2016-10-18

Mr. Speaker, Inuit and their Innu supporters in Labrador are raising serious concerns about the impacts of flooding at Muskrat Falls. The failure to clear vegetation threatens to poison their waters, and the situation is escalating. Yesterday, nine people were arrested, including elders, and two are on hunger strikes. The Liberals said they would bring renewed respect to relations with indigenous peoples. They need to walk the talk.What is the government doing to address the situation at Muskrat Falls?

Mr. Speaker, how many times do we have to say it? Health care is not a federal responsibility. That should not be hard to understand.It took the Liberals less than a year to start squabbling with Quebec over jurisdiction again. This time, it is at the expense of Quebec patients. That is appalling. Will the Liberal government stop its arrogant power-tripping immediately and let Quebec run the health system for which it alone is responsible?

Mr. Speaker, the fentanyl crisis is getting worse, and the Liberals are ignoring the obvious. China is the primary source of illicit fentanyl in Canada. The Liberals would rather deal with deadly street drugs after they are in the hands of Canadians, instead of targeting the source. This morning, we attempted to have the Chinese ambassador appear before committee to explain what his government is doing to help Canada tackle this deadly drug epidemic. Why is pleasing the Chinese government more important to the Liberals than saving the lives of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are making Alberta's dire situation worse. Medicine Hat's food bank use is up by over 300% this year over last. Another program for new mothers ballooned from 10 to 256 users during the same time. The Liberals are imposing a harmful tax that will make food, diapers, formula, and everything even more expensive for everyone. Why do the Liberals not realize that they are hurting struggling Albertans at the very worst time?

Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Council is only as strong as the member nations elected to serve, but again today, notorious human rights abusers, who have corrupted and compromised the council's work and its reputation, are standing for election. The vote is secret, and vote trading for future favours has undermined the selection process.Will the Liberals demonstrate the leadership needed to rescue this rogue UN body and share Canada's voting intentions with Canadians and with the world?

Mr. Speaker, our small business owners are our middle class and are being attacked by the Liberals' policies.With this week marking small business week, can the minister assure small business owners that the Liberals will do the right thing and reinstate the small business tax cut?

Well, thanks for the mansplain. Mr. Speaker, just reciting the same talking points is not cutting it.In once booming Lloydminster, people cannot afford to keep their homes and they cannot afford to buy new ones. Businesses are closed, projects are frozen, and people have lost their jobs. There are two million square feet of vacant industrial space, up from nearly zero in just the last few years.A strong Alberta means a strong Canada. When will the Liberals stop making things so much worse for hard-working Albertan families?

Mr. Speaker, on October 8, a Saudi Arabian-led coalition bombed a funeral in Yemen, killing and wounding hundreds of civilians. I have two questions for the government. First, will Canada support the UN request for an international investigation of what appear to be war crimes committed by the Saudi coalition in Yemen? Second, can the government assure us that no Canadian-made weapons are being used by this coalition in Yemen?

Mr. Speaker, some of the worst human rights abusers are bidding for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. So far, the government is refusing to say how it will vote at the next meeting of the council on October 28. A number of human rights advocacy organizations have said that some countries should not be eligible for a seat because of their serious human rights abuses.Can the Liberal government confirm that it will not vote in favour of Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, or China obtaining a seat on the UN Human Rights Council?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Foreign Affairs says he is very concerned about possible Russian cyber attacks on Canada, this after U.S. accusations that the Kremlin tried to subvert the American political process. The minister says he is worried that Canada may be next.As Russia bombs civilian hospitals in Aleppo, as the U.S. and the U.K. consider new sanctions against Russia, as Russia militarizes the Arctic, and as the minister suddenly recognizes the threat of Russian hack attacks, why does he think he can reason with the Putin regime?

Mr. Speaker, inexplicably, Canadian catering companies are being denied access to the Vancouver International Airport. Only two foreign caterers have been granted operating licences. It just does not make sense that a Canadian airport is not allowing Canadian businesses to operate within its space. The Competition Bureau agrees, but the airport refuses to budge.Will the Minister of Transport back the bureau and support the Canadian companies that are being shut out of Vancouver airport?

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is helping to ensure that the UN Human Rights Council is better and more effective at fighting human rights abuses. Human rights are universal rights. Every human has the same dignity and Canada will be there to improve the council's performance in all circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the minister that people need jobs to pay taxes.The fact is that Alberta is Canada's economic engine and our engine is stalled. Families in Fort McMurray are struggling to rebuild their lives. Small businesses in my city of Edmonton are shutting down. Parents in Medicine Hat have to choose between paying their heating bill or putting their kids in hockey.Does the minister think it is fair that Albertans are facing these tough decisions, yet the Liberals continue to spend recklessly and add more taxes on an already struggling Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, it is always nice to have more than one opportunity to say what we are doing on behalf of Canadian middle-class families. We are so pleased that families are better off today than they were a year ago. We know that middle-class families facing anxiety needed an increased Canada child benefit, and that is what we gave them: significantly more money to raise their families, to do the things they need to do to have good Canadian lives.We are focused on how to improve this country for all Canadians, improving middle-class Canadians' lives, and creating opportunities for those struggling to get into the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, it is Small Business Week and it is time that the Prime Minister stood up for the almost 70% of Canadians who work in small businesses. Sadly, his priorities are elsewhere. He flies off to Davos, Switzerland, to rub shoulders with celebrities and the world's richest; he jets down to Sun Valley to mingle with American billionaires; and in Small Business Week of all times, he decides to go to Meech Lake to hang out with Chinese billionaires.Instead of pandering to billionaires and celebrities, will the Prime Minister reverse his tax hike on small businesses?

Mr. Speaker, by what authority does the Prime Minister claim the right to lecture Quebec on managing health care? How many Ottawa hospitals does he run? Which government do CLSCs, clinics, and hospitals answer to? Who pays the doctors and nurses who care for the sick?Ottawa is acting like an armchair quarterback. It does not know what it is talking about or how to play the game. Will the Prime Minister stop power tripping, transfer the money that Quebec is asking for, and start minding its own business once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Prime Minister's priority is not the concerns of ordinary working Canadians. He is completely out of touch with the problems they face, and the answers to those problems are not going to be found in meetings at Meech Lake with overseas billionaires. The answers are to give families a break, to lower their taxes, and to give them the opportunity to save and invest. When is the Prime Minister going to come down to earth and start dealing with the concerns of ordinary working people?

Mr. Speaker, the only country I heard missing from the minister's comment was Canada. The EU has delayed its vote on CETA as concerned Belgians refused to cave to pressure. Worries about the impact of rules that allow companies to sue local governments should not be dismissed. However, the minister continues to downplay its concerns and chastise Europe, when she should be working on a solution that would benefit all. Instead of trying to bully Europeans, will the minister admit that Canadians share these concerns and put the work into fixing this deal?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they are doing nothing to facilitate the sale of armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, but not only did the Minister of Foreign Affairs sign the export permits himself, now we learn the Department of National Defence will be performing quality checks on the armoured vehicles before export. It is clear the government is not just supporting this arms deal but it is also giving the Saudis training and a quality guarantee.Why is DND involved in testing these vehicles for Saudi Arabia? Is this why the Liberals are so afraid of the oversight of arms sales?

Mr. Speaker, 10.5 million Canadians currently work for small and medium-sized businesses. Conservatives know that small businesses are the key to economic development. They are the ones creating jobs, and they are the ones creating wealth.The Liberal carbon tax is bad enough for small businesses. Breaking election promises is even worse.Mr. Speaker, since you yourself were a candidate, I am sure you will remember that, about a year ago, the Liberal Party made the following promise on page 80 of its platform: “[we will] reduce the small business tax rate to 9 percent from 11 percent”. Will the Minister of Finance give his word today that he will keep that election promise?

Mr. Speaker, there will be no cuts to health care. It is a bit rich coming from his party, which actually promised it would invest in health but in the last election promised to balance the budget, which would have resulted in deep cuts to all programs across the government.Our government is committed to investing in the health of Canadians and by—

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of International Trade demonstrated that she continues to dismiss the concerns of Quebeckers about the repercussions of this free trade agreement.After promising transparency and consultation, she continues to ignore Canadians. It is no wonder that she is facing challenges in her negotiations in Europe. Quebec dairy producers have expressed serious concerns about this agreement, and there is still no sign of any compensation.Will the minister finally fix this deal for Quebeckers and Canadians once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his kind words, but it is not that what he is saying is good just because he is answering in French, not at all.What we are asking is that the Liberal Party live up to its commitment. Maintaining the small business tax rate at 11% instead of dropping it to 9%, as promised, is going to cost small businesses $800 million. That is an extra $800 million in the government's coffers, which is not good, and $800 million less for businesses to invest in employment.Why is the government not keeping its election promise?

Mr. Speaker, small businesses employ 8.2 million workers. Those jobs are a ticket to the middle class for the young, the poor, and the disabled, yet the Prime Minister not only broke his promise and raised small business taxes, he is imposing thousands of dollars in new carbon taxes on small trucking, landscaping, and construction companies.If it is not just a money grab, why will the government not make it revenue neutral? Why does it not cut small business taxes so that our job creators will get back every single penny they pay in new carbon taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the Canadians that we talked to and listened to throughout the process were clear. They are sick of seeing certain governments slash the budget of the Canadian Armed Forces just for political gain. They want the government to provide the Canadian Forces with stable and predictable long-term funding.Are the Liberals going to take a different approach from that of the Jean Chrétien Liberals and respect Canadians' desire to provide the Canadian Forces with a stable and predictable budget?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect that their governments will work together and that the increased investments for health care will actually go straight to health care. That is exactly why the Minister of Health is sitting down with her provincial and territorial counterparts as we speak and collaborating with all our partners on health innovation, improved accessibility, and making prescription drugs more affordable for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, this summer the official opposition held over 50 round tables and received over 700 submissions on the defence policy review. This morning we submitted our findings to the Minister of National Defence.Canadians said through this process that they are concerned that the Liberals have pre-established their own defence policy. The Liberals have already blindly returned to peacekeeping, pulled out of the combat mission against ISIS, and massively cut the defence budget.Will the government reverse course today and start listening to Canadians and implement a defence policy that reflects their priorities?

Mr. Speaker, first the Liberals cancelled the small business tax cut. Then they decided to cancel the hiring credit and raise CPP premiums, which will make it difficult for employers to hire new staff. To make matters worse, the Liberals' new tax on everything will make it harder for small businesses to survive. The Liberals are determined to make job creators pay for their reckless spending. How can the minister justify this treatment of our small businesses?

Mr. Speaker, last weekend, I met with many Cape Bretoners along with both members of Parliament from the island, four MLAs, the premier, and ministers to see first hand the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Many in Nova Scotia and in Newfoundland and Labrador have been hit very hard, but they are resilient people. Neighbours are helping neighbours, and they are ready to rebuild.The Government of Canada has received and replied to requests for disaster financial assistance from both provinces. Our officials are now working on identifying all of the eligible costs, and once that work is complete, we will ensure that both provinces receive all of their funding just as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the member and all the members of the House were able to do defence consultations. We do have a responsibility to the world. We have a commitment to work in a multilateral environment. The Canadian Armed Forces does play a critical role in terms of our foreign policies as well.Our Canadian Armed Forces will always be at a combat-ready posture. That is something I said when I launched the consultation. That will always remain in place, while making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces has the right equipment to do its job anywhere in the world.

Mr. Speaker, giving the money to Kathleen Wynne to spend does not make it revenue neutral.Today, at the human resources committee, a Stats Canada official admitted that any policy that raises food and fuel prices pushes more people below the poverty line. That makes sense. Poor households spend a third more of their income on those items than do rich households, yet ESDC officials admitted at the same committee meeting that the Prime Minister has not even directed his government to conduct a study on the impacts on the poor of this new tax.How can the Prime Minister impose such a regressive and large new tax without—

Mr. Speaker, we spoke out strongly against the bombing in Yemen by the Saudi Arabian-led coalition. We gave a very clear statement, and I can certainly repeat it in the House and say how much we condemn what has happened.We are calling for an investigation and we are monitoring the situation very closely to ensure that arms sold by Canadian companies are used with respect for human rights and in the interests of Canada and its allies.

Mr. Speaker, that is rather interesting, because yesterday, the Prime Minister himself said that, in Canada, health care falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces. Meanwhile, he is refusing to sit down with his provincial counterparts who have been asking for a meeting on health since June.Will the government finally commit to meeting with the provincial premiers to discuss health care funding? I am asking for a simple yes or no answer.

Mr. Speaker, today, we are celebrating Persons Day. This day marks the moment when the legal definition of person was finally broadened to include women.Unfortunately, still today, only 26% of the members of the House of Commons are women. For that reason, the NDP introduced a bill that will put measures in place to encourage more women to get involved in politics.Eighty-seven years later, will this government support our bill and finally put these measures in place?

Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud to be working hard to get this progressive trade deal done. This deal is supported by the provinces, led by Quebec, and the last time I checked, Quebec was very much a part of Canada.Last month, after I addressed its party convention, the German Social Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favour of this deal. Manuel Valls, the socialist Prime Minister of France, described it as “balanced”, “win-win”, and “mutually beneficial”.If the NDP cannot support a trade agreement with Europe, is there any trade deal that the NDP can support?

Mr. Speaker, there has been talk about expertise and jurisdiction in this debate on health. The federal government provides health care to the armed forces, indigenous people living on reserves, and inmates. With regard to expertise, the federal government has none. With regard to jurisdiction, health care for the general population falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces.What right does the federal government have to lecture Quebec on health care when it has no expertise or jurisdiction?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised not to raise taxes on the middle class, but he broke that promise with new carbon fuel taxes, rolling back the tax-free savings account, eliminating the tax credit for music lessons and hockey practice, and making student textbooks and trade tools more expensive. He has raised taxes on the middle class and is making it harder for families to save, and most recently, he has made it tougher for Canadians to buy their first home.When are Canadians finally going to get a break from the Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Calgary Skyview for his concern. Our government knows that Canadian beef farmers and ranchers are the best in the world. We proudly secured market access for our beef producers in Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico, and China, as well as securing the repeal of COOL with the United States. This success will help create jobs and grow the middle class in Alberta and across the country.I can assure my hon. colleague that this government will support farmers in Alberta and across the country every time.

Mr. Speaker, we will make sure the Canadian Armed Forces has the right aircraft. We are going through a very thorough process, a process that the previous government should have fixed a long time ago.I look forward to fixing a lot of the cuts that were done previously, over $4 billion in cuts, but I do look forward to working with all members in supporting the Canadian Armed Forces and the missions abroad.

Mr. Speaker, it is very important that the leader of the third party recognize the major difference between health and health care. Health is the responsibility of all levels of government.The Prime Minister will soon be meeting with the provincial and territorial premiers.

Mr. Speaker, our government is deeply concerned about the growing number of overdoses and deaths caused by opioids. We launched a five-point action plan to address opioid misuse, and in November the Minister of Health will be hosting a summit on opioids, bringing together experts, patient groups, governments, and regulators to discuss the current crisis and identify actions moving forward. We will continue to work with our partners to implement the action plan and to combat this problematic substance abuse all across Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to answer this question. One of the very first things we did as a new government was to lower taxes on middle-class Canadians. Nine million Canadians this year have lower taxes than they had last year, and that is helping them and their families have better lives. More importantly, we put in place the Canada child benefit, which is helping nine out of 10 families with children, with $2,300 more on average, and without their having to pay tax on that $2,300. It is a much better situation for middle-class Canadians and those struggling to get into the middle class, with lower taxes today than they had before.

Mr. Speaker, all our allies and NATO itself as an organization have two policies regarding Russia: strong deterrence and dialogue. Canada will do the same.Canada made a mistake in the last 10 years to cut the dialogue. We need to keep the dialogue open. We did it in the past and it paid off, and it will continue to do so. It is part of the solution. Obviously, we have strong concerns about the attitude of Russia around the world. We condemn its attitudes regarding Ukraine and Syria, and we will say so directly to Russia.

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to stand on this day to answer the member's question, especially because it is small business week. Small business week was started 37 years ago under the leadership of the Business Development Bank, a bank exclusively committed to small business owners. This government has lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians. Middle-class Canadians are our small business owners, they are our consumers, and they are the people who support the backbone of the Canadian economy.This government has invested $11.9 billion in infrastructure spending. This government has invested $500 million in broadband for rural and remote areas, and the list goes on.

Mr. Speaker, from the defence policy review consultations, it became very clear that Canadians want the minister to depoliticize the entire military procurement process, yet the Liberals' campaigned specifically on excluding one company from the replacement of Canada's CF-18s.Will the minister reverse the Prime Minister's campaign promise that disallowed the F-35 from consideration and allow Lockheed Martin to compete in a fair competition? Will the minister remove all political interference from all defence procurement projects?

Mr. Speaker, as the Liberals are busy creating taxes on everything from heating bills to Netflix, unemployed Albertans are struggling to provide for their families. In places like Medicine Hat, they are facing staggering unemployment rates of over 11%, yet the Liberals continue to ignore and tell Albertan workers to line up for EI and hang in there. My question to the minister is a simple one. Does he recognize that there is a jobs crisis in Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have to do more than just call themselves feminists; they need to take action here. For example, in 1929, the legal definition of “person” was expanded to include women. One would think that after 87 years we would have reached gender equity in all aspects of public life, including right here in the House of Commons, but there is only 26% women in the House. That places Canada 64th in the world, behind countries like Iraq and Afghanistan.If the Liberals are serious about getting more women into politics, will they support my bill on candidate gender equity, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims shortages in health care funding can be fixed by dictating to the provinces how they must spend their health care dollars. The numbers tell a different story.By adopting Harper's cuts to health care transfers, the government will see the federal share of health care spending drop to just 18% over the next 10 years, when the initial deal was fifty-fifty. Does the government not understand the only real problem here is its cuts to health care?

Mr. Speaker, people are now realizing that this government is falling into the old habits of previous Liberal governments. The government is centralizing everything. It is eliminating the role of regional ministers and that of economic development agency ministers across the country, and it is telling the provinces that they are not managing the money for health care properly and that it knows what do do with that money. Yesterday, the government indicated that the provinces were not using that money properly.According to the current government, what provinces are not using the money from the health transfers properly?

Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard to get this progressive trade deal done, led by Quebec. This deal is supported by the provinces. Last month, I addressed the German Social Democratic Party convention, whose members voted overwhelmingly in favour of CETA. Manuel Valls, the socialist Prime Minister of France, described the deal as balanced, win-win, and mutually beneficial.Is there any free trade deal that the NDP actually supports?

Mr. Speaker, Canada's beef farmers and ranchers are the best in the world. With over 68,000 beef farms, our farmers produce some of the best quality products in the world while contributing over $30 billion to the economy. My question is for the Minister of Agriculture. What has our government done to boost the bottom line for Canada's world-class beef producers?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his commitment. It is truly due to the work of individuals who have come before us that persons like me can have an opportunity to not just participate but to create laws in this place. Our government has shown action on gender parity. We have a gender-balanced cabinet. We have been asked in all our mandate letters to focus on gender parity and address gender analysis. While I cannot support the member's bill, I believe it is important to wait until the Special Committee on Electoral Reform proposes changes to the election system, and then we can address this conversation through a different means.

Mr. Speaker, as I stated from the beginning, my office is always open. I am glad that the member opposite was able to provide the opposition's submission, which I have here and look forward to reading.As I went across Canada with the defence policy review, I heard from Canadians. One thing that we did hear was that Canadians are very proud of the work of the Canadian Armed Forces. When it comes to peace operations, something we heard consistently across the board was that Canadians support these operations. There was a poll out that showed 70% of Canadians support peace operations.I look forward to working with the member. I hope some of this work gets done in this review. Those members could have—

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to rise on this traditional Algonquin territory on Persons Day with my hon. colleagues. I want to thank the party opposite, and specifically, the member who brought forward the private member's bill addressing gender parity. We have made a clear commitment to gender parity in this government. Our Prime Minister has been leading as a feminist around the world. We are not interested in just having more women run. We want more women winning and we want more women succeeding once they come here. There are many ways that the House can do that, including family-friendly initiatives, as well as improving the tone and the civility in this place. With that in mind, I look forward to working with the member opposite.

Mr. Speaker, after the cuts from the previous government, we understand that we need to have predictable funding. That is something I do agree with the member on.As we complete our defence policy review, we are looking at the various options for making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces are supported so that we have a proper increase in funding that is predictable so that the Canadian Armed Forces can plan for the next 10 to 20 years.

Mr. Speaker, many communities in Nova Scotia are reeling from the devastating storm that hit Atlantic Canada last week. While some areas were impacted more and some areas impacted less, all communities are dealing together with the fallout, both short and long term. Many homes, businesses, and infrastructures sustained major damage beyond any repair. The damage has been estimated in excess of $10 million.Could the minister update the House on the measures the government will take to help Nova Scotians?

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, we held more than 50 round tables and received more than 700 online submissions. We consulted Canadians. We heard the same thing from everyone: the Canadian Forces must protect Canada and our interests. Canada must maintain a combat force. Canadians do not want the Canadian Forces to become a division of the United Nations. Notwithstanding the Liberals' nostalgia for peace missions, can the minister confirm that he plans to maintain combat-ready armed forces?

Mr. Speaker, people in my riding, Brome—Missisquoi, are concerned about rail safety, particularly in the Montreal-Sherbrooke corridor.Can the Minister of Transport tell us what progress he has made toward fulfilling his mandate to improve rail safety?

Mr. Speaker, we will have a deficit of over $40 billion if we do that—in fact, more than that.Yesterday, the Prime Minister told the House that the provinces were not doing what needed to be done in the area of health and that the money was not being used properly.It is a return to an interfering, centralizing government that makes all the decisions here in Ottawa. The simple way of dealing with this problem and preventing any arguments would be to respect the provinces' jurisdictions. It is as simple as that. Health care falls under provincial jurisdiction.The Prime Minister said yesterday that the provinces were not using the health transfers properly—

Mr. Speaker, our government seeks to maximize the number of Human Rights Council member countries with strong human rights records at home and abroad. We want to increase the strength and the quality of the Human Rights Council, an institution that will benefit from the reforms that we will push for.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to stand up today on Persons Day. It is a very important day, and I am so pleased that there are so many women in the House of Commons. I certainly hope to see more.I want to explain to the member opposite why a carbon tax, a carbon price on pollution, makes sense. There are different ways to do it. We can have a direct price on pollution, like B.C. does, that is revenue-neutral, where the money is given back to the provinces or territories, or we can have be a cap-and-trade system, like Ontario has.It is up to the provinces and territories to determine what makes sense for them, what to do with the revenues, and this—

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there is a very real challenge in Alberta. There is a very real challenge with the changing resources prices that are impacting Albertans in a very difficult way. That is why we know we need to make investments that are going to make a real difference for people in Alberta and across the country. We have improved the financial situation of middle-class families and those struggling to get into it, and now we are making investments that are going to improve the long-term health of our economy. We will continue to do this so that people in Alberta and across the country find themselves with a brighter future tomorrow than they had yesterday.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that we actually did have a lower rate on small businesses this year than we had last year. That is the reality. What I can say with absolute clarity is that we are working on improving our economy. The trips that the Prime Minister has taken, we are so proud of. They have led to Thomson Reuters moving to Canada, General Motors reinvesting in Canada, General Electric investing in Canada, Microsoft investing in Canada. All of these things are helping our business community. Small, medium, and large businesses are doing better today than they did the year before.

Mr. Speaker, we have lowered taxes for Albertans this year. We have made sure that people have more money in their pockets this year than they had last year.We have actually made it such that 300,000 children across this country will be lifted out of poverty with the Canada child benefit. This is an enormous change for those people who are challenged and have to go to food banks. We are making changes that are making a real difference for people struggling to get by. For people in regions that are in very difficult shape, we have changed EI—

Mr. Speaker, Liberals committed to a different relationship with the provinces, but the Prime Minister refuses to even be in the same room with the premiers to negotiate the new health care deal. He promised he would never reduce health care funding without good faith negotiations, but he decided to move forward with Harper's cuts anyway.How can the provinces be expected to provide people better health care while their funding is being cut?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to ensure that investments for health care go straight to health care. The federal government's planned increases to health care transfers are greater than the provincial governments' own projected spending growth. The Minister of Health is meeting with health ministers from across the country as we speak and reiterating our government's commitment to stable and predictable health funding.We will continue working with the provinces and territories to build a health care system that all Canadians can be proud of.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to work together to improve the health care system, and that is exactly why the Minister of Health is meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts today. Canadians also expect that the investments for health care actually go to health care, and that they see tangible improvements to their care. We are providing leadership in supporting things like improving Canadians' access to increased home care through investments of $3 billion over the next four years, and we look forward to the results of today's very important meetings.

Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome my colleague to his new portfolio. I am sure we will be getting plenty of good questions.Our goal is to generate a higher economic growth rate. That is why we decided to invest in the future. We have invested in infrastructure. Those investments will help our economy and make things better for small and medium-sized businesses. Things will be better for Canadian families and better for the Canadian economy.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I am very pleased to stand up today.Let me be clear. Provinces are able to design a system that makes sense for them, and it is revenue neutral. They can determine whether they want to give tax cuts to consumers, to small businesses, as B.C. has done.Let us also be clear that the way we are going to grow our economy and position ourselves for the 21st century is by making these investments, by making sure that we have a price on pollution and we are investing in the things that we want, which is a clean and sustainable future that will grow our economy and ensure that future generations have a planet that is clean and healthy to—

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage the hon. member to speak to some of the Albertans that she is speaking about, because she would find that they have actually had a reduction in taxes this year, which has gone to help their families—

Mr. Speaker, we know that what matters most is having a strong economy, an economy that works, and a level of economic growth that provides opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses as well as for large corporations. That is our goal.We have made investments in the future that will put our economy in a better position than it was before, for the past decade.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is working with the proponent indigenous peoples and stakeholders with respect to this project. We expect the province to assume its responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of communities.

Mr. Speaker, unlike one of the contestants for the leadership of the Conservative Party, our government actually believes in investing in health care. We believe that things like $3 billion over four years for home care is a very important thing that will result in better care for Canadians and for all provinces and territories. That is why the Minister of Health is meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts today and reiterating our commitment to stable and predictable health care funding.

Mr. Speaker, health is actually a shared jurisdiction between the different levels of government. It is very important that our government play a leadership role in helping indigenous people.We have to do better. We are going to have to do better for the military, veterans, aboriginal people, people in corrections, and for the public service, but in the meantime, this is a joint effort and we are going to do better together.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi for that important question.As he knows, rail safety is my priority. That is why I was pleased to make an announcement last week about $55 million in funding over three years for rail safety to support safety improvements at grade crossings and a rail safety awareness program because 46 people were killed on our railroads last year.Rail safety is this government's top priority.

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat it. There will be no cuts to health care. In fact, there will be more money for home care, and what we are hearing very clearly is that people want investments in things like prevention and mental health. It is going to be very important that the Prime Minister meet with the premiers of the provinces to discuss their priorities. The health minister meets with the health ministers—

Mr. Speaker, there is a provision service in place with the Department of National Defence to support our Canadian companies in the defence sector.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that families in Alberta are struggling and we are working really hard to improve the situation. Since taking over this portfolio, I have approved more than 70 infrastructure projects for Alberta with a combined investment of more than $3 billion, much more than the previous government was able to do in the last five years.We are working really hard. We understand the conditions in Alberta. We are working closely with the province and the municipalities to build the necessary infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her question, and I will look into the matter.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to take this question. I would like to address one particular issue in that question, and that is around the Canada pension plan.We were so proud to work together with nine provinces to come up with a Canada pension plan enhancement. What that is going to do for small businesses, we know, is to allow them to put in place a very gradual increase in contributions from employees and from companies, a contribution that will go from 2018 to 2025. We put in place a long implementation plan that will allow us to increase the amount of retirement security for Canadians, enabling small businesses to keep their employees comfortable for the long term.

Mr. Speaker, our government understands the importance of Alberta to the Canadian economy, which is why, under the leadership of the finance minister, we provided a $250-million stabilization fund, assistance for EI, investments in infrastructure, which were historic, leadership on Fort McMurray, an investment of $225 million in post-secondary educational institutes, and an investment of $500 million through the Business Development Bank of Canada for better access and support for small businesses. None of this would be possible without the outstanding work of the four MPs from Alberta.

Mr. Speaker, it is Small Business Week and it is time that the Prime Minister stood up for the almost 70% of Canadians who work in small businesses. Sadly, his priorities are elsewhere. He flies off to Davos, Switzerland, to rub shoulders with celebrities and the world's richest; he jets down to Sun Valley to mingle with American billionaires; and in Small Business Week of all times, he decides to go to Meech Lake to hang out with Chinese billionaires.Instead of pandering to billionaires and celebrities, will the Prime Minister reverse his tax hike on small businesses?

Mr. Speaker, Inuit and their Innu supporters in Labrador are raising serious concerns about the impacts of flooding at Muskrat Falls. The failure to clear vegetation threatens to poison their waters, and the situation is escalating. Yesterday, nine people were arrested, including elders, and two are on hunger strikes. The Liberals said they would bring renewed respect to relations with indigenous peoples. They need to walk the talk.What is the government doing to address the situation at Muskrat Falls?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are making Alberta's dire situation worse. Medicine Hat's food bank use is up by over 300% this year over last. Another program for new mothers ballooned from 10 to 256 users during the same time. The Liberals are imposing a harmful tax that will make food, diapers, formula, and everything even more expensive for everyone. Why do the Liberals not realize that they are hurting struggling Albertans at the very worst time?

Mr. Speaker, inexplicably, Canadian catering companies are being denied access to the Vancouver International Airport. Only two foreign caterers have been granted operating licences. It just does not make sense that a Canadian airport is not allowing Canadian businesses to operate within its space. The Competition Bureau agrees, but the airport refuses to budge.Will the Minister of Transport back the bureau and support the Canadian companies that are being shut out of Vancouver airport?

Mr. Speaker, some of the worst human rights abusers are bidding for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. So far, the government is refusing to say how it will vote at the next meeting of the council on October 28. A number of human rights advocacy organizations have said that some countries should not be eligible for a seat because of their serious human rights abuses.Can the Liberal government confirm that it will not vote in favour of Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, or China obtaining a seat on the UN Human Rights Council?

Mr. Speaker, first the Liberals cancelled the small business tax cut. Then they decided to cancel the hiring credit and raise CPP premiums, which will make it difficult for employers to hire new staff. To make matters worse, the Liberals' new tax on everything will make it harder for small businesses to survive. The Liberals are determined to make job creators pay for their reckless spending. How can the minister justify this treatment of our small businesses?

Mr. Speaker, our small business owners are our middle class and are being attacked by the Liberals' policies.With this week marking small business week, can the minister assure small business owners that the Liberals will do the right thing and reinstate the small business tax cut?

Mr. Speaker, the Canadians that we talked to and listened to throughout the process were clear. They are sick of seeing certain governments slash the budget of the Canadian Armed Forces just for political gain. They want the government to provide the Canadian Forces with stable and predictable long-term funding.Are the Liberals going to take a different approach from that of the Jean Chrétien Liberals and respect Canadians' desire to provide the Canadian Forces with a stable and predictable budget?

Mr. Speaker, small businesses employ 8.2 million workers. Those jobs are a ticket to the middle class for the young, the poor, and the disabled, yet the Prime Minister not only broke his promise and raised small business taxes, he is imposing thousands of dollars in new carbon taxes on small trucking, landscaping, and construction companies.If it is not just a money grab, why will the government not make it revenue neutral? Why does it not cut small business taxes so that our job creators will get back every single penny they pay in new carbon taxes?

Mr. Speaker, 10.5 million Canadians currently work for small and medium-sized businesses. Conservatives know that small businesses are the key to economic development. They are the ones creating jobs, and they are the ones creating wealth.The Liberal carbon tax is bad enough for small businesses. Breaking election promises is even worse.Mr. Speaker, since you yourself were a candidate, I am sure you will remember that, about a year ago, the Liberal Party made the following promise on page 80 of its platform: “[we will] reduce the small business tax rate to 9 percent from 11 percent”. Will the Minister of Finance give his word today that he will keep that election promise?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they are doing nothing to facilitate the sale of armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, but not only did the Minister of Foreign Affairs sign the export permits himself, now we learn the Department of National Defence will be performing quality checks on the armoured vehicles before export. It is clear the government is not just supporting this arms deal but it is also giving the Saudis training and a quality guarantee.Why is DND involved in testing these vehicles for Saudi Arabia? Is this why the Liberals are so afraid of the oversight of arms sales?

Mr. Speaker, the only country I heard missing from the minister's comment was Canada. The EU has delayed its vote on CETA as concerned Belgians refused to cave to pressure. Worries about the impact of rules that allow companies to sue local governments should not be dismissed. However, the minister continues to downplay its concerns and chastise Europe, when she should be working on a solution that would benefit all. Instead of trying to bully Europeans, will the minister admit that Canadians share these concerns and put the work into fixing this deal?

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to stand on this day to answer the member's question, especially because it is small business week. Small business week was started 37 years ago under the leadership of the Business Development Bank, a bank exclusively committed to small business owners. This government has lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians. Middle-class Canadians are our small business owners, they are our consumers, and they are the people who support the backbone of the Canadian economy.This government has invested $11.9 billion in infrastructure spending. This government has invested $500 million in broadband for rural and remote areas, and the list goes on.

Mr. Speaker, this summer the official opposition held over 50 round tables and received over 700 submissions on the defence policy review. This morning we submitted our findings to the Minister of National Defence.Canadians said through this process that they are concerned that the Liberals have pre-established their own defence policy. The Liberals have already blindly returned to peacekeeping, pulled out of the combat mission against ISIS, and massively cut the defence budget.Will the government reverse course today and start listening to Canadians and implement a defence policy that reflects their priorities?

Mr. Speaker, how many times do we have to say it? Health care is not a federal responsibility. That should not be hard to understand.It took the Liberals less than a year to start squabbling with Quebec over jurisdiction again. This time, it is at the expense of Quebec patients. That is appalling. Will the Liberal government stop its arrogant power-tripping immediately and let Quebec run the health system for which it alone is responsible?

Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Prime Minister's priority is not the concerns of ordinary working Canadians. He is completely out of touch with the problems they face, and the answers to those problems are not going to be found in meetings at Meech Lake with overseas billionaires. The answers are to give families a break, to lower their taxes, and to give them the opportunity to save and invest. When is the Prime Minister going to come down to earth and start dealing with the concerns of ordinary working people?

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage the hon. member to speak to some of the Albertans that she is speaking about, because she would find that they have actually had a reduction in taxes this year, which has gone to help their families—

Mr. Speaker, there is a provision service in place with the Department of National Defence to support our Canadian companies in the defence sector.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her question, and I will look into the matter.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is working with the proponent indigenous peoples and stakeholders with respect to this project. We expect the province to assume its responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of communities.

Mr. Speaker, after the cuts from the previous government, we understand that we need to have predictable funding. That is something I do agree with the member on.As we complete our defence policy review, we are looking at the various options for making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces are supported so that we have a proper increase in funding that is predictable so that the Canadian Armed Forces can plan for the next 10 to 20 years.

Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Council is only as strong as the member nations elected to serve, but again today, notorious human rights abusers, who have corrupted and compromised the council's work and its reputation, are standing for election. The vote is secret, and vote trading for future favours has undermined the selection process.Will the Liberals demonstrate the leadership needed to rescue this rogue UN body and share Canada's voting intentions with Canadians and with the world?

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there is a very real challenge in Alberta. There is a very real challenge with the changing resources prices that are impacting Albertans in a very difficult way. That is why we know we need to make investments that are going to make a real difference for people in Alberta and across the country. We have improved the financial situation of middle-class families and those struggling to get into it, and now we are making investments that are going to improve the long-term health of our economy. We will continue to do this so that people in Alberta and across the country find themselves with a brighter future tomorrow than they had yesterday.

Mr. Speaker, people are now realizing that this government is falling into the old habits of previous Liberal governments. The government is centralizing everything. It is eliminating the role of regional ministers and that of economic development agency ministers across the country, and it is telling the provinces that they are not managing the money for health care properly and that it knows what do do with that money. Yesterday, the government indicated that the provinces were not using that money properly.According to the current government, what provinces are not using the money from the health transfers properly?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Foreign Affairs says he is very concerned about possible Russian cyber attacks on Canada, this after U.S. accusations that the Kremlin tried to subvert the American political process. The minister says he is worried that Canada may be next.As Russia bombs civilian hospitals in Aleppo, as the U.S. and the U.K. consider new sanctions against Russia, as Russia militarizes the Arctic, and as the minister suddenly recognizes the threat of Russian hack attacks, why does he think he can reason with the Putin regime?

Mr. Speaker, many communities in Nova Scotia are reeling from the devastating storm that hit Atlantic Canada last week. While some areas were impacted more and some areas impacted less, all communities are dealing together with the fallout, both short and long term. Many homes, businesses, and infrastructures sustained major damage beyond any repair. The damage has been estimated in excess of $10 million.Could the minister update the House on the measures the government will take to help Nova Scotians?

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his kind words, but it is not that what he is saying is good just because he is answering in French, not at all.What we are asking is that the Liberal Party live up to its commitment. Maintaining the small business tax rate at 11% instead of dropping it to 9%, as promised, is going to cost small businesses $800 million. That is an extra $800 million in the government's coffers, which is not good, and $800 million less for businesses to invest in employment.Why is the government not keeping its election promise?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims shortages in health care funding can be fixed by dictating to the provinces how they must spend their health care dollars. The numbers tell a different story.By adopting Harper's cuts to health care transfers, the government will see the federal share of health care spending drop to just 18% over the next 10 years, when the initial deal was fifty-fifty. Does the government not understand the only real problem here is its cuts to health care?

Mr. Speaker, as the Liberals are busy creating taxes on everything from heating bills to Netflix, unemployed Albertans are struggling to provide for their families. In places like Medicine Hat, they are facing staggering unemployment rates of over 11%, yet the Liberals continue to ignore and tell Albertan workers to line up for EI and hang in there. My question to the minister is a simple one. Does he recognize that there is a jobs crisis in Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, our government is deeply concerned about the growing number of overdoses and deaths caused by opioids. We launched a five-point action plan to address opioid misuse, and in November the Minister of Health will be hosting a summit on opioids, bringing together experts, patient groups, governments, and regulators to discuss the current crisis and identify actions moving forward. We will continue to work with our partners to implement the action plan and to combat this problematic substance abuse all across Canada.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of International Trade demonstrated that she continues to dismiss the concerns of Quebeckers about the repercussions of this free trade agreement.After promising transparency and consultation, she continues to ignore Canadians. It is no wonder that she is facing challenges in her negotiations in Europe. Quebec dairy producers have expressed serious concerns about this agreement, and there is still no sign of any compensation.Will the minister finally fix this deal for Quebeckers and Canadians once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, the fentanyl crisis is getting worse, and the Liberals are ignoring the obvious. China is the primary source of illicit fentanyl in Canada. The Liberals would rather deal with deadly street drugs after they are in the hands of Canadians, instead of targeting the source. This morning, we attempted to have the Chinese ambassador appear before committee to explain what his government is doing to help Canada tackle this deadly drug epidemic. Why is pleasing the Chinese government more important to the Liberals than saving the lives of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, we have lowered taxes for Albertans this year. We have made sure that people have more money in their pockets this year than they had last year.We have actually made it such that 300,000 children across this country will be lifted out of poverty with the Canada child benefit. This is an enormous change for those people who are challenged and have to go to food banks. We are making changes that are making a real difference for people struggling to get by. For people in regions that are in very difficult shape, we have changed EI—

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised not to raise taxes on the middle class, but he broke that promise with new carbon fuel taxes, rolling back the tax-free savings account, eliminating the tax credit for music lessons and hockey practice, and making student textbooks and trade tools more expensive. He has raised taxes on the middle class and is making it harder for families to save, and most recently, he has made it tougher for Canadians to buy their first home.When are Canadians finally going to get a break from the Prime Minister?

Well, thanks for the mansplain. Mr. Speaker, just reciting the same talking points is not cutting it.In once booming Lloydminster, people cannot afford to keep their homes and they cannot afford to buy new ones. Businesses are closed, projects are frozen, and people have lost their jobs. There are two million square feet of vacant industrial space, up from nearly zero in just the last few years.A strong Alberta means a strong Canada. When will the Liberals stop making things so much worse for hard-working Albertan families?

Mr. Speaker, on October 8, a Saudi Arabian-led coalition bombed a funeral in Yemen, killing and wounding hundreds of civilians. I have two questions for the government. First, will Canada support the UN request for an international investigation of what appear to be war crimes committed by the Saudi coalition in Yemen? Second, can the government assure us that no Canadian-made weapons are being used by this coalition in Yemen?

Mr. Speaker, that is rather interesting, because yesterday, the Prime Minister himself said that, in Canada, health care falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces. Meanwhile, he is refusing to sit down with his provincial counterparts who have been asking for a meeting on health since June.Will the government finally commit to meeting with the provincial premiers to discuss health care funding? I am asking for a simple yes or no answer.

Mr. Speaker, giving the money to Kathleen Wynne to spend does not make it revenue neutral.Today, at the human resources committee, a Stats Canada official admitted that any policy that raises food and fuel prices pushes more people below the poverty line. That makes sense. Poor households spend a third more of their income on those items than do rich households, yet ESDC officials admitted at the same committee meeting that the Prime Minister has not even directed his government to conduct a study on the impacts on the poor of this new tax.How can the Prime Minister impose such a regressive and large new tax without—

Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard to get this progressive trade deal done, led by Quebec. This deal is supported by the provinces. Last month, I addressed the German Social Democratic Party convention, whose members voted overwhelmingly in favour of CETA. Manuel Valls, the socialist Prime Minister of France, described the deal as balanced, win-win, and mutually beneficial.Is there any free trade deal that the NDP actually supports?

Mr. Speaker, there will be no cuts to health care. It is a bit rich coming from his party, which actually promised it would invest in health but in the last election promised to balance the budget, which would have resulted in deep cuts to all programs across the government.Our government is committed to investing in the health of Canadians and by—

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have to do more than just call themselves feminists; they need to take action here. For example, in 1929, the legal definition of “person” was expanded to include women. One would think that after 87 years we would have reached gender equity in all aspects of public life, including right here in the House of Commons, but there is only 26% women in the House. That places Canada 64th in the world, behind countries like Iraq and Afghanistan.If the Liberals are serious about getting more women into politics, will they support my bill on candidate gender equity, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the minister that people need jobs to pay taxes.The fact is that Alberta is Canada's economic engine and our engine is stalled. Families in Fort McMurray are struggling to rebuild their lives. Small businesses in my city of Edmonton are shutting down. Parents in Medicine Hat have to choose between paying their heating bill or putting their kids in hockey.Does the minister think it is fair that Albertans are facing these tough decisions, yet the Liberals continue to spend recklessly and add more taxes on an already struggling Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, all our allies and NATO itself as an organization have two policies regarding Russia: strong deterrence and dialogue. Canada will do the same.Canada made a mistake in the last 10 years to cut the dialogue. We need to keep the dialogue open. We did it in the past and it paid off, and it will continue to do so. It is part of the solution. Obviously, we have strong concerns about the attitude of Russia around the world. We condemn its attitudes regarding Ukraine and Syria, and we will say so directly to Russia.

Mr. Speaker, our government seeks to maximize the number of Human Rights Council member countries with strong human rights records at home and abroad. We want to increase the strength and the quality of the Human Rights Council, an institution that will benefit from the reforms that we will push for.

Mr. Speaker, today, we are celebrating Persons Day. This day marks the moment when the legal definition of person was finally broadened to include women.Unfortunately, still today, only 26% of the members of the House of Commons are women. For that reason, the NDP introduced a bill that will put measures in place to encourage more women to get involved in politics.Eighty-seven years later, will this government support our bill and finally put these measures in place?

Mr. Speaker, we will make sure the Canadian Armed Forces has the right aircraft. We are going through a very thorough process, a process that the previous government should have fixed a long time ago.I look forward to fixing a lot of the cuts that were done previously, over $4 billion in cuts, but I do look forward to working with all members in supporting the Canadian Armed Forces and the missions abroad.

Mr. Speaker, last weekend, I met with many Cape Bretoners along with both members of Parliament from the island, four MLAs, the premier, and ministers to see first hand the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Many in Nova Scotia and in Newfoundland and Labrador have been hit very hard, but they are resilient people. Neighbours are helping neighbours, and they are ready to rebuild.The Government of Canada has received and replied to requests for disaster financial assistance from both provinces. Our officials are now working on identifying all of the eligible costs, and once that work is complete, we will ensure that both provinces receive all of their funding just as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that we actually did have a lower rate on small businesses this year than we had last year. That is the reality. What I can say with absolute clarity is that we are working on improving our economy. The trips that the Prime Minister has taken, we are so proud of. They have led to Thomson Reuters moving to Canada, General Motors reinvesting in Canada, General Electric investing in Canada, Microsoft investing in Canada. All of these things are helping our business community. Small, medium, and large businesses are doing better today than they did the year before.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that families in Alberta are struggling and we are working really hard to improve the situation. Since taking over this portfolio, I have approved more than 70 infrastructure projects for Alberta with a combined investment of more than $3 billion, much more than the previous government was able to do in the last five years.We are working really hard. We understand the conditions in Alberta. We are working closely with the province and the municipalities to build the necessary infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, from the defence policy review consultations, it became very clear that Canadians want the minister to depoliticize the entire military procurement process, yet the Liberals' campaigned specifically on excluding one company from the replacement of Canada's CF-18s.Will the minister reverse the Prime Minister's campaign promise that disallowed the F-35 from consideration and allow Lockheed Martin to compete in a fair competition? Will the minister remove all political interference from all defence procurement projects?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his commitment. It is truly due to the work of individuals who have come before us that persons like me can have an opportunity to not just participate but to create laws in this place. Our government has shown action on gender parity. We have a gender-balanced cabinet. We have been asked in all our mandate letters to focus on gender parity and address gender analysis. While I cannot support the member's bill, I believe it is important to wait until the Special Committee on Electoral Reform proposes changes to the election system, and then we can address this conversation through a different means.

Mr. Speaker, we will have a deficit of over $40 billion if we do that—in fact, more than that.Yesterday, the Prime Minister told the House that the provinces were not doing what needed to be done in the area of health and that the money was not being used properly.It is a return to an interfering, centralizing government that makes all the decisions here in Ottawa. The simple way of dealing with this problem and preventing any arguments would be to respect the provinces' jurisdictions. It is as simple as that. Health care falls under provincial jurisdiction.The Prime Minister said yesterday that the provinces were not using the health transfers properly—

Mr. Speaker, our government understands the importance of Alberta to the Canadian economy, which is why, under the leadership of the finance minister, we provided a $250-million stabilization fund, assistance for EI, investments in infrastructure, which were historic, leadership on Fort McMurray, an investment of $225 million in post-secondary educational institutes, and an investment of $500 million through the Business Development Bank of Canada for better access and support for small businesses. None of this would be possible without the outstanding work of the four MPs from Alberta.

Mr. Speaker, people in my riding, Brome—Missisquoi, are concerned about rail safety, particularly in the Montreal-Sherbrooke corridor.Can the Minister of Transport tell us what progress he has made toward fulfilling his mandate to improve rail safety?

Mr. Speaker, there has been talk about expertise and jurisdiction in this debate on health. The federal government provides health care to the armed forces, indigenous people living on reserves, and inmates. With regard to expertise, the federal government has none. With regard to jurisdiction, health care for the general population falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces.What right does the federal government have to lecture Quebec on health care when it has no expertise or jurisdiction?

Mr. Speaker, we know that what matters most is having a strong economy, an economy that works, and a level of economic growth that provides opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses as well as for large corporations. That is our goal.We have made investments in the future that will put our economy in a better position than it was before, for the past decade.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is helping to ensure that the UN Human Rights Council is better and more effective at fighting human rights abuses. Human rights are universal rights. Every human has the same dignity and Canada will be there to improve the council's performance in all circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, it is very important that the leader of the third party recognize the major difference between health and health care. Health is the responsibility of all levels of government.The Prime Minister will soon be meeting with the provincial and territorial premiers.

Mr. Speaker, we spoke out strongly against the bombing in Yemen by the Saudi Arabian-led coalition. We gave a very clear statement, and I can certainly repeat it in the House and say how much we condemn what has happened.We are calling for an investigation and we are monitoring the situation very closely to ensure that arms sold by Canadian companies are used with respect for human rights and in the interests of Canada and its allies.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to take this question. I would like to address one particular issue in that question, and that is around the Canada pension plan.We were so proud to work together with nine provinces to come up with a Canada pension plan enhancement. What that is going to do for small businesses, we know, is to allow them to put in place a very gradual increase in contributions from employees and from companies, a contribution that will go from 2018 to 2025. We put in place a long implementation plan that will allow us to increase the amount of retirement security for Canadians, enabling small businesses to keep their employees comfortable for the long term.

Mr. Speaker, by what authority does the Prime Minister claim the right to lecture Quebec on managing health care? How many Ottawa hospitals does he run? Which government do CLSCs, clinics, and hospitals answer to? Who pays the doctors and nurses who care for the sick?Ottawa is acting like an armchair quarterback. It does not know what it is talking about or how to play the game. Will the Prime Minister stop power tripping, transfer the money that Quebec is asking for, and start minding its own business once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect that their governments will work together and that the increased investments for health care will actually go straight to health care. That is exactly why the Minister of Health is sitting down with her provincial and territorial counterparts as we speak and collaborating with all our partners on health innovation, improved accessibility, and making prescription drugs more affordable for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, we held more than 50 round tables and received more than 700 online submissions. We consulted Canadians. We heard the same thing from everyone: the Canadian Forces must protect Canada and our interests. Canada must maintain a combat force. Canadians do not want the Canadian Forces to become a division of the United Nations. Notwithstanding the Liberals' nostalgia for peace missions, can the minister confirm that he plans to maintain combat-ready armed forces?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi for that important question.As he knows, rail safety is my priority. That is why I was pleased to make an announcement last week about $55 million in funding over three years for rail safety to support safety improvements at grade crossings and a rail safety awareness program because 46 people were killed on our railroads last year.Rail safety is this government's top priority.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to work together to improve the health care system, and that is exactly why the Minister of Health is meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts today. Canadians also expect that the investments for health care actually go to health care, and that they see tangible improvements to their care. We are providing leadership in supporting things like improving Canadians' access to increased home care through investments of $3 billion over the next four years, and we look forward to the results of today's very important meetings.

Mr. Speaker, unlike one of the contestants for the leadership of the Conservative Party, our government actually believes in investing in health care. We believe that things like $3 billion over four years for home care is a very important thing that will result in better care for Canadians and for all provinces and territories. That is why the Minister of Health is meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts today and reiterating our commitment to stable and predictable health care funding.

Mr. Speaker, Liberals committed to a different relationship with the provinces, but the Prime Minister refuses to even be in the same room with the premiers to negotiate the new health care deal. He promised he would never reduce health care funding without good faith negotiations, but he decided to move forward with Harper's cuts anyway.How can the provinces be expected to provide people better health care while their funding is being cut?

Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud to be working hard to get this progressive trade deal done. This deal is supported by the provinces, led by Quebec, and the last time I checked, Quebec was very much a part of Canada.Last month, after I addressed its party convention, the German Social Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favour of this deal. Manuel Valls, the socialist Prime Minister of France, described it as “balanced”, “win-win”, and “mutually beneficial”.If the NDP cannot support a trade agreement with Europe, is there any trade deal that the NDP can support?

Mr. Speaker, once again, I am very pleased to stand up today.Let me be clear. Provinces are able to design a system that makes sense for them, and it is revenue neutral. They can determine whether they want to give tax cuts to consumers, to small businesses, as B.C. has done.Let us also be clear that the way we are going to grow our economy and position ourselves for the 21st century is by making these investments, by making sure that we have a price on pollution and we are investing in the things that we want, which is a clean and sustainable future that will grow our economy and ensure that future generations have a planet that is clean and healthy to—

Mr. Speaker, health is actually a shared jurisdiction between the different levels of government. It is very important that our government play a leadership role in helping indigenous people.We have to do better. We are going to have to do better for the military, veterans, aboriginal people, people in corrections, and for the public service, but in the meantime, this is a joint effort and we are going to do better together.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the member and all the members of the House were able to do defence consultations. We do have a responsibility to the world. We have a commitment to work in a multilateral environment. The Canadian Armed Forces does play a critical role in terms of our foreign policies as well.Our Canadian Armed Forces will always be at a combat-ready posture. That is something I said when I launched the consultation. That will always remain in place, while making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces has the right equipment to do its job anywhere in the world.

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat it. There will be no cuts to health care. In fact, there will be more money for home care, and what we are hearing very clearly is that people want investments in things like prevention and mental health. It is going to be very important that the Prime Minister meet with the premiers of the provinces to discuss their priorities. The health minister meets with the health ministers—

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to rise on this traditional Algonquin territory on Persons Day with my hon. colleagues. I want to thank the party opposite, and specifically, the member who brought forward the private member's bill addressing gender parity. We have made a clear commitment to gender parity in this government. Our Prime Minister has been leading as a feminist around the world. We are not interested in just having more women run. We want more women winning and we want more women succeeding once they come here. There are many ways that the House can do that, including family-friendly initiatives, as well as improving the tone and the civility in this place. With that in mind, I look forward to working with the member opposite.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to stand up today on Persons Day. It is a very important day, and I am so pleased that there are so many women in the House of Commons. I certainly hope to see more.I want to explain to the member opposite why a carbon tax, a carbon price on pollution, makes sense. There are different ways to do it. We can have a direct price on pollution, like B.C. does, that is revenue-neutral, where the money is given back to the provinces or territories, or we can have be a cap-and-trade system, like Ontario has.It is up to the provinces and territories to determine what makes sense for them, what to do with the revenues, and this—

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to answer this question. One of the very first things we did as a new government was to lower taxes on middle-class Canadians. Nine million Canadians this year have lower taxes than they had last year, and that is helping them and their families have better lives. More importantly, we put in place the Canada child benefit, which is helping nine out of 10 families with children, with $2,300 more on average, and without their having to pay tax on that $2,300. It is a much better situation for middle-class Canadians and those struggling to get into the middle class, with lower taxes today than they had before.

Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome my colleague to his new portfolio. I am sure we will be getting plenty of good questions.Our goal is to generate a higher economic growth rate. That is why we decided to invest in the future. We have invested in infrastructure. Those investments will help our economy and make things better for small and medium-sized businesses. Things will be better for Canadian families and better for the Canadian economy.

Mr. Speaker, as I stated from the beginning, my office is always open. I am glad that the member opposite was able to provide the opposition's submission, which I have here and look forward to reading.As I went across Canada with the defence policy review, I heard from Canadians. One thing that we did hear was that Canadians are very proud of the work of the Canadian Armed Forces. When it comes to peace operations, something we heard consistently across the board was that Canadians support these operations. There was a poll out that showed 70% of Canadians support peace operations.I look forward to working with the member. I hope some of this work gets done in this review. Those members could have—

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to ensure that investments for health care go straight to health care. The federal government's planned increases to health care transfers are greater than the provincial governments' own projected spending growth. The Minister of Health is meeting with health ministers from across the country as we speak and reiterating our government's commitment to stable and predictable health funding.We will continue working with the provinces and territories to build a health care system that all Canadians can be proud of.

Mr. Speaker, it is always nice to have more than one opportunity to say what we are doing on behalf of Canadian middle-class families. We are so pleased that families are better off today than they were a year ago. We know that middle-class families facing anxiety needed an increased Canada child benefit, and that is what we gave them: significantly more money to raise their families, to do the things they need to do to have good Canadian lives.We are focused on how to improve this country for all Canadians, improving middle-class Canadians' lives, and creating opportunities for those struggling to get into the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Calgary Skyview for his concern. Our government knows that Canadian beef farmers and ranchers are the best in the world. We proudly secured market access for our beef producers in Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico, and China, as well as securing the repeal of COOL with the United States. This success will help create jobs and grow the middle class in Alberta and across the country.I can assure my hon. colleague that this government will support farmers in Alberta and across the country every time.

Mr. Speaker, Canada's beef farmers and ranchers are the best in the world. With over 68,000 beef farms, our farmers produce some of the best quality products in the world while contributing over $30 billion to the economy. My question is for the Minister of Agriculture. What has our government done to boost the bottom line for Canada's world-class beef producers?

Mr. Speaker, Canada's beef farmers and ranchers are the best in the world. With over 68,000 beef farms, our farmers produce some of the best quality products in the world while contributing over $30 billion to the economy. My question is for the Minister of Agriculture. What has our government done to boost the bottom line for Canada's world-class beef producers?

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Calgary Skyview for his concern. Our government knows that Canadian beef farmers and ranchers are the best in the world. We proudly secured market access for our beef producers in Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico, and China, as well as securing the repeal of COOL with the United States. This success will help create jobs and grow the middle class in Alberta and across the country.I can assure my hon. colleague that this government will support farmers in Alberta and across the country every time.

Mr. Speaker, it is always nice to have more than one opportunity to say what we are doing on behalf of Canadian middle-class families. We are so pleased that families are better off today than they were a year ago. We know that middle-class families facing anxiety needed an increased Canada child benefit, and that is what we gave them: significantly more money to raise their families, to do the things they need to do to have good Canadian lives.We are focused on how to improve this country for all Canadians, improving middle-class Canadians' lives, and creating opportunities for those struggling to get into the middle class.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to ensure that investments for health care go straight to health care. The federal government's planned increases to health care transfers are greater than the provincial governments' own projected spending growth. The Minister of Health is meeting with health ministers from across the country as we speak and reiterating our government's commitment to stable and predictable health funding.We will continue working with the provinces and territories to build a health care system that all Canadians can be proud of.

Mr. Speaker, as I stated from the beginning, my office is always open. I am glad that the member opposite was able to provide the opposition's submission, which I have here and look forward to reading.As I went across Canada with the defence policy review, I heard from Canadians. One thing that we did hear was that Canadians are very proud of the work of the Canadian Armed Forces. When it comes to peace operations, something we heard consistently across the board was that Canadians support these operations. There was a poll out that showed 70% of Canadians support peace operations.I look forward to working with the member. I hope some of this work gets done in this review. Those members could have—

Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome my colleague to his new portfolio. I am sure we will be getting plenty of good questions.Our goal is to generate a higher economic growth rate. That is why we decided to invest in the future. We have invested in infrastructure. Those investments will help our economy and make things better for small and medium-sized businesses. Things will be better for Canadian families and better for the Canadian economy.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to answer this question. One of the very first things we did as a new government was to lower taxes on middle-class Canadians. Nine million Canadians this year have lower taxes than they had last year, and that is helping them and their families have better lives. More importantly, we put in place the Canada child benefit, which is helping nine out of 10 families with children, with $2,300 more on average, and without their having to pay tax on that $2,300. It is a much better situation for middle-class Canadians and those struggling to get into the middle class, with lower taxes today than they had before.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to stand up today on Persons Day. It is a very important day, and I am so pleased that there are so many women in the House of Commons. I certainly hope to see more.I want to explain to the member opposite why a carbon tax, a carbon price on pollution, makes sense. There are different ways to do it. We can have a direct price on pollution, like B.C. does, that is revenue-neutral, where the money is given back to the provinces or territories, or we can have be a cap-and-trade system, like Ontario has.It is up to the provinces and territories to determine what makes sense for them, what to do with the revenues, and this—

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to rise on this traditional Algonquin territory on Persons Day with my hon. colleagues. I want to thank the party opposite, and specifically, the member who brought forward the private member's bill addressing gender parity. We have made a clear commitment to gender parity in this government. Our Prime Minister has been leading as a feminist around the world. We are not interested in just having more women run. We want more women winning and we want more women succeeding once they come here. There are many ways that the House can do that, including family-friendly initiatives, as well as improving the tone and the civility in this place. With that in mind, I look forward to working with the member opposite.

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat it. There will be no cuts to health care. In fact, there will be more money for home care, and what we are hearing very clearly is that people want investments in things like prevention and mental health. It is going to be very important that the Prime Minister meet with the premiers of the provinces to discuss their priorities. The health minister meets with the health ministers—

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the member and all the members of the House were able to do defence consultations. We do have a responsibility to the world. We have a commitment to work in a multilateral environment. The Canadian Armed Forces does play a critical role in terms of our foreign policies as well.Our Canadian Armed Forces will always be at a combat-ready posture. That is something I said when I launched the consultation. That will always remain in place, while making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces has the right equipment to do its job anywhere in the world.

Mr. Speaker, health is actually a shared jurisdiction between the different levels of government. It is very important that our government play a leadership role in helping indigenous people.We have to do better. We are going to have to do better for the military, veterans, aboriginal people, people in corrections, and for the public service, but in the meantime, this is a joint effort and we are going to do better together.

Mr. Speaker, once again, I am very pleased to stand up today.Let me be clear. Provinces are able to design a system that makes sense for them, and it is revenue neutral. They can determine whether they want to give tax cuts to consumers, to small businesses, as B.C. has done.Let us also be clear that the way we are going to grow our economy and position ourselves for the 21st century is by making these investments, by making sure that we have a price on pollution and we are investing in the things that we want, which is a clean and sustainable future that will grow our economy and ensure that future generations have a planet that is clean and healthy to—

Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud to be working hard to get this progressive trade deal done. This deal is supported by the provinces, led by Quebec, and the last time I checked, Quebec was very much a part of Canada.Last month, after I addressed its party convention, the German Social Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favour of this deal. Manuel Valls, the socialist Prime Minister of France, described it as “balanced”, “win-win”, and “mutually beneficial”.If the NDP cannot support a trade agreement with Europe, is there any trade deal that the NDP can support?

Mr. Speaker, Liberals committed to a different relationship with the provinces, but the Prime Minister refuses to even be in the same room with the premiers to negotiate the new health care deal. He promised he would never reduce health care funding without good faith negotiations, but he decided to move forward with Harper's cuts anyway.How can the provinces be expected to provide people better health care while their funding is being cut?

Mr. Speaker, unlike one of the contestants for the leadership of the Conservative Party, our government actually believes in investing in health care. We believe that things like $3 billion over four years for home care is a very important thing that will result in better care for Canadians and for all provinces and territories. That is why the Minister of Health is meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts today and reiterating our commitment to stable and predictable health care funding.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to work together to improve the health care system, and that is exactly why the Minister of Health is meeting with her provincial and territorial counterparts today. Canadians also expect that the investments for health care actually go to health care, and that they see tangible improvements to their care. We are providing leadership in supporting things like improving Canadians' access to increased home care through investments of $3 billion over the next four years, and we look forward to the results of today's very important meetings.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, we held more than 50 round tables and received more than 700 online submissions. We consulted Canadians. We heard the same thing from everyone: the Canadian Forces must protect Canada and our interests. Canada must maintain a combat force. Canadians do not want the Canadian Forces to become a division of the United Nations. Notwithstanding the Liberals' nostalgia for peace missions, can the minister confirm that he plans to maintain combat-ready armed forces?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi for that important question.As he knows, rail safety is my priority. That is why I was pleased to make an announcement last week about $55 million in funding over three years for rail safety to support safety improvements at grade crossings and a rail safety awareness program because 46 people were killed on our railroads last year.Rail safety is this government's top priority.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect that their governments will work together and that the increased investments for health care will actually go straight to health care. That is exactly why the Minister of Health is sitting down with her provincial and territorial counterparts as we speak and collaborating with all our partners on health innovation, improved accessibility, and making prescription drugs more affordable for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, by what authority does the Prime Minister claim the right to lecture Quebec on managing health care? How many Ottawa hospitals does he run? Which government do CLSCs, clinics, and hospitals answer to? Who pays the doctors and nurses who care for the sick?Ottawa is acting like an armchair quarterback. It does not know what it is talking about or how to play the game. Will the Prime Minister stop power tripping, transfer the money that Quebec is asking for, and start minding its own business once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to take this question. I would like to address one particular issue in that question, and that is around the Canada pension plan.We were so proud to work together with nine provinces to come up with a Canada pension plan enhancement. What that is going to do for small businesses, we know, is to allow them to put in place a very gradual increase in contributions from employees and from companies, a contribution that will go from 2018 to 2025. We put in place a long implementation plan that will allow us to increase the amount of retirement security for Canadians, enabling small businesses to keep their employees comfortable for the long term.

Mr. Speaker, we spoke out strongly against the bombing in Yemen by the Saudi Arabian-led coalition. We gave a very clear statement, and I can certainly repeat it in the House and say how much we condemn what has happened.We are calling for an investigation and we are monitoring the situation very closely to ensure that arms sold by Canadian companies are used with respect for human rights and in the interests of Canada and its allies.

Mr. Speaker, it is very important that the leader of the third party recognize the major difference between health and health care. Health is the responsibility of all levels of government.The Prime Minister will soon be meeting with the provincial and territorial premiers.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is helping to ensure that the UN Human Rights Council is better and more effective at fighting human rights abuses. Human rights are universal rights. Every human has the same dignity and Canada will be there to improve the council's performance in all circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, we know that what matters most is having a strong economy, an economy that works, and a level of economic growth that provides opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses as well as for large corporations. That is our goal.We have made investments in the future that will put our economy in a better position than it was before, for the past decade.

Mr. Speaker, there has been talk about expertise and jurisdiction in this debate on health. The federal government provides health care to the armed forces, indigenous people living on reserves, and inmates. With regard to expertise, the federal government has none. With regard to jurisdiction, health care for the general population falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces.What right does the federal government have to lecture Quebec on health care when it has no expertise or jurisdiction?

Mr. Speaker, we will have a deficit of over $40 billion if we do that—in fact, more than that.Yesterday, the Prime Minister told the House that the provinces were not doing what needed to be done in the area of health and that the money was not being used properly.It is a return to an interfering, centralizing government that makes all the decisions here in Ottawa. The simple way of dealing with this problem and preventing any arguments would be to respect the provinces' jurisdictions. It is as simple as that. Health care falls under provincial jurisdiction.The Prime Minister said yesterday that the provinces were not using the health transfers properly—

Mr. Speaker, our government understands the importance of Alberta to the Canadian economy, which is why, under the leadership of the finance minister, we provided a $250-million stabilization fund, assistance for EI, investments in infrastructure, which were historic, leadership on Fort McMurray, an investment of $225 million in post-secondary educational institutes, and an investment of $500 million through the Business Development Bank of Canada for better access and support for small businesses. None of this would be possible without the outstanding work of the four MPs from Alberta.

Mr. Speaker, people in my riding, Brome—Missisquoi, are concerned about rail safety, particularly in the Montreal-Sherbrooke corridor.Can the Minister of Transport tell us what progress he has made toward fulfilling his mandate to improve rail safety?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his commitment. It is truly due to the work of individuals who have come before us that persons like me can have an opportunity to not just participate but to create laws in this place. Our government has shown action on gender parity. We have a gender-balanced cabinet. We have been asked in all our mandate letters to focus on gender parity and address gender analysis. While I cannot support the member's bill, I believe it is important to wait until the Special Committee on Electoral Reform proposes changes to the election system, and then we can address this conversation through a different means.

Mr. Speaker, from the defence policy review consultations, it became very clear that Canadians want the minister to depoliticize the entire military procurement process, yet the Liberals' campaigned specifically on excluding one company from the replacement of Canada's CF-18s.Will the minister reverse the Prime Minister's campaign promise that disallowed the F-35 from consideration and allow Lockheed Martin to compete in a fair competition? Will the minister remove all political interference from all defence procurement projects?

Mr. Speaker, we all know that families in Alberta are struggling and we are working really hard to improve the situation. Since taking over this portfolio, I have approved more than 70 infrastructure projects for Alberta with a combined investment of more than $3 billion, much more than the previous government was able to do in the last five years.We are working really hard. We understand the conditions in Alberta. We are working closely with the province and the municipalities to build the necessary infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that we actually did have a lower rate on small businesses this year than we had last year. That is the reality. What I can say with absolute clarity is that we are working on improving our economy. The trips that the Prime Minister has taken, we are so proud of. They have led to Thomson Reuters moving to Canada, General Motors reinvesting in Canada, General Electric investing in Canada, Microsoft investing in Canada. All of these things are helping our business community. Small, medium, and large businesses are doing better today than they did the year before.

Mr. Speaker, last weekend, I met with many Cape Bretoners along with both members of Parliament from the island, four MLAs, the premier, and ministers to see first hand the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. Many in Nova Scotia and in Newfoundland and Labrador have been hit very hard, but they are resilient people. Neighbours are helping neighbours, and they are ready to rebuild.The Government of Canada has received and replied to requests for disaster financial assistance from both provinces. Our officials are now working on identifying all of the eligible costs, and once that work is complete, we will ensure that both provinces receive all of their funding just as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, we will make sure the Canadian Armed Forces has the right aircraft. We are going through a very thorough process, a process that the previous government should have fixed a long time ago.I look forward to fixing a lot of the cuts that were done previously, over $4 billion in cuts, but I do look forward to working with all members in supporting the Canadian Armed Forces and the missions abroad.

Mr. Speaker, today, we are celebrating Persons Day. This day marks the moment when the legal definition of person was finally broadened to include women.Unfortunately, still today, only 26% of the members of the House of Commons are women. For that reason, the NDP introduced a bill that will put measures in place to encourage more women to get involved in politics.Eighty-seven years later, will this government support our bill and finally put these measures in place?

Mr. Speaker, our government seeks to maximize the number of Human Rights Council member countries with strong human rights records at home and abroad. We want to increase the strength and the quality of the Human Rights Council, an institution that will benefit from the reforms that we will push for.

Mr. Speaker, all our allies and NATO itself as an organization have two policies regarding Russia: strong deterrence and dialogue. Canada will do the same.Canada made a mistake in the last 10 years to cut the dialogue. We need to keep the dialogue open. We did it in the past and it paid off, and it will continue to do so. It is part of the solution. Obviously, we have strong concerns about the attitude of Russia around the world. We condemn its attitudes regarding Ukraine and Syria, and we will say so directly to Russia.

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the minister that people need jobs to pay taxes.The fact is that Alberta is Canada's economic engine and our engine is stalled. Families in Fort McMurray are struggling to rebuild their lives. Small businesses in my city of Edmonton are shutting down. Parents in Medicine Hat have to choose between paying their heating bill or putting their kids in hockey.Does the minister think it is fair that Albertans are facing these tough decisions, yet the Liberals continue to spend recklessly and add more taxes on an already struggling Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have to do more than just call themselves feminists; they need to take action here. For example, in 1929, the legal definition of “person” was expanded to include women. One would think that after 87 years we would have reached gender equity in all aspects of public life, including right here in the House of Commons, but there is only 26% women in the House. That places Canada 64th in the world, behind countries like Iraq and Afghanistan.If the Liberals are serious about getting more women into politics, will they support my bill on candidate gender equity, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, there will be no cuts to health care. It is a bit rich coming from his party, which actually promised it would invest in health but in the last election promised to balance the budget, which would have resulted in deep cuts to all programs across the government.Our government is committed to investing in the health of Canadians and by—

Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard to get this progressive trade deal done, led by Quebec. This deal is supported by the provinces. Last month, I addressed the German Social Democratic Party convention, whose members voted overwhelmingly in favour of CETA. Manuel Valls, the socialist Prime Minister of France, described the deal as balanced, win-win, and mutually beneficial.Is there any free trade deal that the NDP actually supports?

Mr. Speaker, giving the money to Kathleen Wynne to spend does not make it revenue neutral.Today, at the human resources committee, a Stats Canada official admitted that any policy that raises food and fuel prices pushes more people below the poverty line. That makes sense. Poor households spend a third more of their income on those items than do rich households, yet ESDC officials admitted at the same committee meeting that the Prime Minister has not even directed his government to conduct a study on the impacts on the poor of this new tax.How can the Prime Minister impose such a regressive and large new tax without—

Mr. Speaker, that is rather interesting, because yesterday, the Prime Minister himself said that, in Canada, health care falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the provinces. Meanwhile, he is refusing to sit down with his provincial counterparts who have been asking for a meeting on health since June.Will the government finally commit to meeting with the provincial premiers to discuss health care funding? I am asking for a simple yes or no answer.

Mr. Speaker, on October 8, a Saudi Arabian-led coalition bombed a funeral in Yemen, killing and wounding hundreds of civilians. I have two questions for the government. First, will Canada support the UN request for an international investigation of what appear to be war crimes committed by the Saudi coalition in Yemen? Second, can the government assure us that no Canadian-made weapons are being used by this coalition in Yemen?

Well, thanks for the mansplain. Mr. Speaker, just reciting the same talking points is not cutting it.In once booming Lloydminster, people cannot afford to keep their homes and they cannot afford to buy new ones. Businesses are closed, projects are frozen, and people have lost their jobs. There are two million square feet of vacant industrial space, up from nearly zero in just the last few years.A strong Alberta means a strong Canada. When will the Liberals stop making things so much worse for hard-working Albertan families?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised not to raise taxes on the middle class, but he broke that promise with new carbon fuel taxes, rolling back the tax-free savings account, eliminating the tax credit for music lessons and hockey practice, and making student textbooks and trade tools more expensive. He has raised taxes on the middle class and is making it harder for families to save, and most recently, he has made it tougher for Canadians to buy their first home.When are Canadians finally going to get a break from the Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, we have lowered taxes for Albertans this year. We have made sure that people have more money in their pockets this year than they had last year.We have actually made it such that 300,000 children across this country will be lifted out of poverty with the Canada child benefit. This is an enormous change for those people who are challenged and have to go to food banks. We are making changes that are making a real difference for people struggling to get by. For people in regions that are in very difficult shape, we have changed EI—

Mr. Speaker, the fentanyl crisis is getting worse, and the Liberals are ignoring the obvious. China is the primary source of illicit fentanyl in Canada. The Liberals would rather deal with deadly street drugs after they are in the hands of Canadians, instead of targeting the source. This morning, we attempted to have the Chinese ambassador appear before committee to explain what his government is doing to help Canada tackle this deadly drug epidemic. Why is pleasing the Chinese government more important to the Liberals than saving the lives of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of International Trade demonstrated that she continues to dismiss the concerns of Quebeckers about the repercussions of this free trade agreement.After promising transparency and consultation, she continues to ignore Canadians. It is no wonder that she is facing challenges in her negotiations in Europe. Quebec dairy producers have expressed serious concerns about this agreement, and there is still no sign of any compensation.Will the minister finally fix this deal for Quebeckers and Canadians once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims shortages in health care funding can be fixed by dictating to the provinces how they must spend their health care dollars. The numbers tell a different story.By adopting Harper's cuts to health care transfers, the government will see the federal share of health care spending drop to just 18% over the next 10 years, when the initial deal was fifty-fifty. Does the government not understand the only real problem here is its cuts to health care?

Mr. Speaker, as the Liberals are busy creating taxes on everything from heating bills to Netflix, unemployed Albertans are struggling to provide for their families. In places like Medicine Hat, they are facing staggering unemployment rates of over 11%, yet the Liberals continue to ignore and tell Albertan workers to line up for EI and hang in there. My question to the minister is a simple one. Does he recognize that there is a jobs crisis in Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, our government is deeply concerned about the growing number of overdoses and deaths caused by opioids. We launched a five-point action plan to address opioid misuse, and in November the Minister of Health will be hosting a summit on opioids, bringing together experts, patient groups, governments, and regulators to discuss the current crisis and identify actions moving forward. We will continue to work with our partners to implement the action plan and to combat this problematic substance abuse all across Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his kind words, but it is not that what he is saying is good just because he is answering in French, not at all.What we are asking is that the Liberal Party live up to its commitment. Maintaining the small business tax rate at 11% instead of dropping it to 9%, as promised, is going to cost small businesses $800 million. That is an extra $800 million in the government's coffers, which is not good, and $800 million less for businesses to invest in employment.Why is the government not keeping its election promise?

Mr. Speaker, many communities in Nova Scotia are reeling from the devastating storm that hit Atlantic Canada last week. While some areas were impacted more and some areas impacted less, all communities are dealing together with the fallout, both short and long term. Many homes, businesses, and infrastructures sustained major damage beyond any repair. The damage has been estimated in excess of $10 million.Could the minister update the House on the measures the government will take to help Nova Scotians?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Foreign Affairs says he is very concerned about possible Russian cyber attacks on Canada, this after U.S. accusations that the Kremlin tried to subvert the American political process. The minister says he is worried that Canada may be next.As Russia bombs civilian hospitals in Aleppo, as the U.S. and the U.K. consider new sanctions against Russia, as Russia militarizes the Arctic, and as the minister suddenly recognizes the threat of Russian hack attacks, why does he think he can reason with the Putin regime?

Mr. Speaker, people are now realizing that this government is falling into the old habits of previous Liberal governments. The government is centralizing everything. It is eliminating the role of regional ministers and that of economic development agency ministers across the country, and it is telling the provinces that they are not managing the money for health care properly and that it knows what do do with that money. Yesterday, the government indicated that the provinces were not using that money properly.According to the current government, what provinces are not using the money from the health transfers properly?

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there is a very real challenge in Alberta. There is a very real challenge with the changing resources prices that are impacting Albertans in a very difficult way. That is why we know we need to make investments that are going to make a real difference for people in Alberta and across the country. We have improved the financial situation of middle-class families and those struggling to get into it, and now we are making investments that are going to improve the long-term health of our economy. We will continue to do this so that people in Alberta and across the country find themselves with a brighter future tomorrow than they had yesterday.

Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Human Rights Council is only as strong as the member nations elected to serve, but again today, notorious human rights abusers, who have corrupted and compromised the council's work and its reputation, are standing for election. The vote is secret, and vote trading for future favours has undermined the selection process.Will the Liberals demonstrate the leadership needed to rescue this rogue UN body and share Canada's voting intentions with Canadians and with the world?

Mr. Speaker, after the cuts from the previous government, we understand that we need to have predictable funding. That is something I do agree with the member on.As we complete our defence policy review, we are looking at the various options for making sure that the Canadian Armed Forces are supported so that we have a proper increase in funding that is predictable so that the Canadian Armed Forces can plan for the next 10 to 20 years.

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage the hon. member to speak to some of the Albertans that she is speaking about, because she would find that they have actually had a reduction in taxes this year, which has gone to help their families—

Mr. Speaker, there is a provision service in place with the Department of National Defence to support our Canadian companies in the defence sector.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her question, and I will look into the matter.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is working with the proponent indigenous peoples and stakeholders with respect to this project. We expect the province to assume its responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of communities.

Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Prime Minister's priority is not the concerns of ordinary working Canadians. He is completely out of touch with the problems they face, and the answers to those problems are not going to be found in meetings at Meech Lake with overseas billionaires. The answers are to give families a break, to lower their taxes, and to give them the opportunity to save and invest. When is the Prime Minister going to come down to earth and start dealing with the concerns of ordinary working people?

Mr. Speaker, how many times do we have to say it? Health care is not a federal responsibility. That should not be hard to understand.It took the Liberals less than a year to start squabbling with Quebec over jurisdiction again. This time, it is at the expense of Quebec patients. That is appalling. Will the Liberal government stop its arrogant power-tripping immediately and let Quebec run the health system for which it alone is responsible?

Mr. Speaker, this summer the official opposition held over 50 round tables and received over 700 submissions on the defence policy review. This morning we submitted our findings to the Minister of National Defence.Canadians said through this process that they are concerned that the Liberals have pre-established their own defence policy. The Liberals have already blindly returned to peacekeeping, pulled out of the combat mission against ISIS, and massively cut the defence budget.Will the government reverse course today and start listening to Canadians and implement a defence policy that reflects their priorities?

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to stand on this day to answer the member's question, especially because it is small business week. Small business week was started 37 years ago under the leadership of the Business Development Bank, a bank exclusively committed to small business owners. This government has lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians. Middle-class Canadians are our small business owners, they are our consumers, and they are the people who support the backbone of the Canadian economy.This government has invested $11.9 billion in infrastructure spending. This government has invested $500 million in broadband for rural and remote areas, and the list goes on.

Mr. Speaker, the only country I heard missing from the minister's comment was Canada. The EU has delayed its vote on CETA as concerned Belgians refused to cave to pressure. Worries about the impact of rules that allow companies to sue local governments should not be dismissed. However, the minister continues to downplay its concerns and chastise Europe, when she should be working on a solution that would benefit all. Instead of trying to bully Europeans, will the minister admit that Canadians share these concerns and put the work into fixing this deal?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they are doing nothing to facilitate the sale of armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, but not only did the Minister of Foreign Affairs sign the export permits himself, now we learn the Department of National Defence will be performing quality checks on the armoured vehicles before export. It is clear the government is not just supporting this arms deal but it is also giving the Saudis training and a quality guarantee.Why is DND involved in testing these vehicles for Saudi Arabia? Is this why the Liberals are so afraid of the oversight of arms sales?

Mr. Speaker, 10.5 million Canadians currently work for small and medium-sized businesses. Conservatives know that small businesses are the key to economic development. They are the ones creating jobs, and they are the ones creating wealth.The Liberal carbon tax is bad enough for small businesses. Breaking election promises is even worse.Mr. Speaker, since you yourself were a candidate, I am sure you will remember that, about a year ago, the Liberal Party made the following promise on page 80 of its platform: “[we will] reduce the small business tax rate to 9 percent from 11 percent”. Will the Minister of Finance give his word today that he will keep that election promise?

Mr. Speaker, small businesses employ 8.2 million workers. Those jobs are a ticket to the middle class for the young, the poor, and the disabled, yet the Prime Minister not only broke his promise and raised small business taxes, he is imposing thousands of dollars in new carbon taxes on small trucking, landscaping, and construction companies.If it is not just a money grab, why will the government not make it revenue neutral? Why does it not cut small business taxes so that our job creators will get back every single penny they pay in new carbon taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the Canadians that we talked to and listened to throughout the process were clear. They are sick of seeing certain governments slash the budget of the Canadian Armed Forces just for political gain. They want the government to provide the Canadian Forces with stable and predictable long-term funding.Are the Liberals going to take a different approach from that of the Jean Chrétien Liberals and respect Canadians' desire to provide the Canadian Forces with a stable and predictable budget?

Mr. Speaker, our small business owners are our middle class and are being attacked by the Liberals' policies.With this week marking small business week, can the minister assure small business owners that the Liberals will do the right thing and reinstate the small business tax cut?

Mr. Speaker, first the Liberals cancelled the small business tax cut. Then they decided to cancel the hiring credit and raise CPP premiums, which will make it difficult for employers to hire new staff. To make matters worse, the Liberals' new tax on everything will make it harder for small businesses to survive. The Liberals are determined to make job creators pay for their reckless spending. How can the minister justify this treatment of our small businesses?

Mr. Speaker, some of the worst human rights abusers are bidding for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. So far, the government is refusing to say how it will vote at the next meeting of the council on October 28. A number of human rights advocacy organizations have said that some countries should not be eligible for a seat because of their serious human rights abuses.Can the Liberal government confirm that it will not vote in favour of Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, or China obtaining a seat on the UN Human Rights Council?

Mr. Speaker, inexplicably, Canadian catering companies are being denied access to the Vancouver International Airport. Only two foreign caterers have been granted operating licences. It just does not make sense that a Canadian airport is not allowing Canadian businesses to operate within its space. The Competition Bureau agrees, but the airport refuses to budge.Will the Minister of Transport back the bureau and support the Canadian companies that are being shut out of Vancouver airport?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are making Alberta's dire situation worse. Medicine Hat's food bank use is up by over 300% this year over last. Another program for new mothers ballooned from 10 to 256 users during the same time. The Liberals are imposing a harmful tax that will make food, diapers, formula, and everything even more expensive for everyone. Why do the Liberals not realize that they are hurting struggling Albertans at the very worst time?

Mr. Speaker, Inuit and their Innu supporters in Labrador are raising serious concerns about the impacts of flooding at Muskrat Falls. The failure to clear vegetation threatens to poison their waters, and the situation is escalating. Yesterday, nine people were arrested, including elders, and two are on hunger strikes. The Liberals said they would bring renewed respect to relations with indigenous peoples. They need to walk the talk.What is the government doing to address the situation at Muskrat Falls?

Mr. Speaker, it is Small Business Week and it is time that the Prime Minister stood up for the almost 70% of Canadians who work in small businesses. Sadly, his priorities are elsewhere. He flies off to Davos, Switzerland, to rub shoulders with celebrities and the world's richest; he jets down to Sun Valley to mingle with American billionaires; and in Small Business Week of all times, he decides to go to Meech Lake to hang out with Chinese billionaires.Instead of pandering to billionaires and celebrities, will the Prime Minister reverse his tax hike on small businesses?