Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's friends were given so much money that they seem to have lost track of it all. After getting caught red-handed, the Prime Minister's best friend and his chief of staff admitted that some expenses were unreasonable. They claimed they were not aware of all the costs, but now the moving company is saying that it briefed them on all costs.Will the Prime Minister's friends tell the truth for once and stop taking Canadians for fools?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of waking up every day to a new Liberal expense scandal.Yesterday, Brookfield Global Relocation Services shared that two prime ministerial aides, Butts and Telford, would have been briefed on their services and made fully aware. For the past week, these two individuals have been stating they did not know.The bottom line is, who is telling the truth?
Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals, you get more than you bargained for. When Canadians send their money to Ottawa, they expect it to be managed carefully. They do not want the brush-off. The Prime Minister's friends feigned ignorance, but now that we know they were well aware of all the expenses they claimed, Canadians have every reason to wonder if there is anything else the Prime Minister is hiding.Canadians deserve their government's respect, so will it come right out and tell us what other unreasonable expenses it is hiding from Canadians in the hope of not getting caught?
Mr. Speaker, I will not claim a perfect memory either, but I would certainly say it is entirely appropriate that when one hires a staff person or a consultant and the person is in Thailand, yes the government pays for the transport of that individual to Ottawa and for the relevant hotel expenses. That is precisely what we did and precisely what we disclosed to the public nine months ago. To say that we were hiding anything is entirely ridiculous.
Mr. Speaker, I fully agree with what my colleague said. In fact, there was an official declaration done by the Government of Canada, and we are willing to start reading it in the House.Today, as we consider the interim findings of the independent joint investigation team into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, we are reminded of the unspeakable suffering caused by this tragic attack. The interim findings made clear that the Russian-made Buk missile was fired from rebel-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. In a nutshell, the declaration clearly condemns it.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Liberals' approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project is not all that it seems. The reality is that many residents of my riding woke up this morning in the same circumstances as they were yesterday, unemployed. Unemployment rates in northeastern B.C. are still the highest in the province. As I said before, approving this project is one thing, building it is completely another. Why did the Liberals put potential poison pills in the approval with unnecessary conditions?
Mr. Speaker, I am not too sure what folding in means, but those first nations know that they have never been meaningfully consulted, and they have never been accommodated.The Liberals are using Stephen Harper's targets, Stephen Harper's plan, and Stephen Harper's timelines, and the Conservatives are the only ones who are happy about it. In short, they will never be able to honour our international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.How can the Prime Minister approve new pipelines if we are already finding it impossible to reduce GHGs because we do not have a comprehensive and credible plan? That is utter nonsense.
Mr. Speaker, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that relocation directives were explained in detail to all employees who were being moved. He also stated that they go over, extensively, the personalized cash payouts with each employee.This abuse of taxpayer money falls squarely on the shoulders of the Prime Minister as he was the one who approved the payouts. If the company handling the move says the Prime Minister's BFFs were briefed, why is the PMO misleading Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to ensuring justice for all victims of this dark chapter of our history. We are concerned about any possibility that some deserving victims may have been denied compensation. We uphold the Indian residential school settlement process, and members know that. We also protect the integrity of the independent assessment process and we will continue to do so on behalf of all indigenous people.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are expecting more from their government, not just the same old party antics and spending scandals that we saw in the 1990s and the early 2000s. There are many new faces in the government, but they have the same old Liberal sense of entitlement.Where is the leadership? Who is finally going to put a stop to these Liberal entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is in my riding. It is a small business run by a middle-income family. It is 197 years old. It is the only one like it operating in Canada and it has never had a workplace accident. It is basically a working museum. It cannot meet the federal labour code and it is about to be shut down. The Minister of Labour knows the Arva Flour Mill can be exempted from the federal labour code. She has the authority to save it. Will the minister please do her job?
Mr. Speaker, we agree with the member opposite that Canadians do want greater transparency and accountability in many different areas, but particularly in terms of arms sales. That is why we have committed to demonstrating a higher level of transparency and openness, and why we have agreed to sign on to the arms trade treaty. We will be the last NATO country to sign on to that because the previous government did not want to. We know that it is the right thing to do and, quite frankly, it is what Canadians expect of their government.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister claims he believes in human rights, transparency, and accountability. He has an opportunity to prove it. Canadians want more oversight when it comes to selling arms, weapons, and tanks to countries like Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Libya. Will he or will he not support creating a parliamentary committee to bring transparency to any foreign arms sales before they take place?
Mr. Speaker, although the minister announced that there would be consultations on changes to the rules governing the political activities of charitable organizations, we have learned that the agency is continuing the witch hunt launched by the Conservatives against these organizations, and that 12 organizations are still under investigation. What a contradiction.How can the minister justify the fact that the agency is still investigating these organizations when she has admitted that the rules are not clear and that they must be clarified? In view of a consultation on changing the rules, will the minister put a stop to all unfair investigations of charitable organizations, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the kind of leadership Canadians expect is the kind of leadership they had not had for 10 years, a government that understands that we need to grow the economy for the middle class and protect and sustain the environment at the same time. That is why we took our time. We have made sure to do things right to demonstrate the community support, the indigenous support, and the fact that world-class science is going on while we grow the economy and create jobs for the middle class. It is what Canadians expect. It is what this government is delivering.
Mr. Speaker, on another matter, an international investigation into the downing of Malaysian passenger jet MH17 confirms that the missile that hit the plane was brought into Ukraine from Russia and fired from Russian-backed rebel territory. Evidence reveals that the launcher then returned to Russia. Given that two Canadians were among the 298 who died in the attack, will the minister now clearly condemn Russia for its unrepentant military aggression that has taken thousands of lives and displaced almost one million people in eastern Ukraine?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' decision to maintain the Conservatives' cuts to health was not especially well received. According to Quebec's health minister, these cuts are going to make it hard for Quebeckers and Canadians to access good quality health care. Many provinces are opposed to the government's proposed plan.Will the Liberals scrap these cuts and keep their promise to negotiate in good faith with the provinces to ensure quality care?
Mr. Speaker, time is marching on and the uncertainty continues. The Liberal government is showing a distinct lack of leadership when it comes to the extradition treaty and negotiations with China. It is rather funny how the Liberals become so much less open and transparent on critical, sensitive files.The Prime Minister is saying one thing and the Minister of Foreign Affairs is saying another.Can the two talk to each other and tell us the truth, please?
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased yesterday afternoon that all members of the House of Commons agreed with the Conservative Party that Atlantic Canada should be represented on the Supreme Court, but then a spokesperson for the justice minister stated that it would not be guaranteed. Why would the Liberals flip-flop on this important issue? I checked last night and there was no election. So why are the Liberals changing their mind on this?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years under the reign of a government with the worst record in economic growth since R. B. Bennett and the Great Depression, Canadians needed a government that was ready to invest in their communities and ready to put more money in the pockets of the middle class by asking more of the wealthy.We raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so that we could lower them on the middle class. We are giving a more generous Canada child benefit to nine out of ten families. That is what Canadians expect from their government.
Mr. Speaker, someone is not being truthful with Canadians. Yesterday, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that each person it moves is briefed on the benefits and entitlements that can be claimed. Yet, the Prime Minister is digging in his heels, and claiming that his BFFs, Gerry and Katie, were never briefed. When we are talking about six-figure payouts, I find it hard to believe that the people were not briefed. Would the Prime Minister come clean and tell Canadians who is telling the truth, Gerry and Katie, or Brookfield?
Mr. Speaker, so much for making rail safety the number one issue.Both Conservative and Liberal governments have stated that moving oil and other dangerous goods by rail poses significant risk to our environment and communities, yet we have seen little action on community demands, other than one-off measures such as this.Yesterday, I introduced Bill C-304 to make environmental assessments mandatory and to strengthen regulation of dangerous rail. The Minister of Environment has the power now to order an assessment of potentially dangerous rail. What is she waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, we did make a commitment to Canadians to be open and transparent. Quite the opposite of what the member just said, it was nine long months ago that we recorded this expense through proactive disclosure. I discovered only yesterday that we had entered the expense under the wrong column. I immediately corrected that point in the House, and I immediately supplied a new answer to the question. We disclosed that expenditure nine months ago. Nothing at all was ever hidden from Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we must grow the economy while protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The problem is that, for a long time, previous governments, including Liberal governments, had plenty of targets, but no solid plan to reach them. That is why we are working with the provinces and our partners in industry to ensure that we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. That is what Canadians expect from this government.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces, but they did not tell us their plan would look exactly the same as the one imposed by Stephen Harper.Now B.C.'s Liberal health minister is accusing the government of having a very Conservative mindset. That is not something to be proud of, but thankfully, it is curable. Will the Liberals abandon Stephen Harper's funding cuts, quit using Conservative talking points, and negotiate fairly with the provinces to protect Canada's public health care system?
Mr. Speaker, I see that my colleague opposite is on a fishing expedition. Allow me to respond.He knows full well that Brookfield apologized for providing erroneous information. He may not have heard the response we gave his predecessor. He may have had to change the question. We know how faithfully our friends across the way followed the orders of Mr. Harper's chief of staff, Guy Giorno.We are inspired by his encouraging words about this program, but we are going to improve it and that is why the Prime Minister instructed the President of the Treasury Board to review the program.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister always takes time in his answers to point out how proud he is of raising taxes, that he is borrowing billions to fund new Liberal spending. So is it working? No. Private sector job growth is nonexistent. More and more people are looking for work. At some point, the Liberals have to accept that their plan is not working. Stop digging before the hole becomes so deep it takes generations to come out. Will the Prime Minister do the right thing, stop spending, and focus on creating jobs?
Well, Mr. Speaker, that is not good enough. Canadians are still trying to understand the very obvious contradiction between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister over the extradition treaty with China.The Prime Minister says discussions have begun, his website says that talks have begun, and the Chinese premier says so as well. The only person who did not know seems to have been the Minister of Foreign Affairs.Is he simply out of the loop, is he splitting grammatical hairs, or is he quite properly challenging the Prime Minister on an unwise initiative?
Mr. Speaker, when his government was elected last year, the Prime Minister said that the good old Canada was back on the world stage. The good old Canada was committed to protecting human rights in the international arena. That means that Canada must stop selling weapons to those who violate human rights.Will the Prime Minister agree to create a parliamentary committee to examine foreign arms sales before approving them?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague for having been chosen as the spokesperson of his party for foreign affairs. I also want to congratulate him that he has seen the light, because now he speaks about discussions. We have noticed that in his questions. He dropped the word negotiation that he was using for the last two weeks, and so I congratulate my colleague for that. It is quite an improvement, because today, at this very moment, we are having a discussion together, but we negotiate nothing.
Mr. Speaker, to compare the approach of this government with the approach of the previous Conservative government on the matter of federal-provincial-territorial relations on health is a misrepresentation of the facts.I am meeting with my counterparts. I already met with them in January. I have been given direction from the Prime Minister to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces and territories. That was not done by the previous government.We will do that. We will work in collaboration with the provinces and territories. We will invest in health, and ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of failed policies on growth that consisted mostly of tax breaks for the wealthiest Canadians, we are actually working to draw in global investment to demonstrate to Canadians and to the world that we understand that building a strong economy that works for the middle class goes hand in hand with creating a sustainable, protected environment. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we are pleased to be working on, but we know that there is lots more work to be done.
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps telling us that rail safety is the number one priority. However, based on what he has done on this file, I cannot imagine how little would be done on files that are not a priority.Communities are concerned because dangerous goods are being transported without any consultation or environmental assessment. Communities such as Lac-Mégantic want their voices to be heard in order to prevent any more tragedies.Will the minister agree to strengthen the regulations and environmental assessments in order to improve rail safety in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta has been a world heritage site for more than three decades. In response to a petition by Mikisew Cree First Nation, the United Nations began an investigation into the government's failure to protect the park from impacts of oil, gas, and hydro projects, including Site C in British Columbia. This could land the park on the UN's list of world heritage sites in danger.Will the minister and her colleagues work together to better protect and preserve Wood Buffalo?
Mr. Speaker, in the last election, Canadians had a choice between a government that for 10 years was unable to create the kind of growth for Canadians that middle-class Canadians needed, because Conservatives kept insisting on lowering taxes for the wealthiest and giving benefits to millionaire families. What we did instead was actually invest in our communities with historic investments in infrastructure. We put more money in the pockets of the middle class by lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest one per cent and put a historic Canada child benefit in the pockets of the nine out of 10 Canadians who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, the government cannot seem to get its story straight when it comes to its decision to fight a residential school survivor in court. Yesterday the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs assured the House that if government lawyers were involved, it was only to help ensure they get justice. Justice department lawyers are in the Ontario Superior Court fighting against compensation to a victim of a perverse misapplication of justice. The Prime Minister promised to put an end to this.Will the justice minister please explain to the indigenous affairs minister why her officials are trying to stop this survivor from getting justice in court?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commissioner of Official Languages denounced the fact that French language proficiency tests for prospective immigrants to Canada can cost twice as much as their English equivalents. However, the Constitution clearly states that official languages have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions within the Government of Canada. What does the government plan to do right now to ensure that the law is respected and that francophone immigration applicants do not have to pay more for exactly the same service?
Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Immigration first responded to my Order Paper question, instantly the response was that none of his staff got any money for moving expenses. However, when he was caught with his hand in the U-HaulI mean in the cookie jarall of a sudden he remembered that he had okayed the expenses to move one of his staff all the way from Thailand. Can the minister explain his lapse of memory and judgment?
Mr. Speaker, the members opposite continue to not understand the lessons Canadians shared with them in the last election. Faced with a choice between a government that insisted on giving benefits and tax breaks to the wealthiest Canadians, or a party that proposed to raise taxes on the wealthiest one per cent so we could lower them for the middle class and give benefits to those families who actually need it, the nine out of 10 families who need extra help with the cost of raising their kids, Canadians made the right choice, and we are working hard to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, I will take this opportunity to share with my colleague something that his former boss, Guy Giorno, said about the relocation program: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason. The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially. Nevertheless, we think that the program the former government approved needs to be reviewed, and that is what my colleague is doing.
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the joint UNESCO World Heritage Centre and International Union for Conservation of Nature mission to Wood Buffalo National Park, which is taking place from September 25 to October 4. Reactive monitoring missions are carried out around the world as an act of due diligence to assess potential threats to the outstanding universal value of world heritage sites. These missions are a valuable tool in the ongoing protection of these international important treasures.
Mr. Speaker, we have always understood that in order to create the kind of government that people want, we need to both grow the economy and protect the environment. That means folding in consultations with indigenous leaders, talking to communities, ensuring we get the world-class science done. That is exactly what we did on this project.Unfortunately, the members opposite either think we are not going fast enough or we are going too fast. Canadians know we need to grow the economy, and protect the environment right now and do it right.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, residents in my riding have worked so hard to ensure their voices of strong support for B.C. LNG were heard. Yesterday's approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project was one step forward, but unfortunately the conditions attached were two steps backward.Why did the Liberals ensure thousands of Canadian energy workers would remain out of work by adding potentially impossible conditions to their approval of Pacific NorthWest LNG?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Right to Know Day.Our government is committed to openness and transparency. I have issued a directive that enshrines the principle that government information should be open by default.We will soon introduce a bill that will enhance the Access to Information Act, as we promised. We will then conduct a comprehensive review of the act in order to update it so it better serves Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues are obviously pleased to see me back.My friend knows very well that Brookfield has apologized for that erroneous information. What my friend should also consider is the advice of Guy Giorno, somebody whose orders he followed so faithfully for so long.We would draw to the House's attention, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Harper who said: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason.The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially.
Mr. Speaker, again, the policy for relocation, as it applies to ministers' offices, is the same policy of the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is evaluating that policy.I would remind the hon. member, who was I believe a caucus member previously, that under the Conservatives, there were staff members who were reimbursed for moving expenses in excess of $90,000.Treasury Board is reviewing this and we will fix it.
Mr. Speaker, job creation is currently invisible and economic growth is sluggish.On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of reversing course, the Prime Minister is spending even more money. How can the Liberals be trusted when all this spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, it has been over six months since the Prime Minister started borrowing to spend their way to prosperity, but every week it seems like we get another piece of bad economic news. Private sector job creation is invisible. On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of learning a lesson and reversing course, the Prime Minister is using this as an excuse to spend even more money.How can the Liberals be trusted with even more of our tax dollars when their first round of spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the conditional approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project does not mean the Liberals really intend to actually have it built. The vast majority of the assessment was completed under Canada's already world-leading vigorous regulatory system, but the Liberals keep talking about multiple regulatory changes, which means that other energy projects and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadians are left hanging in the balance. We hope the Prime Minister will proudly champion LNG, but what about all the other energy projects critical to Canada's economy?
Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to congratulate my colleague on being appointed deputy critic for foreign affairs.I would also like to tell the members of the opposition that, for the past two weeks, they have been asking questions about something that does not exist. The Prime Minister never said anything about negotiations. The Canada-China joint communiqué issued on September 12, 2016, which is public and easily accessible, reads: start discussions. There is a huge difference between discussions and negotiations. If my colleague needs clarification on that, my department can give him a briefing.
Mr. Speaker, all of a sudden we have another minister of cover-up. Like my own memory sometimes, I believe the minister's memory seems to be past its best before date. I mean that, of course, in a very comforting way.However, to be serious here, does the minister really think it is appropriate to move one of his staff from Thailand to Ottawa and then expect the taxpayer to pay for it?
Mr. Speaker, this government is engaged in ensuring that Canadians have good health and the health care they need. To do that, it requires working collaboratively with our colleagues across the country. It requires working with patients and health care providers. I have had excellent discussions with my counterparts, the ministers of health across the country. I respect that they deliver excellent care and have jurisdiction over that. However, it requires all partners to be at the table to ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I am puzzled by the question. I am not entirely sure if the member opposite believes this project should have been approved with no conditions. Our government is a different government. We believe that the only way resources will get to market is if they are done in a sustainable and responsible way. That is what we have done. I am very proud that this project will create over 5,000 good, middle-class jobs, including union jobs. This is the way we move forward. Let us be clear, we need to make sure that resources are developed in a sustainable way.
Mr. Speaker, it is very important that this House does not misunderstand the facts.There will be no cuts to health care. Our government is committed to being a good partner in ensuring that Canadians have the health and health care they need. This year, the Canada health transfer was the largest ever, more than $36 billion. It will increase by more than $1 billion, additionally, next year.In addition to the Canada health transfer, I will be meeting with my counterparts on October 18 to discuss additional ways that we can invest in the health of Canadians, and ensure they all get the care they need.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, though, has created economic uncertainty that is driving away new job creators. In fact, yesterday, all he approved was more consultations. In fact, construction of Pacific NorthWest LNG may not even move ahead. Conditional approval is one step forward, but bogging it down with extra process is two steps back. The Prime Minister must stand with unemployed workers who need jobs. Will he do the right thing, get shovels in the ground, and get these people to work?
Mr. Speaker, again I am pleased to stand up to speak about the new process that the Prime Minister has introduced for appointing the next Supreme Court justice. We are committed to respecting the custom of regional representation, functional bilingualism, diversity, and ensuring that we have the highest calibre of jurist to be the next Supreme Court of Canada justice. I am appreciative of the independent, nonpartisan advisory board that is assisting us in this process. I look forward to assisting the Prime Minister in making this most important appointment.
Mr. Speaker, accessibility and equality among our two official languages are extremely important to us. We received yesterday's report and will give it very serious consideration. We have already taken action in favour of francophones outside Quebec through our francophone significant benefit program, and I can assure the House that we will be doing more, such as taking this report into consideration.
Mr. Speaker, the government has committed to addressing housing, infrastructure, health care, education, and connectivity in Métis and Inuit communities. The minister is aware of the great need for this investment in Nunavut. To date, first nations on reserve have been the recipients of this much-needed funding.I would like to ask the minister how and when this funding will flow to other aboriginal groups, especially for Nunavut. Will this funding be done on a needs-based approach or continue with the woefully inadequate per capita system that continues to fail us?
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. We believe that we need to demonstrate more transparency and rigour when it comes to the sale of arms on the international market.That is one reason why we committed to sign the arms trade treaty. We are going to work with all members of the House to ensure that Canada endorses and upholds this treaty.
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, the minister has stated multiple times that rail safety is his top priority. Likewise, we value the hard work and dedication of first responders in Canada. That is why the minister issued protective direction no. 36, delivering on our commitment to share more data with communities and first responders. These new measures enhance transparency on rail safety and dangerous goods. In fact, we understand that the fire chief of the City of Windsor is now recommending that the city sign the non-disclosure agreement by railway companies to get more dangerous goods information
Mr. Speaker, the headlines seemed good, but beyond the headlines was a lot of fine print, 190 conditions for the LNG project to move forward, including, wait for it, more consultations, after almost six years of consultations. Thousands of unemployed workers and their families are depending on this project to go ahead. Approving the project is one thing. Getting it built is what matters. There are no jobs until there are shovels in the ground. Will the Prime Minister commit to providing personal leadership to drive this project forward?
Mr. Speaker, consultation means much more than informing indigenous communities that a project has already been approved. Six local first nations have opposed this LNG project. How was this decision announced? The Prime Minister sent three ministers to the Vancouver airport, 1,000 kilometres away from the people and territory that will be directly affected by their decision.Does the Prime Minister really consider this to be respect for first nations?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health said she is looking forward to meeting with her counterparts, the provincial health ministers. I have some good news for her: I know that one of them, the Quebec minister of health, is very keen to speak to her in person. He is going to tell her that putting conditions on transfer payments to the provinces is simply not how the Canadian federation works. I hope the Prime Minister plans to bring his minister into line and ask her to respect those responsible for delivering health care in Quebec, specifically the doctors, not the politicians, and ensure that provincial responsibilities are discharged by those who have the authority, in this case, the provincial health ministers.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for HastingsLennox and Addington for his question and support. Last week was a great week for Canadian agriculture. Our government gained access for the Canadian canola farmers to the Chinese market until at least 2020, worth over $2 billion a year for Canadian farmers. We also gained access for bone-in meat under 30 months. That puts another $10 million in the pockets of farmers and ranchers in our country.These successes will create growth and opportunity, and I intend to build on that growth and opportunity when I lead a trade mission to China.
Mr. Speaker, each of these projects will be judged on its own merits. They are not all the same. Looking at the decision we made yesterday, a very important decision, it will lead to 5,000 new jobs being created in the energy sector across Canada. For some reason, we are not getting much credit from those opposite. Implicit also is that there will be pipelines that will move to tidewater, the first time that will happen in more than 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, the relocation policy for ministers' offices is the same policy as that of the previous Conservative government.We are also aware that under the previous Conservative government, there were ministerial staffers reimbursed, in some cases, for $90,000 worth of moving expenses.The Prime Minister and his office have asked me, and Treasury Board, to review the policy. Treasury Board will review the policy, and report back to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister has said, the only way resources can get to market in the 21st century is if they are done in a responsible and sustainable way. I am very pleased about our decision yesterday, which was based on our interim principles. It was based on science and evidence. It was based on meaningful consultation and accommodation with indigenous peoples. It was based on hearing from Canadians about concerns. Those 190 conditions are consistent with that, because we need to make sure that any resources developed are done in a sustainable way. However, the way this will get to market is actually if the market price goes
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my hon. colleague as the new critic for environment and climate change.Our government is committed to proper environmental assessments that are based on science and evidence. As we saw yesterday, we applied our interim principles. I was very pleased to show that we can get resources to market in a sustainable and responsible way by following these principles.These principles were actually used to engage indigenous peoples, who will now be part of environmental assessments of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project. Many of them have benefit agreements
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is an example of a business that has been in operation 150 years. It is a hard-working family-owned small business that has done the right thing. However, companies must respect the Canada Labour Code and it is our duty to ensure the health and safety of workers across Canada.We are very committed to ensuring small business has the right to compete and strive and do well. We are working with the community and the owner.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that charitable organizations play a key role in our society, and I am committed to being responsive to the needs of this sector. Therefore, I am proud to have announced the official launch of our consultations to clarify charitable organizations' involvement in political activities.Our government knows that it must work with this sector. That is what we promised, and that is what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find that, in fact, Brookfield has clarified its comments and have confirmed that members of the Prime Minister's staff were consistent with the truth.Beyond that, it is important that the opposition recognize that the moving expense policy, as applied to ministers' offices, is the same policy that applied to the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is reviewing that policy.
Mr. Speaker, expanding access into the Chinese market is incredibly important to boost the bottom line for Canadian farmers and agricultural industries. These industries contribute over $100 billion and two million jobs to our economy.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on our government's recent accomplishments for Canadian farmers and farm families?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question and also for his input into northern and Inuit priorities. Our government is renewing our relationship as a crown-Inuit relationship. We have been consulting Inuit people across the north. We work closely with the Nunavut government. This year we announced an $178-million investment into Inuit housing, of which $78 million will go to Inuit in Nunavut.Yes, we are looking at these investments on a priority basis. That is why we have invested very much into recreational
Mr. Speaker, earlier this summer, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the four Atlantic premiers, and the four cabinet ministers from Atlantic Canada launched the Atlantic growth strategy. Can the minister please explain how this strategy is different from the work that has previously been done to address the problems of economic growth in Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her question and for her advocacy on behalf of the residents of South ShoreSt. Margarets. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the 32 outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada who were instrumental in launching the Atlantic growth strategy.Under this strategy, we have launched an immigration program that will increase levels by 50%. We have invested $154 million in Atlantic universities and colleges and we have also invested $225 million
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I have already had many good conversations with my counterparts across the country, including the Quebec minister of health.As the member is well aware, the Canada health transfer is going to increase by $1 billion next year, bringing it up to more than $37 billion. I will be meeting with all my provincial and territorial counterparts over the next few weeks. We will continue our discussions on ways to create a health care system
Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Universal Access to Information, whose objective is to make people aware of their right to access information held by government institutions and to promote freedom of information as the basis for democracy and good governance.Could the President of the Treasury Board please explain to the House the government's commitment to openness and transparency?
Mr. Speaker, let me give another good example. When I was the minister of intergovernmental affairs, my mandate was to ensure that provincial jurisdictions were respected. I looked for the mandate letter for the minister of intergovernmental affairs. The Prime Minister is the minister. I would have guessed his mandate letter would include ensuring that provincial jurisdictions are respected. However, I did not see that in the mandate letter.Will the Prime Minister let the provinces do the work that falls under their jurisdiction, namely infrastructure, social housing, education, and health? It will be a long list in a few months. Will he let them do their work?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's friends were given so much money that they seem to have lost track of it all. After getting caught red-handed, the Prime Minister's best friend and his chief of staff admitted that some expenses were unreasonable. They claimed they were not aware of all the costs, but now the moving company is saying that it briefed them on all costs.Will the Prime Minister's friends tell the truth for once and stop taking Canadians for fools?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of waking up every day to a new Liberal expense scandal.Yesterday, Brookfield Global Relocation Services shared that two prime ministerial aides, Butts and Telford, would have been briefed on their services and made fully aware. For the past week, these two individuals have been stating they did not know.The bottom line is, who is telling the truth?
Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals, you get more than you bargained for. When Canadians send their money to Ottawa, they expect it to be managed carefully. They do not want the brush-off. The Prime Minister's friends feigned ignorance, but now that we know they were well aware of all the expenses they claimed, Canadians have every reason to wonder if there is anything else the Prime Minister is hiding.Canadians deserve their government's respect, so will it come right out and tell us what other unreasonable expenses it is hiding from Canadians in the hope of not getting caught?
Mr. Speaker, I will not claim a perfect memory either, but I would certainly say it is entirely appropriate that when one hires a staff person or a consultant and the person is in Thailand, yes the government pays for the transport of that individual to Ottawa and for the relevant hotel expenses. That is precisely what we did and precisely what we disclosed to the public nine months ago. To say that we were hiding anything is entirely ridiculous.
Mr. Speaker, I fully agree with what my colleague said. In fact, there was an official declaration done by the Government of Canada, and we are willing to start reading it in the House.Today, as we consider the interim findings of the independent joint investigation team into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, we are reminded of the unspeakable suffering caused by this tragic attack. The interim findings made clear that the Russian-made Buk missile was fired from rebel-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. In a nutshell, the declaration clearly condemns it.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Liberals' approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project is not all that it seems. The reality is that many residents of my riding woke up this morning in the same circumstances as they were yesterday, unemployed. Unemployment rates in northeastern B.C. are still the highest in the province. As I said before, approving this project is one thing, building it is completely another. Why did the Liberals put potential poison pills in the approval with unnecessary conditions?
Mr. Speaker, I am not too sure what folding in means, but those first nations know that they have never been meaningfully consulted, and they have never been accommodated.The Liberals are using Stephen Harper's targets, Stephen Harper's plan, and Stephen Harper's timelines, and the Conservatives are the only ones who are happy about it. In short, they will never be able to honour our international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.How can the Prime Minister approve new pipelines if we are already finding it impossible to reduce GHGs because we do not have a comprehensive and credible plan? That is utter nonsense.
Mr. Speaker, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that relocation directives were explained in detail to all employees who were being moved. He also stated that they go over, extensively, the personalized cash payouts with each employee.This abuse of taxpayer money falls squarely on the shoulders of the Prime Minister as he was the one who approved the payouts. If the company handling the move says the Prime Minister's BFFs were briefed, why is the PMO misleading Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to ensuring justice for all victims of this dark chapter of our history. We are concerned about any possibility that some deserving victims may have been denied compensation. We uphold the Indian residential school settlement process, and members know that. We also protect the integrity of the independent assessment process and we will continue to do so on behalf of all indigenous people.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are expecting more from their government, not just the same old party antics and spending scandals that we saw in the 1990s and the early 2000s. There are many new faces in the government, but they have the same old Liberal sense of entitlement.Where is the leadership? Who is finally going to put a stop to these Liberal entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is in my riding. It is a small business run by a middle-income family. It is 197 years old. It is the only one like it operating in Canada and it has never had a workplace accident. It is basically a working museum. It cannot meet the federal labour code and it is about to be shut down. The Minister of Labour knows the Arva Flour Mill can be exempted from the federal labour code. She has the authority to save it. Will the minister please do her job?
Mr. Speaker, we agree with the member opposite that Canadians do want greater transparency and accountability in many different areas, but particularly in terms of arms sales. That is why we have committed to demonstrating a higher level of transparency and openness, and why we have agreed to sign on to the arms trade treaty. We will be the last NATO country to sign on to that because the previous government did not want to. We know that it is the right thing to do and, quite frankly, it is what Canadians expect of their government.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister claims he believes in human rights, transparency, and accountability. He has an opportunity to prove it. Canadians want more oversight when it comes to selling arms, weapons, and tanks to countries like Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Libya. Will he or will he not support creating a parliamentary committee to bring transparency to any foreign arms sales before they take place?
Mr. Speaker, although the minister announced that there would be consultations on changes to the rules governing the political activities of charitable organizations, we have learned that the agency is continuing the witch hunt launched by the Conservatives against these organizations, and that 12 organizations are still under investigation. What a contradiction.How can the minister justify the fact that the agency is still investigating these organizations when she has admitted that the rules are not clear and that they must be clarified? In view of a consultation on changing the rules, will the minister put a stop to all unfair investigations of charitable organizations, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the kind of leadership Canadians expect is the kind of leadership they had not had for 10 years, a government that understands that we need to grow the economy for the middle class and protect and sustain the environment at the same time. That is why we took our time. We have made sure to do things right to demonstrate the community support, the indigenous support, and the fact that world-class science is going on while we grow the economy and create jobs for the middle class. It is what Canadians expect. It is what this government is delivering.
Mr. Speaker, on another matter, an international investigation into the downing of Malaysian passenger jet MH17 confirms that the missile that hit the plane was brought into Ukraine from Russia and fired from Russian-backed rebel territory. Evidence reveals that the launcher then returned to Russia. Given that two Canadians were among the 298 who died in the attack, will the minister now clearly condemn Russia for its unrepentant military aggression that has taken thousands of lives and displaced almost one million people in eastern Ukraine?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' decision to maintain the Conservatives' cuts to health was not especially well received. According to Quebec's health minister, these cuts are going to make it hard for Quebeckers and Canadians to access good quality health care. Many provinces are opposed to the government's proposed plan.Will the Liberals scrap these cuts and keep their promise to negotiate in good faith with the provinces to ensure quality care?
Mr. Speaker, time is marching on and the uncertainty continues. The Liberal government is showing a distinct lack of leadership when it comes to the extradition treaty and negotiations with China. It is rather funny how the Liberals become so much less open and transparent on critical, sensitive files.The Prime Minister is saying one thing and the Minister of Foreign Affairs is saying another.Can the two talk to each other and tell us the truth, please?
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased yesterday afternoon that all members of the House of Commons agreed with the Conservative Party that Atlantic Canada should be represented on the Supreme Court, but then a spokesperson for the justice minister stated that it would not be guaranteed. Why would the Liberals flip-flop on this important issue? I checked last night and there was no election. So why are the Liberals changing their mind on this?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years under the reign of a government with the worst record in economic growth since R. B. Bennett and the Great Depression, Canadians needed a government that was ready to invest in their communities and ready to put more money in the pockets of the middle class by asking more of the wealthy.We raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so that we could lower them on the middle class. We are giving a more generous Canada child benefit to nine out of ten families. That is what Canadians expect from their government.
Mr. Speaker, someone is not being truthful with Canadians. Yesterday, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that each person it moves is briefed on the benefits and entitlements that can be claimed. Yet, the Prime Minister is digging in his heels, and claiming that his BFFs, Gerry and Katie, were never briefed. When we are talking about six-figure payouts, I find it hard to believe that the people were not briefed. Would the Prime Minister come clean and tell Canadians who is telling the truth, Gerry and Katie, or Brookfield?
Mr. Speaker, so much for making rail safety the number one issue.Both Conservative and Liberal governments have stated that moving oil and other dangerous goods by rail poses significant risk to our environment and communities, yet we have seen little action on community demands, other than one-off measures such as this.Yesterday, I introduced Bill C-304 to make environmental assessments mandatory and to strengthen regulation of dangerous rail. The Minister of Environment has the power now to order an assessment of potentially dangerous rail. What is she waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, we did make a commitment to Canadians to be open and transparent. Quite the opposite of what the member just said, it was nine long months ago that we recorded this expense through proactive disclosure. I discovered only yesterday that we had entered the expense under the wrong column. I immediately corrected that point in the House, and I immediately supplied a new answer to the question. We disclosed that expenditure nine months ago. Nothing at all was ever hidden from Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we must grow the economy while protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The problem is that, for a long time, previous governments, including Liberal governments, had plenty of targets, but no solid plan to reach them. That is why we are working with the provinces and our partners in industry to ensure that we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. That is what Canadians expect from this government.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces, but they did not tell us their plan would look exactly the same as the one imposed by Stephen Harper.Now B.C.'s Liberal health minister is accusing the government of having a very Conservative mindset. That is not something to be proud of, but thankfully, it is curable. Will the Liberals abandon Stephen Harper's funding cuts, quit using Conservative talking points, and negotiate fairly with the provinces to protect Canada's public health care system?
Mr. Speaker, I see that my colleague opposite is on a fishing expedition. Allow me to respond.He knows full well that Brookfield apologized for providing erroneous information. He may not have heard the response we gave his predecessor. He may have had to change the question. We know how faithfully our friends across the way followed the orders of Mr. Harper's chief of staff, Guy Giorno.We are inspired by his encouraging words about this program, but we are going to improve it and that is why the Prime Minister instructed the President of the Treasury Board to review the program.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister always takes time in his answers to point out how proud he is of raising taxes, that he is borrowing billions to fund new Liberal spending. So is it working? No. Private sector job growth is nonexistent. More and more people are looking for work. At some point, the Liberals have to accept that their plan is not working. Stop digging before the hole becomes so deep it takes generations to come out. Will the Prime Minister do the right thing, stop spending, and focus on creating jobs?
Well, Mr. Speaker, that is not good enough. Canadians are still trying to understand the very obvious contradiction between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister over the extradition treaty with China.The Prime Minister says discussions have begun, his website says that talks have begun, and the Chinese premier says so as well. The only person who did not know seems to have been the Minister of Foreign Affairs.Is he simply out of the loop, is he splitting grammatical hairs, or is he quite properly challenging the Prime Minister on an unwise initiative?
Mr. Speaker, when his government was elected last year, the Prime Minister said that the good old Canada was back on the world stage. The good old Canada was committed to protecting human rights in the international arena. That means that Canada must stop selling weapons to those who violate human rights.Will the Prime Minister agree to create a parliamentary committee to examine foreign arms sales before approving them?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague for having been chosen as the spokesperson of his party for foreign affairs. I also want to congratulate him that he has seen the light, because now he speaks about discussions. We have noticed that in his questions. He dropped the word negotiation that he was using for the last two weeks, and so I congratulate my colleague for that. It is quite an improvement, because today, at this very moment, we are having a discussion together, but we negotiate nothing.
Mr. Speaker, to compare the approach of this government with the approach of the previous Conservative government on the matter of federal-provincial-territorial relations on health is a misrepresentation of the facts.I am meeting with my counterparts. I already met with them in January. I have been given direction from the Prime Minister to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces and territories. That was not done by the previous government.We will do that. We will work in collaboration with the provinces and territories. We will invest in health, and ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of failed policies on growth that consisted mostly of tax breaks for the wealthiest Canadians, we are actually working to draw in global investment to demonstrate to Canadians and to the world that we understand that building a strong economy that works for the middle class goes hand in hand with creating a sustainable, protected environment. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we are pleased to be working on, but we know that there is lots more work to be done.
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps telling us that rail safety is the number one priority. However, based on what he has done on this file, I cannot imagine how little would be done on files that are not a priority.Communities are concerned because dangerous goods are being transported without any consultation or environmental assessment. Communities such as Lac-Mégantic want their voices to be heard in order to prevent any more tragedies.Will the minister agree to strengthen the regulations and environmental assessments in order to improve rail safety in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta has been a world heritage site for more than three decades. In response to a petition by Mikisew Cree First Nation, the United Nations began an investigation into the government's failure to protect the park from impacts of oil, gas, and hydro projects, including Site C in British Columbia. This could land the park on the UN's list of world heritage sites in danger.Will the minister and her colleagues work together to better protect and preserve Wood Buffalo?
Mr. Speaker, in the last election, Canadians had a choice between a government that for 10 years was unable to create the kind of growth for Canadians that middle-class Canadians needed, because Conservatives kept insisting on lowering taxes for the wealthiest and giving benefits to millionaire families. What we did instead was actually invest in our communities with historic investments in infrastructure. We put more money in the pockets of the middle class by lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest one per cent and put a historic Canada child benefit in the pockets of the nine out of 10 Canadians who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, the government cannot seem to get its story straight when it comes to its decision to fight a residential school survivor in court. Yesterday the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs assured the House that if government lawyers were involved, it was only to help ensure they get justice. Justice department lawyers are in the Ontario Superior Court fighting against compensation to a victim of a perverse misapplication of justice. The Prime Minister promised to put an end to this.Will the justice minister please explain to the indigenous affairs minister why her officials are trying to stop this survivor from getting justice in court?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commissioner of Official Languages denounced the fact that French language proficiency tests for prospective immigrants to Canada can cost twice as much as their English equivalents. However, the Constitution clearly states that official languages have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions within the Government of Canada. What does the government plan to do right now to ensure that the law is respected and that francophone immigration applicants do not have to pay more for exactly the same service?
Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Immigration first responded to my Order Paper question, instantly the response was that none of his staff got any money for moving expenses. However, when he was caught with his hand in the U-HaulI mean in the cookie jarall of a sudden he remembered that he had okayed the expenses to move one of his staff all the way from Thailand. Can the minister explain his lapse of memory and judgment?
Mr. Speaker, the members opposite continue to not understand the lessons Canadians shared with them in the last election. Faced with a choice between a government that insisted on giving benefits and tax breaks to the wealthiest Canadians, or a party that proposed to raise taxes on the wealthiest one per cent so we could lower them for the middle class and give benefits to those families who actually need it, the nine out of 10 families who need extra help with the cost of raising their kids, Canadians made the right choice, and we are working hard to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, I will take this opportunity to share with my colleague something that his former boss, Guy Giorno, said about the relocation program: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason. The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially. Nevertheless, we think that the program the former government approved needs to be reviewed, and that is what my colleague is doing.
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the joint UNESCO World Heritage Centre and International Union for Conservation of Nature mission to Wood Buffalo National Park, which is taking place from September 25 to October 4. Reactive monitoring missions are carried out around the world as an act of due diligence to assess potential threats to the outstanding universal value of world heritage sites. These missions are a valuable tool in the ongoing protection of these international important treasures.
Mr. Speaker, we have always understood that in order to create the kind of government that people want, we need to both grow the economy and protect the environment. That means folding in consultations with indigenous leaders, talking to communities, ensuring we get the world-class science done. That is exactly what we did on this project.Unfortunately, the members opposite either think we are not going fast enough or we are going too fast. Canadians know we need to grow the economy, and protect the environment right now and do it right.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, residents in my riding have worked so hard to ensure their voices of strong support for B.C. LNG were heard. Yesterday's approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project was one step forward, but unfortunately the conditions attached were two steps backward.Why did the Liberals ensure thousands of Canadian energy workers would remain out of work by adding potentially impossible conditions to their approval of Pacific NorthWest LNG?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Right to Know Day.Our government is committed to openness and transparency. I have issued a directive that enshrines the principle that government information should be open by default.We will soon introduce a bill that will enhance the Access to Information Act, as we promised. We will then conduct a comprehensive review of the act in order to update it so it better serves Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues are obviously pleased to see me back.My friend knows very well that Brookfield has apologized for that erroneous information. What my friend should also consider is the advice of Guy Giorno, somebody whose orders he followed so faithfully for so long.We would draw to the House's attention, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Harper who said: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason.The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially.
Mr. Speaker, again, the policy for relocation, as it applies to ministers' offices, is the same policy of the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is evaluating that policy.I would remind the hon. member, who was I believe a caucus member previously, that under the Conservatives, there were staff members who were reimbursed for moving expenses in excess of $90,000.Treasury Board is reviewing this and we will fix it.
Mr. Speaker, job creation is currently invisible and economic growth is sluggish.On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of reversing course, the Prime Minister is spending even more money. How can the Liberals be trusted when all this spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, it has been over six months since the Prime Minister started borrowing to spend their way to prosperity, but every week it seems like we get another piece of bad economic news. Private sector job creation is invisible. On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of learning a lesson and reversing course, the Prime Minister is using this as an excuse to spend even more money.How can the Liberals be trusted with even more of our tax dollars when their first round of spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the conditional approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project does not mean the Liberals really intend to actually have it built. The vast majority of the assessment was completed under Canada's already world-leading vigorous regulatory system, but the Liberals keep talking about multiple regulatory changes, which means that other energy projects and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadians are left hanging in the balance. We hope the Prime Minister will proudly champion LNG, but what about all the other energy projects critical to Canada's economy?
Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to congratulate my colleague on being appointed deputy critic for foreign affairs.I would also like to tell the members of the opposition that, for the past two weeks, they have been asking questions about something that does not exist. The Prime Minister never said anything about negotiations. The Canada-China joint communiqué issued on September 12, 2016, which is public and easily accessible, reads: start discussions. There is a huge difference between discussions and negotiations. If my colleague needs clarification on that, my department can give him a briefing.
Mr. Speaker, all of a sudden we have another minister of cover-up. Like my own memory sometimes, I believe the minister's memory seems to be past its best before date. I mean that, of course, in a very comforting way.However, to be serious here, does the minister really think it is appropriate to move one of his staff from Thailand to Ottawa and then expect the taxpayer to pay for it?
Mr. Speaker, this government is engaged in ensuring that Canadians have good health and the health care they need. To do that, it requires working collaboratively with our colleagues across the country. It requires working with patients and health care providers. I have had excellent discussions with my counterparts, the ministers of health across the country. I respect that they deliver excellent care and have jurisdiction over that. However, it requires all partners to be at the table to ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I am puzzled by the question. I am not entirely sure if the member opposite believes this project should have been approved with no conditions. Our government is a different government. We believe that the only way resources will get to market is if they are done in a sustainable and responsible way. That is what we have done. I am very proud that this project will create over 5,000 good, middle-class jobs, including union jobs. This is the way we move forward. Let us be clear, we need to make sure that resources are developed in a sustainable way.
Mr. Speaker, it is very important that this House does not misunderstand the facts.There will be no cuts to health care. Our government is committed to being a good partner in ensuring that Canadians have the health and health care they need. This year, the Canada health transfer was the largest ever, more than $36 billion. It will increase by more than $1 billion, additionally, next year.In addition to the Canada health transfer, I will be meeting with my counterparts on October 18 to discuss additional ways that we can invest in the health of Canadians, and ensure they all get the care they need.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, though, has created economic uncertainty that is driving away new job creators. In fact, yesterday, all he approved was more consultations. In fact, construction of Pacific NorthWest LNG may not even move ahead. Conditional approval is one step forward, but bogging it down with extra process is two steps back. The Prime Minister must stand with unemployed workers who need jobs. Will he do the right thing, get shovels in the ground, and get these people to work?
Mr. Speaker, again I am pleased to stand up to speak about the new process that the Prime Minister has introduced for appointing the next Supreme Court justice. We are committed to respecting the custom of regional representation, functional bilingualism, diversity, and ensuring that we have the highest calibre of jurist to be the next Supreme Court of Canada justice. I am appreciative of the independent, nonpartisan advisory board that is assisting us in this process. I look forward to assisting the Prime Minister in making this most important appointment.
Mr. Speaker, accessibility and equality among our two official languages are extremely important to us. We received yesterday's report and will give it very serious consideration. We have already taken action in favour of francophones outside Quebec through our francophone significant benefit program, and I can assure the House that we will be doing more, such as taking this report into consideration.
Mr. Speaker, the government has committed to addressing housing, infrastructure, health care, education, and connectivity in Métis and Inuit communities. The minister is aware of the great need for this investment in Nunavut. To date, first nations on reserve have been the recipients of this much-needed funding.I would like to ask the minister how and when this funding will flow to other aboriginal groups, especially for Nunavut. Will this funding be done on a needs-based approach or continue with the woefully inadequate per capita system that continues to fail us?
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. We believe that we need to demonstrate more transparency and rigour when it comes to the sale of arms on the international market.That is one reason why we committed to sign the arms trade treaty. We are going to work with all members of the House to ensure that Canada endorses and upholds this treaty.
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, the minister has stated multiple times that rail safety is his top priority. Likewise, we value the hard work and dedication of first responders in Canada. That is why the minister issued protective direction no. 36, delivering on our commitment to share more data with communities and first responders. These new measures enhance transparency on rail safety and dangerous goods. In fact, we understand that the fire chief of the City of Windsor is now recommending that the city sign the non-disclosure agreement by railway companies to get more dangerous goods information
Mr. Speaker, the headlines seemed good, but beyond the headlines was a lot of fine print, 190 conditions for the LNG project to move forward, including, wait for it, more consultations, after almost six years of consultations. Thousands of unemployed workers and their families are depending on this project to go ahead. Approving the project is one thing. Getting it built is what matters. There are no jobs until there are shovels in the ground. Will the Prime Minister commit to providing personal leadership to drive this project forward?
Mr. Speaker, consultation means much more than informing indigenous communities that a project has already been approved. Six local first nations have opposed this LNG project. How was this decision announced? The Prime Minister sent three ministers to the Vancouver airport, 1,000 kilometres away from the people and territory that will be directly affected by their decision.Does the Prime Minister really consider this to be respect for first nations?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health said she is looking forward to meeting with her counterparts, the provincial health ministers. I have some good news for her: I know that one of them, the Quebec minister of health, is very keen to speak to her in person. He is going to tell her that putting conditions on transfer payments to the provinces is simply not how the Canadian federation works. I hope the Prime Minister plans to bring his minister into line and ask her to respect those responsible for delivering health care in Quebec, specifically the doctors, not the politicians, and ensure that provincial responsibilities are discharged by those who have the authority, in this case, the provincial health ministers.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for HastingsLennox and Addington for his question and support. Last week was a great week for Canadian agriculture. Our government gained access for the Canadian canola farmers to the Chinese market until at least 2020, worth over $2 billion a year for Canadian farmers. We also gained access for bone-in meat under 30 months. That puts another $10 million in the pockets of farmers and ranchers in our country.These successes will create growth and opportunity, and I intend to build on that growth and opportunity when I lead a trade mission to China.
Mr. Speaker, each of these projects will be judged on its own merits. They are not all the same. Looking at the decision we made yesterday, a very important decision, it will lead to 5,000 new jobs being created in the energy sector across Canada. For some reason, we are not getting much credit from those opposite. Implicit also is that there will be pipelines that will move to tidewater, the first time that will happen in more than 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, the relocation policy for ministers' offices is the same policy as that of the previous Conservative government.We are also aware that under the previous Conservative government, there were ministerial staffers reimbursed, in some cases, for $90,000 worth of moving expenses.The Prime Minister and his office have asked me, and Treasury Board, to review the policy. Treasury Board will review the policy, and report back to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister has said, the only way resources can get to market in the 21st century is if they are done in a responsible and sustainable way. I am very pleased about our decision yesterday, which was based on our interim principles. It was based on science and evidence. It was based on meaningful consultation and accommodation with indigenous peoples. It was based on hearing from Canadians about concerns. Those 190 conditions are consistent with that, because we need to make sure that any resources developed are done in a sustainable way. However, the way this will get to market is actually if the market price goes
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my hon. colleague as the new critic for environment and climate change.Our government is committed to proper environmental assessments that are based on science and evidence. As we saw yesterday, we applied our interim principles. I was very pleased to show that we can get resources to market in a sustainable and responsible way by following these principles.These principles were actually used to engage indigenous peoples, who will now be part of environmental assessments of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project. Many of them have benefit agreements
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is an example of a business that has been in operation 150 years. It is a hard-working family-owned small business that has done the right thing. However, companies must respect the Canada Labour Code and it is our duty to ensure the health and safety of workers across Canada.We are very committed to ensuring small business has the right to compete and strive and do well. We are working with the community and the owner.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that charitable organizations play a key role in our society, and I am committed to being responsive to the needs of this sector. Therefore, I am proud to have announced the official launch of our consultations to clarify charitable organizations' involvement in political activities.Our government knows that it must work with this sector. That is what we promised, and that is what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find that, in fact, Brookfield has clarified its comments and have confirmed that members of the Prime Minister's staff were consistent with the truth.Beyond that, it is important that the opposition recognize that the moving expense policy, as applied to ministers' offices, is the same policy that applied to the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is reviewing that policy.
Mr. Speaker, expanding access into the Chinese market is incredibly important to boost the bottom line for Canadian farmers and agricultural industries. These industries contribute over $100 billion and two million jobs to our economy.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on our government's recent accomplishments for Canadian farmers and farm families?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question and also for his input into northern and Inuit priorities. Our government is renewing our relationship as a crown-Inuit relationship. We have been consulting Inuit people across the north. We work closely with the Nunavut government. This year we announced an $178-million investment into Inuit housing, of which $78 million will go to Inuit in Nunavut.Yes, we are looking at these investments on a priority basis. That is why we have invested very much into recreational
Mr. Speaker, earlier this summer, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the four Atlantic premiers, and the four cabinet ministers from Atlantic Canada launched the Atlantic growth strategy. Can the minister please explain how this strategy is different from the work that has previously been done to address the problems of economic growth in Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her question and for her advocacy on behalf of the residents of South ShoreSt. Margarets. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the 32 outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada who were instrumental in launching the Atlantic growth strategy.Under this strategy, we have launched an immigration program that will increase levels by 50%. We have invested $154 million in Atlantic universities and colleges and we have also invested $225 million
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I have already had many good conversations with my counterparts across the country, including the Quebec minister of health.As the member is well aware, the Canada health transfer is going to increase by $1 billion next year, bringing it up to more than $37 billion. I will be meeting with all my provincial and territorial counterparts over the next few weeks. We will continue our discussions on ways to create a health care system
Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Universal Access to Information, whose objective is to make people aware of their right to access information held by government institutions and to promote freedom of information as the basis for democracy and good governance.Could the President of the Treasury Board please explain to the House the government's commitment to openness and transparency?
Mr. Speaker, let me give another good example. When I was the minister of intergovernmental affairs, my mandate was to ensure that provincial jurisdictions were respected. I looked for the mandate letter for the minister of intergovernmental affairs. The Prime Minister is the minister. I would have guessed his mandate letter would include ensuring that provincial jurisdictions are respected. However, I did not see that in the mandate letter.Will the Prime Minister let the provinces do the work that falls under their jurisdiction, namely infrastructure, social housing, education, and health? It will be a long list in a few months. Will he let them do their work?
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, as you know, residents in my riding have worked so hard to ensure their voices of strong support for B.C. LNG were heard. Yesterday's approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project was one step forward, but unfortunately the conditions attached were two steps backward.Why did the Liberals ensure thousands of Canadian energy workers would remain out of work by adding potentially impossible conditions to their approval of Pacific NorthWest LNG?
Mr. Speaker, so much for making rail safety the number one issue.Both Conservative and Liberal governments have stated that moving oil and other dangerous goods by rail poses significant risk to our environment and communities, yet we have seen little action on community demands, other than one-off measures such as this.Yesterday, I introduced Bill C-304 to make environmental assessments mandatory and to strengthen regulation of dangerous rail. The Minister of Environment has the power now to order an assessment of potentially dangerous rail. What is she waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, again, the policy for relocation, as it applies to ministers' offices, is the same policy of the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is evaluating that policy.I would remind the hon. member, who was I believe a caucus member previously, that under the Conservatives, there were staff members who were reimbursed for moving expenses in excess of $90,000.Treasury Board is reviewing this and we will fix it.
Mr. Speaker, we did make a commitment to Canadians to be open and transparent. Quite the opposite of what the member just said, it was nine long months ago that we recorded this expense through proactive disclosure. I discovered only yesterday that we had entered the expense under the wrong column. I immediately corrected that point in the House, and I immediately supplied a new answer to the question. We disclosed that expenditure nine months ago. Nothing at all was ever hidden from Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is in my riding. It is a small business run by a middle-income family. It is 197 years old. It is the only one like it operating in Canada and it has never had a workplace accident. It is basically a working museum. It cannot meet the federal labour code and it is about to be shut down. The Minister of Labour knows the Arva Flour Mill can be exempted from the federal labour code. She has the authority to save it. Will the minister please do her job?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we must grow the economy while protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The problem is that, for a long time, previous governments, including Liberal governments, had plenty of targets, but no solid plan to reach them. That is why we are working with the provinces and our partners in industry to ensure that we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. That is what Canadians expect from this government.
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps telling us that rail safety is the number one priority. However, based on what he has done on this file, I cannot imagine how little would be done on files that are not a priority.Communities are concerned because dangerous goods are being transported without any consultation or environmental assessment. Communities such as Lac-Mégantic want their voices to be heard in order to prevent any more tragedies.Will the minister agree to strengthen the regulations and environmental assessments in order to improve rail safety in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, to compare the approach of this government with the approach of the previous Conservative government on the matter of federal-provincial-territorial relations on health is a misrepresentation of the facts.I am meeting with my counterparts. I already met with them in January. I have been given direction from the Prime Minister to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces and territories. That was not done by the previous government.We will do that. We will work in collaboration with the provinces and territories. We will invest in health, and ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, I fully agree with what my colleague said. In fact, there was an official declaration done by the Government of Canada, and we are willing to start reading it in the House.Today, as we consider the interim findings of the independent joint investigation team into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, we are reminded of the unspeakable suffering caused by this tragic attack. The interim findings made clear that the Russian-made Buk missile was fired from rebel-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. In a nutshell, the declaration clearly condemns it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of waking up every day to a new Liberal expense scandal.Yesterday, Brookfield Global Relocation Services shared that two prime ministerial aides, Butts and Telford, would have been briefed on their services and made fully aware. For the past week, these two individuals have been stating they did not know.The bottom line is, who is telling the truth?
Mr. Speaker, I see that my colleague opposite is on a fishing expedition. Allow me to respond.He knows full well that Brookfield apologized for providing erroneous information. He may not have heard the response we gave his predecessor. He may have had to change the question. We know how faithfully our friends across the way followed the orders of Mr. Harper's chief of staff, Guy Giorno.We are inspired by his encouraging words about this program, but we are going to improve it and that is why the Prime Minister instructed the President of the Treasury Board to review the program.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Liberals' approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project is not all that it seems. The reality is that many residents of my riding woke up this morning in the same circumstances as they were yesterday, unemployed. Unemployment rates in northeastern B.C. are still the highest in the province. As I said before, approving this project is one thing, building it is completely another. Why did the Liberals put potential poison pills in the approval with unnecessary conditions?
Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Immigration first responded to my Order Paper question, instantly the response was that none of his staff got any money for moving expenses. However, when he was caught with his hand in the U-HaulI mean in the cookie jarall of a sudden he remembered that he had okayed the expenses to move one of his staff all the way from Thailand. Can the minister explain his lapse of memory and judgment?
Well, Mr. Speaker, that is not good enough. Canadians are still trying to understand the very obvious contradiction between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister over the extradition treaty with China.The Prime Minister says discussions have begun, his website says that talks have begun, and the Chinese premier says so as well. The only person who did not know seems to have been the Minister of Foreign Affairs.Is he simply out of the loop, is he splitting grammatical hairs, or is he quite properly challenging the Prime Minister on an unwise initiative?
Mr. Speaker, the members opposite continue to not understand the lessons Canadians shared with them in the last election. Faced with a choice between a government that insisted on giving benefits and tax breaks to the wealthiest Canadians, or a party that proposed to raise taxes on the wealthiest one per cent so we could lower them for the middle class and give benefits to those families who actually need it, the nine out of 10 families who need extra help with the cost of raising their kids, Canadians made the right choice, and we are working hard to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that relocation directives were explained in detail to all employees who were being moved. He also stated that they go over, extensively, the personalized cash payouts with each employee.This abuse of taxpayer money falls squarely on the shoulders of the Prime Minister as he was the one who approved the payouts. If the company handling the move says the Prime Minister's BFFs were briefed, why is the PMO misleading Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, on another matter, an international investigation into the downing of Malaysian passenger jet MH17 confirms that the missile that hit the plane was brought into Ukraine from Russia and fired from Russian-backed rebel territory. Evidence reveals that the launcher then returned to Russia. Given that two Canadians were among the 298 who died in the attack, will the minister now clearly condemn Russia for its unrepentant military aggression that has taken thousands of lives and displaced almost one million people in eastern Ukraine?
Mr. Speaker, time is marching on and the uncertainty continues. The Liberal government is showing a distinct lack of leadership when it comes to the extradition treaty and negotiations with China. It is rather funny how the Liberals become so much less open and transparent on critical, sensitive files.The Prime Minister is saying one thing and the Minister of Foreign Affairs is saying another.Can the two talk to each other and tell us the truth, please?
Mr. Speaker, the relocation policy for ministers' offices is the same policy as that of the previous Conservative government.We are also aware that under the previous Conservative government, there were ministerial staffers reimbursed, in some cases, for $90,000 worth of moving expenses.The Prime Minister and his office have asked me, and Treasury Board, to review the policy. Treasury Board will review the policy, and report back to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this summer, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the four Atlantic premiers, and the four cabinet ministers from Atlantic Canada launched the Atlantic growth strategy. Can the minister please explain how this strategy is different from the work that has previously been done to address the problems of economic growth in Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is an example of a business that has been in operation 150 years. It is a hard-working family-owned small business that has done the right thing. However, companies must respect the Canada Labour Code and it is our duty to ensure the health and safety of workers across Canada.We are very committed to ensuring small business has the right to compete and strive and do well. We are working with the community and the owner.
Mr. Speaker, it has been over six months since the Prime Minister started borrowing to spend their way to prosperity, but every week it seems like we get another piece of bad economic news. Private sector job creation is invisible. On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of learning a lesson and reversing course, the Prime Minister is using this as an excuse to spend even more money.How can the Liberals be trusted with even more of our tax dollars when their first round of spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, the minister has stated multiple times that rail safety is his top priority. Likewise, we value the hard work and dedication of first responders in Canada. That is why the minister issued protective direction no. 36, delivering on our commitment to share more data with communities and first responders. These new measures enhance transparency on rail safety and dangerous goods. In fact, we understand that the fire chief of the City of Windsor is now recommending that the city sign the non-disclosure agreement by railway companies to get more dangerous goods information
Mr. Speaker, the conditional approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project does not mean the Liberals really intend to actually have it built. The vast majority of the assessment was completed under Canada's already world-leading vigorous regulatory system, but the Liberals keep talking about multiple regulatory changes, which means that other energy projects and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadians are left hanging in the balance. We hope the Prime Minister will proudly champion LNG, but what about all the other energy projects critical to Canada's economy?
Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to congratulate my colleague on being appointed deputy critic for foreign affairs.I would also like to tell the members of the opposition that, for the past two weeks, they have been asking questions about something that does not exist. The Prime Minister never said anything about negotiations. The Canada-China joint communiqué issued on September 12, 2016, which is public and easily accessible, reads: start discussions. There is a huge difference between discussions and negotiations. If my colleague needs clarification on that, my department can give him a briefing.
Mr. Speaker, in the last election, Canadians had a choice between a government that for 10 years was unable to create the kind of growth for Canadians that middle-class Canadians needed, because Conservatives kept insisting on lowering taxes for the wealthiest and giving benefits to millionaire families. What we did instead was actually invest in our communities with historic investments in infrastructure. We put more money in the pockets of the middle class by lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest one per cent and put a historic Canada child benefit in the pockets of the nine out of 10 Canadians who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, the government has committed to addressing housing, infrastructure, health care, education, and connectivity in Métis and Inuit communities. The minister is aware of the great need for this investment in Nunavut. To date, first nations on reserve have been the recipients of this much-needed funding.I would like to ask the minister how and when this funding will flow to other aboriginal groups, especially for Nunavut. Will this funding be done on a needs-based approach or continue with the woefully inadequate per capita system that continues to fail us?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague for having been chosen as the spokesperson of his party for foreign affairs. I also want to congratulate him that he has seen the light, because now he speaks about discussions. We have noticed that in his questions. He dropped the word negotiation that he was using for the last two weeks, and so I congratulate my colleague for that. It is quite an improvement, because today, at this very moment, we are having a discussion together, but we negotiate nothing.
Mr. Speaker, let me give another good example. When I was the minister of intergovernmental affairs, my mandate was to ensure that provincial jurisdictions were respected. I looked for the mandate letter for the minister of intergovernmental affairs. The Prime Minister is the minister. I would have guessed his mandate letter would include ensuring that provincial jurisdictions are respected. However, I did not see that in the mandate letter.Will the Prime Minister let the provinces do the work that falls under their jurisdiction, namely infrastructure, social housing, education, and health? It will be a long list in a few months. Will he let them do their work?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister claims he believes in human rights, transparency, and accountability. He has an opportunity to prove it. Canadians want more oversight when it comes to selling arms, weapons, and tanks to countries like Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Libya. Will he or will he not support creating a parliamentary committee to bring transparency to any foreign arms sales before they take place?
Mr. Speaker, although the minister announced that there would be consultations on changes to the rules governing the political activities of charitable organizations, we have learned that the agency is continuing the witch hunt launched by the Conservatives against these organizations, and that 12 organizations are still under investigation. What a contradiction.How can the minister justify the fact that the agency is still investigating these organizations when she has admitted that the rules are not clear and that they must be clarified? In view of a consultation on changing the rules, will the minister put a stop to all unfair investigations of charitable organizations, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, expanding access into the Chinese market is incredibly important to boost the bottom line for Canadian farmers and agricultural industries. These industries contribute over $100 billion and two million jobs to our economy.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on our government's recent accomplishments for Canadian farmers and farm families?
Mr. Speaker, accessibility and equality among our two official languages are extremely important to us. We received yesterday's report and will give it very serious consideration. We have already taken action in favour of francophones outside Quebec through our francophone significant benefit program, and I can assure the House that we will be doing more, such as taking this report into consideration.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, though, has created economic uncertainty that is driving away new job creators. In fact, yesterday, all he approved was more consultations. In fact, construction of Pacific NorthWest LNG may not even move ahead. Conditional approval is one step forward, but bogging it down with extra process is two steps back. The Prime Minister must stand with unemployed workers who need jobs. Will he do the right thing, get shovels in the ground, and get these people to work?
Mr. Speaker, when his government was elected last year, the Prime Minister said that the good old Canada was back on the world stage. The good old Canada was committed to protecting human rights in the international arena. That means that Canada must stop selling weapons to those who violate human rights.Will the Prime Minister agree to create a parliamentary committee to examine foreign arms sales before approving them?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commissioner of Official Languages denounced the fact that French language proficiency tests for prospective immigrants to Canada can cost twice as much as their English equivalents. However, the Constitution clearly states that official languages have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions within the Government of Canada. What does the government plan to do right now to ensure that the law is respected and that francophone immigration applicants do not have to pay more for exactly the same service?
Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to ensuring justice for all victims of this dark chapter of our history. We are concerned about any possibility that some deserving victims may have been denied compensation. We uphold the Indian residential school settlement process, and members know that. We also protect the integrity of the independent assessment process and we will continue to do so on behalf of all indigenous people.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues are obviously pleased to see me back.My friend knows very well that Brookfield has apologized for that erroneous information. What my friend should also consider is the advice of Guy Giorno, somebody whose orders he followed so faithfully for so long.We would draw to the House's attention, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Harper who said: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason.The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are expecting more from their government, not just the same old party antics and spending scandals that we saw in the 1990s and the early 2000s. There are many new faces in the government, but they have the same old Liberal sense of entitlement.Where is the leadership? Who is finally going to put a stop to these Liberal entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for HastingsLennox and Addington for his question and support. Last week was a great week for Canadian agriculture. Our government gained access for the Canadian canola farmers to the Chinese market until at least 2020, worth over $2 billion a year for Canadian farmers. We also gained access for bone-in meat under 30 months. That puts another $10 million in the pockets of farmers and ranchers in our country.These successes will create growth and opportunity, and I intend to build on that growth and opportunity when I lead a trade mission to China.
Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals, you get more than you bargained for. When Canadians send their money to Ottawa, they expect it to be managed carefully. They do not want the brush-off. The Prime Minister's friends feigned ignorance, but now that we know they were well aware of all the expenses they claimed, Canadians have every reason to wonder if there is anything else the Prime Minister is hiding.Canadians deserve their government's respect, so will it come right out and tell us what other unreasonable expenses it is hiding from Canadians in the hope of not getting caught?
Mr. Speaker, I will take this opportunity to share with my colleague something that his former boss, Guy Giorno, said about the relocation program: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason. The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially. Nevertheless, we think that the program the former government approved needs to be reviewed, and that is what my colleague is doing.
Mr. Speaker, we agree with the member opposite that Canadians do want greater transparency and accountability in many different areas, but particularly in terms of arms sales. That is why we have committed to demonstrating a higher level of transparency and openness, and why we have agreed to sign on to the arms trade treaty. We will be the last NATO country to sign on to that because the previous government did not want to. We know that it is the right thing to do and, quite frankly, it is what Canadians expect of their government.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years under the reign of a government with the worst record in economic growth since R. B. Bennett and the Great Depression, Canadians needed a government that was ready to invest in their communities and ready to put more money in the pockets of the middle class by asking more of the wealthy.We raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so that we could lower them on the middle class. We are giving a more generous Canada child benefit to nine out of ten families. That is what Canadians expect from their government.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find that, in fact, Brookfield has clarified its comments and have confirmed that members of the Prime Minister's staff were consistent with the truth.Beyond that, it is important that the opposition recognize that the moving expense policy, as applied to ministers' offices, is the same policy that applied to the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is reviewing that policy.
Mr. Speaker, all of a sudden we have another minister of cover-up. Like my own memory sometimes, I believe the minister's memory seems to be past its best before date. I mean that, of course, in a very comforting way.However, to be serious here, does the minister really think it is appropriate to move one of his staff from Thailand to Ottawa and then expect the taxpayer to pay for it?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of failed policies on growth that consisted mostly of tax breaks for the wealthiest Canadians, we are actually working to draw in global investment to demonstrate to Canadians and to the world that we understand that building a strong economy that works for the middle class goes hand in hand with creating a sustainable, protected environment. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we are pleased to be working on, but we know that there is lots more work to be done.
Mr. Speaker, Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta has been a world heritage site for more than three decades. In response to a petition by Mikisew Cree First Nation, the United Nations began an investigation into the government's failure to protect the park from impacts of oil, gas, and hydro projects, including Site C in British Columbia. This could land the park on the UN's list of world heritage sites in danger.Will the minister and her colleagues work together to better protect and preserve Wood Buffalo?
Mr. Speaker, someone is not being truthful with Canadians. Yesterday, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that each person it moves is briefed on the benefits and entitlements that can be claimed. Yet, the Prime Minister is digging in his heels, and claiming that his BFFs, Gerry and Katie, were never briefed. When we are talking about six-figure payouts, I find it hard to believe that the people were not briefed. Would the Prime Minister come clean and tell Canadians who is telling the truth, Gerry and Katie, or Brookfield?
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the joint UNESCO World Heritage Centre and International Union for Conservation of Nature mission to Wood Buffalo National Park, which is taking place from September 25 to October 4. Reactive monitoring missions are carried out around the world as an act of due diligence to assess potential threats to the outstanding universal value of world heritage sites. These missions are a valuable tool in the ongoing protection of these international important treasures.
Mr. Speaker, I am not too sure what folding in means, but those first nations know that they have never been meaningfully consulted, and they have never been accommodated.The Liberals are using Stephen Harper's targets, Stephen Harper's plan, and Stephen Harper's timelines, and the Conservatives are the only ones who are happy about it. In short, they will never be able to honour our international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.How can the Prime Minister approve new pipelines if we are already finding it impossible to reduce GHGs because we do not have a comprehensive and credible plan? That is utter nonsense.
Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Universal Access to Information, whose objective is to make people aware of their right to access information held by government institutions and to promote freedom of information as the basis for democracy and good governance.Could the President of the Treasury Board please explain to the House the government's commitment to openness and transparency?
Mr. Speaker, the government cannot seem to get its story straight when it comes to its decision to fight a residential school survivor in court. Yesterday the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs assured the House that if government lawyers were involved, it was only to help ensure they get justice. Justice department lawyers are in the Ontario Superior Court fighting against compensation to a victim of a perverse misapplication of justice. The Prime Minister promised to put an end to this.Will the justice minister please explain to the indigenous affairs minister why her officials are trying to stop this survivor from getting justice in court?
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. We believe that we need to demonstrate more transparency and rigour when it comes to the sale of arms on the international market.That is one reason why we committed to sign the arms trade treaty. We are going to work with all members of the House to ensure that Canada endorses and upholds this treaty.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my hon. colleague as the new critic for environment and climate change.Our government is committed to proper environmental assessments that are based on science and evidence. As we saw yesterday, we applied our interim principles. I was very pleased to show that we can get resources to market in a sustainable and responsible way by following these principles.These principles were actually used to engage indigenous peoples, who will now be part of environmental assessments of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project. Many of them have benefit agreements
Mr. Speaker, consultation means much more than informing indigenous communities that a project has already been approved. Six local first nations have opposed this LNG project. How was this decision announced? The Prime Minister sent three ministers to the Vancouver airport, 1,000 kilometres away from the people and territory that will be directly affected by their decision.Does the Prime Minister really consider this to be respect for first nations?
Mr. Speaker, we have always understood that in order to create the kind of government that people want, we need to both grow the economy and protect the environment. That means folding in consultations with indigenous leaders, talking to communities, ensuring we get the world-class science done. That is exactly what we did on this project.Unfortunately, the members opposite either think we are not going fast enough or we are going too fast. Canadians know we need to grow the economy, and protect the environment right now and do it right.
Mr. Speaker, job creation is currently invisible and economic growth is sluggish.On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of reversing course, the Prime Minister is spending even more money. How can the Liberals be trusted when all this spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I am puzzled by the question. I am not entirely sure if the member opposite believes this project should have been approved with no conditions. Our government is a different government. We believe that the only way resources will get to market is if they are done in a sustainable and responsible way. That is what we have done. I am very proud that this project will create over 5,000 good, middle-class jobs, including union jobs. This is the way we move forward. Let us be clear, we need to make sure that resources are developed in a sustainable way.
Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister has said, the only way resources can get to market in the 21st century is if they are done in a responsible and sustainable way. I am very pleased about our decision yesterday, which was based on our interim principles. It was based on science and evidence. It was based on meaningful consultation and accommodation with indigenous peoples. It was based on hearing from Canadians about concerns. Those 190 conditions are consistent with that, because we need to make sure that any resources developed are done in a sustainable way. However, the way this will get to market is actually if the market price goes
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I have already had many good conversations with my counterparts across the country, including the Quebec minister of health.As the member is well aware, the Canada health transfer is going to increase by $1 billion next year, bringing it up to more than $37 billion. I will be meeting with all my provincial and territorial counterparts over the next few weeks. We will continue our discussions on ways to create a health care system
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question and also for his input into northern and Inuit priorities. Our government is renewing our relationship as a crown-Inuit relationship. We have been consulting Inuit people across the north. We work closely with the Nunavut government. This year we announced an $178-million investment into Inuit housing, of which $78 million will go to Inuit in Nunavut.Yes, we are looking at these investments on a priority basis. That is why we have invested very much into recreational
Mr. Speaker, again I am pleased to stand up to speak about the new process that the Prime Minister has introduced for appointing the next Supreme Court justice. We are committed to respecting the custom of regional representation, functional bilingualism, diversity, and ensuring that we have the highest calibre of jurist to be the next Supreme Court of Canada justice. I am appreciative of the independent, nonpartisan advisory board that is assisting us in this process. I look forward to assisting the Prime Minister in making this most important appointment.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health said she is looking forward to meeting with her counterparts, the provincial health ministers. I have some good news for her: I know that one of them, the Quebec minister of health, is very keen to speak to her in person. He is going to tell her that putting conditions on transfer payments to the provinces is simply not how the Canadian federation works. I hope the Prime Minister plans to bring his minister into line and ask her to respect those responsible for delivering health care in Quebec, specifically the doctors, not the politicians, and ensure that provincial responsibilities are discharged by those who have the authority, in this case, the provincial health ministers.
Mr. Speaker, each of these projects will be judged on its own merits. They are not all the same. Looking at the decision we made yesterday, a very important decision, it will lead to 5,000 new jobs being created in the energy sector across Canada. For some reason, we are not getting much credit from those opposite. Implicit also is that there will be pipelines that will move to tidewater, the first time that will happen in more than 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, the kind of leadership Canadians expect is the kind of leadership they had not had for 10 years, a government that understands that we need to grow the economy for the middle class and protect and sustain the environment at the same time. That is why we took our time. We have made sure to do things right to demonstrate the community support, the indigenous support, and the fact that world-class science is going on while we grow the economy and create jobs for the middle class. It is what Canadians expect. It is what this government is delivering.
Mr. Speaker, I will not claim a perfect memory either, but I would certainly say it is entirely appropriate that when one hires a staff person or a consultant and the person is in Thailand, yes the government pays for the transport of that individual to Ottawa and for the relevant hotel expenses. That is precisely what we did and precisely what we disclosed to the public nine months ago. To say that we were hiding anything is entirely ridiculous.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces, but they did not tell us their plan would look exactly the same as the one imposed by Stephen Harper.Now B.C.'s Liberal health minister is accusing the government of having a very Conservative mindset. That is not something to be proud of, but thankfully, it is curable. Will the Liberals abandon Stephen Harper's funding cuts, quit using Conservative talking points, and negotiate fairly with the provinces to protect Canada's public health care system?
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased yesterday afternoon that all members of the House of Commons agreed with the Conservative Party that Atlantic Canada should be represented on the Supreme Court, but then a spokesperson for the justice minister stated that it would not be guaranteed. Why would the Liberals flip-flop on this important issue? I checked last night and there was no election. So why are the Liberals changing their mind on this?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister always takes time in his answers to point out how proud he is of raising taxes, that he is borrowing billions to fund new Liberal spending. So is it working? No. Private sector job growth is nonexistent. More and more people are looking for work. At some point, the Liberals have to accept that their plan is not working. Stop digging before the hole becomes so deep it takes generations to come out. Will the Prime Minister do the right thing, stop spending, and focus on creating jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' decision to maintain the Conservatives' cuts to health was not especially well received. According to Quebec's health minister, these cuts are going to make it hard for Quebeckers and Canadians to access good quality health care. Many provinces are opposed to the government's proposed plan.Will the Liberals scrap these cuts and keep their promise to negotiate in good faith with the provinces to ensure quality care?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's friends were given so much money that they seem to have lost track of it all. After getting caught red-handed, the Prime Minister's best friend and his chief of staff admitted that some expenses were unreasonable. They claimed they were not aware of all the costs, but now the moving company is saying that it briefed them on all costs.Will the Prime Minister's friends tell the truth for once and stop taking Canadians for fools?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Right to Know Day.Our government is committed to openness and transparency. I have issued a directive that enshrines the principle that government information should be open by default.We will soon introduce a bill that will enhance the Access to Information Act, as we promised. We will then conduct a comprehensive review of the act in order to update it so it better serves Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that charitable organizations play a key role in our society, and I am committed to being responsive to the needs of this sector. Therefore, I am proud to have announced the official launch of our consultations to clarify charitable organizations' involvement in political activities.Our government knows that it must work with this sector. That is what we promised, and that is what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, the headlines seemed good, but beyond the headlines was a lot of fine print, 190 conditions for the LNG project to move forward, including, wait for it, more consultations, after almost six years of consultations. Thousands of unemployed workers and their families are depending on this project to go ahead. Approving the project is one thing. Getting it built is what matters. There are no jobs until there are shovels in the ground. Will the Prime Minister commit to providing personal leadership to drive this project forward?
Mr. Speaker, it is very important that this House does not misunderstand the facts.There will be no cuts to health care. Our government is committed to being a good partner in ensuring that Canadians have the health and health care they need. This year, the Canada health transfer was the largest ever, more than $36 billion. It will increase by more than $1 billion, additionally, next year.In addition to the Canada health transfer, I will be meeting with my counterparts on October 18 to discuss additional ways that we can invest in the health of Canadians, and ensure they all get the care they need.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her question and for her advocacy on behalf of the residents of South ShoreSt. Margarets. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the 32 outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada who were instrumental in launching the Atlantic growth strategy.Under this strategy, we have launched an immigration program that will increase levels by 50%. We have invested $154 million in Atlantic universities and colleges and we have also invested $225 million
Mr. Speaker, this government is engaged in ensuring that Canadians have good health and the health care they need. To do that, it requires working collaboratively with our colleagues across the country. It requires working with patients and health care providers. I have had excellent discussions with my counterparts, the ministers of health across the country. I respect that they deliver excellent care and have jurisdiction over that. However, it requires all partners to be at the table to ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, residents in my riding have worked so hard to ensure their voices of strong support for B.C. LNG were heard. Yesterday's approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project was one step forward, but unfortunately the conditions attached were two steps backward.Why did the Liberals ensure thousands of Canadian energy workers would remain out of work by adding potentially impossible conditions to their approval of Pacific NorthWest LNG?
Mr. Speaker, so much for making rail safety the number one issue.Both Conservative and Liberal governments have stated that moving oil and other dangerous goods by rail poses significant risk to our environment and communities, yet we have seen little action on community demands, other than one-off measures such as this.Yesterday, I introduced Bill C-304 to make environmental assessments mandatory and to strengthen regulation of dangerous rail. The Minister of Environment has the power now to order an assessment of potentially dangerous rail. What is she waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, again, the policy for relocation, as it applies to ministers' offices, is the same policy of the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is evaluating that policy.I would remind the hon. member, who was I believe a caucus member previously, that under the Conservatives, there were staff members who were reimbursed for moving expenses in excess of $90,000.Treasury Board is reviewing this and we will fix it.
Mr. Speaker, we did make a commitment to Canadians to be open and transparent. Quite the opposite of what the member just said, it was nine long months ago that we recorded this expense through proactive disclosure. I discovered only yesterday that we had entered the expense under the wrong column. I immediately corrected that point in the House, and I immediately supplied a new answer to the question. We disclosed that expenditure nine months ago. Nothing at all was ever hidden from Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is in my riding. It is a small business run by a middle-income family. It is 197 years old. It is the only one like it operating in Canada and it has never had a workplace accident. It is basically a working museum. It cannot meet the federal labour code and it is about to be shut down. The Minister of Labour knows the Arva Flour Mill can be exempted from the federal labour code. She has the authority to save it. Will the minister please do her job?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we must grow the economy while protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The problem is that, for a long time, previous governments, including Liberal governments, had plenty of targets, but no solid plan to reach them. That is why we are working with the provinces and our partners in industry to ensure that we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. That is what Canadians expect from this government.
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps telling us that rail safety is the number one priority. However, based on what he has done on this file, I cannot imagine how little would be done on files that are not a priority.Communities are concerned because dangerous goods are being transported without any consultation or environmental assessment. Communities such as Lac-Mégantic want their voices to be heard in order to prevent any more tragedies.Will the minister agree to strengthen the regulations and environmental assessments in order to improve rail safety in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, to compare the approach of this government with the approach of the previous Conservative government on the matter of federal-provincial-territorial relations on health is a misrepresentation of the facts.I am meeting with my counterparts. I already met with them in January. I have been given direction from the Prime Minister to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces and territories. That was not done by the previous government.We will do that. We will work in collaboration with the provinces and territories. We will invest in health, and ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, I fully agree with what my colleague said. In fact, there was an official declaration done by the Government of Canada, and we are willing to start reading it in the House.Today, as we consider the interim findings of the independent joint investigation team into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, we are reminded of the unspeakable suffering caused by this tragic attack. The interim findings made clear that the Russian-made Buk missile was fired from rebel-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. In a nutshell, the declaration clearly condemns it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of waking up every day to a new Liberal expense scandal.Yesterday, Brookfield Global Relocation Services shared that two prime ministerial aides, Butts and Telford, would have been briefed on their services and made fully aware. For the past week, these two individuals have been stating they did not know.The bottom line is, who is telling the truth?
Mr. Speaker, I see that my colleague opposite is on a fishing expedition. Allow me to respond.He knows full well that Brookfield apologized for providing erroneous information. He may not have heard the response we gave his predecessor. He may have had to change the question. We know how faithfully our friends across the way followed the orders of Mr. Harper's chief of staff, Guy Giorno.We are inspired by his encouraging words about this program, but we are going to improve it and that is why the Prime Minister instructed the President of the Treasury Board to review the program.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Liberals' approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project is not all that it seems. The reality is that many residents of my riding woke up this morning in the same circumstances as they were yesterday, unemployed. Unemployment rates in northeastern B.C. are still the highest in the province. As I said before, approving this project is one thing, building it is completely another. Why did the Liberals put potential poison pills in the approval with unnecessary conditions?
Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Immigration first responded to my Order Paper question, instantly the response was that none of his staff got any money for moving expenses. However, when he was caught with his hand in the U-HaulI mean in the cookie jarall of a sudden he remembered that he had okayed the expenses to move one of his staff all the way from Thailand. Can the minister explain his lapse of memory and judgment?
Well, Mr. Speaker, that is not good enough. Canadians are still trying to understand the very obvious contradiction between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister over the extradition treaty with China.The Prime Minister says discussions have begun, his website says that talks have begun, and the Chinese premier says so as well. The only person who did not know seems to have been the Minister of Foreign Affairs.Is he simply out of the loop, is he splitting grammatical hairs, or is he quite properly challenging the Prime Minister on an unwise initiative?
Mr. Speaker, the members opposite continue to not understand the lessons Canadians shared with them in the last election. Faced with a choice between a government that insisted on giving benefits and tax breaks to the wealthiest Canadians, or a party that proposed to raise taxes on the wealthiest one per cent so we could lower them for the middle class and give benefits to those families who actually need it, the nine out of 10 families who need extra help with the cost of raising their kids, Canadians made the right choice, and we are working hard to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that relocation directives were explained in detail to all employees who were being moved. He also stated that they go over, extensively, the personalized cash payouts with each employee.This abuse of taxpayer money falls squarely on the shoulders of the Prime Minister as he was the one who approved the payouts. If the company handling the move says the Prime Minister's BFFs were briefed, why is the PMO misleading Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, on another matter, an international investigation into the downing of Malaysian passenger jet MH17 confirms that the missile that hit the plane was brought into Ukraine from Russia and fired from Russian-backed rebel territory. Evidence reveals that the launcher then returned to Russia. Given that two Canadians were among the 298 who died in the attack, will the minister now clearly condemn Russia for its unrepentant military aggression that has taken thousands of lives and displaced almost one million people in eastern Ukraine?
Mr. Speaker, time is marching on and the uncertainty continues. The Liberal government is showing a distinct lack of leadership when it comes to the extradition treaty and negotiations with China. It is rather funny how the Liberals become so much less open and transparent on critical, sensitive files.The Prime Minister is saying one thing and the Minister of Foreign Affairs is saying another.Can the two talk to each other and tell us the truth, please?
Mr. Speaker, the relocation policy for ministers' offices is the same policy as that of the previous Conservative government.We are also aware that under the previous Conservative government, there were ministerial staffers reimbursed, in some cases, for $90,000 worth of moving expenses.The Prime Minister and his office have asked me, and Treasury Board, to review the policy. Treasury Board will review the policy, and report back to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this summer, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the four Atlantic premiers, and the four cabinet ministers from Atlantic Canada launched the Atlantic growth strategy. Can the minister please explain how this strategy is different from the work that has previously been done to address the problems of economic growth in Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is an example of a business that has been in operation 150 years. It is a hard-working family-owned small business that has done the right thing. However, companies must respect the Canada Labour Code and it is our duty to ensure the health and safety of workers across Canada.We are very committed to ensuring small business has the right to compete and strive and do well. We are working with the community and the owner.
Mr. Speaker, it has been over six months since the Prime Minister started borrowing to spend their way to prosperity, but every week it seems like we get another piece of bad economic news. Private sector job creation is invisible. On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of learning a lesson and reversing course, the Prime Minister is using this as an excuse to spend even more money.How can the Liberals be trusted with even more of our tax dollars when their first round of spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, the minister has stated multiple times that rail safety is his top priority. Likewise, we value the hard work and dedication of first responders in Canada. That is why the minister issued protective direction no. 36, delivering on our commitment to share more data with communities and first responders. These new measures enhance transparency on rail safety and dangerous goods. In fact, we understand that the fire chief of the City of Windsor is now recommending that the city sign the non-disclosure agreement by railway companies to get more dangerous goods information
Mr. Speaker, the conditional approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project does not mean the Liberals really intend to actually have it built. The vast majority of the assessment was completed under Canada's already world-leading vigorous regulatory system, but the Liberals keep talking about multiple regulatory changes, which means that other energy projects and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadians are left hanging in the balance. We hope the Prime Minister will proudly champion LNG, but what about all the other energy projects critical to Canada's economy?
Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to congratulate my colleague on being appointed deputy critic for foreign affairs.I would also like to tell the members of the opposition that, for the past two weeks, they have been asking questions about something that does not exist. The Prime Minister never said anything about negotiations. The Canada-China joint communiqué issued on September 12, 2016, which is public and easily accessible, reads: start discussions. There is a huge difference between discussions and negotiations. If my colleague needs clarification on that, my department can give him a briefing.
Mr. Speaker, in the last election, Canadians had a choice between a government that for 10 years was unable to create the kind of growth for Canadians that middle-class Canadians needed, because Conservatives kept insisting on lowering taxes for the wealthiest and giving benefits to millionaire families. What we did instead was actually invest in our communities with historic investments in infrastructure. We put more money in the pockets of the middle class by lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest one per cent and put a historic Canada child benefit in the pockets of the nine out of 10 Canadians who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, the government has committed to addressing housing, infrastructure, health care, education, and connectivity in Métis and Inuit communities. The minister is aware of the great need for this investment in Nunavut. To date, first nations on reserve have been the recipients of this much-needed funding.I would like to ask the minister how and when this funding will flow to other aboriginal groups, especially for Nunavut. Will this funding be done on a needs-based approach or continue with the woefully inadequate per capita system that continues to fail us?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague for having been chosen as the spokesperson of his party for foreign affairs. I also want to congratulate him that he has seen the light, because now he speaks about discussions. We have noticed that in his questions. He dropped the word negotiation that he was using for the last two weeks, and so I congratulate my colleague for that. It is quite an improvement, because today, at this very moment, we are having a discussion together, but we negotiate nothing.
Mr. Speaker, let me give another good example. When I was the minister of intergovernmental affairs, my mandate was to ensure that provincial jurisdictions were respected. I looked for the mandate letter for the minister of intergovernmental affairs. The Prime Minister is the minister. I would have guessed his mandate letter would include ensuring that provincial jurisdictions are respected. However, I did not see that in the mandate letter.Will the Prime Minister let the provinces do the work that falls under their jurisdiction, namely infrastructure, social housing, education, and health? It will be a long list in a few months. Will he let them do their work?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister claims he believes in human rights, transparency, and accountability. He has an opportunity to prove it. Canadians want more oversight when it comes to selling arms, weapons, and tanks to countries like Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Libya. Will he or will he not support creating a parliamentary committee to bring transparency to any foreign arms sales before they take place?
Mr. Speaker, although the minister announced that there would be consultations on changes to the rules governing the political activities of charitable organizations, we have learned that the agency is continuing the witch hunt launched by the Conservatives against these organizations, and that 12 organizations are still under investigation. What a contradiction.How can the minister justify the fact that the agency is still investigating these organizations when she has admitted that the rules are not clear and that they must be clarified? In view of a consultation on changing the rules, will the minister put a stop to all unfair investigations of charitable organizations, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, expanding access into the Chinese market is incredibly important to boost the bottom line for Canadian farmers and agricultural industries. These industries contribute over $100 billion and two million jobs to our economy.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on our government's recent accomplishments for Canadian farmers and farm families?
Mr. Speaker, accessibility and equality among our two official languages are extremely important to us. We received yesterday's report and will give it very serious consideration. We have already taken action in favour of francophones outside Quebec through our francophone significant benefit program, and I can assure the House that we will be doing more, such as taking this report into consideration.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, though, has created economic uncertainty that is driving away new job creators. In fact, yesterday, all he approved was more consultations. In fact, construction of Pacific NorthWest LNG may not even move ahead. Conditional approval is one step forward, but bogging it down with extra process is two steps back. The Prime Minister must stand with unemployed workers who need jobs. Will he do the right thing, get shovels in the ground, and get these people to work?
Mr. Speaker, when his government was elected last year, the Prime Minister said that the good old Canada was back on the world stage. The good old Canada was committed to protecting human rights in the international arena. That means that Canada must stop selling weapons to those who violate human rights.Will the Prime Minister agree to create a parliamentary committee to examine foreign arms sales before approving them?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commissioner of Official Languages denounced the fact that French language proficiency tests for prospective immigrants to Canada can cost twice as much as their English equivalents. However, the Constitution clearly states that official languages have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions within the Government of Canada. What does the government plan to do right now to ensure that the law is respected and that francophone immigration applicants do not have to pay more for exactly the same service?
Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to ensuring justice for all victims of this dark chapter of our history. We are concerned about any possibility that some deserving victims may have been denied compensation. We uphold the Indian residential school settlement process, and members know that. We also protect the integrity of the independent assessment process and we will continue to do so on behalf of all indigenous people.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues are obviously pleased to see me back.My friend knows very well that Brookfield has apologized for that erroneous information. What my friend should also consider is the advice of Guy Giorno, somebody whose orders he followed so faithfully for so long.We would draw to the House's attention, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Harper who said: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason.The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are expecting more from their government, not just the same old party antics and spending scandals that we saw in the 1990s and the early 2000s. There are many new faces in the government, but they have the same old Liberal sense of entitlement.Where is the leadership? Who is finally going to put a stop to these Liberal entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for HastingsLennox and Addington for his question and support. Last week was a great week for Canadian agriculture. Our government gained access for the Canadian canola farmers to the Chinese market until at least 2020, worth over $2 billion a year for Canadian farmers. We also gained access for bone-in meat under 30 months. That puts another $10 million in the pockets of farmers and ranchers in our country.These successes will create growth and opportunity, and I intend to build on that growth and opportunity when I lead a trade mission to China.
Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals, you get more than you bargained for. When Canadians send their money to Ottawa, they expect it to be managed carefully. They do not want the brush-off. The Prime Minister's friends feigned ignorance, but now that we know they were well aware of all the expenses they claimed, Canadians have every reason to wonder if there is anything else the Prime Minister is hiding.Canadians deserve their government's respect, so will it come right out and tell us what other unreasonable expenses it is hiding from Canadians in the hope of not getting caught?
Mr. Speaker, I will take this opportunity to share with my colleague something that his former boss, Guy Giorno, said about the relocation program: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason. The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially. Nevertheless, we think that the program the former government approved needs to be reviewed, and that is what my colleague is doing.
Mr. Speaker, we agree with the member opposite that Canadians do want greater transparency and accountability in many different areas, but particularly in terms of arms sales. That is why we have committed to demonstrating a higher level of transparency and openness, and why we have agreed to sign on to the arms trade treaty. We will be the last NATO country to sign on to that because the previous government did not want to. We know that it is the right thing to do and, quite frankly, it is what Canadians expect of their government.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years under the reign of a government with the worst record in economic growth since R. B. Bennett and the Great Depression, Canadians needed a government that was ready to invest in their communities and ready to put more money in the pockets of the middle class by asking more of the wealthy.We raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so that we could lower them on the middle class. We are giving a more generous Canada child benefit to nine out of ten families. That is what Canadians expect from their government.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find that, in fact, Brookfield has clarified its comments and have confirmed that members of the Prime Minister's staff were consistent with the truth.Beyond that, it is important that the opposition recognize that the moving expense policy, as applied to ministers' offices, is the same policy that applied to the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is reviewing that policy.
Mr. Speaker, all of a sudden we have another minister of cover-up. Like my own memory sometimes, I believe the minister's memory seems to be past its best before date. I mean that, of course, in a very comforting way.However, to be serious here, does the minister really think it is appropriate to move one of his staff from Thailand to Ottawa and then expect the taxpayer to pay for it?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of failed policies on growth that consisted mostly of tax breaks for the wealthiest Canadians, we are actually working to draw in global investment to demonstrate to Canadians and to the world that we understand that building a strong economy that works for the middle class goes hand in hand with creating a sustainable, protected environment. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we are pleased to be working on, but we know that there is lots more work to be done.
Mr. Speaker, Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta has been a world heritage site for more than three decades. In response to a petition by Mikisew Cree First Nation, the United Nations began an investigation into the government's failure to protect the park from impacts of oil, gas, and hydro projects, including Site C in British Columbia. This could land the park on the UN's list of world heritage sites in danger.Will the minister and her colleagues work together to better protect and preserve Wood Buffalo?
Mr. Speaker, someone is not being truthful with Canadians. Yesterday, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that each person it moves is briefed on the benefits and entitlements that can be claimed. Yet, the Prime Minister is digging in his heels, and claiming that his BFFs, Gerry and Katie, were never briefed. When we are talking about six-figure payouts, I find it hard to believe that the people were not briefed. Would the Prime Minister come clean and tell Canadians who is telling the truth, Gerry and Katie, or Brookfield?
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the joint UNESCO World Heritage Centre and International Union for Conservation of Nature mission to Wood Buffalo National Park, which is taking place from September 25 to October 4. Reactive monitoring missions are carried out around the world as an act of due diligence to assess potential threats to the outstanding universal value of world heritage sites. These missions are a valuable tool in the ongoing protection of these international important treasures.
Mr. Speaker, I am not too sure what folding in means, but those first nations know that they have never been meaningfully consulted, and they have never been accommodated.The Liberals are using Stephen Harper's targets, Stephen Harper's plan, and Stephen Harper's timelines, and the Conservatives are the only ones who are happy about it. In short, they will never be able to honour our international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.How can the Prime Minister approve new pipelines if we are already finding it impossible to reduce GHGs because we do not have a comprehensive and credible plan? That is utter nonsense.
Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Universal Access to Information, whose objective is to make people aware of their right to access information held by government institutions and to promote freedom of information as the basis for democracy and good governance.Could the President of the Treasury Board please explain to the House the government's commitment to openness and transparency?
Mr. Speaker, the government cannot seem to get its story straight when it comes to its decision to fight a residential school survivor in court. Yesterday the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs assured the House that if government lawyers were involved, it was only to help ensure they get justice. Justice department lawyers are in the Ontario Superior Court fighting against compensation to a victim of a perverse misapplication of justice. The Prime Minister promised to put an end to this.Will the justice minister please explain to the indigenous affairs minister why her officials are trying to stop this survivor from getting justice in court?
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. We believe that we need to demonstrate more transparency and rigour when it comes to the sale of arms on the international market.That is one reason why we committed to sign the arms trade treaty. We are going to work with all members of the House to ensure that Canada endorses and upholds this treaty.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my hon. colleague as the new critic for environment and climate change.Our government is committed to proper environmental assessments that are based on science and evidence. As we saw yesterday, we applied our interim principles. I was very pleased to show that we can get resources to market in a sustainable and responsible way by following these principles.These principles were actually used to engage indigenous peoples, who will now be part of environmental assessments of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project. Many of them have benefit agreements
Mr. Speaker, consultation means much more than informing indigenous communities that a project has already been approved. Six local first nations have opposed this LNG project. How was this decision announced? The Prime Minister sent three ministers to the Vancouver airport, 1,000 kilometres away from the people and territory that will be directly affected by their decision.Does the Prime Minister really consider this to be respect for first nations?
Mr. Speaker, we have always understood that in order to create the kind of government that people want, we need to both grow the economy and protect the environment. That means folding in consultations with indigenous leaders, talking to communities, ensuring we get the world-class science done. That is exactly what we did on this project.Unfortunately, the members opposite either think we are not going fast enough or we are going too fast. Canadians know we need to grow the economy, and protect the environment right now and do it right.
Mr. Speaker, job creation is currently invisible and economic growth is sluggish.On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of reversing course, the Prime Minister is spending even more money. How can the Liberals be trusted when all this spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I am puzzled by the question. I am not entirely sure if the member opposite believes this project should have been approved with no conditions. Our government is a different government. We believe that the only way resources will get to market is if they are done in a sustainable and responsible way. That is what we have done. I am very proud that this project will create over 5,000 good, middle-class jobs, including union jobs. This is the way we move forward. Let us be clear, we need to make sure that resources are developed in a sustainable way.
Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister has said, the only way resources can get to market in the 21st century is if they are done in a responsible and sustainable way. I am very pleased about our decision yesterday, which was based on our interim principles. It was based on science and evidence. It was based on meaningful consultation and accommodation with indigenous peoples. It was based on hearing from Canadians about concerns. Those 190 conditions are consistent with that, because we need to make sure that any resources developed are done in a sustainable way. However, the way this will get to market is actually if the market price goes
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I have already had many good conversations with my counterparts across the country, including the Quebec minister of health.As the member is well aware, the Canada health transfer is going to increase by $1 billion next year, bringing it up to more than $37 billion. I will be meeting with all my provincial and territorial counterparts over the next few weeks. We will continue our discussions on ways to create a health care system
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question and also for his input into northern and Inuit priorities. Our government is renewing our relationship as a crown-Inuit relationship. We have been consulting Inuit people across the north. We work closely with the Nunavut government. This year we announced an $178-million investment into Inuit housing, of which $78 million will go to Inuit in Nunavut.Yes, we are looking at these investments on a priority basis. That is why we have invested very much into recreational
Mr. Speaker, again I am pleased to stand up to speak about the new process that the Prime Minister has introduced for appointing the next Supreme Court justice. We are committed to respecting the custom of regional representation, functional bilingualism, diversity, and ensuring that we have the highest calibre of jurist to be the next Supreme Court of Canada justice. I am appreciative of the independent, nonpartisan advisory board that is assisting us in this process. I look forward to assisting the Prime Minister in making this most important appointment.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health said she is looking forward to meeting with her counterparts, the provincial health ministers. I have some good news for her: I know that one of them, the Quebec minister of health, is very keen to speak to her in person. He is going to tell her that putting conditions on transfer payments to the provinces is simply not how the Canadian federation works. I hope the Prime Minister plans to bring his minister into line and ask her to respect those responsible for delivering health care in Quebec, specifically the doctors, not the politicians, and ensure that provincial responsibilities are discharged by those who have the authority, in this case, the provincial health ministers.
Mr. Speaker, each of these projects will be judged on its own merits. They are not all the same. Looking at the decision we made yesterday, a very important decision, it will lead to 5,000 new jobs being created in the energy sector across Canada. For some reason, we are not getting much credit from those opposite. Implicit also is that there will be pipelines that will move to tidewater, the first time that will happen in more than 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, the kind of leadership Canadians expect is the kind of leadership they had not had for 10 years, a government that understands that we need to grow the economy for the middle class and protect and sustain the environment at the same time. That is why we took our time. We have made sure to do things right to demonstrate the community support, the indigenous support, and the fact that world-class science is going on while we grow the economy and create jobs for the middle class. It is what Canadians expect. It is what this government is delivering.
Mr. Speaker, I will not claim a perfect memory either, but I would certainly say it is entirely appropriate that when one hires a staff person or a consultant and the person is in Thailand, yes the government pays for the transport of that individual to Ottawa and for the relevant hotel expenses. That is precisely what we did and precisely what we disclosed to the public nine months ago. To say that we were hiding anything is entirely ridiculous.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces, but they did not tell us their plan would look exactly the same as the one imposed by Stephen Harper.Now B.C.'s Liberal health minister is accusing the government of having a very Conservative mindset. That is not something to be proud of, but thankfully, it is curable. Will the Liberals abandon Stephen Harper's funding cuts, quit using Conservative talking points, and negotiate fairly with the provinces to protect Canada's public health care system?
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased yesterday afternoon that all members of the House of Commons agreed with the Conservative Party that Atlantic Canada should be represented on the Supreme Court, but then a spokesperson for the justice minister stated that it would not be guaranteed. Why would the Liberals flip-flop on this important issue? I checked last night and there was no election. So why are the Liberals changing their mind on this?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister always takes time in his answers to point out how proud he is of raising taxes, that he is borrowing billions to fund new Liberal spending. So is it working? No. Private sector job growth is nonexistent. More and more people are looking for work. At some point, the Liberals have to accept that their plan is not working. Stop digging before the hole becomes so deep it takes generations to come out. Will the Prime Minister do the right thing, stop spending, and focus on creating jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' decision to maintain the Conservatives' cuts to health was not especially well received. According to Quebec's health minister, these cuts are going to make it hard for Quebeckers and Canadians to access good quality health care. Many provinces are opposed to the government's proposed plan.Will the Liberals scrap these cuts and keep their promise to negotiate in good faith with the provinces to ensure quality care?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's friends were given so much money that they seem to have lost track of it all. After getting caught red-handed, the Prime Minister's best friend and his chief of staff admitted that some expenses were unreasonable. They claimed they were not aware of all the costs, but now the moving company is saying that it briefed them on all costs.Will the Prime Minister's friends tell the truth for once and stop taking Canadians for fools?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Right to Know Day.Our government is committed to openness and transparency. I have issued a directive that enshrines the principle that government information should be open by default.We will soon introduce a bill that will enhance the Access to Information Act, as we promised. We will then conduct a comprehensive review of the act in order to update it so it better serves Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that charitable organizations play a key role in our society, and I am committed to being responsive to the needs of this sector. Therefore, I am proud to have announced the official launch of our consultations to clarify charitable organizations' involvement in political activities.Our government knows that it must work with this sector. That is what we promised, and that is what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, the headlines seemed good, but beyond the headlines was a lot of fine print, 190 conditions for the LNG project to move forward, including, wait for it, more consultations, after almost six years of consultations. Thousands of unemployed workers and their families are depending on this project to go ahead. Approving the project is one thing. Getting it built is what matters. There are no jobs until there are shovels in the ground. Will the Prime Minister commit to providing personal leadership to drive this project forward?
Mr. Speaker, it is very important that this House does not misunderstand the facts.There will be no cuts to health care. Our government is committed to being a good partner in ensuring that Canadians have the health and health care they need. This year, the Canada health transfer was the largest ever, more than $36 billion. It will increase by more than $1 billion, additionally, next year.In addition to the Canada health transfer, I will be meeting with my counterparts on October 18 to discuss additional ways that we can invest in the health of Canadians, and ensure they all get the care they need.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her question and for her advocacy on behalf of the residents of South ShoreSt. Margarets. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the 32 outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada who were instrumental in launching the Atlantic growth strategy.Under this strategy, we have launched an immigration program that will increase levels by 50%. We have invested $154 million in Atlantic universities and colleges and we have also invested $225 million
Mr. Speaker, this government is engaged in ensuring that Canadians have good health and the health care they need. To do that, it requires working collaboratively with our colleagues across the country. It requires working with patients and health care providers. I have had excellent discussions with my counterparts, the ministers of health across the country. I respect that they deliver excellent care and have jurisdiction over that. However, it requires all partners to be at the table to ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Most positive speeches
Mr. Speaker, this government is engaged in ensuring that Canadians have good health and the health care they need. To do that, it requires working collaboratively with our colleagues across the country. It requires working with patients and health care providers. I have had excellent discussions with my counterparts, the ministers of health across the country. I respect that they deliver excellent care and have jurisdiction over that. However, it requires all partners to be at the table to ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her question and for her advocacy on behalf of the residents of South ShoreSt. Margarets. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the 32 outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada who were instrumental in launching the Atlantic growth strategy.Under this strategy, we have launched an immigration program that will increase levels by 50%. We have invested $154 million in Atlantic universities and colleges and we have also invested $225 million
Mr. Speaker, it is very important that this House does not misunderstand the facts.There will be no cuts to health care. Our government is committed to being a good partner in ensuring that Canadians have the health and health care they need. This year, the Canada health transfer was the largest ever, more than $36 billion. It will increase by more than $1 billion, additionally, next year.In addition to the Canada health transfer, I will be meeting with my counterparts on October 18 to discuss additional ways that we can invest in the health of Canadians, and ensure they all get the care they need.
Mr. Speaker, the headlines seemed good, but beyond the headlines was a lot of fine print, 190 conditions for the LNG project to move forward, including, wait for it, more consultations, after almost six years of consultations. Thousands of unemployed workers and their families are depending on this project to go ahead. Approving the project is one thing. Getting it built is what matters. There are no jobs until there are shovels in the ground. Will the Prime Minister commit to providing personal leadership to drive this project forward?
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that charitable organizations play a key role in our society, and I am committed to being responsive to the needs of this sector. Therefore, I am proud to have announced the official launch of our consultations to clarify charitable organizations' involvement in political activities.Our government knows that it must work with this sector. That is what we promised, and that is what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Right to Know Day.Our government is committed to openness and transparency. I have issued a directive that enshrines the principle that government information should be open by default.We will soon introduce a bill that will enhance the Access to Information Act, as we promised. We will then conduct a comprehensive review of the act in order to update it so it better serves Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's friends were given so much money that they seem to have lost track of it all. After getting caught red-handed, the Prime Minister's best friend and his chief of staff admitted that some expenses were unreasonable. They claimed they were not aware of all the costs, but now the moving company is saying that it briefed them on all costs.Will the Prime Minister's friends tell the truth for once and stop taking Canadians for fools?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' decision to maintain the Conservatives' cuts to health was not especially well received. According to Quebec's health minister, these cuts are going to make it hard for Quebeckers and Canadians to access good quality health care. Many provinces are opposed to the government's proposed plan.Will the Liberals scrap these cuts and keep their promise to negotiate in good faith with the provinces to ensure quality care?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister always takes time in his answers to point out how proud he is of raising taxes, that he is borrowing billions to fund new Liberal spending. So is it working? No. Private sector job growth is nonexistent. More and more people are looking for work. At some point, the Liberals have to accept that their plan is not working. Stop digging before the hole becomes so deep it takes generations to come out. Will the Prime Minister do the right thing, stop spending, and focus on creating jobs?
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased yesterday afternoon that all members of the House of Commons agreed with the Conservative Party that Atlantic Canada should be represented on the Supreme Court, but then a spokesperson for the justice minister stated that it would not be guaranteed. Why would the Liberals flip-flop on this important issue? I checked last night and there was no election. So why are the Liberals changing their mind on this?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces, but they did not tell us their plan would look exactly the same as the one imposed by Stephen Harper.Now B.C.'s Liberal health minister is accusing the government of having a very Conservative mindset. That is not something to be proud of, but thankfully, it is curable. Will the Liberals abandon Stephen Harper's funding cuts, quit using Conservative talking points, and negotiate fairly with the provinces to protect Canada's public health care system?
Mr. Speaker, I will not claim a perfect memory either, but I would certainly say it is entirely appropriate that when one hires a staff person or a consultant and the person is in Thailand, yes the government pays for the transport of that individual to Ottawa and for the relevant hotel expenses. That is precisely what we did and precisely what we disclosed to the public nine months ago. To say that we were hiding anything is entirely ridiculous.
Mr. Speaker, the kind of leadership Canadians expect is the kind of leadership they had not had for 10 years, a government that understands that we need to grow the economy for the middle class and protect and sustain the environment at the same time. That is why we took our time. We have made sure to do things right to demonstrate the community support, the indigenous support, and the fact that world-class science is going on while we grow the economy and create jobs for the middle class. It is what Canadians expect. It is what this government is delivering.
Mr. Speaker, each of these projects will be judged on its own merits. They are not all the same. Looking at the decision we made yesterday, a very important decision, it will lead to 5,000 new jobs being created in the energy sector across Canada. For some reason, we are not getting much credit from those opposite. Implicit also is that there will be pipelines that will move to tidewater, the first time that will happen in more than 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health said she is looking forward to meeting with her counterparts, the provincial health ministers. I have some good news for her: I know that one of them, the Quebec minister of health, is very keen to speak to her in person. He is going to tell her that putting conditions on transfer payments to the provinces is simply not how the Canadian federation works. I hope the Prime Minister plans to bring his minister into line and ask her to respect those responsible for delivering health care in Quebec, specifically the doctors, not the politicians, and ensure that provincial responsibilities are discharged by those who have the authority, in this case, the provincial health ministers.
Mr. Speaker, again I am pleased to stand up to speak about the new process that the Prime Minister has introduced for appointing the next Supreme Court justice. We are committed to respecting the custom of regional representation, functional bilingualism, diversity, and ensuring that we have the highest calibre of jurist to be the next Supreme Court of Canada justice. I am appreciative of the independent, nonpartisan advisory board that is assisting us in this process. I look forward to assisting the Prime Minister in making this most important appointment.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question and also for his input into northern and Inuit priorities. Our government is renewing our relationship as a crown-Inuit relationship. We have been consulting Inuit people across the north. We work closely with the Nunavut government. This year we announced an $178-million investment into Inuit housing, of which $78 million will go to Inuit in Nunavut.Yes, we are looking at these investments on a priority basis. That is why we have invested very much into recreational
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I have already had many good conversations with my counterparts across the country, including the Quebec minister of health.As the member is well aware, the Canada health transfer is going to increase by $1 billion next year, bringing it up to more than $37 billion. I will be meeting with all my provincial and territorial counterparts over the next few weeks. We will continue our discussions on ways to create a health care system
Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister has said, the only way resources can get to market in the 21st century is if they are done in a responsible and sustainable way. I am very pleased about our decision yesterday, which was based on our interim principles. It was based on science and evidence. It was based on meaningful consultation and accommodation with indigenous peoples. It was based on hearing from Canadians about concerns. Those 190 conditions are consistent with that, because we need to make sure that any resources developed are done in a sustainable way. However, the way this will get to market is actually if the market price goes
Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I am puzzled by the question. I am not entirely sure if the member opposite believes this project should have been approved with no conditions. Our government is a different government. We believe that the only way resources will get to market is if they are done in a sustainable and responsible way. That is what we have done. I am very proud that this project will create over 5,000 good, middle-class jobs, including union jobs. This is the way we move forward. Let us be clear, we need to make sure that resources are developed in a sustainable way.
Mr. Speaker, job creation is currently invisible and economic growth is sluggish.On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of reversing course, the Prime Minister is spending even more money. How can the Liberals be trusted when all this spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, we have always understood that in order to create the kind of government that people want, we need to both grow the economy and protect the environment. That means folding in consultations with indigenous leaders, talking to communities, ensuring we get the world-class science done. That is exactly what we did on this project.Unfortunately, the members opposite either think we are not going fast enough or we are going too fast. Canadians know we need to grow the economy, and protect the environment right now and do it right.
Mr. Speaker, consultation means much more than informing indigenous communities that a project has already been approved. Six local first nations have opposed this LNG project. How was this decision announced? The Prime Minister sent three ministers to the Vancouver airport, 1,000 kilometres away from the people and territory that will be directly affected by their decision.Does the Prime Minister really consider this to be respect for first nations?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my hon. colleague as the new critic for environment and climate change.Our government is committed to proper environmental assessments that are based on science and evidence. As we saw yesterday, we applied our interim principles. I was very pleased to show that we can get resources to market in a sustainable and responsible way by following these principles.These principles were actually used to engage indigenous peoples, who will now be part of environmental assessments of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project. Many of them have benefit agreements
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. We believe that we need to demonstrate more transparency and rigour when it comes to the sale of arms on the international market.That is one reason why we committed to sign the arms trade treaty. We are going to work with all members of the House to ensure that Canada endorses and upholds this treaty.
Mr. Speaker, the government cannot seem to get its story straight when it comes to its decision to fight a residential school survivor in court. Yesterday the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs assured the House that if government lawyers were involved, it was only to help ensure they get justice. Justice department lawyers are in the Ontario Superior Court fighting against compensation to a victim of a perverse misapplication of justice. The Prime Minister promised to put an end to this.Will the justice minister please explain to the indigenous affairs minister why her officials are trying to stop this survivor from getting justice in court?
Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Universal Access to Information, whose objective is to make people aware of their right to access information held by government institutions and to promote freedom of information as the basis for democracy and good governance.Could the President of the Treasury Board please explain to the House the government's commitment to openness and transparency?
Mr. Speaker, I am not too sure what folding in means, but those first nations know that they have never been meaningfully consulted, and they have never been accommodated.The Liberals are using Stephen Harper's targets, Stephen Harper's plan, and Stephen Harper's timelines, and the Conservatives are the only ones who are happy about it. In short, they will never be able to honour our international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.How can the Prime Minister approve new pipelines if we are already finding it impossible to reduce GHGs because we do not have a comprehensive and credible plan? That is utter nonsense.
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the joint UNESCO World Heritage Centre and International Union for Conservation of Nature mission to Wood Buffalo National Park, which is taking place from September 25 to October 4. Reactive monitoring missions are carried out around the world as an act of due diligence to assess potential threats to the outstanding universal value of world heritage sites. These missions are a valuable tool in the ongoing protection of these international important treasures.
Mr. Speaker, someone is not being truthful with Canadians. Yesterday, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that each person it moves is briefed on the benefits and entitlements that can be claimed. Yet, the Prime Minister is digging in his heels, and claiming that his BFFs, Gerry and Katie, were never briefed. When we are talking about six-figure payouts, I find it hard to believe that the people were not briefed. Would the Prime Minister come clean and tell Canadians who is telling the truth, Gerry and Katie, or Brookfield?
Mr. Speaker, Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta has been a world heritage site for more than three decades. In response to a petition by Mikisew Cree First Nation, the United Nations began an investigation into the government's failure to protect the park from impacts of oil, gas, and hydro projects, including Site C in British Columbia. This could land the park on the UN's list of world heritage sites in danger.Will the minister and her colleagues work together to better protect and preserve Wood Buffalo?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of failed policies on growth that consisted mostly of tax breaks for the wealthiest Canadians, we are actually working to draw in global investment to demonstrate to Canadians and to the world that we understand that building a strong economy that works for the middle class goes hand in hand with creating a sustainable, protected environment. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we are pleased to be working on, but we know that there is lots more work to be done.
Mr. Speaker, all of a sudden we have another minister of cover-up. Like my own memory sometimes, I believe the minister's memory seems to be past its best before date. I mean that, of course, in a very comforting way.However, to be serious here, does the minister really think it is appropriate to move one of his staff from Thailand to Ottawa and then expect the taxpayer to pay for it?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find that, in fact, Brookfield has clarified its comments and have confirmed that members of the Prime Minister's staff were consistent with the truth.Beyond that, it is important that the opposition recognize that the moving expense policy, as applied to ministers' offices, is the same policy that applied to the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is reviewing that policy.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years under the reign of a government with the worst record in economic growth since R. B. Bennett and the Great Depression, Canadians needed a government that was ready to invest in their communities and ready to put more money in the pockets of the middle class by asking more of the wealthy.We raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so that we could lower them on the middle class. We are giving a more generous Canada child benefit to nine out of ten families. That is what Canadians expect from their government.
Mr. Speaker, we agree with the member opposite that Canadians do want greater transparency and accountability in many different areas, but particularly in terms of arms sales. That is why we have committed to demonstrating a higher level of transparency and openness, and why we have agreed to sign on to the arms trade treaty. We will be the last NATO country to sign on to that because the previous government did not want to. We know that it is the right thing to do and, quite frankly, it is what Canadians expect of their government.
Mr. Speaker, I will take this opportunity to share with my colleague something that his former boss, Guy Giorno, said about the relocation program: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason. The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially. Nevertheless, we think that the program the former government approved needs to be reviewed, and that is what my colleague is doing.
Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals, you get more than you bargained for. When Canadians send their money to Ottawa, they expect it to be managed carefully. They do not want the brush-off. The Prime Minister's friends feigned ignorance, but now that we know they were well aware of all the expenses they claimed, Canadians have every reason to wonder if there is anything else the Prime Minister is hiding.Canadians deserve their government's respect, so will it come right out and tell us what other unreasonable expenses it is hiding from Canadians in the hope of not getting caught?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for HastingsLennox and Addington for his question and support. Last week was a great week for Canadian agriculture. Our government gained access for the Canadian canola farmers to the Chinese market until at least 2020, worth over $2 billion a year for Canadian farmers. We also gained access for bone-in meat under 30 months. That puts another $10 million in the pockets of farmers and ranchers in our country.These successes will create growth and opportunity, and I intend to build on that growth and opportunity when I lead a trade mission to China.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are expecting more from their government, not just the same old party antics and spending scandals that we saw in the 1990s and the early 2000s. There are many new faces in the government, but they have the same old Liberal sense of entitlement.Where is the leadership? Who is finally going to put a stop to these Liberal entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues are obviously pleased to see me back.My friend knows very well that Brookfield has apologized for that erroneous information. What my friend should also consider is the advice of Guy Giorno, somebody whose orders he followed so faithfully for so long.We would draw to the House's attention, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Harper who said: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason.The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially.
Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to ensuring justice for all victims of this dark chapter of our history. We are concerned about any possibility that some deserving victims may have been denied compensation. We uphold the Indian residential school settlement process, and members know that. We also protect the integrity of the independent assessment process and we will continue to do so on behalf of all indigenous people.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commissioner of Official Languages denounced the fact that French language proficiency tests for prospective immigrants to Canada can cost twice as much as their English equivalents. However, the Constitution clearly states that official languages have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions within the Government of Canada. What does the government plan to do right now to ensure that the law is respected and that francophone immigration applicants do not have to pay more for exactly the same service?
Mr. Speaker, when his government was elected last year, the Prime Minister said that the good old Canada was back on the world stage. The good old Canada was committed to protecting human rights in the international arena. That means that Canada must stop selling weapons to those who violate human rights.Will the Prime Minister agree to create a parliamentary committee to examine foreign arms sales before approving them?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, though, has created economic uncertainty that is driving away new job creators. In fact, yesterday, all he approved was more consultations. In fact, construction of Pacific NorthWest LNG may not even move ahead. Conditional approval is one step forward, but bogging it down with extra process is two steps back. The Prime Minister must stand with unemployed workers who need jobs. Will he do the right thing, get shovels in the ground, and get these people to work?
Mr. Speaker, accessibility and equality among our two official languages are extremely important to us. We received yesterday's report and will give it very serious consideration. We have already taken action in favour of francophones outside Quebec through our francophone significant benefit program, and I can assure the House that we will be doing more, such as taking this report into consideration.
Mr. Speaker, expanding access into the Chinese market is incredibly important to boost the bottom line for Canadian farmers and agricultural industries. These industries contribute over $100 billion and two million jobs to our economy.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on our government's recent accomplishments for Canadian farmers and farm families?
Mr. Speaker, although the minister announced that there would be consultations on changes to the rules governing the political activities of charitable organizations, we have learned that the agency is continuing the witch hunt launched by the Conservatives against these organizations, and that 12 organizations are still under investigation. What a contradiction.How can the minister justify the fact that the agency is still investigating these organizations when she has admitted that the rules are not clear and that they must be clarified? In view of a consultation on changing the rules, will the minister put a stop to all unfair investigations of charitable organizations, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister claims he believes in human rights, transparency, and accountability. He has an opportunity to prove it. Canadians want more oversight when it comes to selling arms, weapons, and tanks to countries like Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Libya. Will he or will he not support creating a parliamentary committee to bring transparency to any foreign arms sales before they take place?
Mr. Speaker, let me give another good example. When I was the minister of intergovernmental affairs, my mandate was to ensure that provincial jurisdictions were respected. I looked for the mandate letter for the minister of intergovernmental affairs. The Prime Minister is the minister. I would have guessed his mandate letter would include ensuring that provincial jurisdictions are respected. However, I did not see that in the mandate letter.Will the Prime Minister let the provinces do the work that falls under their jurisdiction, namely infrastructure, social housing, education, and health? It will be a long list in a few months. Will he let them do their work?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague for having been chosen as the spokesperson of his party for foreign affairs. I also want to congratulate him that he has seen the light, because now he speaks about discussions. We have noticed that in his questions. He dropped the word negotiation that he was using for the last two weeks, and so I congratulate my colleague for that. It is quite an improvement, because today, at this very moment, we are having a discussion together, but we negotiate nothing.
Mr. Speaker, the government has committed to addressing housing, infrastructure, health care, education, and connectivity in Métis and Inuit communities. The minister is aware of the great need for this investment in Nunavut. To date, first nations on reserve have been the recipients of this much-needed funding.I would like to ask the minister how and when this funding will flow to other aboriginal groups, especially for Nunavut. Will this funding be done on a needs-based approach or continue with the woefully inadequate per capita system that continues to fail us?
Mr. Speaker, in the last election, Canadians had a choice between a government that for 10 years was unable to create the kind of growth for Canadians that middle-class Canadians needed, because Conservatives kept insisting on lowering taxes for the wealthiest and giving benefits to millionaire families. What we did instead was actually invest in our communities with historic investments in infrastructure. We put more money in the pockets of the middle class by lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest one per cent and put a historic Canada child benefit in the pockets of the nine out of 10 Canadians who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to congratulate my colleague on being appointed deputy critic for foreign affairs.I would also like to tell the members of the opposition that, for the past two weeks, they have been asking questions about something that does not exist. The Prime Minister never said anything about negotiations. The Canada-China joint communiqué issued on September 12, 2016, which is public and easily accessible, reads: start discussions. There is a huge difference between discussions and negotiations. If my colleague needs clarification on that, my department can give him a briefing.
Mr. Speaker, the conditional approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project does not mean the Liberals really intend to actually have it built. The vast majority of the assessment was completed under Canada's already world-leading vigorous regulatory system, but the Liberals keep talking about multiple regulatory changes, which means that other energy projects and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadians are left hanging in the balance. We hope the Prime Minister will proudly champion LNG, but what about all the other energy projects critical to Canada's economy?
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, the minister has stated multiple times that rail safety is his top priority. Likewise, we value the hard work and dedication of first responders in Canada. That is why the minister issued protective direction no. 36, delivering on our commitment to share more data with communities and first responders. These new measures enhance transparency on rail safety and dangerous goods. In fact, we understand that the fire chief of the City of Windsor is now recommending that the city sign the non-disclosure agreement by railway companies to get more dangerous goods information
Mr. Speaker, it has been over six months since the Prime Minister started borrowing to spend their way to prosperity, but every week it seems like we get another piece of bad economic news. Private sector job creation is invisible. On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of learning a lesson and reversing course, the Prime Minister is using this as an excuse to spend even more money.How can the Liberals be trusted with even more of our tax dollars when their first round of spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is an example of a business that has been in operation 150 years. It is a hard-working family-owned small business that has done the right thing. However, companies must respect the Canada Labour Code and it is our duty to ensure the health and safety of workers across Canada.We are very committed to ensuring small business has the right to compete and strive and do well. We are working with the community and the owner.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this summer, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the four Atlantic premiers, and the four cabinet ministers from Atlantic Canada launched the Atlantic growth strategy. Can the minister please explain how this strategy is different from the work that has previously been done to address the problems of economic growth in Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the relocation policy for ministers' offices is the same policy as that of the previous Conservative government.We are also aware that under the previous Conservative government, there were ministerial staffers reimbursed, in some cases, for $90,000 worth of moving expenses.The Prime Minister and his office have asked me, and Treasury Board, to review the policy. Treasury Board will review the policy, and report back to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, time is marching on and the uncertainty continues. The Liberal government is showing a distinct lack of leadership when it comes to the extradition treaty and negotiations with China. It is rather funny how the Liberals become so much less open and transparent on critical, sensitive files.The Prime Minister is saying one thing and the Minister of Foreign Affairs is saying another.Can the two talk to each other and tell us the truth, please?
Mr. Speaker, on another matter, an international investigation into the downing of Malaysian passenger jet MH17 confirms that the missile that hit the plane was brought into Ukraine from Russia and fired from Russian-backed rebel territory. Evidence reveals that the launcher then returned to Russia. Given that two Canadians were among the 298 who died in the attack, will the minister now clearly condemn Russia for its unrepentant military aggression that has taken thousands of lives and displaced almost one million people in eastern Ukraine?
Mr. Speaker, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that relocation directives were explained in detail to all employees who were being moved. He also stated that they go over, extensively, the personalized cash payouts with each employee.This abuse of taxpayer money falls squarely on the shoulders of the Prime Minister as he was the one who approved the payouts. If the company handling the move says the Prime Minister's BFFs were briefed, why is the PMO misleading Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the members opposite continue to not understand the lessons Canadians shared with them in the last election. Faced with a choice between a government that insisted on giving benefits and tax breaks to the wealthiest Canadians, or a party that proposed to raise taxes on the wealthiest one per cent so we could lower them for the middle class and give benefits to those families who actually need it, the nine out of 10 families who need extra help with the cost of raising their kids, Canadians made the right choice, and we are working hard to demonstrate that.
Well, Mr. Speaker, that is not good enough. Canadians are still trying to understand the very obvious contradiction between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister over the extradition treaty with China.The Prime Minister says discussions have begun, his website says that talks have begun, and the Chinese premier says so as well. The only person who did not know seems to have been the Minister of Foreign Affairs.Is he simply out of the loop, is he splitting grammatical hairs, or is he quite properly challenging the Prime Minister on an unwise initiative?
Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Immigration first responded to my Order Paper question, instantly the response was that none of his staff got any money for moving expenses. However, when he was caught with his hand in the U-HaulI mean in the cookie jarall of a sudden he remembered that he had okayed the expenses to move one of his staff all the way from Thailand. Can the minister explain his lapse of memory and judgment?
Mr. Speaker, I see that my colleague opposite is on a fishing expedition. Allow me to respond.He knows full well that Brookfield apologized for providing erroneous information. He may not have heard the response we gave his predecessor. He may have had to change the question. We know how faithfully our friends across the way followed the orders of Mr. Harper's chief of staff, Guy Giorno.We are inspired by his encouraging words about this program, but we are going to improve it and that is why the Prime Minister instructed the President of the Treasury Board to review the program.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Liberals' approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project is not all that it seems. The reality is that many residents of my riding woke up this morning in the same circumstances as they were yesterday, unemployed. Unemployment rates in northeastern B.C. are still the highest in the province. As I said before, approving this project is one thing, building it is completely another. Why did the Liberals put potential poison pills in the approval with unnecessary conditions?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of waking up every day to a new Liberal expense scandal.Yesterday, Brookfield Global Relocation Services shared that two prime ministerial aides, Butts and Telford, would have been briefed on their services and made fully aware. For the past week, these two individuals have been stating they did not know.The bottom line is, who is telling the truth?
Mr. Speaker, I fully agree with what my colleague said. In fact, there was an official declaration done by the Government of Canada, and we are willing to start reading it in the House.Today, as we consider the interim findings of the independent joint investigation team into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, we are reminded of the unspeakable suffering caused by this tragic attack. The interim findings made clear that the Russian-made Buk missile was fired from rebel-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. In a nutshell, the declaration clearly condemns it.
Mr. Speaker, to compare the approach of this government with the approach of the previous Conservative government on the matter of federal-provincial-territorial relations on health is a misrepresentation of the facts.I am meeting with my counterparts. I already met with them in January. I have been given direction from the Prime Minister to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces and territories. That was not done by the previous government.We will do that. We will work in collaboration with the provinces and territories. We will invest in health, and ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps telling us that rail safety is the number one priority. However, based on what he has done on this file, I cannot imagine how little would be done on files that are not a priority.Communities are concerned because dangerous goods are being transported without any consultation or environmental assessment. Communities such as Lac-Mégantic want their voices to be heard in order to prevent any more tragedies.Will the minister agree to strengthen the regulations and environmental assessments in order to improve rail safety in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we must grow the economy while protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The problem is that, for a long time, previous governments, including Liberal governments, had plenty of targets, but no solid plan to reach them. That is why we are working with the provinces and our partners in industry to ensure that we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. That is what Canadians expect from this government.
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is in my riding. It is a small business run by a middle-income family. It is 197 years old. It is the only one like it operating in Canada and it has never had a workplace accident. It is basically a working museum. It cannot meet the federal labour code and it is about to be shut down. The Minister of Labour knows the Arva Flour Mill can be exempted from the federal labour code. She has the authority to save it. Will the minister please do her job?
Mr. Speaker, we did make a commitment to Canadians to be open and transparent. Quite the opposite of what the member just said, it was nine long months ago that we recorded this expense through proactive disclosure. I discovered only yesterday that we had entered the expense under the wrong column. I immediately corrected that point in the House, and I immediately supplied a new answer to the question. We disclosed that expenditure nine months ago. Nothing at all was ever hidden from Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, again, the policy for relocation, as it applies to ministers' offices, is the same policy of the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is evaluating that policy.I would remind the hon. member, who was I believe a caucus member previously, that under the Conservatives, there were staff members who were reimbursed for moving expenses in excess of $90,000.Treasury Board is reviewing this and we will fix it.
Mr. Speaker, so much for making rail safety the number one issue.Both Conservative and Liberal governments have stated that moving oil and other dangerous goods by rail poses significant risk to our environment and communities, yet we have seen little action on community demands, other than one-off measures such as this.Yesterday, I introduced Bill C-304 to make environmental assessments mandatory and to strengthen regulation of dangerous rail. The Minister of Environment has the power now to order an assessment of potentially dangerous rail. What is she waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, as you know, residents in my riding have worked so hard to ensure their voices of strong support for B.C. LNG were heard. Yesterday's approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project was one step forward, but unfortunately the conditions attached were two steps backward.Why did the Liberals ensure thousands of Canadian energy workers would remain out of work by adding potentially impossible conditions to their approval of Pacific NorthWest LNG?
Mr. Speaker, this government is engaged in ensuring that Canadians have good health and the health care they need. To do that, it requires working collaboratively with our colleagues across the country. It requires working with patients and health care providers. I have had excellent discussions with my counterparts, the ministers of health across the country. I respect that they deliver excellent care and have jurisdiction over that. However, it requires all partners to be at the table to ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her question and for her advocacy on behalf of the residents of South ShoreSt. Margarets. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the 32 outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada who were instrumental in launching the Atlantic growth strategy.Under this strategy, we have launched an immigration program that will increase levels by 50%. We have invested $154 million in Atlantic universities and colleges and we have also invested $225 million
Mr. Speaker, it is very important that this House does not misunderstand the facts.There will be no cuts to health care. Our government is committed to being a good partner in ensuring that Canadians have the health and health care they need. This year, the Canada health transfer was the largest ever, more than $36 billion. It will increase by more than $1 billion, additionally, next year.In addition to the Canada health transfer, I will be meeting with my counterparts on October 18 to discuss additional ways that we can invest in the health of Canadians, and ensure they all get the care they need.
Mr. Speaker, the headlines seemed good, but beyond the headlines was a lot of fine print, 190 conditions for the LNG project to move forward, including, wait for it, more consultations, after almost six years of consultations. Thousands of unemployed workers and their families are depending on this project to go ahead. Approving the project is one thing. Getting it built is what matters. There are no jobs until there are shovels in the ground. Will the Prime Minister commit to providing personal leadership to drive this project forward?
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that charitable organizations play a key role in our society, and I am committed to being responsive to the needs of this sector. Therefore, I am proud to have announced the official launch of our consultations to clarify charitable organizations' involvement in political activities.Our government knows that it must work with this sector. That is what we promised, and that is what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Right to Know Day.Our government is committed to openness and transparency. I have issued a directive that enshrines the principle that government information should be open by default.We will soon introduce a bill that will enhance the Access to Information Act, as we promised. We will then conduct a comprehensive review of the act in order to update it so it better serves Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's friends were given so much money that they seem to have lost track of it all. After getting caught red-handed, the Prime Minister's best friend and his chief of staff admitted that some expenses were unreasonable. They claimed they were not aware of all the costs, but now the moving company is saying that it briefed them on all costs.Will the Prime Minister's friends tell the truth for once and stop taking Canadians for fools?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' decision to maintain the Conservatives' cuts to health was not especially well received. According to Quebec's health minister, these cuts are going to make it hard for Quebeckers and Canadians to access good quality health care. Many provinces are opposed to the government's proposed plan.Will the Liberals scrap these cuts and keep their promise to negotiate in good faith with the provinces to ensure quality care?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister always takes time in his answers to point out how proud he is of raising taxes, that he is borrowing billions to fund new Liberal spending. So is it working? No. Private sector job growth is nonexistent. More and more people are looking for work. At some point, the Liberals have to accept that their plan is not working. Stop digging before the hole becomes so deep it takes generations to come out. Will the Prime Minister do the right thing, stop spending, and focus on creating jobs?
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased yesterday afternoon that all members of the House of Commons agreed with the Conservative Party that Atlantic Canada should be represented on the Supreme Court, but then a spokesperson for the justice minister stated that it would not be guaranteed. Why would the Liberals flip-flop on this important issue? I checked last night and there was no election. So why are the Liberals changing their mind on this?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces, but they did not tell us their plan would look exactly the same as the one imposed by Stephen Harper.Now B.C.'s Liberal health minister is accusing the government of having a very Conservative mindset. That is not something to be proud of, but thankfully, it is curable. Will the Liberals abandon Stephen Harper's funding cuts, quit using Conservative talking points, and negotiate fairly with the provinces to protect Canada's public health care system?
Mr. Speaker, I will not claim a perfect memory either, but I would certainly say it is entirely appropriate that when one hires a staff person or a consultant and the person is in Thailand, yes the government pays for the transport of that individual to Ottawa and for the relevant hotel expenses. That is precisely what we did and precisely what we disclosed to the public nine months ago. To say that we were hiding anything is entirely ridiculous.
Mr. Speaker, the kind of leadership Canadians expect is the kind of leadership they had not had for 10 years, a government that understands that we need to grow the economy for the middle class and protect and sustain the environment at the same time. That is why we took our time. We have made sure to do things right to demonstrate the community support, the indigenous support, and the fact that world-class science is going on while we grow the economy and create jobs for the middle class. It is what Canadians expect. It is what this government is delivering.
Mr. Speaker, each of these projects will be judged on its own merits. They are not all the same. Looking at the decision we made yesterday, a very important decision, it will lead to 5,000 new jobs being created in the energy sector across Canada. For some reason, we are not getting much credit from those opposite. Implicit also is that there will be pipelines that will move to tidewater, the first time that will happen in more than 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health said she is looking forward to meeting with her counterparts, the provincial health ministers. I have some good news for her: I know that one of them, the Quebec minister of health, is very keen to speak to her in person. He is going to tell her that putting conditions on transfer payments to the provinces is simply not how the Canadian federation works. I hope the Prime Minister plans to bring his minister into line and ask her to respect those responsible for delivering health care in Quebec, specifically the doctors, not the politicians, and ensure that provincial responsibilities are discharged by those who have the authority, in this case, the provincial health ministers.
Mr. Speaker, again I am pleased to stand up to speak about the new process that the Prime Minister has introduced for appointing the next Supreme Court justice. We are committed to respecting the custom of regional representation, functional bilingualism, diversity, and ensuring that we have the highest calibre of jurist to be the next Supreme Court of Canada justice. I am appreciative of the independent, nonpartisan advisory board that is assisting us in this process. I look forward to assisting the Prime Minister in making this most important appointment.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question and also for his input into northern and Inuit priorities. Our government is renewing our relationship as a crown-Inuit relationship. We have been consulting Inuit people across the north. We work closely with the Nunavut government. This year we announced an $178-million investment into Inuit housing, of which $78 million will go to Inuit in Nunavut.Yes, we are looking at these investments on a priority basis. That is why we have invested very much into recreational
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I have already had many good conversations with my counterparts across the country, including the Quebec minister of health.As the member is well aware, the Canada health transfer is going to increase by $1 billion next year, bringing it up to more than $37 billion. I will be meeting with all my provincial and territorial counterparts over the next few weeks. We will continue our discussions on ways to create a health care system
Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister has said, the only way resources can get to market in the 21st century is if they are done in a responsible and sustainable way. I am very pleased about our decision yesterday, which was based on our interim principles. It was based on science and evidence. It was based on meaningful consultation and accommodation with indigenous peoples. It was based on hearing from Canadians about concerns. Those 190 conditions are consistent with that, because we need to make sure that any resources developed are done in a sustainable way. However, the way this will get to market is actually if the market price goes
Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I am puzzled by the question. I am not entirely sure if the member opposite believes this project should have been approved with no conditions. Our government is a different government. We believe that the only way resources will get to market is if they are done in a sustainable and responsible way. That is what we have done. I am very proud that this project will create over 5,000 good, middle-class jobs, including union jobs. This is the way we move forward. Let us be clear, we need to make sure that resources are developed in a sustainable way.
Mr. Speaker, job creation is currently invisible and economic growth is sluggish.On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of reversing course, the Prime Minister is spending even more money. How can the Liberals be trusted when all this spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, we have always understood that in order to create the kind of government that people want, we need to both grow the economy and protect the environment. That means folding in consultations with indigenous leaders, talking to communities, ensuring we get the world-class science done. That is exactly what we did on this project.Unfortunately, the members opposite either think we are not going fast enough or we are going too fast. Canadians know we need to grow the economy, and protect the environment right now and do it right.
Mr. Speaker, consultation means much more than informing indigenous communities that a project has already been approved. Six local first nations have opposed this LNG project. How was this decision announced? The Prime Minister sent three ministers to the Vancouver airport, 1,000 kilometres away from the people and territory that will be directly affected by their decision.Does the Prime Minister really consider this to be respect for first nations?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my hon. colleague as the new critic for environment and climate change.Our government is committed to proper environmental assessments that are based on science and evidence. As we saw yesterday, we applied our interim principles. I was very pleased to show that we can get resources to market in a sustainable and responsible way by following these principles.These principles were actually used to engage indigenous peoples, who will now be part of environmental assessments of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project. Many of them have benefit agreements
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear. We believe that we need to demonstrate more transparency and rigour when it comes to the sale of arms on the international market.That is one reason why we committed to sign the arms trade treaty. We are going to work with all members of the House to ensure that Canada endorses and upholds this treaty.
Mr. Speaker, the government cannot seem to get its story straight when it comes to its decision to fight a residential school survivor in court. Yesterday the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs assured the House that if government lawyers were involved, it was only to help ensure they get justice. Justice department lawyers are in the Ontario Superior Court fighting against compensation to a victim of a perverse misapplication of justice. The Prime Minister promised to put an end to this.Will the justice minister please explain to the indigenous affairs minister why her officials are trying to stop this survivor from getting justice in court?
Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Universal Access to Information, whose objective is to make people aware of their right to access information held by government institutions and to promote freedom of information as the basis for democracy and good governance.Could the President of the Treasury Board please explain to the House the government's commitment to openness and transparency?
Mr. Speaker, I am not too sure what folding in means, but those first nations know that they have never been meaningfully consulted, and they have never been accommodated.The Liberals are using Stephen Harper's targets, Stephen Harper's plan, and Stephen Harper's timelines, and the Conservatives are the only ones who are happy about it. In short, they will never be able to honour our international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.How can the Prime Minister approve new pipelines if we are already finding it impossible to reduce GHGs because we do not have a comprehensive and credible plan? That is utter nonsense.
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the joint UNESCO World Heritage Centre and International Union for Conservation of Nature mission to Wood Buffalo National Park, which is taking place from September 25 to October 4. Reactive monitoring missions are carried out around the world as an act of due diligence to assess potential threats to the outstanding universal value of world heritage sites. These missions are a valuable tool in the ongoing protection of these international important treasures.
Mr. Speaker, someone is not being truthful with Canadians. Yesterday, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that each person it moves is briefed on the benefits and entitlements that can be claimed. Yet, the Prime Minister is digging in his heels, and claiming that his BFFs, Gerry and Katie, were never briefed. When we are talking about six-figure payouts, I find it hard to believe that the people were not briefed. Would the Prime Minister come clean and tell Canadians who is telling the truth, Gerry and Katie, or Brookfield?
Mr. Speaker, Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta has been a world heritage site for more than three decades. In response to a petition by Mikisew Cree First Nation, the United Nations began an investigation into the government's failure to protect the park from impacts of oil, gas, and hydro projects, including Site C in British Columbia. This could land the park on the UN's list of world heritage sites in danger.Will the minister and her colleagues work together to better protect and preserve Wood Buffalo?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of failed policies on growth that consisted mostly of tax breaks for the wealthiest Canadians, we are actually working to draw in global investment to demonstrate to Canadians and to the world that we understand that building a strong economy that works for the middle class goes hand in hand with creating a sustainable, protected environment. That is what Canadians expect. That is what we are pleased to be working on, but we know that there is lots more work to be done.
Mr. Speaker, all of a sudden we have another minister of cover-up. Like my own memory sometimes, I believe the minister's memory seems to be past its best before date. I mean that, of course, in a very comforting way.However, to be serious here, does the minister really think it is appropriate to move one of his staff from Thailand to Ottawa and then expect the taxpayer to pay for it?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will find that, in fact, Brookfield has clarified its comments and have confirmed that members of the Prime Minister's staff were consistent with the truth.Beyond that, it is important that the opposition recognize that the moving expense policy, as applied to ministers' offices, is the same policy that applied to the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is reviewing that policy.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years under the reign of a government with the worst record in economic growth since R. B. Bennett and the Great Depression, Canadians needed a government that was ready to invest in their communities and ready to put more money in the pockets of the middle class by asking more of the wealthy.We raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so that we could lower them on the middle class. We are giving a more generous Canada child benefit to nine out of ten families. That is what Canadians expect from their government.
Mr. Speaker, we agree with the member opposite that Canadians do want greater transparency and accountability in many different areas, but particularly in terms of arms sales. That is why we have committed to demonstrating a higher level of transparency and openness, and why we have agreed to sign on to the arms trade treaty. We will be the last NATO country to sign on to that because the previous government did not want to. We know that it is the right thing to do and, quite frankly, it is what Canadians expect of their government.
Mr. Speaker, I will take this opportunity to share with my colleague something that his former boss, Guy Giorno, said about the relocation program: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason. The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially. Nevertheless, we think that the program the former government approved needs to be reviewed, and that is what my colleague is doing.
Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals, you get more than you bargained for. When Canadians send their money to Ottawa, they expect it to be managed carefully. They do not want the brush-off. The Prime Minister's friends feigned ignorance, but now that we know they were well aware of all the expenses they claimed, Canadians have every reason to wonder if there is anything else the Prime Minister is hiding.Canadians deserve their government's respect, so will it come right out and tell us what other unreasonable expenses it is hiding from Canadians in the hope of not getting caught?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for HastingsLennox and Addington for his question and support. Last week was a great week for Canadian agriculture. Our government gained access for the Canadian canola farmers to the Chinese market until at least 2020, worth over $2 billion a year for Canadian farmers. We also gained access for bone-in meat under 30 months. That puts another $10 million in the pockets of farmers and ranchers in our country.These successes will create growth and opportunity, and I intend to build on that growth and opportunity when I lead a trade mission to China.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are expecting more from their government, not just the same old party antics and spending scandals that we saw in the 1990s and the early 2000s. There are many new faces in the government, but they have the same old Liberal sense of entitlement.Where is the leadership? Who is finally going to put a stop to these Liberal entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues are obviously pleased to see me back.My friend knows very well that Brookfield has apologized for that erroneous information. What my friend should also consider is the advice of Guy Giorno, somebody whose orders he followed so faithfully for so long.We would draw to the House's attention, the former chief of staff to Prime Minister Harper who said: The federal relocation programwhich applies to hundreds of moves annually, including moves by employees of government, military and RCMPexists for a very good reason.The purpose is to ensure that those who relocate because of federal employment are made whole financially.
Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to ensuring justice for all victims of this dark chapter of our history. We are concerned about any possibility that some deserving victims may have been denied compensation. We uphold the Indian residential school settlement process, and members know that. We also protect the integrity of the independent assessment process and we will continue to do so on behalf of all indigenous people.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commissioner of Official Languages denounced the fact that French language proficiency tests for prospective immigrants to Canada can cost twice as much as their English equivalents. However, the Constitution clearly states that official languages have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions within the Government of Canada. What does the government plan to do right now to ensure that the law is respected and that francophone immigration applicants do not have to pay more for exactly the same service?
Mr. Speaker, when his government was elected last year, the Prime Minister said that the good old Canada was back on the world stage. The good old Canada was committed to protecting human rights in the international arena. That means that Canada must stop selling weapons to those who violate human rights.Will the Prime Minister agree to create a parliamentary committee to examine foreign arms sales before approving them?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, though, has created economic uncertainty that is driving away new job creators. In fact, yesterday, all he approved was more consultations. In fact, construction of Pacific NorthWest LNG may not even move ahead. Conditional approval is one step forward, but bogging it down with extra process is two steps back. The Prime Minister must stand with unemployed workers who need jobs. Will he do the right thing, get shovels in the ground, and get these people to work?
Mr. Speaker, accessibility and equality among our two official languages are extremely important to us. We received yesterday's report and will give it very serious consideration. We have already taken action in favour of francophones outside Quebec through our francophone significant benefit program, and I can assure the House that we will be doing more, such as taking this report into consideration.
Mr. Speaker, expanding access into the Chinese market is incredibly important to boost the bottom line for Canadian farmers and agricultural industries. These industries contribute over $100 billion and two million jobs to our economy.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on our government's recent accomplishments for Canadian farmers and farm families?
Mr. Speaker, although the minister announced that there would be consultations on changes to the rules governing the political activities of charitable organizations, we have learned that the agency is continuing the witch hunt launched by the Conservatives against these organizations, and that 12 organizations are still under investigation. What a contradiction.How can the minister justify the fact that the agency is still investigating these organizations when she has admitted that the rules are not clear and that they must be clarified? In view of a consultation on changing the rules, will the minister put a stop to all unfair investigations of charitable organizations, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister claims he believes in human rights, transparency, and accountability. He has an opportunity to prove it. Canadians want more oversight when it comes to selling arms, weapons, and tanks to countries like Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Libya. Will he or will he not support creating a parliamentary committee to bring transparency to any foreign arms sales before they take place?
Mr. Speaker, let me give another good example. When I was the minister of intergovernmental affairs, my mandate was to ensure that provincial jurisdictions were respected. I looked for the mandate letter for the minister of intergovernmental affairs. The Prime Minister is the minister. I would have guessed his mandate letter would include ensuring that provincial jurisdictions are respected. However, I did not see that in the mandate letter.Will the Prime Minister let the provinces do the work that falls under their jurisdiction, namely infrastructure, social housing, education, and health? It will be a long list in a few months. Will he let them do their work?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague for having been chosen as the spokesperson of his party for foreign affairs. I also want to congratulate him that he has seen the light, because now he speaks about discussions. We have noticed that in his questions. He dropped the word negotiation that he was using for the last two weeks, and so I congratulate my colleague for that. It is quite an improvement, because today, at this very moment, we are having a discussion together, but we negotiate nothing.
Mr. Speaker, the government has committed to addressing housing, infrastructure, health care, education, and connectivity in Métis and Inuit communities. The minister is aware of the great need for this investment in Nunavut. To date, first nations on reserve have been the recipients of this much-needed funding.I would like to ask the minister how and when this funding will flow to other aboriginal groups, especially for Nunavut. Will this funding be done on a needs-based approach or continue with the woefully inadequate per capita system that continues to fail us?
Mr. Speaker, in the last election, Canadians had a choice between a government that for 10 years was unable to create the kind of growth for Canadians that middle-class Canadians needed, because Conservatives kept insisting on lowering taxes for the wealthiest and giving benefits to millionaire families. What we did instead was actually invest in our communities with historic investments in infrastructure. We put more money in the pockets of the middle class by lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest one per cent and put a historic Canada child benefit in the pockets of the nine out of 10 Canadians who need it most.
Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to congratulate my colleague on being appointed deputy critic for foreign affairs.I would also like to tell the members of the opposition that, for the past two weeks, they have been asking questions about something that does not exist. The Prime Minister never said anything about negotiations. The Canada-China joint communiqué issued on September 12, 2016, which is public and easily accessible, reads: start discussions. There is a huge difference between discussions and negotiations. If my colleague needs clarification on that, my department can give him a briefing.
Mr. Speaker, the conditional approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project does not mean the Liberals really intend to actually have it built. The vast majority of the assessment was completed under Canada's already world-leading vigorous regulatory system, but the Liberals keep talking about multiple regulatory changes, which means that other energy projects and the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadians are left hanging in the balance. We hope the Prime Minister will proudly champion LNG, but what about all the other energy projects critical to Canada's economy?
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, the minister has stated multiple times that rail safety is his top priority. Likewise, we value the hard work and dedication of first responders in Canada. That is why the minister issued protective direction no. 36, delivering on our commitment to share more data with communities and first responders. These new measures enhance transparency on rail safety and dangerous goods. In fact, we understand that the fire chief of the City of Windsor is now recommending that the city sign the non-disclosure agreement by railway companies to get more dangerous goods information
Mr. Speaker, it has been over six months since the Prime Minister started borrowing to spend their way to prosperity, but every week it seems like we get another piece of bad economic news. Private sector job creation is invisible. On Monday, the Minister of Finance admitted that his tax and spend policies are not working, but instead of learning a lesson and reversing course, the Prime Minister is using this as an excuse to spend even more money.How can the Liberals be trusted with even more of our tax dollars when their first round of spending did not create any jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is an example of a business that has been in operation 150 years. It is a hard-working family-owned small business that has done the right thing. However, companies must respect the Canada Labour Code and it is our duty to ensure the health and safety of workers across Canada.We are very committed to ensuring small business has the right to compete and strive and do well. We are working with the community and the owner.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this summer, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the four Atlantic premiers, and the four cabinet ministers from Atlantic Canada launched the Atlantic growth strategy. Can the minister please explain how this strategy is different from the work that has previously been done to address the problems of economic growth in Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the relocation policy for ministers' offices is the same policy as that of the previous Conservative government.We are also aware that under the previous Conservative government, there were ministerial staffers reimbursed, in some cases, for $90,000 worth of moving expenses.The Prime Minister and his office have asked me, and Treasury Board, to review the policy. Treasury Board will review the policy, and report back to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, time is marching on and the uncertainty continues. The Liberal government is showing a distinct lack of leadership when it comes to the extradition treaty and negotiations with China. It is rather funny how the Liberals become so much less open and transparent on critical, sensitive files.The Prime Minister is saying one thing and the Minister of Foreign Affairs is saying another.Can the two talk to each other and tell us the truth, please?
Mr. Speaker, on another matter, an international investigation into the downing of Malaysian passenger jet MH17 confirms that the missile that hit the plane was brought into Ukraine from Russia and fired from Russian-backed rebel territory. Evidence reveals that the launcher then returned to Russia. Given that two Canadians were among the 298 who died in the attack, will the minister now clearly condemn Russia for its unrepentant military aggression that has taken thousands of lives and displaced almost one million people in eastern Ukraine?
Mr. Speaker, Brookfield's senior vice-president stated that relocation directives were explained in detail to all employees who were being moved. He also stated that they go over, extensively, the personalized cash payouts with each employee.This abuse of taxpayer money falls squarely on the shoulders of the Prime Minister as he was the one who approved the payouts. If the company handling the move says the Prime Minister's BFFs were briefed, why is the PMO misleading Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the members opposite continue to not understand the lessons Canadians shared with them in the last election. Faced with a choice between a government that insisted on giving benefits and tax breaks to the wealthiest Canadians, or a party that proposed to raise taxes on the wealthiest one per cent so we could lower them for the middle class and give benefits to those families who actually need it, the nine out of 10 families who need extra help with the cost of raising their kids, Canadians made the right choice, and we are working hard to demonstrate that.
Well, Mr. Speaker, that is not good enough. Canadians are still trying to understand the very obvious contradiction between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister over the extradition treaty with China.The Prime Minister says discussions have begun, his website says that talks have begun, and the Chinese premier says so as well. The only person who did not know seems to have been the Minister of Foreign Affairs.Is he simply out of the loop, is he splitting grammatical hairs, or is he quite properly challenging the Prime Minister on an unwise initiative?
Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Immigration first responded to my Order Paper question, instantly the response was that none of his staff got any money for moving expenses. However, when he was caught with his hand in the U-HaulI mean in the cookie jarall of a sudden he remembered that he had okayed the expenses to move one of his staff all the way from Thailand. Can the minister explain his lapse of memory and judgment?
Mr. Speaker, I see that my colleague opposite is on a fishing expedition. Allow me to respond.He knows full well that Brookfield apologized for providing erroneous information. He may not have heard the response we gave his predecessor. He may have had to change the question. We know how faithfully our friends across the way followed the orders of Mr. Harper's chief of staff, Guy Giorno.We are inspired by his encouraging words about this program, but we are going to improve it and that is why the Prime Minister instructed the President of the Treasury Board to review the program.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the Liberals' approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project is not all that it seems. The reality is that many residents of my riding woke up this morning in the same circumstances as they were yesterday, unemployed. Unemployment rates in northeastern B.C. are still the highest in the province. As I said before, approving this project is one thing, building it is completely another. Why did the Liberals put potential poison pills in the approval with unnecessary conditions?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are tired of waking up every day to a new Liberal expense scandal.Yesterday, Brookfield Global Relocation Services shared that two prime ministerial aides, Butts and Telford, would have been briefed on their services and made fully aware. For the past week, these two individuals have been stating they did not know.The bottom line is, who is telling the truth?
Mr. Speaker, I fully agree with what my colleague said. In fact, there was an official declaration done by the Government of Canada, and we are willing to start reading it in the House.Today, as we consider the interim findings of the independent joint investigation team into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17, we are reminded of the unspeakable suffering caused by this tragic attack. The interim findings made clear that the Russian-made Buk missile was fired from rebel-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. In a nutshell, the declaration clearly condemns it.
Mr. Speaker, to compare the approach of this government with the approach of the previous Conservative government on the matter of federal-provincial-territorial relations on health is a misrepresentation of the facts.I am meeting with my counterparts. I already met with them in January. I have been given direction from the Prime Minister to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces and territories. That was not done by the previous government.We will do that. We will work in collaboration with the provinces and territories. We will invest in health, and ensure that Canadians get the help they need.
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps telling us that rail safety is the number one priority. However, based on what he has done on this file, I cannot imagine how little would be done on files that are not a priority.Communities are concerned because dangerous goods are being transported without any consultation or environmental assessment. Communities such as Lac-Mégantic want their voices to be heard in order to prevent any more tragedies.Will the minister agree to strengthen the regulations and environmental assessments in order to improve rail safety in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we must grow the economy while protecting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The problem is that, for a long time, previous governments, including Liberal governments, had plenty of targets, but no solid plan to reach them. That is why we are working with the provinces and our partners in industry to ensure that we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. That is what Canadians expect from this government.
Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is in my riding. It is a small business run by a middle-income family. It is 197 years old. It is the only one like it operating in Canada and it has never had a workplace accident. It is basically a working museum. It cannot meet the federal labour code and it is about to be shut down. The Minister of Labour knows the Arva Flour Mill can be exempted from the federal labour code. She has the authority to save it. Will the minister please do her job?
Mr. Speaker, we did make a commitment to Canadians to be open and transparent. Quite the opposite of what the member just said, it was nine long months ago that we recorded this expense through proactive disclosure. I discovered only yesterday that we had entered the expense under the wrong column. I immediately corrected that point in the House, and I immediately supplied a new answer to the question. We disclosed that expenditure nine months ago. Nothing at all was ever hidden from Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, again, the policy for relocation, as it applies to ministers' offices, is the same policy of the previous Conservative government. Treasury Board is evaluating that policy.I would remind the hon. member, who was I believe a caucus member previously, that under the Conservatives, there were staff members who were reimbursed for moving expenses in excess of $90,000.Treasury Board is reviewing this and we will fix it.
Mr. Speaker, so much for making rail safety the number one issue.Both Conservative and Liberal governments have stated that moving oil and other dangerous goods by rail poses significant risk to our environment and communities, yet we have seen little action on community demands, other than one-off measures such as this.Yesterday, I introduced Bill C-304 to make environmental assessments mandatory and to strengthen regulation of dangerous rail. The Minister of Environment has the power now to order an assessment of potentially dangerous rail. What is she waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, as you know, residents in my riding have worked so hard to ensure their voices of strong support for B.C. LNG were heard. Yesterday's approval of the Pacific NorthWest LNG project was one step forward, but unfortunately the conditions attached were two steps backward.Why did the Liberals ensure thousands of Canadian energy workers would remain out of work by adding potentially impossible conditions to their approval of Pacific NorthWest LNG?