including, of course, orthodontic care. I am pleased that the member continues to work with us to seek ways that the program can be improved, as all good programs can be. We will find ways to make sure that the care is there for the people who need it.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been transparent right from the beginning. In my mandate letter, it is clearly stated we will be involved with peace operations. When I went on my fact-finding mission, I tried to make all my observations known. As we get more information, I look forward to having a healthy debate.
Mr. Speaker, the most effective way to reach a nuclear-free world is with a pragmatic step-by-step approach. We need to have a strategy of engagement. We will be at the table in Geneva and again in Japan with our G7 allies, working together for the elimination of nuclear weapons. We will continue to be present with our allies.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the great pleasure of working collaboratively with my colleagues in the provinces and territories since the time I became minister of health. I have enjoyed many good conversations with my colleagues across the country. We have talked about our shared priorities and where we want to invest in health. There will be no cuts to health. We will continue to increase the Canada health transfer, as previously discussed, and we will discuss other areas where there can be investments made that are important to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to gender equality in all areas of Canadian life, but we are also committed to respecting the diversity of Canadian communities. We will visit with people in ways that are appropriate for their communities, whether it is a military community, a religious community, or an indigenous community.I am very proud of our government, which understands that in order to develop a relationship we must be respectful of the community we are in.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was pleased to introduce a new process for the appointment of Supreme Court justices to make it open and transparent.I was very pleased to be able to appoint a panel to review applications. I look forward to receiving those applications, two of which will be from Atlantic Canada. No decision has been made, but we are confident that we will appoint a diverse, functionally bilingual, high-calibre jurist to the Supreme Court of Canada. I look forward to participating in that.
Mr. Speaker, I will continue talking with the provinces and territories, with business leaders, with indigenous leaders, and with labour, including labour groups in Alberta, because we know we need to tackle climate change, and we need to grow our economy. I am very surprised by the member opposite, who I thought would believe in free market economics and would understand that carbon pricing is a market mechanism that is the best way to reduce carbon pollution and innovate, but perhaps he does not believe in climate change, and that might be the problem.
Mr. Speaker, the election system is one of the aspects, perhaps the most important aspect, of a democracy. There is no playing games with that. The debate must be serious and balanced, and it must be fair for everyone. That is why we support a referendum at the end of the year.Meanwhile, to ensure that the debate will be fair and balanced, can the government assure us that its cronies from the sponsorship scandal, those who lined their pockets, will not be returning with the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians, and the world, are proud of the great work that all our men and women in uniform have done on operations with the United Nations and NATO and on all of the missions that have been done all over the world. We can be very proud of the work we will do. However, we cannot put the cart before the horse. We are doing our due diligence to get all the necessary information and when we do, we will make sure that we present it to Canadians and to the House.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about why our approach to health care does constitute real change. We are investing. The Canada health transfer this year is the largest ever, to the tune of $36.1 billion. It will go up accordingly next year, according to plan.However, what Canadians want are investments in innovation. Canadians know that while our health care system is something we are proud of, it could be better. We are going to talk with our colleagues in the provinces and territories about where those investments should be made and what Canadians can expect.
Mr. Speaker, the imminent retirement of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell will leave a vacancy for Atlantic Canada.The Minister of Justice has said that the next Supreme Court justice may not be from Atlantic Canada. This is very surprising, because it is a constitutional convention that Atlantic Canada is represented on the Supreme Court. It is also the fair thing to do.I would like to know what the Liberal problem is with doing right for Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we are working with all provinces and territories to reduce emissions and also grow our economy. All of the premiers stepped up with the Prime Minister in the Vancouver declaration and said that they were committed to meeting our international obligations, so that is what we are doing. We are going to continue working with the provinces and territories so that we have a credible plan, so we reduce our emissions, so we grow our economy, and we make a better world for our kids.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the environment and the economy go together. Right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon: B.C. and Alberta have a carbon tax; Ontario and Quebec have a cap and trade system. We understand that carbon pricing is the most efficient way to reduce emissions and to foster innovation. I am very proud that 25 Canadian companies have joined on to our carbon pricing leadership coalition calling for a price on carbon, because they know it is the way forward to innovate and to grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon. I am very proud of the leadership of the Alberta government that brought in a price on carbon, because it recognizes that it is the best way to reduce pollution and also to foster innovation. That is why we have energy companies that are saying, Please, put a price on carbon, because we will innovate, we will create good jobs, and we will position ourselves for the future.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are declaring all out war on the provinces that do not want to go along with their carbon tax scheme. They are not even willing to do their own work. Yesterday we saw paid PMO officials attacking Brad Wall, the most popular premier in Canada. Is this the best the Liberals can do on climate change, using unelected staff to attack a premier for defending his province's interests?
Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned of allegations that implicate both CSIS and the RCMP in the report of three Canadians being tortured in Syria between 2001 and 2004. Seemingly even the Canadian ambassador was involved. These are very serious allegations against two of our security agencies and the reputation of our country.How does the government explain these troubling allegations, and is it going to investigate?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the only people the minister is consulting in Alberta are NDP politicians, who did not even mention a carbon tax in their election campaign. We are going through the toughest recession we have had in decades, and the worst possible thing is to hike prices and impose new taxes on everything. Brad Wall understands that. He is opposed to the current government's top-down, do-it-or-else approach to federalism. Will the current government stop killing jobs and making a bad situation worse in Alberta? Will the Liberals stop their carbon tax plan?
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker: nobody wants ancillary fees for health care services.Today we learned that the Minister of Health's plan for abolishing ancillary fees involves taking sick people in Quebec hostage by cutting transfer payments by an additional $160 million.The minister can say she is protecting the health care system all she wants, but she is actually victimizing sick people in Quebec. Enough is enough. Will the minister immediately and unconditionally restore the health transfers that she is planning to cut in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has a romantic notion about peacekeeping that simply does not match up to reality. This is 2016, not 1956. Increasingly, there is no peace to keep. The conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa are dangerous. Even Roméo Dallaire agrees that a mission there will be deadly.Does the Prime Minister understand this is not a peacekeeping mission but rather a dangerous deployment that will risk Canadian lives, and does he think it is worth it?
Mr. Speaker, when our troops are deployed on dangerous missions Canadians deserve to know the details. The Prime Minister missed another opportunity to be open and transparent with Canadians. Rather than tabling his African mission in the House, the Prime Minister went to the UN instead. The Prime Minister is playing political games in hopes of getting a seat on the UN Security Council and is shamefully using our troops as pawns.Will the Prime Minister start respecting Parliament and bring this dangerous UN mission to the House for a full debate and a vote, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Wayne Smith, Canada's chief statistician, resigned Friday and blasted the Liberal government for failing to protect the independence of Stats Canada.The Liberals promised to restore Stats Canada's independence, but Mr. Smith said: ...that independence has never been more compromised. I ask the minister to resist the urge to simply blame the Harper Conservatives because Mr. Smith was referring to the Liberal government. How does the Liberal government defend this breach of independence and this clearly broken promise?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system so that Canadians can access the care they need regardless of their ability or desire to pay.The government has renewed its commitment by restoring federal leadership on health and championing a national vision that upholds the principles laid out in the Canada Health Act, including universality and accessibility. That is what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government was elected with a promise to build a new nation-to-nation relationship, so why is it still discriminating against first nations children?The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found the government guilty of discrimination, but it is still failing to comply with the tribunal's order.My question is simple: how can the Prime Minister, the Minister of Youth, justify systematic discrimination against indigenous children in 2016?
Mr. Speaker, we fully understand the complexity of peace operations, but we cannot be an island of stability in an ocean of turmoil. Canada needs to do its part. This is why I took retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire with me on my five-country trip to Africa, to learn about the complexities.We are taking a whole-of-government approach to this. We are going to make a thorough effort before we put all the facts together and before we have a thorough debate on this.
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not seem to understand that 110,000 energy workers have lost their jobs.B.C. is home to a developing LNG sector, where tens of thousands of jobs are riding on the investment decisions of LNG companies.When Liberals in Ottawa threaten to increase carbon taxes on B.C. employers, they threaten billions of dollars of investment in the economy, money that would pay for hospitals and schools and would provide thousands of family-supporting jobs. Why are the Liberals so intent on threatening British Columbia families with their made-in-Ottawa, job-killing carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to strengthening Canada's export controls, something the former government failed to do. We will provide more rigour and transparency. We are acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty. Currently we are consulting with NGOs and industry and look forward to input from our parliamentary colleagues at committee and in the House as we bring the legislation forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals recently stated that their government plans to use TV ads to promote their electoral reform campaign. Given the Liberal Party's history with the sponsorship of ad campaigns, there are a lot of questions and Canadians deserve the answers.Liberals have alluded to the fact that they will be working with third parties to create these ads. Who are these third parties? Are they taxpayer funded and what are their connections to the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, September 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, that minister clearly has not been talking to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians in the energy sector whose jobs have been lost. She is not listening to the provinces that do not want a carbon tax. A carbon tax will kill jobs, and it is an imposition of Ottawa on the provinces. Why are the Liberals ignoring not only what the premiers are saying but what rural and remote Canadians are saying? They do not want a carbon tax. It is going to kill jobs. The Liberals need to listen to people outside of the city of Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, we are ready to take action on climate change. I spent the summer talking with my counterparts all across the country.However, let us be clear, the Harper targets were fake targets. When one puts out targets and does not have a plan to meet them and emissions go upand we have been very transparent about how the emissions have gone upit is hard to meet them. What Canadians expect is real action, and we are going to deliver real action with the provinces and territories, with indigenous leaders, with business, with youth, with all Canadians, because that is what we are committed to doing.
Mr. Speaker, in 2014, the Prime Minister had this to say about the deployment of troops to fight ISIS: Canadians expect the highest standard of openness and honesty from a leader who wants to send our forces to war. He asked the government to allow the House of Commons to debate and vote on the issue, and that is what the previous government did. Will the Prime Minister walk the talk and allow debate and a vote in the House?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite might not understand that B.C. has a carbon tax, and it is revenue neutral, so B.C. actually returns the revenues to its citizens.The energy companies are actually with us. Let me quote from Suncor CEO Steve Williams: We think climate change is happening. We think a broad-based carbon price is the right answer. CEO of Dutch Shell, Total, and four other major energy companies: We firmly believe that carbon pricing will discourage high carbon options.... We now need governments around the world to provide us with this framework....
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to working with the provinces and territories to meet our international obligations. We are working very hard to understand the challenges and opportunities in different provinces and territories, and we are going to come forward with a plan.Let us be clear about the Harper target. The Harper government had absolutely no plan to reach the target. It did not care. It had a target out there, with no actions. That is not what we are going to do. We are going to come with concrete actions that are going to tackle our emissions and grow our economy in a thoughtful way.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence had to go to Africa to find out that peacekeeping no longer exists. The losses suffered by the peacekeepers should be a clear indication that we are talking about an extremely dangerous mission. General Roméo Dallaire has said that the risk of casualties is far greater than before. Our soldiers will be standing targets.Will the government be open and hold a debate and a vote on this matter here in Parliament instead of at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, when she says it is going according to plan, what she is actually saying is it is going according to the Conservative plan. As the Prime Minister talks to our allies today about the role of our country on the world stage, we are again reminded that actions speak louder than words. Despite the words about peace, just last month in Geneva the government actually voted against nuclear disarmament. Real leadership means acting in the interests of peace, not just talking about it.Will the Liberal government reverse this shameful position and vote in favour of nuclear disarmament at the UN General Assembly next week?
Mr. Speaker, our priority is to be here to fight for hard-working Canadians, but they are clearly not a priority for the Prime Minister. Thousands of Canadians were laid off this summer, household debt is at an all-time high, and Canadians do not believe that the Prime Minister can manage the economy. Canadians are worried about their future and jobs are not being created, so what is his answer?
Mr. Speaker, in the last fiscal year, this government turned a large operating surplus into a deficit. The current government is spending non-stop.The government does not have a plan for returning to a balanced budget. The Minister of Finance is talking about a plan for the future that involves making our grandchildren pay off his debt. That is his plan for the future.When will the government present its plan for returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, maybe that minister is listening to CEOs, but she needs to start listening to premiers of provinces like Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and the territories, who have been clear. They do not want a carbon tax, because they know that Canadians, particularly rural and northern Canadians, cannot afford it.Why is the government ignoring the provinces and imposing a carbon tax that will hurt the economy, hurt Canadians, and do nothing for jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the decision to send Canadian men and women in our armed forces into harm's way is one of the most serious decisions that parliamentarians will ever undertake. That is why the Conservative government always believed in taking it to debate in the House of Commons.Given that the Minister of National Defence formerly served for our country, and it seems like he will not allow this to come to a vote, can he explain both to our men and women in uniform and to Canadians why the Liberals will not put this to a vote in the House of Commons?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together.Since I was elected, I have spent time criss-crossing the country, meeting with all provinces, all territories, meeting with labour leaders, meeting with indigenous leaders, meeting with Canadians, and meeting with business.Canadians expect us to act on climate change, because we are the first generation to feel the impact, and we are the only generation that can actually change things.We are going to move forward with our plan, because we understand that it is the right thing to do to tackle climate change and grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, it is really important that we improve our electoral system. This is an historic opportunity, not just for our party, but also for the House of Commons in general. I want to encourage the Conservative Party to participate, along with the other parties and the Liberal Party, in consultations that will be held across Canada with a view to improving our system.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians rejected this type of pessimism in the last federal election. They voted for a party that promised to re-engage Canada in the world and a government that would be committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world. Over the last 10 months, under the leadership of our Prime Minister and our government, we have had the support of the United Nations on climate change, gender equality, in welcoming Syrian refugees, fighting disease, and investing in peace support operations as well. This will be a whole-of-government effort.
Mr. Speaker, Parliament needs to know what type of high-risk mission the government is committing Canadians to.The Liberals are getting ready to send our soldiers to danger zones and claiming that it is a peacekeeping mission. Our soldiers will be standing targets of armed factions whose sole objective is to kill foreign nationals on their land, as Roméo Dallaire has said.In light of that fact, will the government hold a debate and a vote on this matter in Parliament or not?
Mr. Speaker, conflicts in Africa are extremely complex. We need to ensure there is an appropriate mandate in place and ensure that contributing nations also fulfill those mandates. A lot of work needs to be done. We need to make sure that all the efforts from the international organizations, the United Nations, and all the other agencies there are also contributing well. When we have all the information, we will present it to Canadians and to the House for debate.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have now confirmed that they are planning to impose a made-in-Ottawa carbon tax on all Canadians, no matter where they live and no matter if their province already has a carbon tax.British Columbia already has a carbon tax, but the Liberals in Ottawa are indicating that it might not be high enough to kill jobs, and it might not take enough money out of the pockets of hard-working British Columbians.Why are the Liberals in Ottawa threatening to force the government of B.C. to raise taxes on British Columbians?
Mr. Speaker, the government is intent on imposing job-killing carbon taxes on the provinces. Its message is, Either you do this, or we will force you to. So much for sunny ways.Carbon taxes raise the price of everything, from filling up the gas tank to buying groceries to heating homes, and they kill jobs. Why is the current government so intent on raising the price of everything and killing jobs through its carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, in Quebec, we believe that gender equality is fundamental and non-negotiable. This government clearly does not agree.Does the Minister of Status of Women think it is acceptable for her Prime Minister to speak in a gender-segregated mosque? Is that what Liberal Canada looks like?
Mr. Speaker, have Canadians heard correctly that it is Canada that is now backtracking on its international climate promises? The Liberals criticized the Harper government on its climate targets as totally inadequate, and they were right. In their platform, the Liberals promised to establish national emissions-reduction targets. Then, in Paris, they committed to doing better than the previous government.Why is the government now breaking its promise to the world and to future generations of Canadians? Why is it backtracking?
Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister recently visited a mosque.Members of the Bloc Québécois want to know whether this government would have found it more or less acceptable if, rather than women, homosexuals, Indigenous people or Blacks had been the ones relegated to the balcony. If that were the case, would the Prime Minister still have agreed to speak?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are threatening the provinces and Canadians with new climate taxes. The Liberals have been clear: they do not get things their way, they are just going to slap on more taxes, including fuel taxes. Higher fuel taxes punish rural Canadians and agriculture more than anyone else. This is the start of Canadians paying more for everything. Why are the Liberals so viciously targeting rural people and agriculture with their new climate taxation fixation?
Mr. Speaker, it is pretty clear the Liberals already have an outcome in mind and it is one that will only benefit Liberal politicians. First the Liberals charged entry into their town halls, then the justice minister turned away over 30 people from her meeting, and now the Liberals are making shady deals with third parties to make sunny ways electoral ads, despite the claims we are hearing today.It has become abundantly clear this is not about Canadians; it is about Liberal politicians and their friends. Why are the Liberals rewarding their friends with advertising dollars instead of giving Canadians a say in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's middle class is struggling and that investments are needed immediately. We began by implementing programs that will help the middle class right now, such as the middle-class tax cut and the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families.It is important for our future that we make investments and stimulate growth, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadians suffer from arthritis, a disease that affects seniors in particular.With that in mind, what measures are this government and the Minister of Health taking to help arthritis sufferers and prevent new cases?
Mr. Speaker, the current government has ignored two compliance orders by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to end systemic racist discrimination against indigenous children. That Minister of Health was asked to end the systemic denials of emergency orthodontic surgery that run at denial rates of 99%. Instead, she has decided to spend more money fighting these families in court than the surgeries would cost. We are talking about a moral and legal obligation to children. Can the minister explain why she would rather spend the money on lawyers than on responding to the emergency needs of indigenous children who are being denied their rights?
Mr. Speaker, a number of reports have revealed massive problems with Canada's arms exports program. We already know that Canadian weapons exported to Saudi Arabia have been used in Yemen.Now we learn that weapons manufactured by Streit Group have been sold to countries like Libya and Sudan, despite Canadian sanctions. The Liberals have already rejected our proposal to create a parliamentary committee to study arms exports. Will the Liberals reconsider their position and give parliamentarians the right to look
Mr. Speaker, travellers who use the Pierre Elliott Trudeau international airport are furious. The waiting time to clear Canadian customs is simply unacceptable. Since April 1, passengers in Montreal have been three times more likely than passengers in Toronto to wait more than one hour while staring at empty booths. This is a simple question: will the minister fix the problem quickly or call for another study in order to buy some time?
Mr. Speaker, common-sense Canadians know that when we borrow money, we have to pay it back. The Liberals have borrowed a lot of money, and guess who is paying it back? Canadians. They have raised taxes on families and on small business, and now they are forcing through a carbon tax hike and a CPP tax hike that will cost many Canadian families thousands of dollars a year. At the end of the day, how much more money are they going to take from hard-working Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, on this step-by-step approach, let us suggest that one of those steps should be actually voting for nuclear disarmament. I was in Paris with the Prime Minister when he promised to take action on the crucial climate change file. This is the most important commitment for future generations. Apparently, instead of keeping its promise, the Liberal government is going to ratify the Paris agreement with the same targets and deadlines set by Stephen Harper.Does the minister believe that this is what constitutes change, the Conservative plan handed to us by the Liberals with a smile?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is committed to reviewing child and family services on reserves and partnering with first nations to reform those services. We are working with first nations communities, key organizations, front-line service providers and other stakeholders to create better systems that will reduce the number of children placed and ensure a truly child-centred approach.
Mr. Speaker, I am no stranger to conflict. One of the reasons I wanted to actually get on the ground was that I like to get into the countries and find out for myself. That was one of the reasons I took retired General Roméo Dallaire and Madam Justice Louise Arbour with me, to get a full perspective and to get the interpretation from their own minds while we were actually talking to the leadership of those countries, talking to the international organizations. However, a lot of work needs to be done. We have a whole-of-government effort we want to bring to the table, plus we want to bring the whole of government from other countries, ensuring that we make a meaningful contribution to the world.
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult and important decision that any government can make is to deploy our Canadian Forces in a war zone. Canadians must be able to trust that these decisions are made in our national interest, not the political interest of the Liberal Party. Sending our troops on a dangerous African mission appears to be about a purely political goalgetting a UN Security Council seat. However, our troops are not pawns on a political chessboard. Why has the Prime Minister decided that this is the best way to win over his friends at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, the minister has just confirmed that they are in fact continuing with the cuts imposed by Stephen Harper. Those reductions are going to hurt health services in all of those provinces and territories she just referred to.Canadians were promised a change from the Conservative government's approach on health care, but now the Liberals are admitting that they are going to continue with those cuts. Could the minister explain to us how following the Conservative cuts in health care somehow constitutes real change in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I will start by thanking the member for Scarborough Centre for her hard work on behalf of all seniors.This government believes that all Canadians need and deserve housing that is safe, affordable, and secure. To give Canadians greater access to affordable housing, last year's budget invested a record $2.3 billion in assisting affordable housing, particularly the needs of seniors. This funding is expected to benefit more than 5,000 seniors across Canada.I will also take this opportunity to welcome our new cohort of pages and say that we look forward to working with them over the next few months.
Mr. Speaker, another area that is very important for our country's economy is the softwood lumber industry. In fact, 400,000 jobs depend on it.In 2006, we rectified a situation. People waited 10 years for the former Liberal government to find a solution to the problem, and we are the ones who solved it. Since then, Canadian businesses have been able to export their products to the United States with relative ease.The government made big promises, including a good relationship with the United States. Meanwhile, the Minister of International Trade has said that Canada will turn to the courts. What a great idea. Let us take our American partners to court rather than coming to an agreement with them.Why are the Liberals unable to settle this matter with the Americans through negotiations?
Mr. Speaker, I have spent the last eight months criss-crossing the country speaking with labour, speaking with business leaders, speaking with indigenous Canadians, speaking with everyone who would like to actually move forward on climate change. We have had discussions. I met with my territorial counterparts. They are concerned about the impact of carbon pricing, and we are having a good discussion with them. The bottom line is that right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where, through the leadership of the province, because there was inaction by the Conservative government, there is a price on carbon. We are going to move forward in a thoughtful way, working with provinces and territories
Mr. Speaker, this issue is a priority for us and the opposition knows that.We are in the midst of serious negotiations on this issue. There is unprecedented co-operation with producers, industry workers, and the provinces and territories. Last week, the minister met with the U.S. trade representative, Mike Froman, in Washington.We do not want to reach just any old deal. We want a good deal for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations, to a very large extent, have been examined by two very important commissions, Iacobucci and O'Connor. Those commissions made important recommendations. Some of those recommendations have been implemented. One key one was not implemented by the previous government, and that was the need for a parliamentary mechanism to provide review and scrutiny of all of the security and police agencies and all of their activities in Canada. We have introduced legislation to do exactly that in Bill C-22, and we look forward to that legislation being passed expeditiously.
Mr. Speaker, we can be proud of our men and women who have served all over the world in previous missions, and even now. However, a lot of work needs to be done for peace operations. We are going to be going in with eyes wide open, making sure that we have all the necessary information to allow the military to do its work, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development. We will make sure that we have all the right information. We need to be able to get a full analysis. Once we have better information, we will be presenting this to Canadians, as we have done, moving forward. A lot of work needs to be done, and I look forward to the healthy debate once we have all the necessary information.
Mr. Speaker, a leopard cannot change its spots.The Liberals promised real change for health care, but today they are resorting to their favourite strategy from the past, a good fight with Quebec. Instead of attacking Quebec on a file the province has already taken care of, will the government deal with the underlying problem of the $36 billion in cuts made by Stephen Harper?
Mr. Speaker, I have not thought of a good rhyme yet, but I will try. We are committed to taking action on climate change. We recognize that it is the thing we need to do. Take the example of B.C. It has a carbon tax. It is revenue neutral; it gives money back to the consumers. But what does it do? It is a market mechanism that reduces what we do not want. We do not want carbon pollution; we want less, so we innovate, businesses innovate, and we position ourselves for a cleaner future, because we want to create good jobs and we want to grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Don Valley West, and indeed his fellow colleagues from the GTA, for raising this important issue.Certainly, mitigating noise is something that we try to do within the parameters of maintaining aviation safety. Recently my staff met with some of the community groups that have raised the issue of noise. I have passed that on to the CEO of Nav Canada.I am glad to say that the CEO of Nav Canada has hired a third party, which is looking into the matter. I will report when the results are obtained.
Mr. Speaker, I certainly acknowledge that the waiting times are unacceptable.We know that tourism and the arrival of passengers from foreign countries are extremely important for Montreal and we are pleased to see the increased traffic. However, we must absolutely reduce these waiting times. It is important to go through security, but the waiting times need to be reduced.That is why I am working with my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, to find a solution to this problem.
Mr. Speaker, there are no plans for television advertising. Certainly, what we do want to do is to engage Canadians on a pan-Canadian basis. I am very proud that more than 140 members of Parliament on this side of the House have either had, or will have in a very short while, town halls. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have had three. I am having that many on Sunday.If we are going to purport to listen to Canadians, let us actually engage them.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Arthritis is a disease that affects too many Canadians. Those who have it face a variety of difficult symptoms. We are continuing to invest $46 million in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to learn more about chronic inflamation and develop better prevention and treatment options.
What about the vote, Mr. Speaker? This summer, the Minister of National Defence admitted peacekeeping no longer exists, yet in the Speech from the Throne, the Liberals promised to renew Canadas commitment to United Nations peacekeeping. However, distinguished General Roméo Dallaire has said that there will be more Canadian casualties on the sub-Saharan mission.Will the Prime Minister admit that he misled Canadians by promising to do peacekeeping when he knew that our troops would be placed in harm's way on the UN mission in Africa?
Mr. Speaker, a fundamental component of feminism is supporting women's right to choose. When we respect communities, and the faith of communities, and we meet them in a place where they have determined the rules of engagement, that is exactly what we believe in when we support feminism in our country.
Mr. Speaker, the challenges facing middle-class Canadians are real. That is in fact why they elected us. They realized that making investments for the future is the answer, not austerity. What we have said to Canadians is that we are going to take what is the best balance sheet among the G7 countries and are going to make investments in their future. We are going to make sure that we find a way to have the next generation of Canadians better off than the last one. That is the commitment we make to Canadians today.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative critic for democratic reform has himself said that first past the post is not the best system. The minister has gone to SaanichGulf Islands, has gone to SkeenaBulkley Valley, has worked with members from all of the different parties.I would say to the Conservatives that it is the time to put forward ideas, to work with us, to improve our democracy, to make sure that every vote is counted, and to participate in this process.
Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we would like to thank the former chief statistician, Wayne Smith, on his long, 35 years of service to Canada and to Statistics Canada.We promised Canadians in the last election that we would reinstate the long-form census, and by golly, they responded in great numbers, historic numbers. That is a great testament to Mr. Smith's work.Our government remains committed to reinforcing the independence of Stats Canada. We are working on that. We are making sure that it is an important part of the minister's mandate letter. We are going to continue with that work.
Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents in the riding of Don Valley West, particularly in the neighbourhood of Leaside, have raised strong concerns about the number and timing of airplanes flying over their homes and the noise they generate. Could the Minister of Transport please update the House on what he is doing about these concerns?
Mr. Speaker, access to affordable housing is a problem for many Canadians.In Scarborough Centre, one in three people are spending 30% or more of their income on housing compared to the national average of one in five. The lack of affordable housing is especially challenging for seniors trying to make ends meet on fixed incomes.Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell us what the government is doing to encourage the building of more affordable housing, especially for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about the challenges facing middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we decided to lower taxes on nine million middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we introduced the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of ten families with children to have more money to raise their children. We know that those things are going to make Canadian families better off today, and we are making investments for tomorrow so we can have a more productive and efficient economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world, and we welcome a healthy debate both in the House and with Canadians. During my consultations with the defence policy review, we heard from Canadians, and peace operations was at the top there. Members should keep in mind that peace operations are just one small part. We have to look at conflict mediation, conflict prevention, and construction as well. I have to state over and over again that this will be a whole-of-government effort, not just strictly peace operations.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite is well aware, we do have a non-insured health benefits program that is available to first nations and Inuit families. These features of care are provided on the basis of medically necessary needs, including, of course, orthodontic care. I am pleased that the member continues to work with us to seek ways that the program can be improved, as all good programs can be. We will find ways to make sure that the care is there for the people who need it.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been transparent right from the beginning. In my mandate letter, it is clearly stated we will be involved with peace operations. When I went on my fact-finding mission, I tried to make all my observations known. As we get more information, I look forward to having a healthy debate.
Mr. Speaker, the most effective way to reach a nuclear-free world is with a pragmatic step-by-step approach. We need to have a strategy of engagement. We will be at the table in Geneva and again in Japan with our G7 allies, working together for the elimination of nuclear weapons. We will continue to be present with our allies.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the great pleasure of working collaboratively with my colleagues in the provinces and territories since the time I became minister of health. I have enjoyed many good conversations with my colleagues across the country. We have talked about our shared priorities and where we want to invest in health. There will be no cuts to health. We will continue to increase the Canada health transfer, as previously discussed, and we will discuss other areas where there can be investments made that are important to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to gender equality in all areas of Canadian life, but we are also committed to respecting the diversity of Canadian communities. We will visit with people in ways that are appropriate for their communities, whether it is a military community, a religious community, or an indigenous community.I am very proud of our government, which understands that in order to develop a relationship we must be respectful of the community we are in.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was pleased to introduce a new process for the appointment of Supreme Court justices to make it open and transparent.I was very pleased to be able to appoint a panel to review applications. I look forward to receiving those applications, two of which will be from Atlantic Canada. No decision has been made, but we are confident that we will appoint a diverse, functionally bilingual, high-calibre jurist to the Supreme Court of Canada. I look forward to participating in that.
Mr. Speaker, I will continue talking with the provinces and territories, with business leaders, with indigenous leaders, and with labour, including labour groups in Alberta, because we know we need to tackle climate change, and we need to grow our economy. I am very surprised by the member opposite, who I thought would believe in free market economics and would understand that carbon pricing is a market mechanism that is the best way to reduce carbon pollution and innovate, but perhaps he does not believe in climate change, and that might be the problem.
Mr. Speaker, the election system is one of the aspects, perhaps the most important aspect, of a democracy. There is no playing games with that. The debate must be serious and balanced, and it must be fair for everyone. That is why we support a referendum at the end of the year.Meanwhile, to ensure that the debate will be fair and balanced, can the government assure us that its cronies from the sponsorship scandal, those who lined their pockets, will not be returning with the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians, and the world, are proud of the great work that all our men and women in uniform have done on operations with the United Nations and NATO and on all of the missions that have been done all over the world. We can be very proud of the work we will do. However, we cannot put the cart before the horse. We are doing our due diligence to get all the necessary information and when we do, we will make sure that we present it to Canadians and to the House.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about why our approach to health care does constitute real change. We are investing. The Canada health transfer this year is the largest ever, to the tune of $36.1 billion. It will go up accordingly next year, according to plan.However, what Canadians want are investments in innovation. Canadians know that while our health care system is something we are proud of, it could be better. We are going to talk with our colleagues in the provinces and territories about where those investments should be made and what Canadians can expect.
Mr. Speaker, the imminent retirement of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell will leave a vacancy for Atlantic Canada.The Minister of Justice has said that the next Supreme Court justice may not be from Atlantic Canada. This is very surprising, because it is a constitutional convention that Atlantic Canada is represented on the Supreme Court. It is also the fair thing to do.I would like to know what the Liberal problem is with doing right for Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we are working with all provinces and territories to reduce emissions and also grow our economy. All of the premiers stepped up with the Prime Minister in the Vancouver declaration and said that they were committed to meeting our international obligations, so that is what we are doing. We are going to continue working with the provinces and territories so that we have a credible plan, so we reduce our emissions, so we grow our economy, and we make a better world for our kids.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the environment and the economy go together. Right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon: B.C. and Alberta have a carbon tax; Ontario and Quebec have a cap and trade system. We understand that carbon pricing is the most efficient way to reduce emissions and to foster innovation. I am very proud that 25 Canadian companies have joined on to our carbon pricing leadership coalition calling for a price on carbon, because they know it is the way forward to innovate and to grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon. I am very proud of the leadership of the Alberta government that brought in a price on carbon, because it recognizes that it is the best way to reduce pollution and also to foster innovation. That is why we have energy companies that are saying, Please, put a price on carbon, because we will innovate, we will create good jobs, and we will position ourselves for the future.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are declaring all out war on the provinces that do not want to go along with their carbon tax scheme. They are not even willing to do their own work. Yesterday we saw paid PMO officials attacking Brad Wall, the most popular premier in Canada. Is this the best the Liberals can do on climate change, using unelected staff to attack a premier for defending his province's interests?
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are declaring all out war on the provinces that do not want to go along with their carbon tax scheme. They are not even willing to do their own work. Yesterday we saw paid PMO officials attacking Brad Wall, the most popular premier in Canada. Is this the best the Liberals can do on climate change, using unelected staff to attack a premier for defending his province's interests?
Mr. Speaker, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon. I am very proud of the leadership of the Alberta government that brought in a price on carbon, because it recognizes that it is the best way to reduce pollution and also to foster innovation. That is why we have energy companies that are saying, Please, put a price on carbon, because we will innovate, we will create good jobs, and we will position ourselves for the future.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the environment and the economy go together. Right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon: B.C. and Alberta have a carbon tax; Ontario and Quebec have a cap and trade system. We understand that carbon pricing is the most efficient way to reduce emissions and to foster innovation. I am very proud that 25 Canadian companies have joined on to our carbon pricing leadership coalition calling for a price on carbon, because they know it is the way forward to innovate and to grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we are working with all provinces and territories to reduce emissions and also grow our economy. All of the premiers stepped up with the Prime Minister in the Vancouver declaration and said that they were committed to meeting our international obligations, so that is what we are doing. We are going to continue working with the provinces and territories so that we have a credible plan, so we reduce our emissions, so we grow our economy, and we make a better world for our kids.
Mr. Speaker, the imminent retirement of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell will leave a vacancy for Atlantic Canada.The Minister of Justice has said that the next Supreme Court justice may not be from Atlantic Canada. This is very surprising, because it is a constitutional convention that Atlantic Canada is represented on the Supreme Court. It is also the fair thing to do.I would like to know what the Liberal problem is with doing right for Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about why our approach to health care does constitute real change. We are investing. The Canada health transfer this year is the largest ever, to the tune of $36.1 billion. It will go up accordingly next year, according to plan.However, what Canadians want are investments in innovation. Canadians know that while our health care system is something we are proud of, it could be better. We are going to talk with our colleagues in the provinces and territories about where those investments should be made and what Canadians can expect.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians, and the world, are proud of the great work that all our men and women in uniform have done on operations with the United Nations and NATO and on all of the missions that have been done all over the world. We can be very proud of the work we will do. However, we cannot put the cart before the horse. We are doing our due diligence to get all the necessary information and when we do, we will make sure that we present it to Canadians and to the House.
Mr. Speaker, the election system is one of the aspects, perhaps the most important aspect, of a democracy. There is no playing games with that. The debate must be serious and balanced, and it must be fair for everyone. That is why we support a referendum at the end of the year.Meanwhile, to ensure that the debate will be fair and balanced, can the government assure us that its cronies from the sponsorship scandal, those who lined their pockets, will not be returning with the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, I will continue talking with the provinces and territories, with business leaders, with indigenous leaders, and with labour, including labour groups in Alberta, because we know we need to tackle climate change, and we need to grow our economy. I am very surprised by the member opposite, who I thought would believe in free market economics and would understand that carbon pricing is a market mechanism that is the best way to reduce carbon pollution and innovate, but perhaps he does not believe in climate change, and that might be the problem.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was pleased to introduce a new process for the appointment of Supreme Court justices to make it open and transparent.I was very pleased to be able to appoint a panel to review applications. I look forward to receiving those applications, two of which will be from Atlantic Canada. No decision has been made, but we are confident that we will appoint a diverse, functionally bilingual, high-calibre jurist to the Supreme Court of Canada. I look forward to participating in that.
Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to gender equality in all areas of Canadian life, but we are also committed to respecting the diversity of Canadian communities. We will visit with people in ways that are appropriate for their communities, whether it is a military community, a religious community, or an indigenous community.I am very proud of our government, which understands that in order to develop a relationship we must be respectful of the community we are in.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the great pleasure of working collaboratively with my colleagues in the provinces and territories since the time I became minister of health. I have enjoyed many good conversations with my colleagues across the country. We have talked about our shared priorities and where we want to invest in health. There will be no cuts to health. We will continue to increase the Canada health transfer, as previously discussed, and we will discuss other areas where there can be investments made that are important to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the most effective way to reach a nuclear-free world is with a pragmatic step-by-step approach. We need to have a strategy of engagement. We will be at the table in Geneva and again in Japan with our G7 allies, working together for the elimination of nuclear weapons. We will continue to be present with our allies.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been transparent right from the beginning. In my mandate letter, it is clearly stated we will be involved with peace operations. When I went on my fact-finding mission, I tried to make all my observations known. As we get more information, I look forward to having a healthy debate.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite is well aware, we do have a non-insured health benefits program that is available to first nations and Inuit families. These features of care are provided on the basis of medically necessary needs, including, of course, orthodontic care. I am pleased that the member continues to work with us to seek ways that the program can be improved, as all good programs can be. We will find ways to make sure that the care is there for the people who need it.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world, and we welcome a healthy debate both in the House and with Canadians. During my consultations with the defence policy review, we heard from Canadians, and peace operations was at the top there. Members should keep in mind that peace operations are just one small part. We have to look at conflict mediation, conflict prevention, and construction as well. I have to state over and over again that this will be a whole-of-government effort, not just strictly peace operations.
Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about the challenges facing middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we decided to lower taxes on nine million middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we introduced the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of ten families with children to have more money to raise their children. We know that those things are going to make Canadian families better off today, and we are making investments for tomorrow so we can have a more productive and efficient economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, access to affordable housing is a problem for many Canadians.In Scarborough Centre, one in three people are spending 30% or more of their income on housing compared to the national average of one in five. The lack of affordable housing is especially challenging for seniors trying to make ends meet on fixed incomes.Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell us what the government is doing to encourage the building of more affordable housing, especially for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative critic for democratic reform has himself said that first past the post is not the best system. The minister has gone to SaanichGulf Islands, has gone to SkeenaBulkley Valley, has worked with members from all of the different parties.I would say to the Conservatives that it is the time to put forward ideas, to work with us, to improve our democracy, to make sure that every vote is counted, and to participate in this process.
Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we would like to thank the former chief statistician, Wayne Smith, on his long, 35 years of service to Canada and to Statistics Canada.We promised Canadians in the last election that we would reinstate the long-form census, and by golly, they responded in great numbers, historic numbers. That is a great testament to Mr. Smith's work.Our government remains committed to reinforcing the independence of Stats Canada. We are working on that. We are making sure that it is an important part of the minister's mandate letter. We are going to continue with that work.
Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents in the riding of Don Valley West, particularly in the neighbourhood of Leaside, have raised strong concerns about the number and timing of airplanes flying over their homes and the noise they generate. Could the Minister of Transport please update the House on what he is doing about these concerns?
Mr. Speaker, the challenges facing middle-class Canadians are real. That is in fact why they elected us. They realized that making investments for the future is the answer, not austerity. What we have said to Canadians is that we are going to take what is the best balance sheet among the G7 countries and are going to make investments in their future. We are going to make sure that we find a way to have the next generation of Canadians better off than the last one. That is the commitment we make to Canadians today.
Mr. Speaker, a fundamental component of feminism is supporting women's right to choose. When we respect communities, and the faith of communities, and we meet them in a place where they have determined the rules of engagement, that is exactly what we believe in when we support feminism in our country.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Arthritis is a disease that affects too many Canadians. Those who have it face a variety of difficult symptoms. We are continuing to invest $46 million in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to learn more about chronic inflamation and develop better prevention and treatment options.
What about the vote, Mr. Speaker? This summer, the Minister of National Defence admitted peacekeeping no longer exists, yet in the Speech from the Throne, the Liberals promised to renew Canadas commitment to United Nations peacekeeping. However, distinguished General Roméo Dallaire has said that there will be more Canadian casualties on the sub-Saharan mission.Will the Prime Minister admit that he misled Canadians by promising to do peacekeeping when he knew that our troops would be placed in harm's way on the UN mission in Africa?
Mr. Speaker, there are no plans for television advertising. Certainly, what we do want to do is to engage Canadians on a pan-Canadian basis. I am very proud that more than 140 members of Parliament on this side of the House have either had, or will have in a very short while, town halls. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have had three. I am having that many on Sunday.If we are going to purport to listen to Canadians, let us actually engage them.
Mr. Speaker, I certainly acknowledge that the waiting times are unacceptable.We know that tourism and the arrival of passengers from foreign countries are extremely important for Montreal and we are pleased to see the increased traffic. However, we must absolutely reduce these waiting times. It is important to go through security, but the waiting times need to be reduced.That is why I am working with my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, to find a solution to this problem.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Don Valley West, and indeed his fellow colleagues from the GTA, for raising this important issue.Certainly, mitigating noise is something that we try to do within the parameters of maintaining aviation safety. Recently my staff met with some of the community groups that have raised the issue of noise. I have passed that on to the CEO of Nav Canada.I am glad to say that the CEO of Nav Canada has hired a third party, which is looking into the matter. I will report when the results are obtained.
Mr. Speaker, I have not thought of a good rhyme yet, but I will try. We are committed to taking action on climate change. We recognize that it is the thing we need to do. Take the example of B.C. It has a carbon tax. It is revenue neutral; it gives money back to the consumers. But what does it do? It is a market mechanism that reduces what we do not want. We do not want carbon pollution; we want less, so we innovate, businesses innovate, and we position ourselves for a cleaner future, because we want to create good jobs and we want to grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, a leopard cannot change its spots.The Liberals promised real change for health care, but today they are resorting to their favourite strategy from the past, a good fight with Quebec. Instead of attacking Quebec on a file the province has already taken care of, will the government deal with the underlying problem of the $36 billion in cuts made by Stephen Harper?
Mr. Speaker, we can be proud of our men and women who have served all over the world in previous missions, and even now. However, a lot of work needs to be done for peace operations. We are going to be going in with eyes wide open, making sure that we have all the necessary information to allow the military to do its work, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development. We will make sure that we have all the right information. We need to be able to get a full analysis. Once we have better information, we will be presenting this to Canadians, as we have done, moving forward. A lot of work needs to be done, and I look forward to the healthy debate once we have all the necessary information.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations, to a very large extent, have been examined by two very important commissions, Iacobucci and O'Connor. Those commissions made important recommendations. Some of those recommendations have been implemented. One key one was not implemented by the previous government, and that was the need for a parliamentary mechanism to provide review and scrutiny of all of the security and police agencies and all of their activities in Canada. We have introduced legislation to do exactly that in Bill C-22, and we look forward to that legislation being passed expeditiously.
Mr. Speaker, this issue is a priority for us and the opposition knows that.We are in the midst of serious negotiations on this issue. There is unprecedented co-operation with producers, industry workers, and the provinces and territories. Last week, the minister met with the U.S. trade representative, Mike Froman, in Washington.We do not want to reach just any old deal. We want a good deal for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, I have spent the last eight months criss-crossing the country speaking with labour, speaking with business leaders, speaking with indigenous Canadians, speaking with everyone who would like to actually move forward on climate change. We have had discussions. I met with my territorial counterparts. They are concerned about the impact of carbon pricing, and we are having a good discussion with them. The bottom line is that right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where, through the leadership of the province, because there was inaction by the Conservative government, there is a price on carbon. We are going to move forward in a thoughtful way, working with provinces and territories
Mr. Speaker, another area that is very important for our country's economy is the softwood lumber industry. In fact, 400,000 jobs depend on it.In 2006, we rectified a situation. People waited 10 years for the former Liberal government to find a solution to the problem, and we are the ones who solved it. Since then, Canadian businesses have been able to export their products to the United States with relative ease.The government made big promises, including a good relationship with the United States. Meanwhile, the Minister of International Trade has said that Canada will turn to the courts. What a great idea. Let us take our American partners to court rather than coming to an agreement with them.Why are the Liberals unable to settle this matter with the Americans through negotiations?
Mr. Speaker, I will start by thanking the member for Scarborough Centre for her hard work on behalf of all seniors.This government believes that all Canadians need and deserve housing that is safe, affordable, and secure. To give Canadians greater access to affordable housing, last year's budget invested a record $2.3 billion in assisting affordable housing, particularly the needs of seniors. This funding is expected to benefit more than 5,000 seniors across Canada.I will also take this opportunity to welcome our new cohort of pages and say that we look forward to working with them over the next few months.
Mr. Speaker, the minister has just confirmed that they are in fact continuing with the cuts imposed by Stephen Harper. Those reductions are going to hurt health services in all of those provinces and territories she just referred to.Canadians were promised a change from the Conservative government's approach on health care, but now the Liberals are admitting that they are going to continue with those cuts. Could the minister explain to us how following the Conservative cuts in health care somehow constitutes real change in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult and important decision that any government can make is to deploy our Canadian Forces in a war zone. Canadians must be able to trust that these decisions are made in our national interest, not the political interest of the Liberal Party. Sending our troops on a dangerous African mission appears to be about a purely political goalgetting a UN Security Council seat. However, our troops are not pawns on a political chessboard. Why has the Prime Minister decided that this is the best way to win over his friends at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is committed to reviewing child and family services on reserves and partnering with first nations to reform those services. We are working with first nations communities, key organizations, front-line service providers and other stakeholders to create better systems that will reduce the number of children placed and ensure a truly child-centred approach.
Mr. Speaker, I am no stranger to conflict. One of the reasons I wanted to actually get on the ground was that I like to get into the countries and find out for myself. That was one of the reasons I took retired General Roméo Dallaire and Madam Justice Louise Arbour with me, to get a full perspective and to get the interpretation from their own minds while we were actually talking to the leadership of those countries, talking to the international organizations. However, a lot of work needs to be done. We have a whole-of-government effort we want to bring to the table, plus we want to bring the whole of government from other countries, ensuring that we make a meaningful contribution to the world.
Mr. Speaker, common-sense Canadians know that when we borrow money, we have to pay it back. The Liberals have borrowed a lot of money, and guess who is paying it back? Canadians. They have raised taxes on families and on small business, and now they are forcing through a carbon tax hike and a CPP tax hike that will cost many Canadian families thousands of dollars a year. At the end of the day, how much more money are they going to take from hard-working Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, on this step-by-step approach, let us suggest that one of those steps should be actually voting for nuclear disarmament. I was in Paris with the Prime Minister when he promised to take action on the crucial climate change file. This is the most important commitment for future generations. Apparently, instead of keeping its promise, the Liberal government is going to ratify the Paris agreement with the same targets and deadlines set by Stephen Harper.Does the minister believe that this is what constitutes change, the Conservative plan handed to us by the Liberals with a smile?
Mr. Speaker, travellers who use the Pierre Elliott Trudeau international airport are furious. The waiting time to clear Canadian customs is simply unacceptable. Since April 1, passengers in Montreal have been three times more likely than passengers in Toronto to wait more than one hour while staring at empty booths. This is a simple question: will the minister fix the problem quickly or call for another study in order to buy some time?
Mr. Speaker, a number of reports have revealed massive problems with Canada's arms exports program. We already know that Canadian weapons exported to Saudi Arabia have been used in Yemen.Now we learn that weapons manufactured by Streit Group have been sold to countries like Libya and Sudan, despite Canadian sanctions. The Liberals have already rejected our proposal to create a parliamentary committee to study arms exports. Will the Liberals reconsider their position and give parliamentarians the right to look
Mr. Speaker, the current government has ignored two compliance orders by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to end systemic racist discrimination against indigenous children. That Minister of Health was asked to end the systemic denials of emergency orthodontic surgery that run at denial rates of 99%. Instead, she has decided to spend more money fighting these families in court than the surgeries would cost. We are talking about a moral and legal obligation to children. Can the minister explain why she would rather spend the money on lawyers than on responding to the emergency needs of indigenous children who are being denied their rights?
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadians suffer from arthritis, a disease that affects seniors in particular.With that in mind, what measures are this government and the Minister of Health taking to help arthritis sufferers and prevent new cases?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's middle class is struggling and that investments are needed immediately. We began by implementing programs that will help the middle class right now, such as the middle-class tax cut and the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families.It is important for our future that we make investments and stimulate growth, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, it is pretty clear the Liberals already have an outcome in mind and it is one that will only benefit Liberal politicians. First the Liberals charged entry into their town halls, then the justice minister turned away over 30 people from her meeting, and now the Liberals are making shady deals with third parties to make sunny ways electoral ads, despite the claims we are hearing today.It has become abundantly clear this is not about Canadians; it is about Liberal politicians and their friends. Why are the Liberals rewarding their friends with advertising dollars instead of giving Canadians a say in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are threatening the provinces and Canadians with new climate taxes. The Liberals have been clear: they do not get things their way, they are just going to slap on more taxes, including fuel taxes. Higher fuel taxes punish rural Canadians and agriculture more than anyone else. This is the start of Canadians paying more for everything. Why are the Liberals so viciously targeting rural people and agriculture with their new climate taxation fixation?
Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister recently visited a mosque.Members of the Bloc Québécois want to know whether this government would have found it more or less acceptable if, rather than women, homosexuals, Indigenous people or Blacks had been the ones relegated to the balcony. If that were the case, would the Prime Minister still have agreed to speak?
Mr. Speaker, have Canadians heard correctly that it is Canada that is now backtracking on its international climate promises? The Liberals criticized the Harper government on its climate targets as totally inadequate, and they were right. In their platform, the Liberals promised to establish national emissions-reduction targets. Then, in Paris, they committed to doing better than the previous government.Why is the government now breaking its promise to the world and to future generations of Canadians? Why is it backtracking?
Mr. Speaker, the government is intent on imposing job-killing carbon taxes on the provinces. Its message is, Either you do this, or we will force you to. So much for sunny ways.Carbon taxes raise the price of everything, from filling up the gas tank to buying groceries to heating homes, and they kill jobs. Why is the current government so intent on raising the price of everything and killing jobs through its carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, in Quebec, we believe that gender equality is fundamental and non-negotiable. This government clearly does not agree.Does the Minister of Status of Women think it is acceptable for her Prime Minister to speak in a gender-segregated mosque? Is that what Liberal Canada looks like?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have now confirmed that they are planning to impose a made-in-Ottawa carbon tax on all Canadians, no matter where they live and no matter if their province already has a carbon tax.British Columbia already has a carbon tax, but the Liberals in Ottawa are indicating that it might not be high enough to kill jobs, and it might not take enough money out of the pockets of hard-working British Columbians.Why are the Liberals in Ottawa threatening to force the government of B.C. to raise taxes on British Columbians?
Mr. Speaker, conflicts in Africa are extremely complex. We need to ensure there is an appropriate mandate in place and ensure that contributing nations also fulfill those mandates. A lot of work needs to be done. We need to make sure that all the efforts from the international organizations, the United Nations, and all the other agencies there are also contributing well. When we have all the information, we will present it to Canadians and to the House for debate.
Mr. Speaker, Parliament needs to know what type of high-risk mission the government is committing Canadians to.The Liberals are getting ready to send our soldiers to danger zones and claiming that it is a peacekeeping mission. Our soldiers will be standing targets of armed factions whose sole objective is to kill foreign nationals on their land, as Roméo Dallaire has said.In light of that fact, will the government hold a debate and a vote on this matter in Parliament or not?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians rejected this type of pessimism in the last federal election. They voted for a party that promised to re-engage Canada in the world and a government that would be committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world. Over the last 10 months, under the leadership of our Prime Minister and our government, we have had the support of the United Nations on climate change, gender equality, in welcoming Syrian refugees, fighting disease, and investing in peace support operations as well. This will be a whole-of-government effort.
Mr. Speaker, it is really important that we improve our electoral system. This is an historic opportunity, not just for our party, but also for the House of Commons in general. I want to encourage the Conservative Party to participate, along with the other parties and the Liberal Party, in consultations that will be held across Canada with a view to improving our system.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together.Since I was elected, I have spent time criss-crossing the country, meeting with all provinces, all territories, meeting with labour leaders, meeting with indigenous leaders, meeting with Canadians, and meeting with business.Canadians expect us to act on climate change, because we are the first generation to feel the impact, and we are the only generation that can actually change things.We are going to move forward with our plan, because we understand that it is the right thing to do to tackle climate change and grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, the decision to send Canadian men and women in our armed forces into harm's way is one of the most serious decisions that parliamentarians will ever undertake. That is why the Conservative government always believed in taking it to debate in the House of Commons.Given that the Minister of National Defence formerly served for our country, and it seems like he will not allow this to come to a vote, can he explain both to our men and women in uniform and to Canadians why the Liberals will not put this to a vote in the House of Commons?
Mr. Speaker, maybe that minister is listening to CEOs, but she needs to start listening to premiers of provinces like Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and the territories, who have been clear. They do not want a carbon tax, because they know that Canadians, particularly rural and northern Canadians, cannot afford it.Why is the government ignoring the provinces and imposing a carbon tax that will hurt the economy, hurt Canadians, and do nothing for jobs?
Mr. Speaker, in the last fiscal year, this government turned a large operating surplus into a deficit. The current government is spending non-stop.The government does not have a plan for returning to a balanced budget. The Minister of Finance is talking about a plan for the future that involves making our grandchildren pay off his debt. That is his plan for the future.When will the government present its plan for returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, our priority is to be here to fight for hard-working Canadians, but they are clearly not a priority for the Prime Minister. Thousands of Canadians were laid off this summer, household debt is at an all-time high, and Canadians do not believe that the Prime Minister can manage the economy. Canadians are worried about their future and jobs are not being created, so what is his answer?
Mr. Speaker, when she says it is going according to plan, what she is actually saying is it is going according to the Conservative plan. As the Prime Minister talks to our allies today about the role of our country on the world stage, we are again reminded that actions speak louder than words. Despite the words about peace, just last month in Geneva the government actually voted against nuclear disarmament. Real leadership means acting in the interests of peace, not just talking about it.Will the Liberal government reverse this shameful position and vote in favour of nuclear disarmament at the UN General Assembly next week?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence had to go to Africa to find out that peacekeeping no longer exists. The losses suffered by the peacekeepers should be a clear indication that we are talking about an extremely dangerous mission. General Roméo Dallaire has said that the risk of casualties is far greater than before. Our soldiers will be standing targets.Will the government be open and hold a debate and a vote on this matter here in Parliament instead of at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to working with the provinces and territories to meet our international obligations. We are working very hard to understand the challenges and opportunities in different provinces and territories, and we are going to come forward with a plan.Let us be clear about the Harper target. The Harper government had absolutely no plan to reach the target. It did not care. It had a target out there, with no actions. That is not what we are going to do. We are going to come with concrete actions that are going to tackle our emissions and grow our economy in a thoughtful way.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite might not understand that B.C. has a carbon tax, and it is revenue neutral, so B.C. actually returns the revenues to its citizens.The energy companies are actually with us. Let me quote from Suncor CEO Steve Williams: We think climate change is happening. We think a broad-based carbon price is the right answer. CEO of Dutch Shell, Total, and four other major energy companies: We firmly believe that carbon pricing will discourage high carbon options.... We now need governments around the world to provide us with this framework....
Mr. Speaker, in 2014, the Prime Minister had this to say about the deployment of troops to fight ISIS: Canadians expect the highest standard of openness and honesty from a leader who wants to send our forces to war. He asked the government to allow the House of Commons to debate and vote on the issue, and that is what the previous government did. Will the Prime Minister walk the talk and allow debate and a vote in the House?
Mr. Speaker, we are ready to take action on climate change. I spent the summer talking with my counterparts all across the country.However, let us be clear, the Harper targets were fake targets. When one puts out targets and does not have a plan to meet them and emissions go upand we have been very transparent about how the emissions have gone upit is hard to meet them. What Canadians expect is real action, and we are going to deliver real action with the provinces and territories, with indigenous leaders, with business, with youth, with all Canadians, because that is what we are committed to doing.
Mr. Speaker, that minister clearly has not been talking to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians in the energy sector whose jobs have been lost. She is not listening to the provinces that do not want a carbon tax. A carbon tax will kill jobs, and it is an imposition of Ottawa on the provinces. Why are the Liberals ignoring not only what the premiers are saying but what rural and remote Canadians are saying? They do not want a carbon tax. It is going to kill jobs. The Liberals need to listen to people outside of the city of Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, we fully understand the complexity of peace operations, but we cannot be an island of stability in an ocean of turmoil. Canada needs to do its part. This is why I took retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire with me on my five-country trip to Africa, to learn about the complexities.We are taking a whole-of-government approach to this. We are going to make a thorough effort before we put all the facts together and before we have a thorough debate on this.
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not seem to understand that 110,000 energy workers have lost their jobs.B.C. is home to a developing LNG sector, where tens of thousands of jobs are riding on the investment decisions of LNG companies.When Liberals in Ottawa threaten to increase carbon taxes on B.C. employers, they threaten billions of dollars of investment in the economy, money that would pay for hospitals and schools and would provide thousands of family-supporting jobs. Why are the Liberals so intent on threatening British Columbia families with their made-in-Ottawa, job-killing carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to strengthening Canada's export controls, something the former government failed to do. We will provide more rigour and transparency. We are acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty. Currently we are consulting with NGOs and industry and look forward to input from our parliamentary colleagues at committee and in the House as we bring the legislation forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals recently stated that their government plans to use TV ads to promote their electoral reform campaign. Given the Liberal Party's history with the sponsorship of ad campaigns, there are a lot of questions and Canadians deserve the answers.Liberals have alluded to the fact that they will be working with third parties to create these ads. Who are these third parties? Are they taxpayer funded and what are their connections to the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, September 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government was elected with a promise to build a new nation-to-nation relationship, so why is it still discriminating against first nations children?The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found the government guilty of discrimination, but it is still failing to comply with the tribunal's order.My question is simple: how can the Prime Minister, the Minister of Youth, justify systematic discrimination against indigenous children in 2016?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system so that Canadians can access the care they need regardless of their ability or desire to pay.The government has renewed its commitment by restoring federal leadership on health and championing a national vision that upholds the principles laid out in the Canada Health Act, including universality and accessibility. That is what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, Wayne Smith, Canada's chief statistician, resigned Friday and blasted the Liberal government for failing to protect the independence of Stats Canada.The Liberals promised to restore Stats Canada's independence, but Mr. Smith said: ...that independence has never been more compromised. I ask the minister to resist the urge to simply blame the Harper Conservatives because Mr. Smith was referring to the Liberal government. How does the Liberal government defend this breach of independence and this clearly broken promise?
Mr. Speaker, when our troops are deployed on dangerous missions Canadians deserve to know the details. The Prime Minister missed another opportunity to be open and transparent with Canadians. Rather than tabling his African mission in the House, the Prime Minister went to the UN instead. The Prime Minister is playing political games in hopes of getting a seat on the UN Security Council and is shamefully using our troops as pawns.Will the Prime Minister start respecting Parliament and bring this dangerous UN mission to the House for a full debate and a vote, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has a romantic notion about peacekeeping that simply does not match up to reality. This is 2016, not 1956. Increasingly, there is no peace to keep. The conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa are dangerous. Even Roméo Dallaire agrees that a mission there will be deadly.Does the Prime Minister understand this is not a peacekeeping mission but rather a dangerous deployment that will risk Canadian lives, and does he think it is worth it?
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker: nobody wants ancillary fees for health care services.Today we learned that the Minister of Health's plan for abolishing ancillary fees involves taking sick people in Quebec hostage by cutting transfer payments by an additional $160 million.The minister can say she is protecting the health care system all she wants, but she is actually victimizing sick people in Quebec. Enough is enough. Will the minister immediately and unconditionally restore the health transfers that she is planning to cut in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the only people the minister is consulting in Alberta are NDP politicians, who did not even mention a carbon tax in their election campaign. We are going through the toughest recession we have had in decades, and the worst possible thing is to hike prices and impose new taxes on everything. Brad Wall understands that. He is opposed to the current government's top-down, do-it-or-else approach to federalism. Will the current government stop killing jobs and making a bad situation worse in Alberta? Will the Liberals stop their carbon tax plan?
Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned of allegations that implicate both CSIS and the RCMP in the report of three Canadians being tortured in Syria between 2001 and 2004. Seemingly even the Canadian ambassador was involved. These are very serious allegations against two of our security agencies and the reputation of our country.How does the government explain these troubling allegations, and is it going to investigate?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are declaring all out war on the provinces that do not want to go along with their carbon tax scheme. They are not even willing to do their own work. Yesterday we saw paid PMO officials attacking Brad Wall, the most popular premier in Canada. Is this the best the Liberals can do on climate change, using unelected staff to attack a premier for defending his province's interests?
Mr. Speaker, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon. I am very proud of the leadership of the Alberta government that brought in a price on carbon, because it recognizes that it is the best way to reduce pollution and also to foster innovation. That is why we have energy companies that are saying, Please, put a price on carbon, because we will innovate, we will create good jobs, and we will position ourselves for the future.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the environment and the economy go together. Right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on carbon: B.C. and Alberta have a carbon tax; Ontario and Quebec have a cap and trade system. We understand that carbon pricing is the most efficient way to reduce emissions and to foster innovation. I am very proud that 25 Canadian companies have joined on to our carbon pricing leadership coalition calling for a price on carbon, because they know it is the way forward to innovate and to grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we are working with all provinces and territories to reduce emissions and also grow our economy. All of the premiers stepped up with the Prime Minister in the Vancouver declaration and said that they were committed to meeting our international obligations, so that is what we are doing. We are going to continue working with the provinces and territories so that we have a credible plan, so we reduce our emissions, so we grow our economy, and we make a better world for our kids.
Mr. Speaker, the imminent retirement of Supreme Court Justice Thomas Cromwell will leave a vacancy for Atlantic Canada.The Minister of Justice has said that the next Supreme Court justice may not be from Atlantic Canada. This is very surprising, because it is a constitutional convention that Atlantic Canada is represented on the Supreme Court. It is also the fair thing to do.I would like to know what the Liberal problem is with doing right for Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about why our approach to health care does constitute real change. We are investing. The Canada health transfer this year is the largest ever, to the tune of $36.1 billion. It will go up accordingly next year, according to plan.However, what Canadians want are investments in innovation. Canadians know that while our health care system is something we are proud of, it could be better. We are going to talk with our colleagues in the provinces and territories about where those investments should be made and what Canadians can expect.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians, and the world, are proud of the great work that all our men and women in uniform have done on operations with the United Nations and NATO and on all of the missions that have been done all over the world. We can be very proud of the work we will do. However, we cannot put the cart before the horse. We are doing our due diligence to get all the necessary information and when we do, we will make sure that we present it to Canadians and to the House.
Mr. Speaker, the election system is one of the aspects, perhaps the most important aspect, of a democracy. There is no playing games with that. The debate must be serious and balanced, and it must be fair for everyone. That is why we support a referendum at the end of the year.Meanwhile, to ensure that the debate will be fair and balanced, can the government assure us that its cronies from the sponsorship scandal, those who lined their pockets, will not be returning with the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, I will continue talking with the provinces and territories, with business leaders, with indigenous leaders, and with labour, including labour groups in Alberta, because we know we need to tackle climate change, and we need to grow our economy. I am very surprised by the member opposite, who I thought would believe in free market economics and would understand that carbon pricing is a market mechanism that is the best way to reduce carbon pollution and innovate, but perhaps he does not believe in climate change, and that might be the problem.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was pleased to introduce a new process for the appointment of Supreme Court justices to make it open and transparent.I was very pleased to be able to appoint a panel to review applications. I look forward to receiving those applications, two of which will be from Atlantic Canada. No decision has been made, but we are confident that we will appoint a diverse, functionally bilingual, high-calibre jurist to the Supreme Court of Canada. I look forward to participating in that.
Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to gender equality in all areas of Canadian life, but we are also committed to respecting the diversity of Canadian communities. We will visit with people in ways that are appropriate for their communities, whether it is a military community, a religious community, or an indigenous community.I am very proud of our government, which understands that in order to develop a relationship we must be respectful of the community we are in.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the great pleasure of working collaboratively with my colleagues in the provinces and territories since the time I became minister of health. I have enjoyed many good conversations with my colleagues across the country. We have talked about our shared priorities and where we want to invest in health. There will be no cuts to health. We will continue to increase the Canada health transfer, as previously discussed, and we will discuss other areas where there can be investments made that are important to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the most effective way to reach a nuclear-free world is with a pragmatic step-by-step approach. We need to have a strategy of engagement. We will be at the table in Geneva and again in Japan with our G7 allies, working together for the elimination of nuclear weapons. We will continue to be present with our allies.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been transparent right from the beginning. In my mandate letter, it is clearly stated we will be involved with peace operations. When I went on my fact-finding mission, I tried to make all my observations known. As we get more information, I look forward to having a healthy debate.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite is well aware, we do have a non-insured health benefits program that is available to first nations and Inuit families. These features of care are provided on the basis of medically necessary needs, including, of course, orthodontic care. I am pleased that the member continues to work with us to seek ways that the program can be improved, as all good programs can be. We will find ways to make sure that the care is there for the people who need it.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world, and we welcome a healthy debate both in the House and with Canadians. During my consultations with the defence policy review, we heard from Canadians, and peace operations was at the top there. Members should keep in mind that peace operations are just one small part. We have to look at conflict mediation, conflict prevention, and construction as well. I have to state over and over again that this will be a whole-of-government effort, not just strictly peace operations.
Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about the challenges facing middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we decided to lower taxes on nine million middle-class Canadians. That is exactly the reason we introduced the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of ten families with children to have more money to raise their children. We know that those things are going to make Canadian families better off today, and we are making investments for tomorrow so we can have a more productive and efficient economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, access to affordable housing is a problem for many Canadians.In Scarborough Centre, one in three people are spending 30% or more of their income on housing compared to the national average of one in five. The lack of affordable housing is especially challenging for seniors trying to make ends meet on fixed incomes.Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell us what the government is doing to encourage the building of more affordable housing, especially for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative critic for democratic reform has himself said that first past the post is not the best system. The minister has gone to SaanichGulf Islands, has gone to SkeenaBulkley Valley, has worked with members from all of the different parties.I would say to the Conservatives that it is the time to put forward ideas, to work with us, to improve our democracy, to make sure that every vote is counted, and to participate in this process.
Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, we would like to thank the former chief statistician, Wayne Smith, on his long, 35 years of service to Canada and to Statistics Canada.We promised Canadians in the last election that we would reinstate the long-form census, and by golly, they responded in great numbers, historic numbers. That is a great testament to Mr. Smith's work.Our government remains committed to reinforcing the independence of Stats Canada. We are working on that. We are making sure that it is an important part of the minister's mandate letter. We are going to continue with that work.
Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents in the riding of Don Valley West, particularly in the neighbourhood of Leaside, have raised strong concerns about the number and timing of airplanes flying over their homes and the noise they generate. Could the Minister of Transport please update the House on what he is doing about these concerns?
Mr. Speaker, the challenges facing middle-class Canadians are real. That is in fact why they elected us. They realized that making investments for the future is the answer, not austerity. What we have said to Canadians is that we are going to take what is the best balance sheet among the G7 countries and are going to make investments in their future. We are going to make sure that we find a way to have the next generation of Canadians better off than the last one. That is the commitment we make to Canadians today.
Mr. Speaker, a fundamental component of feminism is supporting women's right to choose. When we respect communities, and the faith of communities, and we meet them in a place where they have determined the rules of engagement, that is exactly what we believe in when we support feminism in our country.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Arthritis is a disease that affects too many Canadians. Those who have it face a variety of difficult symptoms. We are continuing to invest $46 million in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to learn more about chronic inflamation and develop better prevention and treatment options.
What about the vote, Mr. Speaker? This summer, the Minister of National Defence admitted peacekeeping no longer exists, yet in the Speech from the Throne, the Liberals promised to renew Canadas commitment to United Nations peacekeeping. However, distinguished General Roméo Dallaire has said that there will be more Canadian casualties on the sub-Saharan mission.Will the Prime Minister admit that he misled Canadians by promising to do peacekeeping when he knew that our troops would be placed in harm's way on the UN mission in Africa?
Mr. Speaker, there are no plans for television advertising. Certainly, what we do want to do is to engage Canadians on a pan-Canadian basis. I am very proud that more than 140 members of Parliament on this side of the House have either had, or will have in a very short while, town halls. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have had three. I am having that many on Sunday.If we are going to purport to listen to Canadians, let us actually engage them.
Mr. Speaker, I certainly acknowledge that the waiting times are unacceptable.We know that tourism and the arrival of passengers from foreign countries are extremely important for Montreal and we are pleased to see the increased traffic. However, we must absolutely reduce these waiting times. It is important to go through security, but the waiting times need to be reduced.That is why I am working with my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, to find a solution to this problem.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Don Valley West, and indeed his fellow colleagues from the GTA, for raising this important issue.Certainly, mitigating noise is something that we try to do within the parameters of maintaining aviation safety. Recently my staff met with some of the community groups that have raised the issue of noise. I have passed that on to the CEO of Nav Canada.I am glad to say that the CEO of Nav Canada has hired a third party, which is looking into the matter. I will report when the results are obtained.
Mr. Speaker, I have not thought of a good rhyme yet, but I will try. We are committed to taking action on climate change. We recognize that it is the thing we need to do. Take the example of B.C. It has a carbon tax. It is revenue neutral; it gives money back to the consumers. But what does it do? It is a market mechanism that reduces what we do not want. We do not want carbon pollution; we want less, so we innovate, businesses innovate, and we position ourselves for a cleaner future, because we want to create good jobs and we want to grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, a leopard cannot change its spots.The Liberals promised real change for health care, but today they are resorting to their favourite strategy from the past, a good fight with Quebec. Instead of attacking Quebec on a file the province has already taken care of, will the government deal with the underlying problem of the $36 billion in cuts made by Stephen Harper?
Mr. Speaker, we can be proud of our men and women who have served all over the world in previous missions, and even now. However, a lot of work needs to be done for peace operations. We are going to be going in with eyes wide open, making sure that we have all the necessary information to allow the military to do its work, as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development. We will make sure that we have all the right information. We need to be able to get a full analysis. Once we have better information, we will be presenting this to Canadians, as we have done, moving forward. A lot of work needs to be done, and I look forward to the healthy debate once we have all the necessary information.
Mr. Speaker, the allegations, to a very large extent, have been examined by two very important commissions, Iacobucci and O'Connor. Those commissions made important recommendations. Some of those recommendations have been implemented. One key one was not implemented by the previous government, and that was the need for a parliamentary mechanism to provide review and scrutiny of all of the security and police agencies and all of their activities in Canada. We have introduced legislation to do exactly that in Bill C-22, and we look forward to that legislation being passed expeditiously.
Mr. Speaker, this issue is a priority for us and the opposition knows that.We are in the midst of serious negotiations on this issue. There is unprecedented co-operation with producers, industry workers, and the provinces and territories. Last week, the minister met with the U.S. trade representative, Mike Froman, in Washington.We do not want to reach just any old deal. We want a good deal for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, I have spent the last eight months criss-crossing the country speaking with labour, speaking with business leaders, speaking with indigenous Canadians, speaking with everyone who would like to actually move forward on climate change. We have had discussions. I met with my territorial counterparts. They are concerned about the impact of carbon pricing, and we are having a good discussion with them. The bottom line is that right now, 80% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where, through the leadership of the province, because there was inaction by the Conservative government, there is a price on carbon. We are going to move forward in a thoughtful way, working with provinces and territories
Mr. Speaker, another area that is very important for our country's economy is the softwood lumber industry. In fact, 400,000 jobs depend on it.In 2006, we rectified a situation. People waited 10 years for the former Liberal government to find a solution to the problem, and we are the ones who solved it. Since then, Canadian businesses have been able to export their products to the United States with relative ease.The government made big promises, including a good relationship with the United States. Meanwhile, the Minister of International Trade has said that Canada will turn to the courts. What a great idea. Let us take our American partners to court rather than coming to an agreement with them.Why are the Liberals unable to settle this matter with the Americans through negotiations?
Mr. Speaker, I will start by thanking the member for Scarborough Centre for her hard work on behalf of all seniors.This government believes that all Canadians need and deserve housing that is safe, affordable, and secure. To give Canadians greater access to affordable housing, last year's budget invested a record $2.3 billion in assisting affordable housing, particularly the needs of seniors. This funding is expected to benefit more than 5,000 seniors across Canada.I will also take this opportunity to welcome our new cohort of pages and say that we look forward to working with them over the next few months.
Mr. Speaker, the minister has just confirmed that they are in fact continuing with the cuts imposed by Stephen Harper. Those reductions are going to hurt health services in all of those provinces and territories she just referred to.Canadians were promised a change from the Conservative government's approach on health care, but now the Liberals are admitting that they are going to continue with those cuts. Could the minister explain to us how following the Conservative cuts in health care somehow constitutes real change in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult and important decision that any government can make is to deploy our Canadian Forces in a war zone. Canadians must be able to trust that these decisions are made in our national interest, not the political interest of the Liberal Party. Sending our troops on a dangerous African mission appears to be about a purely political goalgetting a UN Security Council seat. However, our troops are not pawns on a political chessboard. Why has the Prime Minister decided that this is the best way to win over his friends at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is committed to reviewing child and family services on reserves and partnering with first nations to reform those services. We are working with first nations communities, key organizations, front-line service providers and other stakeholders to create better systems that will reduce the number of children placed and ensure a truly child-centred approach.
Mr. Speaker, I am no stranger to conflict. One of the reasons I wanted to actually get on the ground was that I like to get into the countries and find out for myself. That was one of the reasons I took retired General Roméo Dallaire and Madam Justice Louise Arbour with me, to get a full perspective and to get the interpretation from their own minds while we were actually talking to the leadership of those countries, talking to the international organizations. However, a lot of work needs to be done. We have a whole-of-government effort we want to bring to the table, plus we want to bring the whole of government from other countries, ensuring that we make a meaningful contribution to the world.
Mr. Speaker, common-sense Canadians know that when we borrow money, we have to pay it back. The Liberals have borrowed a lot of money, and guess who is paying it back? Canadians. They have raised taxes on families and on small business, and now they are forcing through a carbon tax hike and a CPP tax hike that will cost many Canadian families thousands of dollars a year. At the end of the day, how much more money are they going to take from hard-working Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, on this step-by-step approach, let us suggest that one of those steps should be actually voting for nuclear disarmament. I was in Paris with the Prime Minister when he promised to take action on the crucial climate change file. This is the most important commitment for future generations. Apparently, instead of keeping its promise, the Liberal government is going to ratify the Paris agreement with the same targets and deadlines set by Stephen Harper.Does the minister believe that this is what constitutes change, the Conservative plan handed to us by the Liberals with a smile?
Mr. Speaker, travellers who use the Pierre Elliott Trudeau international airport are furious. The waiting time to clear Canadian customs is simply unacceptable. Since April 1, passengers in Montreal have been three times more likely than passengers in Toronto to wait more than one hour while staring at empty booths. This is a simple question: will the minister fix the problem quickly or call for another study in order to buy some time?
Mr. Speaker, a number of reports have revealed massive problems with Canada's arms exports program. We already know that Canadian weapons exported to Saudi Arabia have been used in Yemen.Now we learn that weapons manufactured by Streit Group have been sold to countries like Libya and Sudan, despite Canadian sanctions. The Liberals have already rejected our proposal to create a parliamentary committee to study arms exports. Will the Liberals reconsider their position and give parliamentarians the right to look
Mr. Speaker, the current government has ignored two compliance orders by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to end systemic racist discrimination against indigenous children. That Minister of Health was asked to end the systemic denials of emergency orthodontic surgery that run at denial rates of 99%. Instead, she has decided to spend more money fighting these families in court than the surgeries would cost. We are talking about a moral and legal obligation to children. Can the minister explain why she would rather spend the money on lawyers than on responding to the emergency needs of indigenous children who are being denied their rights?
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadians suffer from arthritis, a disease that affects seniors in particular.With that in mind, what measures are this government and the Minister of Health taking to help arthritis sufferers and prevent new cases?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's middle class is struggling and that investments are needed immediately. We began by implementing programs that will help the middle class right now, such as the middle-class tax cut and the Canada child benefit, which will help nine out of 10 families.It is important for our future that we make investments and stimulate growth, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, it is pretty clear the Liberals already have an outcome in mind and it is one that will only benefit Liberal politicians. First the Liberals charged entry into their town halls, then the justice minister turned away over 30 people from her meeting, and now the Liberals are making shady deals with third parties to make sunny ways electoral ads, despite the claims we are hearing today.It has become abundantly clear this is not about Canadians; it is about Liberal politicians and their friends. Why are the Liberals rewarding their friends with advertising dollars instead of giving Canadians a say in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are threatening the provinces and Canadians with new climate taxes. The Liberals have been clear: they do not get things their way, they are just going to slap on more taxes, including fuel taxes. Higher fuel taxes punish rural Canadians and agriculture more than anyone else. This is the start of Canadians paying more for everything. Why are the Liberals so viciously targeting rural people and agriculture with their new climate taxation fixation?
Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister recently visited a mosque.Members of the Bloc Québécois want to know whether this government would have found it more or less acceptable if, rather than women, homosexuals, Indigenous people or Blacks had been the ones relegated to the balcony. If that were the case, would the Prime Minister still have agreed to speak?
Mr. Speaker, have Canadians heard correctly that it is Canada that is now backtracking on its international climate promises? The Liberals criticized the Harper government on its climate targets as totally inadequate, and they were right. In their platform, the Liberals promised to establish national emissions-reduction targets. Then, in Paris, they committed to doing better than the previous government.Why is the government now breaking its promise to the world and to future generations of Canadians? Why is it backtracking?
Mr. Speaker, the government is intent on imposing job-killing carbon taxes on the provinces. Its message is, Either you do this, or we will force you to. So much for sunny ways.Carbon taxes raise the price of everything, from filling up the gas tank to buying groceries to heating homes, and they kill jobs. Why is the current government so intent on raising the price of everything and killing jobs through its carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, in Quebec, we believe that gender equality is fundamental and non-negotiable. This government clearly does not agree.Does the Minister of Status of Women think it is acceptable for her Prime Minister to speak in a gender-segregated mosque? Is that what Liberal Canada looks like?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have now confirmed that they are planning to impose a made-in-Ottawa carbon tax on all Canadians, no matter where they live and no matter if their province already has a carbon tax.British Columbia already has a carbon tax, but the Liberals in Ottawa are indicating that it might not be high enough to kill jobs, and it might not take enough money out of the pockets of hard-working British Columbians.Why are the Liberals in Ottawa threatening to force the government of B.C. to raise taxes on British Columbians?
Mr. Speaker, conflicts in Africa are extremely complex. We need to ensure there is an appropriate mandate in place and ensure that contributing nations also fulfill those mandates. A lot of work needs to be done. We need to make sure that all the efforts from the international organizations, the United Nations, and all the other agencies there are also contributing well. When we have all the information, we will present it to Canadians and to the House for debate.
Mr. Speaker, Parliament needs to know what type of high-risk mission the government is committing Canadians to.The Liberals are getting ready to send our soldiers to danger zones and claiming that it is a peacekeeping mission. Our soldiers will be standing targets of armed factions whose sole objective is to kill foreign nationals on their land, as Roméo Dallaire has said.In light of that fact, will the government hold a debate and a vote on this matter in Parliament or not?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians rejected this type of pessimism in the last federal election. They voted for a party that promised to re-engage Canada in the world and a government that would be committed to actively contributing to greater security and peace in the world. Over the last 10 months, under the leadership of our Prime Minister and our government, we have had the support of the United Nations on climate change, gender equality, in welcoming Syrian refugees, fighting disease, and investing in peace support operations as well. This will be a whole-of-government effort.
Mr. Speaker, it is really important that we improve our electoral system. This is an historic opportunity, not just for our party, but also for the House of Commons in general. I want to encourage the Conservative Party to participate, along with the other parties and the Liberal Party, in consultations that will be held across Canada with a view to improving our system.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together.Since I was elected, I have spent time criss-crossing the country, meeting with all provinces, all territories, meeting with labour leaders, meeting with indigenous leaders, meeting with Canadians, and meeting with business.Canadians expect us to act on climate change, because we are the first generation to feel the impact, and we are the only generation that can actually change things.We are going to move forward with our plan, because we understand that it is the right thing to do to tackle climate change and grow our economy.
Mr. Speaker, the decision to send Canadian men and women in our armed forces into harm's way is one of the most serious decisions that parliamentarians will ever undertake. That is why the Conservative government always believed in taking it to debate in the House of Commons.Given that the Minister of National Defence formerly served for our country, and it seems like he will not allow this to come to a vote, can he explain both to our men and women in uniform and to Canadians why the Liberals will not put this to a vote in the House of Commons?
Mr. Speaker, maybe that minister is listening to CEOs, but she needs to start listening to premiers of provinces like Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and the territories, who have been clear. They do not want a carbon tax, because they know that Canadians, particularly rural and northern Canadians, cannot afford it.Why is the government ignoring the provinces and imposing a carbon tax that will hurt the economy, hurt Canadians, and do nothing for jobs?
Mr. Speaker, in the last fiscal year, this government turned a large operating surplus into a deficit. The current government is spending non-stop.The government does not have a plan for returning to a balanced budget. The Minister of Finance is talking about a plan for the future that involves making our grandchildren pay off his debt. That is his plan for the future.When will the government present its plan for returning to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, our priority is to be here to fight for hard-working Canadians, but they are clearly not a priority for the Prime Minister. Thousands of Canadians were laid off this summer, household debt is at an all-time high, and Canadians do not believe that the Prime Minister can manage the economy. Canadians are worried about their future and jobs are not being created, so what is his answer?
Mr. Speaker, when she says it is going according to plan, what she is actually saying is it is going according to the Conservative plan. As the Prime Minister talks to our allies today about the role of our country on the world stage, we are again reminded that actions speak louder than words. Despite the words about peace, just last month in Geneva the government actually voted against nuclear disarmament. Real leadership means acting in the interests of peace, not just talking about it.Will the Liberal government reverse this shameful position and vote in favour of nuclear disarmament at the UN General Assembly next week?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence had to go to Africa to find out that peacekeeping no longer exists. The losses suffered by the peacekeepers should be a clear indication that we are talking about an extremely dangerous mission. General Roméo Dallaire has said that the risk of casualties is far greater than before. Our soldiers will be standing targets.Will the government be open and hold a debate and a vote on this matter here in Parliament instead of at the UN?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to working with the provinces and territories to meet our international obligations. We are working very hard to understand the challenges and opportunities in different provinces and territories, and we are going to come forward with a plan.Let us be clear about the Harper target. The Harper government had absolutely no plan to reach the target. It did not care. It had a target out there, with no actions. That is not what we are going to do. We are going to come with concrete actions that are going to tackle our emissions and grow our economy in a thoughtful way.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite might not understand that B.C. has a carbon tax, and it is revenue neutral, so B.C. actually returns the revenues to its citizens.The energy companies are actually with us. Let me quote from Suncor CEO Steve Williams: We think climate change is happening. We think a broad-based carbon price is the right answer. CEO of Dutch Shell, Total, and four other major energy companies: We firmly believe that carbon pricing will discourage high carbon options.... We now need governments around the world to provide us with this framework....
Mr. Speaker, in 2014, the Prime Minister had this to say about the deployment of troops to fight ISIS: Canadians expect the highest standard of openness and honesty from a leader who wants to send our forces to war. He asked the government to allow the House of Commons to debate and vote on the issue, and that is what the previous government did. Will the Prime Minister walk the talk and allow debate and a vote in the House?
Mr. Speaker, we are ready to take action on climate change. I spent the summer talking with my counterparts all across the country.However, let us be clear, the Harper targets were fake targets. When one puts out targets and does not have a plan to meet them and emissions go upand we have been very transparent about how the emissions have gone upit is hard to meet them. What Canadians expect is real action, and we are going to deliver real action with the provinces and territories, with indigenous leaders, with business, with youth, with all Canadians, because that is what we are committed to doing.
Mr. Speaker, that minister clearly has not been talking to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians in the energy sector whose jobs have been lost. She is not listening to the provinces that do not want a carbon tax. A carbon tax will kill jobs, and it is an imposition of Ottawa on the provinces. Why are the Liberals ignoring not only what the premiers are saying but what rural and remote Canadians are saying? They do not want a carbon tax. It is going to kill jobs. The Liberals need to listen to people outside of the city of Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, we fully understand the complexity of peace operations, but we cannot be an island of stability in an ocean of turmoil. Canada needs to do its part. This is why I took retired lieutenant-general Roméo Dallaire with me on my five-country trip to Africa, to learn about the complexities.We are taking a whole-of-government approach to this. We are going to make a thorough effort before we put all the facts together and before we have a thorough debate on this.
Mr. Speaker, the minister does not seem to understand that 110,000 energy workers have lost their jobs.B.C. is home to a developing LNG sector, where tens of thousands of jobs are riding on the investment decisions of LNG companies.When Liberals in Ottawa threaten to increase carbon taxes on B.C. employers, they threaten billions of dollars of investment in the economy, money that would pay for hospitals and schools and would provide thousands of family-supporting jobs. Why are the Liberals so intent on threatening British Columbia families with their made-in-Ottawa, job-killing carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to strengthening Canada's export controls, something the former government failed to do. We will provide more rigour and transparency. We are acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty. Currently we are consulting with NGOs and industry and look forward to input from our parliamentary colleagues at committee and in the House as we bring the legislation forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals recently stated that their government plans to use TV ads to promote their electoral reform campaign. Given the Liberal Party's history with the sponsorship of ad campaigns, there are a lot of questions and Canadians deserve the answers.Liberals have alluded to the fact that they will be working with third parties to create these ads. Who are these third parties? Are they taxpayer funded and what are their connections to the Liberal Party?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, September 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government was elected with a promise to build a new nation-to-nation relationship, so why is it still discriminating against first nations children?The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal found the government guilty of discrimination, but it is still failing to comply with the tribunal's order.My question is simple: how can the Prime Minister, the Minister of Youth, justify systematic discrimination against indigenous children in 2016?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system so that Canadians can access the care they need regardless of their ability or desire to pay.The government has renewed its commitment by restoring federal leadership on health and championing a national vision that upholds the principles laid out in the Canada Health Act, including universality and accessibility. That is what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, Wayne Smith, Canada's chief statistician, resigned Friday and blasted the Liberal government for failing to protect the independence of Stats Canada.The Liberals promised to restore Stats Canada's independence, but Mr. Smith said: ...that independence has never been more compromised. I ask the minister to resist the urge to simply blame the Harper Conservatives because Mr. Smith was referring to the Liberal government. How does the Liberal government defend this breach of independence and this clearly broken promise?
Mr. Speaker, when our troops are deployed on dangerous missions Canadians deserve to know the details. The Prime Minister missed another opportunity to be open and transparent with Canadians. Rather than tabling his African mission in the House, the Prime Minister went to the UN instead. The Prime Minister is playing political games in hopes of getting a seat on the UN Security Council and is shamefully using our troops as pawns.Will the Prime Minister start respecting Parliament and bring this dangerous UN mission to the House for a full debate and a vote, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has a romantic notion about peacekeeping that simply does not match up to reality. This is 2016, not 1956. Increasingly, there is no peace to keep. The conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa are dangerous. Even Roméo Dallaire agrees that a mission there will be deadly.Does the Prime Minister understand this is not a peacekeeping mission but rather a dangerous deployment that will risk Canadian lives, and does he think it is worth it?
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker: nobody wants ancillary fees for health care services.Today we learned that the Minister of Health's plan for abolishing ancillary fees involves taking sick people in Quebec hostage by cutting transfer payments by an additional $160 million.The minister can say she is protecting the health care system all she wants, but she is actually victimizing sick people in Quebec. Enough is enough. Will the minister immediately and unconditionally restore the health transfers that she is planning to cut in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the only people the minister is consulting in Alberta are NDP politicians, who did not even mention a carbon tax in their election campaign. We are going through the toughest recession we have had in decades, and the worst possible thing is to hike prices and impose new taxes on everything. Brad Wall understands that. He is opposed to the current government's top-down, do-it-or-else approach to federalism. Will the current government stop killing jobs and making a bad situation worse in Alberta? Will the Liberals stop their carbon tax plan?
Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned of allegations that implicate both CSIS and the RCMP in the report of three Canadians being tortured in Syria between 2001 and 2004. Seemingly even the Canadian ambassador was involved. These are very serious allegations against two of our security agencies and the reputation of our country.How does the government explain these troubling allegations, and is it going to investigate?