2016-10-24

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear this development. I am pleased to hear that the pleas of Nadia Murad and the women who are being raped at the hands of ISIS are finally being taken into consideration by the government that has wasted time in bringing them here.Words are one thing, but how many people, how many Yazidis, will the government bring to Canada and how quickly will it do it?

Mr. Speaker, in this case it is easy to make priorities. We should be bringing Yazidi women here. What Nadia Murad wants to hear before she leaves Canada is a clear commitment on numbers and how many people the minister will bring here. Germany brought over 1,000 sex slaves survivors to their country. Can the minister commit to her and to her people a specific number within the four-month period of how many Yazidi survivors will come to Canada under the government's protection?

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives negotiated this comprehensive trade deal which would create much-needed jobs in Canada, but the Liberals are failing to get the ball across the finish line. Is it the Liberals' strategy to actually look weak and inept? If it is, they are actually succeeding at that. Or, do the Liberals secretly not want this deal to succeed? Do they want the deal to fail?

Mr. Speaker, the agriculture minister is silent on another issue as well. His chief of staff is a failed Liberal candidate who owns $140 million worth of egg quota. Canadians shake their heads because the minister has blindly and blatantly ignored this obvious conflict of interest.This week, his chief of staff faces allegations in court of perjury over the purchase of egg quota and egg grading. This is an issue of integrity. When did the minister find out about this court case and why has he not removed her as chief of staff?

Mr. Speaker, while severe concerns are being raised about mercury poisoning from the Muskrat Falls dam, the response from the member for St. John's East was, not to worry, just eat less fish.The answer is shameful and goes against the Prime Minister's own commitment to indigenous peoples.The Nunatsiavut government is asking that the project be delayed until these issues are addressed. Is the government prepared to listen? Does the government propose to uphold its constitutional duty to the Inuit of Labrador?

Mr. Speaker, I know that all members of the House share my grave concern for the Yazidi people and the genocide being committed against them by Daesh in Syria and Iraq. Men, women, and children are being murdered, raped, and enslaved. An entire people is being destroyed. The victims of these atrocities need our help. Would the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship please update the House on the action he is taking to provide asylum to the victims of the atrocities, including genocide, being perpetrated by Daesh against Yazidis and other peoples in Syria and Iraq?

Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that Bombardier will be cutting 2,000 Canadian jobs, including 1,500 in Quebec alone. That is a huge blow to our economy.For the past 10 months, this government has been saying that it supports Bombardier, but what has it put on the table? Nothing. What do workers want? They want to keep their jobs.Will the 40 Liberal members from Quebec get off their butts? Will they go and see the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and get him to finally unveil his plan for Bombardier?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Immigration tried to excuse the Liberals' refusal to rescue Yazidi refugees in Iraq by saying that his officials could not get to them because of the battle to liberate Mosul. We hope that many Yazidi prisoners will escape as ISIS retreats. There are already thousands of Yazidi women and girls in the relative, if inadequate, safety of western Iraq.Words are not enough. When will the Liberals fulfill Canada's genocide convention obligations and act?

Mr. Speaker, Canada had done its job up until October 19, 2015. Now the Minister of International Trade has turned her back on not just the EU, but have given up on Canadian jobs when she walked out last Friday. She has failed to deliver now on two vitally important agreements, softwood lumber and now CETA.Since the Minister of International Trade is incapable or unwilling to do her job and ratify this vital trade deal, will the Prime Minister grab some adult supervision, get on a plane, and go back over to Brussels and get this job done?

Mr. Speaker, the government is simply incapable of signing major trade deals. The former government was off to a good start, and that effort would have resulted in a signed deal. We are now moving backwards.Since the Minister of International Trade seems to have thrown in the towel, will the Prime Minister pack his bags, go and meet with the leaders of the European Community, and sign this historic agreement for the future and the welfare of all provinces of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, a report published today entitled The “Canada Brand” documents dozens of murders and hundreds of attacks against opponents of Canadian mining projects in Latin America.The NDP has been talking about this for a long time. We need a massive reform of the corporate social responsibility strategy to ensure that no Canadian business is involved in such abuses.Is the government prepared to make the necessary changes to this strategy, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, last week, our millionaire Minister of Finance was speaking to an elite group of wealthy Liberals. But his message was for truckers. “Your services are no longer required”, he told them. He said that these quarter of a million hard-working Canadians will soon be out of a job. Trucking is not glamourous like inheriting a fortune from dad, but it is honest work, and it delivers the goods to Canadians. It will also be among the hardest hit by new Liberal gas taxes and payroll taxes. Why is the current elitist Liberal government driving truckers out of work?

Mr. Speaker, the minister's attempt to bully Europe into submission on CETA is not working, and it is unbecoming. Wallonia is not caving into the pressure, and the fact is that millions of Europeans and Canadians share concerns with the agreement and its potential impact on drug prices, dairy producers, and environmental regulations.This delay is an opportunity to improve the deal. Will the government drop the manufactured deadlines and sit down at the table to fix the problems with this deal?

Mr. Speaker, it took closed doors for the Minister of Health to be transparent. It seems that Ottawa is refusing to increase health transfers because the Minister of Finance does not see any political advantage to doing so.When it comes to helping the sick, there are no ribbon-cutting ceremonies or Canadian flag cheques in the mail. It does not please the Minister of Finance. That is pretty weak.Can the Minister of Finance get serious and stop holding the sick hostage because they do not score enough political points for his taste?

Mr. Speaker, the only thing that the Conservatives delivered was 10 years of slow growth and cynicism about politics in Canada. They did not deliver CETA. CETA was stalled when we formed government. We got it back on track. We got the deal through the legal scrub. It is now supported by twenty-seven and a half out of Europe's 28-member states. As the president of the European parliament said, “it's quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”. Canada has done its job. Europe has to do its job now.

Mr. Speaker, according to the member's logic, he would want a minister from Atlantic Canada being responsible for Atlantic Canada. How did that work out for the members opposite? How many seats did they win in the last election campaign?Do members know why? People are sick and tired of these partisan games of pitting one region against the other. We are investing in Atlantic Canada, we are investing post-secondary institutions, we are investing in businesses, communities, and people. We are proud of our agenda. It is an honour for me to work with outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada.

Mr. Speaker, it is not just truckers that the millionaire minister finds obsolete. He told the same elite group of wealthy Liberals that workers across Canada will become human ping-pong balls, bouncing from one unstable job to another. The solution is staring him right in the face. Scotiabank revealed last week that the vast majority of job growth is actually coming from businesses with fewer than 100 employees. Why will the finance minister not get off the backs of these job creators and restore Conservative tax cuts for small businesses, so that they can continue to create jobs for hard-working Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, thalidomide has been causing tremendous harm since the 1960s. The House voted in favour of an NDP motion to compensate all thalidomide survivors. However, many of these survivors are not entitled to the promised compensation because they are being asked to prove the impossible. Even people who have all the symptoms of this terrible condition still do not have access to compensation.Does the government plan to ensure that all thalidomide survivors are compensated?

Mr. Speaker, last weekend, the Minister of Finance told Canadians that they would have to get used to job churn. He said that a few days after the Bank of Canada downgraded its economic outlook for our country.Job churn is a reality for many Canadians. They deserve a government that shows leadership, not one that tells them to “get used to it”. That is unacceptable.Will the minister do something about the increasing prevalence of precarious work for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Canadian police officers work hard and put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect Canadians. That is why they have earned a position at the table on the federal Judicial Advisory Council. Now, the Prime Minister has decided to revoke that membership.Why is the Prime Minister showing such disrespect for the men and women who serve and protect Canadians, and will he reconsider this bad decision?

Mr. Speaker, the Wenjack and Downie families have shown Canadians what true reconciliation looks like, and the Prime Minister promised solemnly to stop fighting residential school survivors in court. However, the Minister of Justice is in court fighting against a ruling in favour of a childhood rape victim at the Spanish residential school. This week she filed documents actually stating that her lawyers did nothing wrong when they misrepresented evidence regarding a notorious pedophile and had the case thrown out.Will she explain why she is breaking the Prime Minister's vow and why she is fighting these survivors in court?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his commitment on this issue. We have already welcomed more than 30,000 Syrian refugees and it has always been our intent to welcome additional Yazidis as well. I know there is no one more in favour of welcoming Yazidis than the members on this side of the House. So it is my pleasure to say that I will be recommending that Liberals vote in favour of the opposition motion.

Mr. Speaker, we certainly did not waste time when we brought 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada in the space of four months. The hon. member should know it is not easy to bring the Yazidis here from the places where they are, but my department has sent an expedition out to the terrain and we are committed to bring them in within, as the motion says, 120 days or less.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals invest in health once they have calculated how much they stand to gain politically. According to the Minister of Health, the only thing the Minister of Finance wants to know is how much can be gained politically by the health transfers. It is so cynical it feels like an episode of House of Cards.Does the Minister of Finance realize that his little political calculations could jeopardize the health of those who are ill in Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. We have negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for middle-class Canadians. For Canada, walking away was absolutely necessary. It is up to Europe to solve its problems and come back to Canada with a solution.As for my visible emotion, I do take this deal very personally. I am all in for Canada when I am at the negotiating table. I was disappointed and sad, but also tough and strong. I think those are the qualities that Canadians expect in their minister.

Mr. Speaker, now that we know that the Minister of Finance is participating in partisan fundraising events that cost $1,500 per person, we believe that safeguards to protect personal donations and group donations are becoming hazy for Canadians. The safety line around ministerial conflicts of interest appears to be very thin.Does the minister have any reassurances to offer the House on this matter?

Mr. Speaker, the deal was gift-wrapped and left on the doorstep for the Liberals to carry in. The trade minister, at the beginning of her mandate, said, “It’s not my job to persuade anybody that TPP is good”. I guess the same now goes for CETA, as the world witnessed last Friday Canada's trade minister's meltdown as she was throwing in the towel and fleeing the scene of important implementation talks with the EU. The deal was done and signed in principle, but her Liberal need to placate every opponent of free trade across Europe has caused this mess. If she cannot get a deal with Wallonia, what makes her think she is up to the job of getting a deal with China?

Mr. Speaker, we unreservedly condemn the atrocities committed against the Yazidi people. We have already made a significant commitment of $1.1 billion to the conflict in Syria and Iraq. Of that, $150 million has already been allocated to Iraq and $63 million have been disbursed to helping these people.

Mr. Speaker, with a non-answer like that, the minister and the government may come to figure out that their jobs are precarious too. Millennials in Canada are facing a precarious future. Today, I would like to invite the Minister of Finance and the minister for youth, the Prime Minister, to a national forum that we are hosting on the rise of precarious work in the millennial generation this Wednesday on Parliament Hill. Young Canadians expect more from their national leaders when it comes to dealing with the insecurity they face. Therefore, today I ask the Minister of Finance if he will step up and show leadership to fight against the rise in precarious work for young and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the free trade agreement with Europe is important to Quebec. Our role is to be the bridge between North America and Europe. However, the government's intransigence is standing in the way. Now the Walloons are worried about ceratin provisions of the agreement that could allow multinationals to impede the sovereignty of states. Those fears warrant further attention.Instead of slamming the door, could the Minister of International Trade not remain open and continue the negotiations until a deal can be reached?

Mr. Speaker, the deal had stalled under the previous government and we got it back on track. It is now supported by 27.5 of the 28 member states of Europe. As the President of the European Parliament said, “...it's quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”. Canada has done its job, and now it is up to Europe to do its part.

Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, I am very concerned about allegations that wealthy Canadian taxpayers avoid paying their fair share of taxes, particularly in the real estate sector.Can the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what this government has been doing to prevent tax avoidance in connection with real estate transactions?

Mr. Speaker, the only thing the Conservatives gift-wrapped for us was a decade of slow growth and cynicism. CETA was stalled under the previous government. It is our progressive changes to the investment chapter that got this agreement back on track. Our hard work with many member states, including France, Germany, Italy, and Austria, has produced results. Now 27 and a half of the 28 EU countries support this agreement. However, as the Europeans themselves admit, the ball is now in their court.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that we have signed the TPP.As for CETA, that deal was stalled under the previous government, and we got it back on track. It is now supported by 27 and a half out of Europe's 28-member states. The President of the European Parliament said that it was “Quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”Canada has done its job. It is now up to the EU.

Mr. Speaker, Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada were silent when the Prime Minister threatened Atlantic representation on the Supreme Court and said nothing when he appointed an MP from greater Toronto to represent Atlantic Canada at the cabinet table for ACOA. Now the agriculture minister has told us why. He says that Atlantic Canada is better served by having a central Canadian at the cabinet table. Does the Prime Minister share the opinion that of the 32 Liberal Atlantic MPs, not one of them is qualified to serve as minister for ACOA?

Mr. Speaker, the open and accountable government document means absolutely nothing. We are not talking about the Elections Canada rules.I am asking about the rules that the Prime Minister instructed his ministers and himself to abide by. When the Minister of Finance accepted $1,500 from Mr. Spatz, a public office holder, he clearly breached the Prime Minister's instructions. Who is enforcing these rules? Or, is it just another case of the Liberals saying one thing and doing the other?

Mr. Speaker, last week, we watched the Minister of International Trade throw her hands up in despair and leave the negotiating table of the economic agreement with Europe. It is the same government that has been unable to sign major trade agreements like the softwood lumber agreement and the TPP. Will the Prime Minister sign Canada's largest trade deal since NAFTA before it is too late?

Mr. Speaker, three weeks ago, without consulting anyone, the Minister of Finance announced, or rather, imposed, new mortgage lending rules.Today the Hill Times reported that Liberal members are not happy about it. I am not sure who would be prepared to admit it publicly. We know that the member for Surrey Centre is not happy. Well done, sir. Other members spoke anonymously and said:“These are major changes affecting...Canadians overall, and no consultation. I don't know what to say.”What does the minister have to say to this member, who does not know what to say?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised a sunny approach to our public service, but these workers have been waiting for more than two years for a contract. Respect for public workers is more than a slogan; the government has to show up. But so far the Liberals have come to the bargaining table with the same old Conservative agenda. Will the government come to the table with the Conservative playbook, or will they finally show respect for our public sector workers?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services told us in committee last month that the backlog of 82,000 government employees affected by the Liberal Phoenix pay fiasco would be cleared by October 31. We are now being told by the minister that they will fail to meet this deadline. It is unacceptable that some employees are waiting months and months to get paid. Why does the minister keep making promises she knows she cannot keep, and when will she call in someone who will actually get the job done?

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to remind the House that not only—

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her question because this is an important issue.We are in the process of analyzing the report. The Government of Canada expects that all Canadian companies operate fully within the law and in accordance with Canadian values. However, we recognize that there is always room for improvement. I met with the CSR counsellor to determine how we can reinforce his role. I continue to meet with Canadian mining companies to determine how we can improve our—

Mr. Speaker, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call to action has provided Canadians with a renewed path for reconciliation with indigenous people. A whole of government approach is being coordinated to collaborate and track all of those calls to action and implementation.We want to ensure that we do the right thing as the government to support victims of residential schools. That is why we have continued to make this a priority, and we will continue to do so going forward.

Mr. Speaker, our government has delivered for Canadians on trade time after time. I cannot say the same for the previous government, however. The only thing the Conservatives delivered when it came to Europe were $100,000 parties, paid for by taxpayers, celebrating a deal that was not even done. CETA was stalled under the previous government, but our progressive changes to the investment chapter got it back on track. Our government has worked hard. We have done our job. Now it is up to Europe.

Mr. Speaker, we negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for the middle class. The provinces, including Quebec, support this agreement.Last week, the German Vice Chancellor, a social democrat, said, quote, that it provides us with a great opportunity to set fair and good rules for progressive globalization.Manuel Valls, France's socialist prime minister, said, “It is a good agreement, an exemplary one”.Is there any agreement the NDP would support?

Mr. Speaker, Jim Spatz was appointed to the Halifax Port Authority on the recommendation of his good buddy, the President of the Treasury Board.On October 13, Mr. Spatz attended a $1,500 a ticket cash for access fundraiser. The Prime Minister's open and accountable government document says that public office holders, like Mr. Spatz, must not participate in political activity that is or is seen to be incompatible with their duties. Mr. Spatz has clearly violated the Prime Minister's ethics rules.When will the Prime Minister start acting like a leader and enforcing his own rules?

Mr. Speaker, I disagree with my colleague. Our government understands the importance of the aerospace industry. That is why we made a commitment to Bombardier. I am very confident that we can find the right solution for Bombardier, the aerospace industry, and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the pay issues with respect to the RCMP are important. This is an iconic police force. We want them to serve Canadians with professionalism and distinction and we will take their requests fully into consideration as the government makes its decisions with respect to future salary arrangements.

Mr. Speaker, there are rules and we follow them. We follow the same rules as all members of the House. These rules were instituted by the previous government. If they worked for them when they were in government, why would they not work now?

Mr. Speaker, Liberals will be voting in favour of the motion and it is my hope that this will no longer be a partisan issue given the gravity of the situation. It is my hope that the House will vote unanimously in favour of bringing Yazidis to Canada. We are looking into all of the options. We will do so as quickly as possible. We agree with the Conservative Party that this is a matter of high priority and we are working on it as we speak.

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that for the last 10 years we had a Conservative government that pitted one region against another, one Canadian against another. Now we have a government that believes not only in ACOA but in all the regional development agencies. We have elevated the importance of economic development as part of our overall economic growth agenda. It is about investing in our businesses, our communities, and our people. That is at the core of our economic development agenda.I would like to thank the member for Cardigan for his kind remarks. It is an honour and privilege to serve with 32 members of Parliament from Atlantic Canada.

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. In fact, even the minister-president of Wallonia, Paul Magnette, recognizes that. He said, “Amongst Europeans, discussions were very difficult. That's perhaps the unfortunate paradox in this story. With Canada, things are simpler. We are close to the Canadians. I'm very happy that the part with Canada was concluded and thus the discussions we had together were very useful”. We have done our job. It is up to Europe now.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is working with the proponent, with indigenous peoples, and stakeholders with respect to this project.We expect the province will meet its responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of Canadians. We are encouraged that Premier Ball will be meeting with local indigenous peoples. Our government will continue to make our scientific expertise available to inform discussions between Newfoundland and Labrador and indigenous governments related to the Lower Churchill project.

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. We negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for middle-class Canadians. It was a hard but necessary task.The former communications director of the member for Abbotsford said, “For Canada, leaving the table at this stage is the right move because it's up to the EU to negotiate within and come back to Canada with a proposed solution”. We remain committed to signing—

Mr. Speaker, when this government was elected just a year ago, it promised to run a deficit of no more than $10 billion, saying that this would stimulate the economy and economic growth.A year later, the deficit is not $10 billion, but rather $30 billion, or even worse, and economic growth does not seem to be taking hold, what with the parliamentary budget officer today and the Bank of Canada earlier this week downgrading economic growth.What does the Minister of Finance plan to do to regain control of public finances and to generate the economic growth that Canada needs?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. In contrast with the previous government, we negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for middle-class Canadians. Walking out on Friday was tough, and it was absolutely necessary. In fact, the member for Abbotsford's own former director of communications said, “For Canada, leaving the table at this stage is the right move because it's up to the EU to negotiate within and come back to Canada with a proposed solution.” We remain committed to signing when the EU is ready.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate being able to speak to the new appointments process for superior court justices across the country. We certainly recognize and respect law enforcement officers for the work they do. The purpose of the new judicial advisory committee is to open up the process to be more public and more transparent and to ensure that we are making a concerted effort to ensure that there is diversity on the bench so Canadians can see themselves in terms of the judges they see.

Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of spending and no jobs as a result.The Canada–EU trade agreement is the most important agreement negotiated since NAFTA. The benefits to workers, families, and businesses in every region of the country would be enormous. However, the trade minister has failed to secure these benefits for Canadians, and the Prime Minister is too busy hosting Liberal fundraisers with his millionaire friends to even notice.When will the Prime Minister start doing the jobs that Canadians expect, take the trade deal seriously, and personally get involved in sealing this deal?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to address this House on this very important issue. We know that the long-term stability of the housing market is of critical importance to all Canadians. To those Canadians who are struggling to buy a house, those Canadians who have a house, they want to know that this investment is sound for the long term.We took measures that we know will help ensure that over the long term, people's most important investment is stable and secure. That is better for our economy, better for Canadians, and that is better for those people who want to buy a house for their family.

Mr. Speaker, all members and all parties engage in fundraising. We all have to follow the same rules. Those rules were put in place by the previous government.I would remind my colleagues that on July 9, 2016, about three months ago, the House Leader of the Official Opposition joined the previous prime minister, Stephen Harper, at a barbecue fundraiser in Calgary that cost $2,000 per table.

Mr. Speaker, we have immense respect for our professional public service in Canada. In fact, we have reversed much of the regressive Conservative measures and legislation against labour, including against our public service. We are negotiating in good faith at the bargaining table and we will continue to do so. Unlike the Conservatives, we are not going to negotiate on the floor of the House of Commons or through the media. We will negotiate in good faith at the bargaining table with our public service.

Mr. Speaker, this is 2016, and with the return of the Liberal scandals and culture it seems like we are watching one of the old Godfather movies.Do all Liberal ministers provide access to the highest bidder?How can the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister reassure the House that they comply with the code of ethics in terms of real or perceived conflicts of interest?

Mr. Speaker, Wallonia is not alone in its concern. The region is defending the interests of millions of people who are concerned about the consequences of the investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms. The Liberals would have heard the same concerns from Canadians had they held the consultations they promised. Canadians want the agreement to take their interests into account. Will the minister put Canadians' interests ahead of the Prime Minister's media calendar and improve the agreement?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for all of his hard work on the agricultural file.Our government has invested nearly $70 million in agriculture research and infrastructure, gaining access to key markets around the world, a record $60 billion in exports, and given $27 million to help farmers reduce greenhouse gases.We will continue to work with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and our stakeholders to make sure that Canadian agriculture thrives in this country.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Châteauguay—Lacolle for her question. Canadians engaging in tax avoidance is unacceptable. Our government has redoubled its efforts to stop them. Over the past year, the Canada Revenue Agency has conducted real estate audits in British Columbia and Ontario and collected $240 million in unpaid taxes and over $12 million in penalties.I can also report that the agency stepped up its efforts in the Vancouver area. We now have 70 auditors looking into real estate transactions in British Columbia and Ontario.Our government is working hard to defend the interests of middle-class Canadians—

Mr. Speaker, I will never play games when it comes to health. Health is a very important issue to Canadians.When I met with my counterparts last week, we talked about how to improve the health care system. We are interested in investing in health, but health investments need to go directly to health.

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out to the House, and to all Canadians, that this is a government that is investing in skills development and helping small businesses, the foundation of job creation, by providing breaks on employment insurance rates, which drop from $183 to $163, a significant change in the premiums which will help every single SME in the country.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to RCMP members, the Liberal government has been taking the Conservative approach as well. The men and women of the RCMP put themselves on the line every day for Canadians, but on average they are making 11% less than their counterparts across the country. That is why back in 2015, the RCMP commissioner submitted a request for an RCMP pay raise to the Treasury Board Secretariat for approval. It has now been over a year since the Liberals were elected and RCMP members are still waiting for action on that raise.To the President of the Treasury Board, why are RCMP members still waiting for the respect and pay they deserve?

Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with my counterparts and I reiterated our commitment to providing stable, predictable funding for health care.Canadians expect us to work together to improve our health care system. They also expect health investments to truly go to health.We will continue to collaborate on building a system that meets the needs of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, many thousands of Yazidis in Iraq, particularly women and girls, are not recognized by the United Nations as refugees. As internally displaced persons, they are stuck in a terrible limbo, enduring discrimination and segregation in Muslim-run UN camps.German Chancellor Merkel has called for coalition forces to create a safe zone for Yazidis. What about Canada? When will the Liberals address Canada's genocide convention obligations and actually act?

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, and perhaps the member will be listening this time, all appointees to the government must follow, very clearly, ethical and political activities guidelines, as well as the Conflict of Interest law.We expect all of our public appointees to follow these laws. They are in schedule E to the letters patent of the Halifax Port Authority. I would like to take this opportunity, once again, to thank Mr. Spatz for his service to the Halifax Port Authority.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 2016 Canadian harvest and the farmers who produce it, would the minister inform the House what steps our government is taking to invest in agriculture across this country, from coast to coast to coast?

Mr. Speaker, I am certainly pleased to serve in a cabinet that works for every region in the country. Without a doubt, it is an asset to serve in a cabinet that works for every region. They help me and I help them.My chief of staff is an outstanding member of her community, a successful lawyer and businesswoman, and has been named the citizen of the year in her community. She has deep commitment to Canadian agriculture and Canadian service.I am fortunate to have her. So is Canadian agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, as members know, earlier this year, this government put in place new appointment measures that were open and transparent in order to choose the best qualified people to serve in public office holder positions.All government appointees must follow ethical and political activity guidelines for public office holders, as well as the Conflict of Interest Act. We expect all of our appointees to do this.I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Spatz for his service to the Halifax Port Authority.

Mr. Speaker, those are some excellent central Canadian talking points.The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has said that a minister from central Canada can best look out for Atlantic Canada's economic development agency at the cabinet table, not someone from Kings—Hants, not someone from Beauséjour, not someone from Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, and certainly not some from Cardigan, someone away from greater Toronto.When will these silent Liberals stand up to the central Canadian PMO, stand up for the region, and start speaking for Atlantic Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the ongoing public service pay problems are completely unacceptable. Many employees across the public service are facing financial hardship because of the current pay issues.Department employees are working tirelessly to meet the deadline, but we are tracking behind our project's schedule. Resolving these cases is our priority.

Mr. Speaker, I want to clear the record. This is a government that is investing in infrastructure, investing in training, and investing in job creation. This is from coast to coast to coast, providing opportunities for truck drivers, scientists, and those who are in the workforce today and tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to indicate to the House that it is modern changes because of technology changes, and extremely rapidly, that will make it a new world of work. To address that concern, our government has announced the expert panel on youth employment and made massive investments on skills and training for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to indicate that not only have we formed a youth expert panel, but we have invested in skills and training to the tune of $175 million to each and every province and territory in Canada. We have provided more money for the Canada job fund. We have increased innovation. We have built a STEM sector, and continue to do so. We are investing in WIL training, work-integrated learning. We are working with Canadians to make a successful future for all of us.

Mr. Speaker, last week, we watched the Minister of International Trade leave the negotiating table for the economic agreement with Europe. She threw up her hands in despair and abandoned the negotiations. The government is unable to sign major trade agreements such as the trans-Pacific partnership and the softwood lumber agreement. This is Canada's largest trade deal since NAFTA. Will the Prime Minister ensure that Canada signs the agreement with Europe before it is too late?

Mr. Speaker, we committed to the words of the Conservative motion. I would have thought that might be enough for one day for the member. We are working very hard. We have just come back from a mission in the region to determine how many and from where and over what time period we will be welcoming more Yazidis to Canada. We have committed to do this and it will be done.

Mr. Speaker, that is a good question because I know that it is very important to have an investment program in our country.We decided that it is very important to make investments in the future in order to get growth levels higher than they have been in the past few decades. That is precisely the goal of our program. Thanks to our investments in infrastructure and in the future of our country, we are going to ensure that our children and grandchildren are better off.

Mr. Speaker, our government is sympathetic to the thalidomide survivors and is committed to offering support to help them live the rest of their lives with dignity.There is no definitive medical test for thalidomide, so an objective review process has been used to assess individuals to determine who is eligible for financial support based on this process. I am pleased to announce that 25 more individuals have been added to the thalidomide survivors' program. That brings the total number of individuals to 122. This demonstrates that the current review process is working. Additional new survivors may still be identified as some of the applications continue under review.

Mr. Speaker, Canadian police officers work hard and put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect Canadians. That is why they have earned a position at the table on the federal Judicial Advisory Council. Now, the Prime Minister has decided to revoke that membership.Why is the Prime Minister showing such disrespect for the men and women who serve and protect Canadians, and will he reconsider this bad decision?

Mr. Speaker, thalidomide has been causing tremendous harm since the 1960s. The House voted in favour of an NDP motion to compensate all thalidomide survivors. However, many of these survivors are not entitled to the promised compensation because they are being asked to prove the impossible. Even people who have all the symptoms of this terrible condition still do not have access to compensation.Does the government plan to ensure that all thalidomide survivors are compensated?

Mr. Speaker, it took closed doors for the Minister of Health to be transparent. It seems that Ottawa is refusing to increase health transfers because the Minister of Finance does not see any political advantage to doing so.When it comes to helping the sick, there are no ribbon-cutting ceremonies or Canadian flag cheques in the mail. It does not please the Minister of Finance. That is pretty weak.Can the Minister of Finance get serious and stop holding the sick hostage because they do not score enough political points for his taste?

Mr. Speaker, the agriculture minister is silent on another issue as well. His chief of staff is a failed Liberal candidate who owns $140 million worth of egg quota. Canadians shake their heads because the minister has blindly and blatantly ignored this obvious conflict of interest.This week, his chief of staff faces allegations in court of perjury over the purchase of egg quota and egg grading. This is an issue of integrity. When did the minister find out about this court case and why has he not removed her as chief of staff?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. We have negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for middle-class Canadians. For Canada, walking away was absolutely necessary. It is up to Europe to solve its problems and come back to Canada with a solution.As for my visible emotion, I do take this deal very personally. I am all in for Canada when I am at the negotiating table. I was disappointed and sad, but also tough and strong. I think those are the qualities that Canadians expect in their minister.

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives negotiated this comprehensive trade deal which would create much-needed jobs in Canada, but the Liberals are failing to get the ball across the finish line. Is it the Liberals' strategy to actually look weak and inept? If it is, they are actually succeeding at that. Or, do the Liberals secretly not want this deal to succeed? Do they want the deal to fail?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services told us in committee last month that the backlog of 82,000 government employees affected by the Liberal Phoenix pay fiasco would be cleared by October 31. We are now being told by the minister that they will fail to meet this deadline. It is unacceptable that some employees are waiting months and months to get paid. Why does the minister keep making promises she knows she cannot keep, and when will she call in someone who will actually get the job done?

Mr. Speaker, three weeks ago, without consulting anyone, the Minister of Finance announced, or rather, imposed, new mortgage lending rules.Today the Hill Times reported that Liberal members are not happy about it. I am not sure who would be prepared to admit it publicly. We know that the member for Surrey Centre is not happy. Well done, sir. Other members spoke anonymously and said:“These are major changes affecting...Canadians overall, and no consultation. I don't know what to say.”What does the minister have to say to this member, who does not know what to say?

Mr. Speaker, all members and all parties engage in fundraising. We all have to follow the same rules. Those rules were put in place by the previous government.I would remind my colleagues that on July 9, 2016, about three months ago, the House Leader of the Official Opposition joined the previous prime minister, Stephen Harper, at a barbecue fundraiser in Calgary that cost $2,000 per table.

Mr. Speaker, our government has delivered for Canadians on trade time after time. I cannot say the same for the previous government, however. The only thing the Conservatives delivered when it came to Europe were $100,000 parties, paid for by taxpayers, celebrating a deal that was not even done. CETA was stalled under the previous government, but our progressive changes to the investment chapter got it back on track. Our government has worked hard. We have done our job. Now it is up to Europe.

Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with my counterparts and I reiterated our commitment to providing stable, predictable funding for health care.Canadians expect us to work together to improve our health care system. They also expect health investments to truly go to health.We will continue to collaborate on building a system that meets the needs of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, there are rules and we follow them. We follow the same rules as all members of the House. These rules were instituted by the previous government. If they worked for them when they were in government, why would they not work now?

Mr. Speaker, the minister's attempt to bully Europe into submission on CETA is not working, and it is unbecoming. Wallonia is not caving into the pressure, and the fact is that millions of Europeans and Canadians share concerns with the agreement and its potential impact on drug prices, dairy producers, and environmental regulations.This delay is an opportunity to improve the deal. Will the government drop the manufactured deadlines and sit down at the table to fix the problems with this deal?

Mr. Speaker, last week, we watched the Minister of International Trade leave the negotiating table for the economic agreement with Europe. She threw up her hands in despair and abandoned the negotiations. The government is unable to sign major trade agreements such as the trans-Pacific partnership and the softwood lumber agreement. This is Canada's largest trade deal since NAFTA. Will the Prime Minister ensure that Canada signs the agreement with Europe before it is too late?

Mr. Speaker, last week, we watched the Minister of International Trade throw her hands up in despair and leave the negotiating table of the economic agreement with Europe. It is the same government that has been unable to sign major trade agreements like the softwood lumber agreement and the TPP. Will the Prime Minister sign Canada's largest trade deal since NAFTA before it is too late?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals invest in health once they have calculated how much they stand to gain politically. According to the Minister of Health, the only thing the Minister of Finance wants to know is how much can be gained politically by the health transfers. It is so cynical it feels like an episode of House of Cards.Does the Minister of Finance realize that his little political calculations could jeopardize the health of those who are ill in Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, the only thing the Conservatives gift-wrapped for us was a decade of slow growth and cynicism. CETA was stalled under the previous government. It is our progressive changes to the investment chapter that got this agreement back on track. Our hard work with many member states, including France, Germany, Italy, and Austria, has produced results. Now 27 and a half of the 28 EU countries support this agreement. However, as the Europeans themselves admit, the ball is now in their court.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to RCMP members, the Liberal government has been taking the Conservative approach as well. The men and women of the RCMP put themselves on the line every day for Canadians, but on average they are making 11% less than their counterparts across the country. That is why back in 2015, the RCMP commissioner submitted a request for an RCMP pay raise to the Treasury Board Secretariat for approval. It has now been over a year since the Liberals were elected and RCMP members are still waiting for action on that raise.To the President of the Treasury Board, why are RCMP members still waiting for the respect and pay they deserve?

Mr. Speaker, the Wenjack and Downie families have shown Canadians what true reconciliation looks like, and the Prime Minister promised solemnly to stop fighting residential school survivors in court. However, the Minister of Justice is in court fighting against a ruling in favour of a childhood rape victim at the Spanish residential school. This week she filed documents actually stating that her lawyers did nothing wrong when they misrepresented evidence regarding a notorious pedophile and had the case thrown out.Will she explain why she is breaking the Prime Minister's vow and why she is fighting these survivors in court?

Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that Bombardier will be cutting 2,000 Canadian jobs, including 1,500 in Quebec alone. That is a huge blow to our economy.For the past 10 months, this government has been saying that it supports Bombardier, but what has it put on the table? Nothing. What do workers want? They want to keep their jobs.Will the 40 Liberal members from Quebec get off their butts? Will they go and see the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and get him to finally unveil his plan for Bombardier?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that we have signed the TPP.As for CETA, that deal was stalled under the previous government, and we got it back on track. It is now supported by 27 and a half out of Europe's 28-member states. The President of the European Parliament said that it was “Quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”Canada has done its job. It is now up to the EU.

Mr. Speaker, the only thing that the Conservatives delivered was 10 years of slow growth and cynicism about politics in Canada. They did not deliver CETA. CETA was stalled when we formed government. We got it back on track. We got the deal through the legal scrub. It is now supported by twenty-seven and a half out of Europe's 28-member states. As the president of the European parliament said, “it's quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”. Canada has done its job. Europe has to do its job now.

Mr. Speaker, we certainly did not waste time when we brought 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada in the space of four months. The hon. member should know it is not easy to bring the Yazidis here from the places where they are, but my department has sent an expedition out to the terrain and we are committed to bring them in within, as the motion says, 120 days or less.

Mr. Speaker, the deal had stalled under the previous government and we got it back on track. It is now supported by 27.5 of the 28 member states of Europe. As the President of the European Parliament said, “...it's quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”. Canada has done its job, and now it is up to Europe to do its part.

Mr. Speaker, I know that all members of the House share my grave concern for the Yazidi people and the genocide being committed against them by Daesh in Syria and Iraq. Men, women, and children are being murdered, raped, and enslaved. An entire people is being destroyed. The victims of these atrocities need our help. Would the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship please update the House on the action he is taking to provide asylum to the victims of the atrocities, including genocide, being perpetrated by Daesh against Yazidis and other peoples in Syria and Iraq?

Mr. Speaker, a report published today entitled The “Canada Brand” documents dozens of murders and hundreds of attacks against opponents of Canadian mining projects in Latin America.The NDP has been talking about this for a long time. We need a massive reform of the corporate social responsibility strategy to ensure that no Canadian business is involved in such abuses.Is the government prepared to make the necessary changes to this strategy, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. We negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for middle-class Canadians. It was a hard but necessary task.The former communications director of the member for Abbotsford said, “For Canada, leaving the table at this stage is the right move because it's up to the EU to negotiate within and come back to Canada with a proposed solution”. We remain committed to signing—

Mr. Speaker, Wallonia is not alone in its concern. The region is defending the interests of millions of people who are concerned about the consequences of the investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms. The Liberals would have heard the same concerns from Canadians had they held the consultations they promised. Canadians want the agreement to take their interests into account. Will the minister put Canadians' interests ahead of the Prime Minister's media calendar and improve the agreement?

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 2016 Canadian harvest and the farmers who produce it, would the minister inform the House what steps our government is taking to invest in agriculture across this country, from coast to coast to coast?

Mr. Speaker, Canada had done its job up until October 19, 2015. Now the Minister of International Trade has turned her back on not just the EU, but have given up on Canadian jobs when she walked out last Friday. She has failed to deliver now on two vitally important agreements, softwood lumber and now CETA.Since the Minister of International Trade is incapable or unwilling to do her job and ratify this vital trade deal, will the Prime Minister grab some adult supervision, get on a plane, and go back over to Brussels and get this job done?

Mr. Speaker, when this government was elected just a year ago, it promised to run a deficit of no more than $10 billion, saying that this would stimulate the economy and economic growth.A year later, the deficit is not $10 billion, but rather $30 billion, or even worse, and economic growth does not seem to be taking hold, what with the parliamentary budget officer today and the Bank of Canada earlier this week downgrading economic growth.What does the Minister of Finance plan to do to regain control of public finances and to generate the economic growth that Canada needs?

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out to the House, and to all Canadians, that this is a government that is investing in skills development and helping small businesses, the foundation of job creation, by providing breaks on employment insurance rates, which drop from $183 to $163, a significant change in the premiums which will help every single SME in the country.

Mr. Speaker, many thousands of Yazidis in Iraq, particularly women and girls, are not recognized by the United Nations as refugees. As internally displaced persons, they are stuck in a terrible limbo, enduring discrimination and segregation in Muslim-run UN camps.German Chancellor Merkel has called for coalition forces to create a safe zone for Yazidis. What about Canada? When will the Liberals address Canada's genocide convention obligations and actually act?

Mr. Speaker, the ongoing public service pay problems are completely unacceptable. Many employees across the public service are facing financial hardship because of the current pay issues.Department employees are working tirelessly to meet the deadline, but we are tracking behind our project's schedule. Resolving these cases is our priority.

Mr. Speaker, the open and accountable government document means absolutely nothing. We are not talking about the Elections Canada rules.I am asking about the rules that the Prime Minister instructed his ministers and himself to abide by. When the Minister of Finance accepted $1,500 from Mr. Spatz, a public office holder, he clearly breached the Prime Minister's instructions. Who is enforcing these rules? Or, is it just another case of the Liberals saying one thing and doing the other?

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to indicate to the House that it is modern changes because of technology changes, and extremely rapidly, that will make it a new world of work. To address that concern, our government has announced the expert panel on youth employment and made massive investments on skills and training for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Châteauguay—Lacolle for her question. Canadians engaging in tax avoidance is unacceptable. Our government has redoubled its efforts to stop them. Over the past year, the Canada Revenue Agency has conducted real estate audits in British Columbia and Ontario and collected $240 million in unpaid taxes and over $12 million in penalties.I can also report that the agency stepped up its efforts in the Vancouver area. We now have 70 auditors looking into real estate transactions in British Columbia and Ontario.Our government is working hard to defend the interests of middle-class Canadians—

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. In fact, even the minister-president of Wallonia, Paul Magnette, recognizes that. He said, “Amongst Europeans, discussions were very difficult. That's perhaps the unfortunate paradox in this story. With Canada, things are simpler. We are close to the Canadians. I'm very happy that the part with Canada was concluded and thus the discussions we had together were very useful”. We have done our job. It is up to Europe now.

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. In contrast with the previous government, we negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for middle-class Canadians. Walking out on Friday was tough, and it was absolutely necessary. In fact, the member for Abbotsford's own former director of communications said, “For Canada, leaving the table at this stage is the right move because it's up to the EU to negotiate within and come back to Canada with a proposed solution.” We remain committed to signing when the EU is ready.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, and perhaps the member will be listening this time, all appointees to the government must follow, very clearly, ethical and political activities guidelines, as well as the Conflict of Interest law.We expect all of our public appointees to follow these laws. They are in schedule E to the letters patent of the Halifax Port Authority. I would like to take this opportunity, once again, to thank Mr. Spatz for his service to the Halifax Port Authority.

Mr. Speaker, it is not just truckers that the millionaire minister finds obsolete. He told the same elite group of wealthy Liberals that workers across Canada will become human ping-pong balls, bouncing from one unstable job to another. The solution is staring him right in the face. Scotiabank revealed last week that the vast majority of job growth is actually coming from businesses with fewer than 100 employees. Why will the finance minister not get off the backs of these job creators and restore Conservative tax cuts for small businesses, so that they can continue to create jobs for hard-working Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of spending and no jobs as a result.The Canada–EU trade agreement is the most important agreement negotiated since NAFTA. The benefits to workers, families, and businesses in every region of the country would be enormous. However, the trade minister has failed to secure these benefits for Canadians, and the Prime Minister is too busy hosting Liberal fundraisers with his millionaire friends to even notice.When will the Prime Minister start doing the jobs that Canadians expect, take the trade deal seriously, and personally get involved in sealing this deal?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for all of his hard work on the agricultural file.Our government has invested nearly $70 million in agriculture research and infrastructure, gaining access to key markets around the world, a record $60 billion in exports, and given $27 million to help farmers reduce greenhouse gases.We will continue to work with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and our stakeholders to make sure that Canadian agriculture thrives in this country.

Mr. Speaker, Liberals will be voting in favour of the motion and it is my hope that this will no longer be a partisan issue given the gravity of the situation. It is my hope that the House will vote unanimously in favour of bringing Yazidis to Canada. We are looking into all of the options. We will do so as quickly as possible. We agree with the Conservative Party that this is a matter of high priority and we are working on it as we speak.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Immigration tried to excuse the Liberals' refusal to rescue Yazidi refugees in Iraq by saying that his officials could not get to them because of the battle to liberate Mosul. We hope that many Yazidi prisoners will escape as ISIS retreats. There are already thousands of Yazidi women and girls in the relative, if inadequate, safety of western Iraq.Words are not enough. When will the Liberals fulfill Canada's genocide convention obligations and act?

Mr. Speaker, the government is simply incapable of signing major trade deals. The former government was off to a good start, and that effort would have resulted in a signed deal. We are now moving backwards.Since the Minister of International Trade seems to have thrown in the towel, will the Prime Minister pack his bags, go and meet with the leaders of the European Community, and sign this historic agreement for the future and the welfare of all provinces of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, I want to clear the record. This is a government that is investing in infrastructure, investing in training, and investing in job creation. This is from coast to coast to coast, providing opportunities for truck drivers, scientists, and those who are in the workforce today and tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, we committed to the words of the Conservative motion. I would have thought that might be enough for one day for the member. We are working very hard. We have just come back from a mission in the region to determine how many and from where and over what time period we will be welcoming more Yazidis to Canada. We have committed to do this and it will be done.

Mr. Speaker, last weekend, the Minister of Finance told Canadians that they would have to get used to job churn. He said that a few days after the Bank of Canada downgraded its economic outlook for our country.Job churn is a reality for many Canadians. They deserve a government that shows leadership, not one that tells them to “get used to it”. That is unacceptable.Will the minister do something about the increasing prevalence of precarious work for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is working with the proponent, with indigenous peoples, and stakeholders with respect to this project.We expect the province will meet its responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of Canadians. We are encouraged that Premier Ball will be meeting with local indigenous peoples. Our government will continue to make our scientific expertise available to inform discussions between Newfoundland and Labrador and indigenous governments related to the Lower Churchill project.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised a sunny approach to our public service, but these workers have been waiting for more than two years for a contract. Respect for public workers is more than a slogan; the government has to show up. But so far the Liberals have come to the bargaining table with the same old Conservative agenda. Will the government come to the table with the Conservative playbook, or will they finally show respect for our public sector workers?

Mr. Speaker, this is 2016, and with the return of the Liberal scandals and culture it seems like we are watching one of the old Godfather movies.Do all Liberal ministers provide access to the highest bidder?How can the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister reassure the House that they comply with the code of ethics in terms of real or perceived conflicts of interest?

Mr. Speaker, according to the member's logic, he would want a minister from Atlantic Canada being responsible for Atlantic Canada. How did that work out for the members opposite? How many seats did they win in the last election campaign?Do members know why? People are sick and tired of these partisan games of pitting one region against the other. We are investing in Atlantic Canada, we are investing post-secondary institutions, we are investing in businesses, communities, and people. We are proud of our agenda. It is an honour for me to work with outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada.

Mr. Speaker, the free trade agreement with Europe is important to Quebec. Our role is to be the bridge between North America and Europe. However, the government's intransigence is standing in the way. Now the Walloons are worried about ceratin provisions of the agreement that could allow multinationals to impede the sovereignty of states. Those fears warrant further attention.Instead of slamming the door, could the Minister of International Trade not remain open and continue the negotiations until a deal can be reached?

Mr. Speaker, as members know, earlier this year, this government put in place new appointment measures that were open and transparent in order to choose the best qualified people to serve in public office holder positions.All government appointees must follow ethical and political activity guidelines for public office holders, as well as the Conflict of Interest Act. We expect all of our appointees to do this.I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Spatz for his service to the Halifax Port Authority.

Mr. Speaker, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call to action has provided Canadians with a renewed path for reconciliation with indigenous people. A whole of government approach is being coordinated to collaborate and track all of those calls to action and implementation.We want to ensure that we do the right thing as the government to support victims of residential schools. That is why we have continued to make this a priority, and we will continue to do so going forward.

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that for the last 10 years we had a Conservative government that pitted one region against another, one Canadian against another. Now we have a government that believes not only in ACOA but in all the regional development agencies. We have elevated the importance of economic development as part of our overall economic growth agenda. It is about investing in our businesses, our communities, and our people. That is at the core of our economic development agenda.I would like to thank the member for Cardigan for his kind remarks. It is an honour and privilege to serve with 32 members of Parliament from Atlantic Canada.

Mr. Speaker, with a non-answer like that, the minister and the government may come to figure out that their jobs are precarious too. Millennials in Canada are facing a precarious future. Today, I would like to invite the Minister of Finance and the minister for youth, the Prime Minister, to a national forum that we are hosting on the rise of precarious work in the millennial generation this Wednesday on Parliament Hill. Young Canadians expect more from their national leaders when it comes to dealing with the insecurity they face. Therefore, today I ask the Minister of Finance if he will step up and show leadership to fight against the rise in precarious work for young and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our government is sympathetic to the thalidomide survivors and is committed to offering support to help them live the rest of their lives with dignity.There is no definitive medical test for thalidomide, so an objective review process has been used to assess individuals to determine who is eligible for financial support based on this process. I am pleased to announce that 25 more individuals have been added to the thalidomide survivors' program. That brings the total number of individuals to 122. This demonstrates that the current review process is working. Additional new survivors may still be identified as some of the applications continue under review.

Mr. Speaker, the deal was gift-wrapped and left on the doorstep for the Liberals to carry in. The trade minister, at the beginning of her mandate, said, “It’s not my job to persuade anybody that TPP is good”. I guess the same now goes for CETA, as the world witnessed last Friday Canada's trade minister's meltdown as she was throwing in the towel and fleeing the scene of important implementation talks with the EU. The deal was done and signed in principle, but her Liberal need to placate every opponent of free trade across Europe has caused this mess. If she cannot get a deal with Wallonia, what makes her think she is up to the job of getting a deal with China?

Mr. Speaker, Jim Spatz was appointed to the Halifax Port Authority on the recommendation of his good buddy, the President of the Treasury Board.On October 13, Mr. Spatz attended a $1,500 a ticket cash for access fundraiser. The Prime Minister's open and accountable government document says that public office holders, like Mr. Spatz, must not participate in political activity that is or is seen to be incompatible with their duties. Mr. Spatz has clearly violated the Prime Minister's ethics rules.When will the Prime Minister start acting like a leader and enforcing his own rules?

Mr. Speaker, we have immense respect for our professional public service in Canada. In fact, we have reversed much of the regressive Conservative measures and legislation against labour, including against our public service. We are negotiating in good faith at the bargaining table and we will continue to do so. Unlike the Conservatives, we are not going to negotiate on the floor of the House of Commons or through the media. We will negotiate in good faith at the bargaining table with our public service.

Mr. Speaker, while severe concerns are being raised about mercury poisoning from the Muskrat Falls dam, the response from the member for St. John's East was, not to worry, just eat less fish.The answer is shameful and goes against the Prime Minister's own commitment to indigenous peoples.The Nunatsiavut government is asking that the project be delayed until these issues are addressed. Is the government prepared to listen? Does the government propose to uphold its constitutional duty to the Inuit of Labrador?

Mr. Speaker, now that we know that the Minister of Finance is participating in partisan fundraising events that cost $1,500 per person, we believe that safeguards to protect personal donations and group donations are becoming hazy for Canadians. The safety line around ministerial conflicts of interest appears to be very thin.Does the minister have any reassurances to offer the House on this matter?

Mr. Speaker, I will never play games when it comes to health. Health is a very important issue to Canadians.When I met with my counterparts last week, we talked about how to improve the health care system. We are interested in investing in health, but health investments need to go directly to health.

Mr. Speaker, that is a good question because I know that it is very important to have an investment program in our country.We decided that it is very important to make investments in the future in order to get growth levels higher than they have been in the past few decades. That is precisely the goal of our program. Thanks to our investments in infrastructure and in the future of our country, we are going to ensure that our children and grandchildren are better off.

Mr. Speaker, last week, our millionaire Minister of Finance was speaking to an elite group of wealthy Liberals. But his message was for truckers. “Your services are no longer required”, he told them. He said that these quarter of a million hard-working Canadians will soon be out of a job. Trucking is not glamourous like inheriting a fortune from dad, but it is honest work, and it delivers the goods to Canadians. It will also be among the hardest hit by new Liberal gas taxes and payroll taxes. Why is the current elitist Liberal government driving truckers out of work?

Mr. Speaker, Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada were silent when the Prime Minister threatened Atlantic representation on the Supreme Court and said nothing when he appointed an MP from greater Toronto to represent Atlantic Canada at the cabinet table for ACOA. Now the agriculture minister has told us why. He says that Atlantic Canada is better served by having a central Canadian at the cabinet table. Does the Prime Minister share the opinion that of the 32 Liberal Atlantic MPs, not one of them is qualified to serve as minister for ACOA?

Mr. Speaker, those are some excellent central Canadian talking points.The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has said that a minister from central Canada can best look out for Atlantic Canada's economic development agency at the cabinet table, not someone from Kings—Hants, not someone from Beauséjour, not someone from Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, and certainly not some from Cardigan, someone away from greater Toronto.When will these silent Liberals stand up to the central Canadian PMO, stand up for the region, and start speaking for Atlantic Canada?

Mr. Speaker, in this case it is easy to make priorities. We should be bringing Yazidi women here. What Nadia Murad wants to hear before she leaves Canada is a clear commitment on numbers and how many people the minister will bring here. Germany brought over 1,000 sex slaves survivors to their country. Can the minister commit to her and to her people a specific number within the four-month period of how many Yazidi survivors will come to Canada under the government's protection?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate being able to speak to the new appointments process for superior court justices across the country. We certainly recognize and respect law enforcement officers for the work they do. The purpose of the new judicial advisory committee is to open up the process to be more public and more transparent and to ensure that we are making a concerted effort to ensure that there is diversity on the bench so Canadians can see themselves in terms of the judges they see.

Mr. Speaker, the pay issues with respect to the RCMP are important. This is an iconic police force. We want them to serve Canadians with professionalism and distinction and we will take their requests fully into consideration as the government makes its decisions with respect to future salary arrangements.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear this development. I am pleased to hear that the pleas of Nadia Murad and the women who are being raped at the hands of ISIS are finally being taken into consideration by the government that has wasted time in bringing them here.Words are one thing, but how many people, how many Yazidis, will the government bring to Canada and how quickly will it do it?

Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, I am very concerned about allegations that wealthy Canadian taxpayers avoid paying their fair share of taxes, particularly in the real estate sector.Can the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what this government has been doing to prevent tax avoidance in connection with real estate transactions?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to address this House on this very important issue. We know that the long-term stability of the housing market is of critical importance to all Canadians. To those Canadians who are struggling to buy a house, those Canadians who have a house, they want to know that this investment is sound for the long term.We took measures that we know will help ensure that over the long term, people's most important investment is stable and secure. That is better for our economy, better for Canadians, and that is better for those people who want to buy a house for their family.

Mr. Speaker, we unreservedly condemn the atrocities committed against the Yazidi people. We have already made a significant commitment of $1.1 billion to the conflict in Syria and Iraq. Of that, $150 million has already been allocated to Iraq and $63 million have been disbursed to helping these people.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her question because this is an important issue.We are in the process of analyzing the report. The Government of Canada expects that all Canadian companies operate fully within the law and in accordance with Canadian values. However, we recognize that there is always room for improvement. I met with the CSR counsellor to determine how we can reinforce his role. I continue to meet with Canadian mining companies to determine how we can improve our—

Mr. Speaker, we negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for the middle class. The provinces, including Quebec, support this agreement.Last week, the German Vice Chancellor, a social democrat, said, quote, that it provides us with a great opportunity to set fair and good rules for progressive globalization.Manuel Valls, France's socialist prime minister, said, “It is a good agreement, an exemplary one”.Is there any agreement the NDP would support?

Mr. Speaker, I am certainly pleased to serve in a cabinet that works for every region in the country. Without a doubt, it is an asset to serve in a cabinet that works for every region. They help me and I help them.My chief of staff is an outstanding member of her community, a successful lawyer and businesswoman, and has been named the citizen of the year in her community. She has deep commitment to Canadian agriculture and Canadian service.I am fortunate to have her. So is Canadian agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to indicate that not only have we formed a youth expert panel, but we have invested in skills and training to the tune of $175 million to each and every province and territory in Canada. We have provided more money for the Canada job fund. We have increased innovation. We have built a STEM sector, and continue to do so. We are investing in WIL training, work-integrated learning. We are working with Canadians to make a successful future for all of us.

Mr. Speaker, I disagree with my colleague. Our government understands the importance of the aerospace industry. That is why we made a commitment to Bombardier. I am very confident that we can find the right solution for Bombardier, the aerospace industry, and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his commitment on this issue. We have already welcomed more than 30,000 Syrian refugees and it has always been our intent to welcome additional Yazidis as well. I know there is no one more in favour of welcoming Yazidis than the members on this side of the House. So it is my pleasure to say that I will be recommending that Liberals vote in favour of the opposition motion.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to remind the House that not only—

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to remind the House that not only—

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his commitment on this issue. We have already welcomed more than 30,000 Syrian refugees and it has always been our intent to welcome additional Yazidis as well. I know there is no one more in favour of welcoming Yazidis than the members on this side of the House. So it is my pleasure to say that I will be recommending that Liberals vote in favour of the opposition motion.

Mr. Speaker, I disagree with my colleague. Our government understands the importance of the aerospace industry. That is why we made a commitment to Bombardier. I am very confident that we can find the right solution for Bombardier, the aerospace industry, and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to indicate that not only have we formed a youth expert panel, but we have invested in skills and training to the tune of $175 million to each and every province and territory in Canada. We have provided more money for the Canada job fund. We have increased innovation. We have built a STEM sector, and continue to do so. We are investing in WIL training, work-integrated learning. We are working with Canadians to make a successful future for all of us.

Mr. Speaker, I am certainly pleased to serve in a cabinet that works for every region in the country. Without a doubt, it is an asset to serve in a cabinet that works for every region. They help me and I help them.My chief of staff is an outstanding member of her community, a successful lawyer and businesswoman, and has been named the citizen of the year in her community. She has deep commitment to Canadian agriculture and Canadian service.I am fortunate to have her. So is Canadian agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, we negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for the middle class. The provinces, including Quebec, support this agreement.Last week, the German Vice Chancellor, a social democrat, said, quote, that it provides us with a great opportunity to set fair and good rules for progressive globalization.Manuel Valls, France's socialist prime minister, said, “It is a good agreement, an exemplary one”.Is there any agreement the NDP would support?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her question because this is an important issue.We are in the process of analyzing the report. The Government of Canada expects that all Canadian companies operate fully within the law and in accordance with Canadian values. However, we recognize that there is always room for improvement. I met with the CSR counsellor to determine how we can reinforce his role. I continue to meet with Canadian mining companies to determine how we can improve our—

Mr. Speaker, we unreservedly condemn the atrocities committed against the Yazidi people. We have already made a significant commitment of $1.1 billion to the conflict in Syria and Iraq. Of that, $150 million has already been allocated to Iraq and $63 million have been disbursed to helping these people.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to address this House on this very important issue. We know that the long-term stability of the housing market is of critical importance to all Canadians. To those Canadians who are struggling to buy a house, those Canadians who have a house, they want to know that this investment is sound for the long term.We took measures that we know will help ensure that over the long term, people's most important investment is stable and secure. That is better for our economy, better for Canadians, and that is better for those people who want to buy a house for their family.

Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, I am very concerned about allegations that wealthy Canadian taxpayers avoid paying their fair share of taxes, particularly in the real estate sector.Can the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what this government has been doing to prevent tax avoidance in connection with real estate transactions?

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear this development. I am pleased to hear that the pleas of Nadia Murad and the women who are being raped at the hands of ISIS are finally being taken into consideration by the government that has wasted time in bringing them here.Words are one thing, but how many people, how many Yazidis, will the government bring to Canada and how quickly will it do it?

Mr. Speaker, the pay issues with respect to the RCMP are important. This is an iconic police force. We want them to serve Canadians with professionalism and distinction and we will take their requests fully into consideration as the government makes its decisions with respect to future salary arrangements.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate being able to speak to the new appointments process for superior court justices across the country. We certainly recognize and respect law enforcement officers for the work they do. The purpose of the new judicial advisory committee is to open up the process to be more public and more transparent and to ensure that we are making a concerted effort to ensure that there is diversity on the bench so Canadians can see themselves in terms of the judges they see.

Mr. Speaker, in this case it is easy to make priorities. We should be bringing Yazidi women here. What Nadia Murad wants to hear before she leaves Canada is a clear commitment on numbers and how many people the minister will bring here. Germany brought over 1,000 sex slaves survivors to their country. Can the minister commit to her and to her people a specific number within the four-month period of how many Yazidi survivors will come to Canada under the government's protection?

Mr. Speaker, those are some excellent central Canadian talking points.The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has said that a minister from central Canada can best look out for Atlantic Canada's economic development agency at the cabinet table, not someone from Kings—Hants, not someone from Beauséjour, not someone from Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, and certainly not some from Cardigan, someone away from greater Toronto.When will these silent Liberals stand up to the central Canadian PMO, stand up for the region, and start speaking for Atlantic Canada?

Mr. Speaker, Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada were silent when the Prime Minister threatened Atlantic representation on the Supreme Court and said nothing when he appointed an MP from greater Toronto to represent Atlantic Canada at the cabinet table for ACOA. Now the agriculture minister has told us why. He says that Atlantic Canada is better served by having a central Canadian at the cabinet table. Does the Prime Minister share the opinion that of the 32 Liberal Atlantic MPs, not one of them is qualified to serve as minister for ACOA?

Mr. Speaker, last week, our millionaire Minister of Finance was speaking to an elite group of wealthy Liberals. But his message was for truckers. “Your services are no longer required”, he told them. He said that these quarter of a million hard-working Canadians will soon be out of a job. Trucking is not glamourous like inheriting a fortune from dad, but it is honest work, and it delivers the goods to Canadians. It will also be among the hardest hit by new Liberal gas taxes and payroll taxes. Why is the current elitist Liberal government driving truckers out of work?

Mr. Speaker, that is a good question because I know that it is very important to have an investment program in our country.We decided that it is very important to make investments in the future in order to get growth levels higher than they have been in the past few decades. That is precisely the goal of our program. Thanks to our investments in infrastructure and in the future of our country, we are going to ensure that our children and grandchildren are better off.

Mr. Speaker, I will never play games when it comes to health. Health is a very important issue to Canadians.When I met with my counterparts last week, we talked about how to improve the health care system. We are interested in investing in health, but health investments need to go directly to health.

Mr. Speaker, while severe concerns are being raised about mercury poisoning from the Muskrat Falls dam, the response from the member for St. John's East was, not to worry, just eat less fish.The answer is shameful and goes against the Prime Minister's own commitment to indigenous peoples.The Nunatsiavut government is asking that the project be delayed until these issues are addressed. Is the government prepared to listen? Does the government propose to uphold its constitutional duty to the Inuit of Labrador?

Mr. Speaker, now that we know that the Minister of Finance is participating in partisan fundraising events that cost $1,500 per person, we believe that safeguards to protect personal donations and group donations are becoming hazy for Canadians. The safety line around ministerial conflicts of interest appears to be very thin.Does the minister have any reassurances to offer the House on this matter?

Mr. Speaker, we have immense respect for our professional public service in Canada. In fact, we have reversed much of the regressive Conservative measures and legislation against labour, including against our public service. We are negotiating in good faith at the bargaining table and we will continue to do so. Unlike the Conservatives, we are not going to negotiate on the floor of the House of Commons or through the media. We will negotiate in good faith at the bargaining table with our public service.

Mr. Speaker, Jim Spatz was appointed to the Halifax Port Authority on the recommendation of his good buddy, the President of the Treasury Board.On October 13, Mr. Spatz attended a $1,500 a ticket cash for access fundraiser. The Prime Minister's open and accountable government document says that public office holders, like Mr. Spatz, must not participate in political activity that is or is seen to be incompatible with their duties. Mr. Spatz has clearly violated the Prime Minister's ethics rules.When will the Prime Minister start acting like a leader and enforcing his own rules?

Mr. Speaker, the deal was gift-wrapped and left on the doorstep for the Liberals to carry in. The trade minister, at the beginning of her mandate, said, “It’s not my job to persuade anybody that TPP is good”. I guess the same now goes for CETA, as the world witnessed last Friday Canada's trade minister's meltdown as she was throwing in the towel and fleeing the scene of important implementation talks with the EU. The deal was done and signed in principle, but her Liberal need to placate every opponent of free trade across Europe has caused this mess. If she cannot get a deal with Wallonia, what makes her think she is up to the job of getting a deal with China?

Mr. Speaker, our government is sympathetic to the thalidomide survivors and is committed to offering support to help them live the rest of their lives with dignity.There is no definitive medical test for thalidomide, so an objective review process has been used to assess individuals to determine who is eligible for financial support based on this process. I am pleased to announce that 25 more individuals have been added to the thalidomide survivors' program. That brings the total number of individuals to 122. This demonstrates that the current review process is working. Additional new survivors may still be identified as some of the applications continue under review.

Mr. Speaker, with a non-answer like that, the minister and the government may come to figure out that their jobs are precarious too. Millennials in Canada are facing a precarious future. Today, I would like to invite the Minister of Finance and the minister for youth, the Prime Minister, to a national forum that we are hosting on the rise of precarious work in the millennial generation this Wednesday on Parliament Hill. Young Canadians expect more from their national leaders when it comes to dealing with the insecurity they face. Therefore, today I ask the Minister of Finance if he will step up and show leadership to fight against the rise in precarious work for young and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call to action has provided Canadians with a renewed path for reconciliation with indigenous people. A whole of government approach is being coordinated to collaborate and track all of those calls to action and implementation.We want to ensure that we do the right thing as the government to support victims of residential schools. That is why we have continued to make this a priority, and we will continue to do so going forward.

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that for the last 10 years we had a Conservative government that pitted one region against another, one Canadian against another. Now we have a government that believes not only in ACOA but in all the regional development agencies. We have elevated the importance of economic development as part of our overall economic growth agenda. It is about investing in our businesses, our communities, and our people. That is at the core of our economic development agenda.I would like to thank the member for Cardigan for his kind remarks. It is an honour and privilege to serve with 32 members of Parliament from Atlantic Canada.

Mr. Speaker, as members know, earlier this year, this government put in place new appointment measures that were open and transparent in order to choose the best qualified people to serve in public office holder positions.All government appointees must follow ethical and political activity guidelines for public office holders, as well as the Conflict of Interest Act. We expect all of our appointees to do this.I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Spatz for his service to the Halifax Port Authority.

Mr. Speaker, the free trade agreement with Europe is important to Quebec. Our role is to be the bridge between North America and Europe. However, the government's intransigence is standing in the way. Now the Walloons are worried about ceratin provisions of the agreement that could allow multinationals to impede the sovereignty of states. Those fears warrant further attention.Instead of slamming the door, could the Minister of International Trade not remain open and continue the negotiations until a deal can be reached?

Mr. Speaker, according to the member's logic, he would want a minister from Atlantic Canada being responsible for Atlantic Canada. How did that work out for the members opposite? How many seats did they win in the last election campaign?Do members know why? People are sick and tired of these partisan games of pitting one region against the other. We are investing in Atlantic Canada, we are investing post-secondary institutions, we are investing in businesses, communities, and people. We are proud of our agenda. It is an honour for me to work with outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada.

Mr. Speaker, this is 2016, and with the return of the Liberal scandals and culture it seems like we are watching one of the old Godfather movies.Do all Liberal ministers provide access to the highest bidder?How can the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister reassure the House that they comply with the code of ethics in terms of real or perceived conflicts of interest?

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is working with the proponent, with indigenous peoples, and stakeholders with respect to this project.We expect the province will meet its responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of Canadians. We are encouraged that Premier Ball will be meeting with local indigenous peoples. Our government will continue to make our scientific expertise available to inform discussions between Newfoundland and Labrador and indigenous governments related to the Lower Churchill project.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised a sunny approach to our public service, but these workers have been waiting for more than two years for a contract. Respect for public workers is more than a slogan; the government has to show up. But so far the Liberals have come to the bargaining table with the same old Conservative agenda. Will the government come to the table with the Conservative playbook, or will they finally show respect for our public sector workers?

Mr. Speaker, last weekend, the Minister of Finance told Canadians that they would have to get used to job churn. He said that a few days after the Bank of Canada downgraded its economic outlook for our country.Job churn is a reality for many Canadians. They deserve a government that shows leadership, not one that tells them to “get used to it”. That is unacceptable.Will the minister do something about the increasing prevalence of precarious work for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, we committed to the words of the Conservative motion. I would have thought that might be enough for one day for the member. We are working very hard. We have just come back from a mission in the region to determine how many and from where and over what time period we will be welcoming more Yazidis to Canada. We have committed to do this and it will be done.

Mr. Speaker, I want to clear the record. This is a government that is investing in infrastructure, investing in training, and investing in job creation. This is from coast to coast to coast, providing opportunities for truck drivers, scientists, and those who are in the workforce today and tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, the government is simply incapable of signing major trade deals. The former government was off to a good start, and that effort would have resulted in a signed deal. We are now moving backwards.Since the Minister of International Trade seems to have thrown in the towel, will the Prime Minister pack his bags, go and meet with the leaders of the European Community, and sign this historic agreement for the future and the welfare of all provinces of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Immigration tried to excuse the Liberals' refusal to rescue Yazidi refugees in Iraq by saying that his officials could not get to them because of the battle to liberate Mosul. We hope that many Yazidi prisoners will escape as ISIS retreats. There are already thousands of Yazidi women and girls in the relative, if inadequate, safety of western Iraq.Words are not enough. When will the Liberals fulfill Canada's genocide convention obligations and act?

Mr. Speaker, Liberals will be voting in favour of the motion and it is my hope that this will no longer be a partisan issue given the gravity of the situation. It is my hope that the House will vote unanimously in favour of bringing Yazidis to Canada. We are looking into all of the options. We will do so as quickly as possible. We agree with the Conservative Party that this is a matter of high priority and we are working on it as we speak.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for all of his hard work on the agricultural file.Our government has invested nearly $70 million in agriculture research and infrastructure, gaining access to key markets around the world, a record $60 billion in exports, and given $27 million to help farmers reduce greenhouse gases.We will continue to work with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and our stakeholders to make sure that Canadian agriculture thrives in this country.

Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of spending and no jobs as a result.The Canada–EU trade agreement is the most important agreement negotiated since NAFTA. The benefits to workers, families, and businesses in every region of the country would be enormous. However, the trade minister has failed to secure these benefits for Canadians, and the Prime Minister is too busy hosting Liberal fundraisers with his millionaire friends to even notice.When will the Prime Minister start doing the jobs that Canadians expect, take the trade deal seriously, and personally get involved in sealing this deal?

Mr. Speaker, it is not just truckers that the millionaire minister finds obsolete. He told the same elite group of wealthy Liberals that workers across Canada will become human ping-pong balls, bouncing from one unstable job to another. The solution is staring him right in the face. Scotiabank revealed last week that the vast majority of job growth is actually coming from businesses with fewer than 100 employees. Why will the finance minister not get off the backs of these job creators and restore Conservative tax cuts for small businesses, so that they can continue to create jobs for hard-working Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before, and perhaps the member will be listening this time, all appointees to the government must follow, very clearly, ethical and political activities guidelines, as well as the Conflict of Interest law.We expect all of our public appointees to follow these laws. They are in schedule E to the letters patent of the Halifax Port Authority. I would like to take this opportunity, once again, to thank Mr. Spatz for his service to the Halifax Port Authority.

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. In contrast with the previous government, we negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for middle-class Canadians. Walking out on Friday was tough, and it was absolutely necessary. In fact, the member for Abbotsford's own former director of communications said, “For Canada, leaving the table at this stage is the right move because it's up to the EU to negotiate within and come back to Canada with a proposed solution.” We remain committed to signing when the EU is ready.

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. In fact, even the minister-president of Wallonia, Paul Magnette, recognizes that. He said, “Amongst Europeans, discussions were very difficult. That's perhaps the unfortunate paradox in this story. With Canada, things are simpler. We are close to the Canadians. I'm very happy that the part with Canada was concluded and thus the discussions we had together were very useful”. We have done our job. It is up to Europe now.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Châteauguay—Lacolle for her question. Canadians engaging in tax avoidance is unacceptable. Our government has redoubled its efforts to stop them. Over the past year, the Canada Revenue Agency has conducted real estate audits in British Columbia and Ontario and collected $240 million in unpaid taxes and over $12 million in penalties.I can also report that the agency stepped up its efforts in the Vancouver area. We now have 70 auditors looking into real estate transactions in British Columbia and Ontario.Our government is working hard to defend the interests of middle-class Canadians—

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to indicate to the House that it is modern changes because of technology changes, and extremely rapidly, that will make it a new world of work. To address that concern, our government has announced the expert panel on youth employment and made massive investments on skills and training for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the open and accountable government document means absolutely nothing. We are not talking about the Elections Canada rules.I am asking about the rules that the Prime Minister instructed his ministers and himself to abide by. When the Minister of Finance accepted $1,500 from Mr. Spatz, a public office holder, he clearly breached the Prime Minister's instructions. Who is enforcing these rules? Or, is it just another case of the Liberals saying one thing and doing the other?

Mr. Speaker, the ongoing public service pay problems are completely unacceptable. Many employees across the public service are facing financial hardship because of the current pay issues.Department employees are working tirelessly to meet the deadline, but we are tracking behind our project's schedule. Resolving these cases is our priority.

Mr. Speaker, many thousands of Yazidis in Iraq, particularly women and girls, are not recognized by the United Nations as refugees. As internally displaced persons, they are stuck in a terrible limbo, enduring discrimination and segregation in Muslim-run UN camps.German Chancellor Merkel has called for coalition forces to create a safe zone for Yazidis. What about Canada? When will the Liberals address Canada's genocide convention obligations and actually act?

Mr. Speaker, I want to point out to the House, and to all Canadians, that this is a government that is investing in skills development and helping small businesses, the foundation of job creation, by providing breaks on employment insurance rates, which drop from $183 to $163, a significant change in the premiums which will help every single SME in the country.

Mr. Speaker, when this government was elected just a year ago, it promised to run a deficit of no more than $10 billion, saying that this would stimulate the economy and economic growth.A year later, the deficit is not $10 billion, but rather $30 billion, or even worse, and economic growth does not seem to be taking hold, what with the parliamentary budget officer today and the Bank of Canada earlier this week downgrading economic growth.What does the Minister of Finance plan to do to regain control of public finances and to generate the economic growth that Canada needs?

Mr. Speaker, Canada had done its job up until October 19, 2015. Now the Minister of International Trade has turned her back on not just the EU, but have given up on Canadian jobs when she walked out last Friday. She has failed to deliver now on two vitally important agreements, softwood lumber and now CETA.Since the Minister of International Trade is incapable or unwilling to do her job and ratify this vital trade deal, will the Prime Minister grab some adult supervision, get on a plane, and go back over to Brussels and get this job done?

Mr. Speaker, Wallonia is not alone in its concern. The region is defending the interests of millions of people who are concerned about the consequences of the investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms. The Liberals would have heard the same concerns from Canadians had they held the consultations they promised. Canadians want the agreement to take their interests into account. Will the minister put Canadians' interests ahead of the Prime Minister's media calendar and improve the agreement?

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 2016 Canadian harvest and the farmers who produce it, would the minister inform the House what steps our government is taking to invest in agriculture across this country, from coast to coast to coast?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. We negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for middle-class Canadians. It was a hard but necessary task.The former communications director of the member for Abbotsford said, “For Canada, leaving the table at this stage is the right move because it's up to the EU to negotiate within and come back to Canada with a proposed solution”. We remain committed to signing—

Mr. Speaker, a report published today entitled The “Canada Brand” documents dozens of murders and hundreds of attacks against opponents of Canadian mining projects in Latin America.The NDP has been talking about this for a long time. We need a massive reform of the corporate social responsibility strategy to ensure that no Canadian business is involved in such abuses.Is the government prepared to make the necessary changes to this strategy, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, I know that all members of the House share my grave concern for the Yazidi people and the genocide being committed against them by Daesh in Syria and Iraq. Men, women, and children are being murdered, raped, and enslaved. An entire people is being destroyed. The victims of these atrocities need our help. Would the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship please update the House on the action he is taking to provide asylum to the victims of the atrocities, including genocide, being perpetrated by Daesh against Yazidis and other peoples in Syria and Iraq?

Mr. Speaker, the deal had stalled under the previous government and we got it back on track. It is now supported by 27.5 of the 28 member states of Europe. As the President of the European Parliament said, “...it's quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”. Canada has done its job, and now it is up to Europe to do its part.

Mr. Speaker, we certainly did not waste time when we brought 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada in the space of four months. The hon. member should know it is not easy to bring the Yazidis here from the places where they are, but my department has sent an expedition out to the terrain and we are committed to bring them in within, as the motion says, 120 days or less.

Mr. Speaker, the only thing that the Conservatives delivered was 10 years of slow growth and cynicism about politics in Canada. They did not deliver CETA. CETA was stalled when we formed government. We got it back on track. We got the deal through the legal scrub. It is now supported by twenty-seven and a half out of Europe's 28-member states. As the president of the European parliament said, “it's quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”. Canada has done its job. Europe has to do its job now.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that we have signed the TPP.As for CETA, that deal was stalled under the previous government, and we got it back on track. It is now supported by 27 and a half out of Europe's 28-member states. The President of the European Parliament said that it was “Quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”Canada has done its job. It is now up to the EU.

Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that Bombardier will be cutting 2,000 Canadian jobs, including 1,500 in Quebec alone. That is a huge blow to our economy.For the past 10 months, this government has been saying that it supports Bombardier, but what has it put on the table? Nothing. What do workers want? They want to keep their jobs.Will the 40 Liberal members from Quebec get off their butts? Will they go and see the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and get him to finally unveil his plan for Bombardier?

Mr. Speaker, the Wenjack and Downie families have shown Canadians what true reconciliation looks like, and the Prime Minister promised solemnly to stop fighting residential school survivors in court. However, the Minister of Justice is in court fighting against a ruling in favour of a childhood rape victim at the Spanish residential school. This week she filed documents actually stating that her lawyers did nothing wrong when they misrepresented evidence regarding a notorious pedophile and had the case thrown out.Will she explain why she is breaking the Prime Minister's vow and why she is fighting these survivors in court?

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to RCMP members, the Liberal government has been taking the Conservative approach as well. The men and women of the RCMP put themselves on the line every day for Canadians, but on average they are making 11% less than their counterparts across the country. That is why back in 2015, the RCMP commissioner submitted a request for an RCMP pay raise to the Treasury Board Secretariat for approval. It has now been over a year since the Liberals were elected and RCMP members are still waiting for action on that raise.To the President of the Treasury Board, why are RCMP members still waiting for the respect and pay they deserve?

Mr. Speaker, the only thing the Conservatives gift-wrapped for us was a decade of slow growth and cynicism. CETA was stalled under the previous government. It is our progressive changes to the investment chapter that got this agreement back on track. Our hard work with many member states, including France, Germany, Italy, and Austria, has produced results. Now 27 and a half of the 28 EU countries support this agreement. However, as the Europeans themselves admit, the ball is now in their court.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals invest in health once they have calculated how much they stand to gain politically. According to the Minister of Health, the only thing the Minister of Finance wants to know is how much can be gained politically by the health transfers. It is so cynical it feels like an episode of House of Cards.Does the Minister of Finance realize that his little political calculations could jeopardize the health of those who are ill in Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, last week, we watched the Minister of International Trade leave the negotiating table for the economic agreement with Europe. She threw up her hands in despair and abandoned the negotiations. The government is unable to sign major trade agreements such as the trans-Pacific partnership and the softwood lumber agreement. This is Canada's largest trade deal since NAFTA. Will the Prime Minister ensure that Canada signs the agreement with Europe before it is too late?

Mr. Speaker, last week, we watched the Minister of International Trade throw her hands up in despair and leave the negotiating table of the economic agreement with Europe. It is the same government that has been unable to sign major trade agreements like the softwood lumber agreement and the TPP. Will the Prime Minister sign Canada's largest trade deal since NAFTA before it is too late?

Mr. Speaker, the minister's attempt to bully Europe into submission on CETA is not working, and it is unbecoming. Wallonia is not caving into the pressure, and the fact is that millions of Europeans and Canadians share concerns with the agreement and its potential impact on drug prices, dairy producers, and environmental regulations.This delay is an opportunity to improve the deal. Will the government drop the manufactured deadlines and sit down at the table to fix the problems with this deal?

Mr. Speaker, there are rules and we follow them. We follow the same rules as all members of the House. These rules were instituted by the previous government. If they worked for them when they were in government, why would they not work now?

Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with my counterparts and I reiterated our commitment to providing stable, predictable funding for health care.Canadians expect us to work together to improve our health care system. They also expect health investments to truly go to health.We will continue to collaborate on building a system that meets the needs of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our government has delivered for Canadians on trade time after time. I cannot say the same for the previous government, however. The only thing the Conservatives delivered when it came to Europe were $100,000 parties, paid for by taxpayers, celebrating a deal that was not even done. CETA was stalled under the previous government, but our progressive changes to the investment chapter got it back on track. Our government has worked hard. We have done our job. Now it is up to Europe.

Mr. Speaker, all members and all parties engage in fundraising. We all have to follow the same rules. Those rules were put in place by the previous government.I would remind my colleagues that on July 9, 2016, about three months ago, the House Leader of the Official Opposition joined the previous prime minister, Stephen Harper, at a barbecue fundraiser in Calgary that cost $2,000 per table.

Mr. Speaker, three weeks ago, without consulting anyone, the Minister of Finance announced, or rather, imposed, new mortgage lending rules.Today the Hill Times reported that Liberal members are not happy about it. I am not sure who would be prepared to admit it publicly. We know that the member for Surrey Centre is not happy. Well done, sir. Other members spoke anonymously and said:“These are major changes affecting...Canadians overall, and no consultation. I don't know what to say.”What does the minister have to say to this member, who does not know what to say?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services told us in committee last month that the backlog of 82,000 government employees affected by the Liberal Phoenix pay fiasco would be cleared by October 31. We are now being told by the minister that they will fail to meet this deadline. It is unacceptable that some employees are waiting months and months to get paid. Why does the minister keep making promises she knows she cannot keep, and when will she call in someone who will actually get the job done?

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives negotiated this comprehensive trade deal which would create much-needed jobs in Canada, but the Liberals are failing to get the ball across the finish line. Is it the Liberals' strategy to actually look weak and inept? If it is, they are actually succeeding at that. Or, do the Liberals secretly not want this deal to succeed? Do they want the deal to fail?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has done its job. We have negotiated a progressive agreement that will create jobs and growth for middle-class Canadians. For Canada, walking away was absolutely necessary. It is up to Europe to solve its problems and come back to Canada with a solution.As for my visible emotion, I do take this deal very personally. I am all in for Canada when I am at the negotiating table. I was disappointed and sad, but also tough and strong. I think those are the qualities that Canadians expect in their minister.

Mr. Speaker, the agriculture minister is silent on another issue as well. His chief of staff is a failed Liberal candidate who owns $140 million worth of egg quota. Canadians shake their heads because the minister has blindly and blatantly ignored this obvious conflict of interest.This week, his chief of staff faces allegations in court of perjury over the purchase of egg quota and egg grading. This is an issue of integrity. When did the minister find out about this court case and why has he not removed her as chief of staff?

Mr. Speaker, it took closed doors for the Minister of Health to be transparent. It seems that Ottawa is refusing to increase health transfers because the Minister of Finance does not see any political advantage to doing so.When it comes to helping the sick, there are no ribbon-cutting ceremonies or Canadian flag cheques in the mail. It does not please the Minister of Finance. That is pretty weak.Can the Minister of Finance get serious and stop holding the sick hostage because they do not score enough political points for his taste?

Mr. Speaker, thalidomide has been causing tremendous harm since the 1960s. The House voted in favour of an NDP motion to compensate all thalidomide survivors. However, many of these survivors are not entitled to the promised compensation because they are being asked to prove the impossible. Even people who have all the symptoms of this terrible condition still do not have access to compensation.Does the government plan to ensure that all thalidomide survivors are compensated?

Mr. Speaker, Canadian police officers work hard and put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect Canadians. That is why they have earned a position at the table on the federal Judicial Advisory Council. Now, the Prime Minister has decided to revoke that membership.Why is the Prime Minister showing such disrespect for the men and women who serve and protect Canadians, and will he reconsider this bad decision?