2016-11-01

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are now saying they have a problem with mandatory sentences for convicted criminals. It is true that, under our Conservative government, people who have brought drugs into this country to sell to our children, people who produce child pornography, and people who molest children would all go to jail. I am proud of that.I would like to know what problem the Liberals have with that now?

Mr. Speaker, all the finance minister has done is load down Canadian taxpayers with more debt and higher taxes. In fact, the Canadian economy is like an increasingly skinny man carrying an increasingly fat government up an increasingly steep hill. When will the finance minister and his tax-and-spend plan get off the backs of hard-working Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, last week, it was the victims' surcharge—the law where, if people attempted to murder someone, they had to pay $200 to victims.Now, this week, the Liberals have a problem with mandatory sentences. Where are they going to start? Are they going to start with the most serious crime? For decades, people who committed premeditated murder got a life sentence, with no chance of parole for 25 years.Is this one of the areas that the Liberals have a problem with? We want to know.

Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Justice says that legislation to roll back mandatory sentences is coming soon, the minister has yet to say which mandatory sentences she has a problem with. Is it the mandatory jail term for selling drugs near a school or for child pornography; is it the mandatory jail term for drive-by shootings; or perhaps it is the mandatory jail term for murder? Can the minister stand in her place and explain just which of these mandatory sentences she has a problem with?

Mr. Speaker, the government said that there would be a little deficit that would create lots of jobs. Instead, we got lots of deficit and no jobs. In fact, there are 6,000 fewer people working today than a year ago when the government took office, 20,000 fewer manufacturing jobs, and the deficit is spiralling out of control. When will the finance minister learn that when one is in a hole, quit digging?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party is up to its old tricks again. Today we have bribery charges against one of Kathleen Wynne's top advisers, and also against an Ontario Liberal bag man who once held a fundraiser for our Prime Minister. Now we have our Liberal Prime Minister and his cabinet refusing to acknowledge their own ethical violations with the cash for access scheme. This is a lesson for the Prime Minister. He can take action immediately and enforce his own ethical standards, or he can end up like Kathleen Wynne. What is he going to do?

Mr. Speaker, those talking points are as old as the Liberal culture of corruption.Liberal ministers continue to put themselves in blatant conflicts of interest by selling access to the big money donors they regulate. This is not a coincidence. This is coordinated corruption with the Prime Minister himself leading the parade.What will it take for the Liberals to finally put an end to this cash for conflict of interest fundraising scheme?

Mr. Speaker, it seems the Prime Minister is importing all of Kathleen Wynne's bad ideas and the insiders who were trained to execute her playbook.For weeks, Canadians have been learning about these tactics and have become increasingly concerned. Today, we have learned that some of these people are being charged with criminal activity. Just minutes ago, Gerry Lougheed, a long-time Liberal supporter and fundraiser for the Prime Minister was charged with one count of bribery.When will the Prime Minister admit that the tactics and people who are around him have failed to live up to any measure of ethical standards?

Mr. Speaker, as I have said to the House, I am looking forward to giving the House an update of our economic situation. I have already given Canadians real hope. We have changed their situation by lowering their taxes. We have improved the lives of nine out of 10 families in this country. In 2017, 40% fewer children will live in poverty in this country than in 2014. These are enormous steps that are starting down the path of prosperity. We are going to amplify our efforts to make a huge impact in the future, with more growth for future generations of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals campaigned on a promise to mitigate the impacts of climate change.Under the Paris agreement, Canada now must submit to the UN its plan on climate action and climate change mitigation. Mitigation experts are calling for urgent action here at home, warning that Canada remains unprepared to respond to increased flooding and extreme weather.Where is the minister's plan to mitigate the impacts of climate change? Will she show her plan to Canadians before taking it to the UN?

Mr. Speaker, is the member really unaware that the Prime Minister put in the finance minister's mandate letter that he has obligations that go beyond the law, or is she now admitting that when the Prime Minister put that in the mandate letter it was a fraud on the Canadian public, because they were not—

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that members of the Canadian Armed Forces were treated in this manner. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation is simply unacceptable. We believe strongly that LGBTQ2 people should be treated like any other Canadian.Our government is engaged, on a wide departmental basis, to address this very important concern.

Mr. Speaker, according to the PBO, Canada has seen a net loss of jobs since the Liberals took office. Kathleen Wynne and the current Prime Minister are now working together to implement a carbon tax that will raise hydro rates and kill even more manufacturing jobs.We know the Prime Minister does not have a plan to create jobs in Canada, but is he purposely trying to create manufacturing jobs in Ohio, New York, and Michigan?

Mr. Speaker, in October, the Prime Minister unilaterally announced a massive carbon tax grab on Canadians. He perversely claimed that Canadians would benefit economically from this new tax, but we recently learned from the assistant deputy minister for environment that an economic impact analysis has never been done and that the Liberals believe such an assessment was premature. Did he say premature? The Prime Minister just hammered Canadians with a punishing carbon tax, and his officials say an impact analysis is premature.When will the Prime Minister finally tell us how badly this carbon tax will hurt Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, big money donors continue to buy private time with Liberal ministers. Many of these donors have financial interests that are regulated by these same ministers. The justice minister took money from lawyers, the finance minister took money from Bay Street bankers, and now we have learned that the natural resource minister has had a little fundraising help from natural resource lobbyists.When will the Liberals finally do the right thing and end this shameful cash for access scheme?

Mr. Speaker, until 1992, thousands of members of the Canadian Armed Forces were dishonourably discharged just because they were members of the LGBTQ community.Last week, a first step was made in committee to have this dishonourable discharge removed from their service records, but we have heard nothing from the government since then.Does the minister understand the consequences of a dishonourable discharge? If so, will he commit to taking immediate action to correct this injustice?

Mr. Speaker, if the minister got projects built as fast as he renovated his office, we would be in really good shape.The Prime Minister's CPP tax hike, his cancelling of the small business tax cut, and his carbon tax will cost families thousands of dollars and make our businesses less competitive. When will the Prime Minister realize his plan has failed and stop making life harder for Canadian families and stop raising their taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the vote this afternoon is to order the government to comply with the Human Rights Tribunal and order the immediate $155-million shortfall to child welfare. The finance minister's advisers said that money must flow, but I am concerned the government is floating the idea that spending more money on first nation children will somehow harm them and the documents they were forced to put in court yesterday directly undermine this vote. After 150 years of broken promises, this is about the credibility of the Prime Minister's words. Will he stand up and vote yes and will he ensure that money flows today, as ordered by Parliament?

Mr. Speaker, rural Albertans recently rejected the urban-centric Liberal agenda. The out of touch edict to close the Vegreville case processing centre, which shocked the town and region, is an example of why they did. This unilateral deliberate removal of rural jobs to a Liberal-held city riding will cause unnecessary pain to families and devastate this rural town. When will the Liberals end their attack on rural Canada? Will the minister stop this edict and save the jobs of these hard-working people?

Mr. Speaker, she should be listening to real Canadians and real job creators. Here is what the Nova Scotia Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters had to say: “With half the [carbon tax] cost being incurred by businesses, this will definitely negatively impact competitiveness and an already fragile economy”.To the Prime Minister, why a harmful carbon tax, why the distain for job creators, and why the betrayal of provinces like Nova Scotia, which already leads Canada with clean electricity?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to borrow billions of dollars and create a lot of jobs. He kept his promise to borrow and spend billions of dollars, but he did not keep his promise to create jobs.The figures speak for themselves. Statistics Canada is not out to please politicians. It delivers scientific results. I imagine that the Minister of Finance will soon tell us that he is going to spend even more money. Because of this government's bad management, the Liberals are saddling future generations, our grandchildren, with massive debt. I would be ashamed of that.What are they going to do about this?

Mr. Speaker, the member is well aware that federal rules are among the most stringent in the country.Our government does not practice favouritism. Its approach is as open and transparent as can be. It is not just following the rules; it is more deeply engaged with Canadians than any other government in history.

Mr. Speaker, today's economic update will confirm that the Prime Minister's plan is failing badly. The Prime Minister claimed that borrowing billions of dollars would get the economy growing and create jobs, but that has not created one new additional full-time job in Canada since he was elected. The average Canadian cannot get ahead. Instead of jobs, all Canadians are getting are higher taxes. What is the Prime Minister going to say to those Canadians who are out of work when they find out he is doubling down on a failed plan?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to talk about the comprehensive criminal justice system review that we are undertaking.Our government supports mandatory minimum penalties for the most serious of offences. However, we are going to conduct a comprehensive review of mandatory minimums, with an eye to ensuring that we inject the necessary discretion, where appropriate, to judges. This is the reason for Bill C-28: to ensure that judges have the ability, with respect to the victims' fine surcharge, to take into account the financial hardships of the individuals who appear before them.

Mr. Speaker, last week, Canadian values was the argument used to justify a loan guarantee somewhere in the neighbourhood of $15 billion.Is unfair competition a Canadian value?Is putting Quebec's interests last a Canadian value?How can the government justify its involvement in an operation designed solely to allow Newfoundland and Labrador to enter into direct competition with Hydro-Québec on foreign markets?

Mr. Speaker, this morning, Jacques Corriveau, a former Liberal Party fundraiser, was found guilty of fraud.Now the Prime Minister and his cabinet refuse to acknowledge that they are breaking their own ethics rules with their fundraising activities.The Prime Minister needs to learn from the past. He can take immediate measures to implement his own ethics rules, or he can turn his party into the same Liberal Party of the sponsorship scandal days.Which will it be?

Mr. Speaker, as I told the member opposite, discrimination in any manner is completely unacceptable. Our diversity in the Canadian Armed Forces is an operational necessity. As I stated, our government is engaged, on a wide departmental basis, to address this very important concern.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' economic plan is not working.Last week, the parliamentary budget officer informed us that no full-time jobs were created in Canada last year. Even worse, the number of jobs created last year was down by 50% compared to the average number of jobs we created in the past five years. We were criticized for having a plan that did not work. It did work. I imagine that the Minister of Finance is going to say the same old things while he spends even more money to get a different result.The Liberals' plan is not working. What are they going to do?

Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, we are working with the provinces and territories to develop our pan-Canadian plan on climate change. The Prime Minister met with the first ministers. They agreed on this plan, which included taking action to adapt to the impacts of climate change. We know that we are seeing flooding across the country. We are seeing forest fires. Prince Edward Island is shrinking by 43 centimetres per year. We know in the north, indigenous peoples are on the front line for the impacts of climate change.We are going to take action. We will be announcing this plan at the first ministers meeting later in the fall.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs has confirmed that she will vote in favour of our motion today, so that is a good thing.At the same time, she also said in an interview yesterday that the $155 million in additional funding that we are asking for and that is needed to address the underfunding of child welfare could actually have “really bad results”.Is the minister truly committed to implementing our motion, or is she supporting it simply to avoid embarrassment?

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get the scope of the damage: 280 jobs, 250 spousal jobs, three local businesses, one-quarter of the students in town. Listen, moving these jobs is like taking 55,000 jobs out of Edmonton. There was no consultation and no cost analysis. Schools will lose students; groups will lose volunteers and donors; small businesses will lose customers, revenue, and owners in town; farm families will be hurt.Will the minister stop this destruction and keep these jobs in rural Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board is sounding the alarm over the government's inaction.No less than 52 TSB recommendations have been on ice for at least 10 years now and the minister, who claims to be an advocate of safety, is dragging his feet just like the previous government did. The same goes for the transportation of dangerous goods. The TSB has made it clear that current safety measures are inadequate.Is the minister waiting for another tragedy before following through on the TSB's recommendations?

Mr. Speaker, Atlantic Canadians have every right to expect some level of representation by the Liberals. Unfortunately, not one of the 32 Atlantic Liberal MPs has stood up against these directives by an increasingly centralized top-down PMO. We learned this week that, of the 14 members of the finance minister's economic advisory council, none of them hail from Atlantic Canada. Will the President of the Treasury Board finally start advocating for Atlantic Canada and demand that the finance minister fix this mess?

Mr. Speaker, since I am a member of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, and since the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie will be participating in the Sommet de la Francophonie in Madagascar in just under a month, can she tell the House what Canada is doing to fight poverty and promote inclusive growth in francophone countries?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be conducting a broad review of the criminal justice system, including sentencing reforms. This broad review will include a comprehensive review of the mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code, with an eye to reform. The purpose of this review is to ensure that all our laws, including mandatory minimums, are effective in meeting their objectives, promoting public security and providing value to Canadians, and to ensure that the laws that we have are in compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Mr. Speaker, I recently took some time to sit down with student leaders in my local riding. They are absolutely terrified of their job prospects with this failing Liberal economy. They did not expect to be written off by the finance minister who left them with a lifetime of “job churn”, as he said. This generation is actually looking to the finance minister to provide them with even a morsel of hope. How can young workers trust the Liberals' economic update when the finance minister has already written them off?

Mr. Speaker, now that the free trade agreement with Europe has been signed, our dairy and cheese producers are worried.The opening of the Canadian market undermines supply management. Producers are going to lose millions of dollars because of the arrival of European products on the market. We are still waiting to find out more about the assistance the government promised producers, particularly since producers in Quebec are not getting the same benefits and subsidies as those in Europe.How much money is the government going to put on the table to compensate producers so that they are not negatively affected by this agreement?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell for his question.Canada already contributes to a number of projects in French-speaking Africa in the areas of education, health, reproductive health, and agriculture in the era of climate change, but young Africans, particularly adolescent girls, need more opportunities to achieve their full potential and contribute to the economic growth and stability of their countries and the world.At the Sommet de la Francophonie in Madagascar, I will be making a series of announcements about Canada's renewed presence in French-speaking Africa.

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward today to introducing our fall economic update to give Canadians a sense of what we are going to do to amplify the impact we are making for Canadians.We made a very big impact on Canadian families in budget 2016. We lowered taxes on Canadians. We introduced the Canada child benefit. Those actions are having a real and measurable impact on Canadian families today. I am looking forward to talking very soon in the House about the long-term impact we are going to have.

Mr. Speaker, I would just say that Canadians of all shapes and sizes are better off with this government.I can say that what we have done is lowered taxes for Canadians. We have improved child benefits for Canadians, and we are setting about to make investments that Canadians know are going to make their lives better in the future. We are going to create jobs. We are going to improve the economy for Canadians and we are going to do it through an investment plan that will make a real difference for Canadians. That is what we intend on doing. We will all see the results in the days, months, and years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make it very clear that we have a whole-of-government approach when it comes to developing economic policy in this country. We have four outstanding ministers from Atlantic Canada who not only represent Atlantic Canada but represent all Canadians. We are working to put forward economic policies that benefit not only Atlantic Canada but all of Canada and that make us the envy of the world. We will continue to do that. We will continue to grow the economy, invest in people, and create jobs.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we do regret the dislocation. We are working with staff to ensure that everybody who wishes to work in Edmonton has a job. The fundamental responsibility of the immigration department is to get good value for taxpayers' money, to offer good service to customers, to improve efficiency, to reduce processing times, and to create more jobs in Alberta. That is what we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that.Once again I will remind members that our government has embarked on unprecedented levels of public consultation to make sure that we are responding to the very real needs and challenges of Canadians. This is why we raised taxes on the one per cent, the wealthiest Canadians, and lowered taxes for the middle class.We will continue to do the good work that we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, freedom of the press is not something that a government can just claim to support, because as the minister himself has just pointed out, it is enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.Yesterday, the minister said that “The utmost care must be taken by law enforcement when criminal investigations and journalism intersect”. We are not talking about police stumbling into journalists. We are talking about police surveillance of the media in Canada in the 21st century.How can we believe that the government respects press freedom when the minister refuses to say whether or not other journalists are currently under surveillance?

Mr. Speaker, the police spied on journalist Patrick Lagacé for months. A total of 24 warrants were issued, which is absolutely unacceptable, even shocking, as one of my colleagues said.When we learned that the RCMP had spied on journalist Joël-Denis Bellavance, here in Ottawa, the Prime minister refused to hold an inquiry.Can the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness tell us outright whether other journalists are currently under surveillance by the RCMP or CSIS?

Mr. Speaker, we certainly regret the impact this has had on some members of the community. We are working with stakeholders to ensure that everyone currently employed in Vegreville will also have the chance to work in Edmonton. However, I can say that there was a strong business case to move the operation to Edmonton. This will result in better service, and it will result in net additional jobs for the province of Alberta.

Mr. Speaker, the member very well knows that the federal rules are some of the strictest in the country and they are the same rules for all members. They are open and transparent. I am sure all members abide by those exact same rules.There is no preferential access to this government. This government is demonstrating the most open and transparent approach compared with any previous government, not just by following the rules but by being engaged with Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, in the softwood lumber file, the federal government put the interests of British Columbia ahead of those of Quebec. In the shipyards file, “a great day for Canada”, as the NDP called it, it was the interests of the Maritimes that came ahead of those of Quebec. In the energy east file, it was Alberta that came ahead of Quebec. In the Muskrat Falls file, it is Newfoundland and Labrador that matters more than Quebec.Enough is enough.Will the minister promise once and for all not to increase the loan guarantee for Newfoundland and Labrador for the Muskrat Falls project?

Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together. It was the Conservatives in their 2008 platform and Speech from the Throne who committed to implement a price on carbon pollution. The Conservatives subsequent “Turning the Corner” plan committed the Conservative government to: Forcing industry to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions; Setting up a carbon emissions trading market.... Establishing a market price for carbon. It seems that rather than turning the corner, the Conservatives instead chose to hide their plan.

Mr. Speaker, the federal rules are some of the strongest in the country. Our government spends a tremendous amount of time working hard for Canadians across the country, whether that is meeting with crowds, meeting with individuals, listening to consumers, or engaging with small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs, and the like. We are engaged so that we can deliver for Canadians, and Canadians know that.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite actually praised B.C. for its carbon price. I find it quite surprising that he is now arguing against something that he knows is the most efficient way to reduce emissions, foster innovation, and grow our economy. He also knows that 80% of Canadians already live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on pollution. We understand that we need to take action to tackle climate change. That is also the way to grow our economy, create good jobs, and ensure a sustainable future for our children.

Mr. Speaker, right now, millions of people are working hard to support their families. There is no way any of those workers will ever be able to cough up $1,500 for privileged access to a Liberal minister.Fundraising rules are as strict as can be, but they have clearly not stopped the Minister of Natural Resources from holding a fundraising campaign with a firm that has a vested interest in his portfolio.When will the government show a modicum of good judgment, stop granting privileged access to the wealthy, and stop being in conflict of interest all the time? Will the guilty party please rise.

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that all members of Parliament and all parties fundraise, and we all abide by the exact same rules. When the rules are followed, no conflicts of interest can exist. We will continue to follow the rules.It is true that we are engaging with Canadians and we are listening to Canadians, something the previous government did not know how to do.

Mr. Speaker, we know the impact. Not one new additional full-time job has been created in Canada.The Prime Minister also promised to build infrastructure. He promised to get these projects out the door fast. Now we find out that in reality only one new project has actually broken ground, and now the construction season is over. His infrastructure plan failed just like his jobs plan.Before the Prime Minister announces billions of dollars more in infrastructure spending, why does he not actually just get something built?

Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada believes that the government is taking too long to act on rail safety in this country. That is troubling, and it also explains why, despite the minister's reassuring words, the municipal unions of Quebec and New Brunswick are holding a symposium on rail safety this Friday in Edmundston.Considering the growing number of rail incidents and the fact that trains are still passing through downtown Lac-Mégantic three years later, does the minister think it is acceptable that the TSB has to act as a lobbyist to improve the safety and security of Canadian communities?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has a thriving pre- and post-production movie industry. Vancouver has seen a strong increase in the number of productions in recent years, making it the number one hub for special effects globally. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us what the government is doing to promote and support Canadian films?

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that the federal rules are some of the strictest in the country, and all members abide by the exact same rules.It is true that our government has embarked on an unprecedented level of—

Mr. Speaker, I know that if the member spoke to students in her riding, the students would have said that they were very pleased with the investments that this government has been making in students. The student grant program has just been increased by $1.5 billion. Low-income students have now seen their grant potential rise from $2,000 to $3,000 annually. Canadian students deserve to be invested in, and that is exactly what this government is doing.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the federal rules are some of the strictest in the country and I am sure all members follow the same rules, because the rules are open and transparent.

Mr. Speaker, the point is very clear. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled on this very issue. The Supreme Court has laid out explicitly the five-part test that needs to be satisfied when these issues arise. Those same values are embodied in the ministerial directive that applies to police operations at the federal level. It is very clear that freedom of the press is something that matters to all Canadians and this government and, I expect, every member of the House will defend that freedom vigorously.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I am proud of our plan. We know that it is important to grow the economy.For 10 years, the economy has been going downhill, and Canadian families have been struggling. Now, we are going to invest for the future. These investments will create a better situation for our children and our grandchildren and a more productive economy for our country in the future. That is what we are going to do for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to talk about taxes in this country. The first thing we did was reduce taxes on nine million Canadians. For the single person getting that tax reduction, it will be on average $330 less this year. For the family, it is $540 less this year. This is really important. But more importantly, we have made a huge difference for Canadian families. There are 3.2 million Canadian families getting the Canada child benefit and experiencing a much better situation with $2,300 more on average this year, without tax, than they had in the years before.

Mr. Speaker, we began by implementing our budget 2016 measures for Canada's middle class. We began with very important measures for the middle class and Canadian families, such as reducing taxes and creating the Canada child benefit. We have already changed many things for Canadian families.I am very pleased to have the opportunity today to present our fall economic statement to explain to Canadians what more we are going to do in the future.

Mr. Speaker, while this current issue is entirely within the jurisdiction of the Province of Québec, and this morning the premier of Québec made an important pronouncement in that regard, I am sure that all of us in the House believe profoundly in the freedom of the press. It is a value that is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A Supreme Court judgment has laid out the rules that must be clearly followed, and those high standards are reflected in a ministerial directive that guides the operations of police federally. Police forces need to be assiduous in following the—

Mr. Speaker, as I said, to provide provinces in Canada with clean, renewable sources of energy is absolutely consistent with the goals of this government. We understand that it is very important that provinces have the opportunity to make sure that their electrical systems are intact so that we can, as the Minister of Environment and Climate Change says almost every day in this House, find sustainable ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, federal rules are among the most stringent in Canada.Some provinces allow donations from unions, corporations, and business or trade associations. Such donations are not allowed in the federal system.Every member and every party does fundraising and they all have to follow the same rules.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly would reiterate that we are taking a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system, including sentencing reforms that occurred across the last 10 years. As I stated, we are not against mandatory minimum penalties for the most serious of crimes. However, what we are seeking to do is comprehensively review all of the mandatory minimums in the Criminal Code with an eye to ensuring that the necessary discretion is provided to judges in terms of the individuals who are presented to them, to ensure that we are in compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that we have a fair, efficient, and responsive justice system.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise once again in the House to remind all members that the federal rules are some of the strongest in the country. There is no preferential access to this government. This government is demonstrating the most open and transparent approach, not just by following the rules but by being more engaged with Canadians, listening to Canadians, consulting with Canadians, and we will continue to do the good work that we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, the government accepted the tribunal's ruling and is taking concrete steps to address its orders. We have committed $635 million to address the child funding gap. As well, since July, 900 more kids have received care because of the $382 million in additional funding and the expanded definition. I have appointed a ministerial special representative to fix the broken system, and as the member knows, we are beginning conversations with the Human Rights Commission to get this thing done.

Mr. Speaker, there are many small businesses in my riding of Scarborough—Rouge Park that are looking for opportunities to grow and scale up. Scaling up of businesses is essential for Canada's economy, and ultimately our middle class, to grow and prosper. One of the challenges I hear from my local business leaders is the need to increase access to new markets.Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development share with us how CETA will help businesses face this challenge?

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear that the member opposite has decided to join the Canadian delegation at COP22. Of course that does not change the fact that the party opposite is the only party that voted against the Paris agreement. Unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together, and I am very pleased about our achievements this past year. We helped achieve an ambitious Paris agreement. We announced the greenest budget ever. We had the pan-Canadian plan on climate change, which includes pricing pollution. We had a climate and clean energy agreement with the United States—

Mr. Speaker, our government always appreciates the recommendations of the Transportation Safety Board. We take this very seriously. I have indicated many times how important safety is to our government. We are looking at all the reports submitted to us by the Transportation Safety Board. We have done a lot in a year. Can we do better? Of course we can and we are working on doing better when it comes to safety.

Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago I stood in the House and said that we have approved more than 900 projects. Today I can say that we have approved more than 950 projects, with a combined investment of more than $11 billion. Many of those projects are currently under way, creating opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Mr. Speaker, the member very well knows that the federal rules are some of the strongest in the country. Some provinces accept donations from unions, trade associations, and corporations. That is not the case in the federal system. In fact, in some provinces, individuals can donate in the tens of thousands—

Mr. Speaker, defending that freedom means doing something when we learn that a journalist here in Ottawa like Joel-Denis Bellavance is under police surveillance, and that minister did nothing in the Joel-Denis Bellavance case. That is the reality.There was recently another cash for access fundraiser involving the Minister of Finance. It was a Liberal Party appreciation night at an elite law firm. The Prime Minister said that they have to uphold the highest standards and that this obligation is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law.Does the finance minister honestly believe he is in compliance with what the Prime Minister put in his letter?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Scarborough—Rouge Park for his advocacy in promoting business growth. As the member knows, the European Union is a market of more than 500 million people and it has economic activity of over $20 trillion. In signing this free trade agreement with Europe, all Canadian businesses and all sectors will now have greater market access. When businesses are able to grow, they create good quality Canadian jobs from coast to coast to coast, and this is a priority for us. We are going to grow the economy and create good quality jobs.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Vancouver Centre for her important question.We know that the film industry generates billions of dollars a year in economic activity, and we believe in its potential. That is why we decided to reinvest in Telefilm Canada in the last budget.Tonight, Telefilm Canada is hosting a screening of the Canadian film Two Lovers and a Bear. This film is set in Nunavut and successfully premiered at Cannes. Many of the talented creators and actors are with us today. Therefore, I really hope that you, Mr. Speaker, and all parliamentarians will be there tonight.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to provide the provinces with a source of clean and reliable energy to meet their energy needs. We are monitoring the projects and working closely with the province.Under the existing agreement, it is the province's responsibility to cover the increases in cost. No decision has been made on this yet.

Mr. Speaker, of course, we are very grateful for the work of the Transportation Safety Board, which is there to remind us what we need to do for safety's sake, and it is doing an excellent job. At the same time, we are making constant efforts to improve safety and security in Canada, especially in the area of rail safety, as I have said repeatedly. We are making improvements. I have announced three such improvements since I became transport minister, and there will be more in the months and years to come.

Mr. Speaker, we welcomed the tribunal's ruling, and we are taking concrete action to follow through on its legal orders.We have invested $635 million to address the child funding gap, and we have provided services to 900 more kids since July, thanks to $382 million in additional funding to expand the definition of Jordan's principle.

Mr. Speaker, what we are asking for is action on this now.Until 1992, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Canadians were systematically driven out of the military. More than 1,200 Canadians were dishonourably discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.Last week, the defence committee unanimously adopted my motion urging the minister to take action to revise these service records.Will the minister take this first step now and begin righting the injustice done to these Canadians who served their country honourably?

Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, our position is clear. We support our dairy producers and our supply management system. We are pleased to have been able to sign this progressive agreement that could drive additional exports of up to $1.5 billion.We are aware of the needs of the Canadian dairy industry, and that is why, as we have said all along, the government will provide transition programs to help that industry. We are in the process of finalizing these programs, and we will ensure that they are in place before CETA takes effect.

Mr. Speaker, it seems the Prime Minister is importing all of Kathleen Wynne's bad ideas and the insiders who were trained to execute her playbook.For weeks, Canadians have been learning about these tactics and have become increasingly concerned. Today, we have learned that some of these people are being charged with criminal activity. Just minutes ago, Gerry Lougheed, a long-time Liberal supporter and fundraiser for the Prime Minister was charged with one count of bribery.When will the Prime Minister admit that the tactics and people who are around him have failed to live up to any measure of ethical standards?

Mr. Speaker, rural Albertans recently rejected the urban-centric Liberal agenda. The out of touch edict to close the Vegreville case processing centre, which shocked the town and region, is an example of why they did. This unilateral deliberate removal of rural jobs to a Liberal-held city riding will cause unnecessary pain to families and devastate this rural town. When will the Liberals end their attack on rural Canada? Will the minister stop this edict and save the jobs of these hard-working people?

Mr. Speaker, the government said that there would be a little deficit that would create lots of jobs. Instead, we got lots of deficit and no jobs. In fact, there are 6,000 fewer people working today than a year ago when the government took office, 20,000 fewer manufacturing jobs, and the deficit is spiralling out of control. When will the finance minister learn that when one is in a hole, quit digging?

Mr. Speaker, the police spied on journalist Patrick Lagacé for months. A total of 24 warrants were issued, which is absolutely unacceptable, even shocking, as one of my colleagues said.When we learned that the RCMP had spied on journalist Joël-Denis Bellavance, here in Ottawa, the Prime minister refused to hold an inquiry.Can the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness tell us outright whether other journalists are currently under surveillance by the RCMP or CSIS?

Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board is sounding the alarm over the government's inaction.No less than 52 TSB recommendations have been on ice for at least 10 years now and the minister, who claims to be an advocate of safety, is dragging his feet just like the previous government did. The same goes for the transportation of dangerous goods. The TSB has made it clear that current safety measures are inadequate.Is the minister waiting for another tragedy before following through on the TSB's recommendations?

Mr. Speaker, today's economic update will confirm that the Prime Minister's plan is failing badly. The Prime Minister claimed that borrowing billions of dollars would get the economy growing and create jobs, but that has not created one new additional full-time job in Canada since he was elected. The average Canadian cannot get ahead. Instead of jobs, all Canadians are getting are higher taxes. What is the Prime Minister going to say to those Canadians who are out of work when they find out he is doubling down on a failed plan?

Mr. Speaker, last week, Canadian values was the argument used to justify a loan guarantee somewhere in the neighbourhood of $15 billion.Is unfair competition a Canadian value?Is putting Quebec's interests last a Canadian value?How can the government justify its involvement in an operation designed solely to allow Newfoundland and Labrador to enter into direct competition with Hydro-Québec on foreign markets?

Mr. Speaker, those talking points are as old as the Liberal culture of corruption.Liberal ministers continue to put themselves in blatant conflicts of interest by selling access to the big money donors they regulate. This is not a coincidence. This is coordinated corruption with the Prime Minister himself leading the parade.What will it take for the Liberals to finally put an end to this cash for conflict of interest fundraising scheme?

Mr. Speaker, freedom of the press is not something that a government can just claim to support, because as the minister himself has just pointed out, it is enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.Yesterday, the minister said that “The utmost care must be taken by law enforcement when criminal investigations and journalism intersect”. We are not talking about police stumbling into journalists. We are talking about police surveillance of the media in Canada in the 21st century.How can we believe that the government respects press freedom when the minister refuses to say whether or not other journalists are currently under surveillance?

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get the scope of the damage: 280 jobs, 250 spousal jobs, three local businesses, one-quarter of the students in town. Listen, moving these jobs is like taking 55,000 jobs out of Edmonton. There was no consultation and no cost analysis. Schools will lose students; groups will lose volunteers and donors; small businesses will lose customers, revenue, and owners in town; farm families will be hurt.Will the minister stop this destruction and keep these jobs in rural Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, in October, the Prime Minister unilaterally announced a massive carbon tax grab on Canadians. He perversely claimed that Canadians would benefit economically from this new tax, but we recently learned from the assistant deputy minister for environment that an economic impact analysis has never been done and that the Liberals believe such an assessment was premature. Did he say premature? The Prime Minister just hammered Canadians with a punishing carbon tax, and his officials say an impact analysis is premature.When will the Prime Minister finally tell us how badly this carbon tax will hurt Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to borrow billions of dollars and create a lot of jobs. He kept his promise to borrow and spend billions of dollars, but he did not keep his promise to create jobs.The figures speak for themselves. Statistics Canada is not out to please politicians. It delivers scientific results. I imagine that the Minister of Finance will soon tell us that he is going to spend even more money. Because of this government's bad management, the Liberals are saddling future generations, our grandchildren, with massive debt. I would be ashamed of that.What are they going to do about this?

Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Justice says that legislation to roll back mandatory sentences is coming soon, the minister has yet to say which mandatory sentences she has a problem with. Is it the mandatory jail term for selling drugs near a school or for child pornography; is it the mandatory jail term for drive-by shootings; or perhaps it is the mandatory jail term for murder? Can the minister stand in her place and explain just which of these mandatory sentences she has a problem with?

Mr. Speaker, if the minister got projects built as fast as he renovated his office, we would be in really good shape.The Prime Minister's CPP tax hike, his cancelling of the small business tax cut, and his carbon tax will cost families thousands of dollars and make our businesses less competitive. When will the Prime Minister realize his plan has failed and stop making life harder for Canadian families and stop raising their taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' economic plan is not working.Last week, the parliamentary budget officer informed us that no full-time jobs were created in Canada last year. Even worse, the number of jobs created last year was down by 50% compared to the average number of jobs we created in the past five years. We were criticized for having a plan that did not work. It did work. I imagine that the Minister of Finance is going to say the same old things while he spends even more money to get a different result.The Liberals' plan is not working. What are they going to do?

Mr. Speaker, is the member really unaware that the Prime Minister put in the finance minister's mandate letter that he has obligations that go beyond the law, or is she now admitting that when the Prime Minister put that in the mandate letter it was a fraud on the Canadian public, because they were not—

Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together. It was the Conservatives in their 2008 platform and Speech from the Throne who committed to implement a price on carbon pollution. The Conservatives subsequent “Turning the Corner” plan committed the Conservative government to: Forcing industry to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions; Setting up a carbon emissions trading market.... Establishing a market price for carbon. It seems that rather than turning the corner, the Conservatives instead chose to hide their plan.

Mr. Speaker, since I am a member of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, and since the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie will be participating in the Sommet de la Francophonie in Madagascar in just under a month, can she tell the House what Canada is doing to fight poverty and promote inclusive growth in francophone countries?

Mr. Speaker, we know the impact. Not one new additional full-time job has been created in Canada.The Prime Minister also promised to build infrastructure. He promised to get these projects out the door fast. Now we find out that in reality only one new project has actually broken ground, and now the construction season is over. His infrastructure plan failed just like his jobs plan.Before the Prime Minister announces billions of dollars more in infrastructure spending, why does he not actually just get something built?

Mr. Speaker, the vote this afternoon is to order the government to comply with the Human Rights Tribunal and order the immediate $155-million shortfall to child welfare. The finance minister's advisers said that money must flow, but I am concerned the government is floating the idea that spending more money on first nation children will somehow harm them and the documents they were forced to put in court yesterday directly undermine this vote. After 150 years of broken promises, this is about the credibility of the Prime Minister's words. Will he stand up and vote yes and will he ensure that money flows today, as ordered by Parliament?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals campaigned on a promise to mitigate the impacts of climate change.Under the Paris agreement, Canada now must submit to the UN its plan on climate action and climate change mitigation. Mitigation experts are calling for urgent action here at home, warning that Canada remains unprepared to respond to increased flooding and extreme weather.Where is the minister's plan to mitigate the impacts of climate change? Will she show her plan to Canadians before taking it to the UN?

Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada believes that the government is taking too long to act on rail safety in this country. That is troubling, and it also explains why, despite the minister's reassuring words, the municipal unions of Quebec and New Brunswick are holding a symposium on rail safety this Friday in Edmundston.Considering the growing number of rail incidents and the fact that trains are still passing through downtown Lac-Mégantic three years later, does the minister think it is acceptable that the TSB has to act as a lobbyist to improve the safety and security of Canadian communities?

Mr. Speaker, I certainly would reiterate that we are taking a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system, including sentencing reforms that occurred across the last 10 years. As I stated, we are not against mandatory minimum penalties for the most serious of crimes. However, what we are seeking to do is comprehensively review all of the mandatory minimums in the Criminal Code with an eye to ensuring that the necessary discretion is provided to judges in terms of the individuals who are presented to them, to ensure that we are in compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that we have a fair, efficient, and responsive justice system.

Mr. Speaker, I recently took some time to sit down with student leaders in my local riding. They are absolutely terrified of their job prospects with this failing Liberal economy. They did not expect to be written off by the finance minister who left them with a lifetime of “job churn”, as he said. This generation is actually looking to the finance minister to provide them with even a morsel of hope. How can young workers trust the Liberals' economic update when the finance minister has already written them off?

Mr. Speaker, the federal rules are some of the strongest in the country. Our government spends a tremendous amount of time working hard for Canadians across the country, whether that is meeting with crowds, meeting with individuals, listening to consumers, or engaging with small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs, and the like. We are engaged so that we can deliver for Canadians, and Canadians know that.

Mr. Speaker, she should be listening to real Canadians and real job creators. Here is what the Nova Scotia Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters had to say: “With half the [carbon tax] cost being incurred by businesses, this will definitely negatively impact competitiveness and an already fragile economy”.To the Prime Minister, why a harmful carbon tax, why the distain for job creators, and why the betrayal of provinces like Nova Scotia, which already leads Canada with clean electricity?

Mr. Speaker, last week, it was the victims' surcharge—the law where, if people attempted to murder someone, they had to pay $200 to victims.Now, this week, the Liberals have a problem with mandatory sentences. Where are they going to start? Are they going to start with the most serious crime? For decades, people who committed premeditated murder got a life sentence, with no chance of parole for 25 years.Is this one of the areas that the Liberals have a problem with? We want to know.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be conducting a broad review of the criminal justice system, including sentencing reforms. This broad review will include a comprehensive review of the mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code, with an eye to reform. The purpose of this review is to ensure that all our laws, including mandatory minimums, are effective in meeting their objectives, promoting public security and providing value to Canadians, and to ensure that the laws that we have are in compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Mr. Speaker, there are many small businesses in my riding of Scarborough—Rouge Park that are looking for opportunities to grow and scale up. Scaling up of businesses is essential for Canada's economy, and ultimately our middle class, to grow and prosper. One of the challenges I hear from my local business leaders is the need to increase access to new markets.Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development share with us how CETA will help businesses face this challenge?

Mr. Speaker, this morning, Jacques Corriveau, a former Liberal Party fundraiser, was found guilty of fraud.Now the Prime Minister and his cabinet refuse to acknowledge that they are breaking their own ethics rules with their fundraising activities.The Prime Minister needs to learn from the past. He can take immediate measures to implement his own ethics rules, or he can turn his party into the same Liberal Party of the sponsorship scandal days.Which will it be?

Mr. Speaker, big money donors continue to buy private time with Liberal ministers. Many of these donors have financial interests that are regulated by these same ministers. The justice minister took money from lawyers, the finance minister took money from Bay Street bankers, and now we have learned that the natural resource minister has had a little fundraising help from natural resource lobbyists.When will the Liberals finally do the right thing and end this shameful cash for access scheme?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs has confirmed that she will vote in favour of our motion today, so that is a good thing.At the same time, she also said in an interview yesterday that the $155 million in additional funding that we are asking for and that is needed to address the underfunding of child welfare could actually have “really bad results”.Is the minister truly committed to implementing our motion, or is she supporting it simply to avoid embarrassment?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to talk about the comprehensive criminal justice system review that we are undertaking.Our government supports mandatory minimum penalties for the most serious of offences. However, we are going to conduct a comprehensive review of mandatory minimums, with an eye to ensuring that we inject the necessary discretion, where appropriate, to judges. This is the reason for Bill C-28: to ensure that judges have the ability, with respect to the victims' fine surcharge, to take into account the financial hardships of the individuals who appear before them.

Mr. Speaker, defending that freedom means doing something when we learn that a journalist here in Ottawa like Joel-Denis Bellavance is under police surveillance, and that minister did nothing in the Joel-Denis Bellavance case. That is the reality.There was recently another cash for access fundraiser involving the Minister of Finance. It was a Liberal Party appreciation night at an elite law firm. The Prime Minister said that they have to uphold the highest standards and that this obligation is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law.Does the finance minister honestly believe he is in compliance with what the Prime Minister put in his letter?

Mr. Speaker, Atlantic Canadians have every right to expect some level of representation by the Liberals. Unfortunately, not one of the 32 Atlantic Liberal MPs has stood up against these directives by an increasingly centralized top-down PMO. We learned this week that, of the 14 members of the finance minister's economic advisory council, none of them hail from Atlantic Canada. Will the President of the Treasury Board finally start advocating for Atlantic Canada and demand that the finance minister fix this mess?

Mr. Speaker, right now, millions of people are working hard to support their families. There is no way any of those workers will ever be able to cough up $1,500 for privileged access to a Liberal minister.Fundraising rules are as strict as can be, but they have clearly not stopped the Minister of Natural Resources from holding a fundraising campaign with a firm that has a vested interest in his portfolio.When will the government show a modicum of good judgment, stop granting privileged access to the wealthy, and stop being in conflict of interest all the time? Will the guilty party please rise.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, the government accepted the tribunal's ruling and is taking concrete steps to address its orders. We have committed $635 million to address the child funding gap. As well, since July, 900 more kids have received care because of the $382 million in additional funding and the expanded definition. I have appointed a ministerial special representative to fix the broken system, and as the member knows, we are beginning conversations with the Human Rights Commission to get this thing done.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said to the House, I am looking forward to giving the House an update of our economic situation. I have already given Canadians real hope. We have changed their situation by lowering their taxes. We have improved the lives of nine out of 10 families in this country. In 2017, 40% fewer children will live in poverty in this country than in 2014. These are enormous steps that are starting down the path of prosperity. We are going to amplify our efforts to make a huge impact in the future, with more growth for future generations of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the member very well knows that the federal rules are some of the strictest in the country and they are the same rules for all members. They are open and transparent. I am sure all members abide by those exact same rules.There is no preferential access to this government. This government is demonstrating the most open and transparent approach compared with any previous government, not just by following the rules but by being engaged with Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as I told the member opposite, discrimination in any manner is completely unacceptable. Our diversity in the Canadian Armed Forces is an operational necessity. As I stated, our government is engaged, on a wide departmental basis, to address this very important concern.

Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, we are working with the provinces and territories to develop our pan-Canadian plan on climate change. The Prime Minister met with the first ministers. They agreed on this plan, which included taking action to adapt to the impacts of climate change. We know that we are seeing flooding across the country. We are seeing forest fires. Prince Edward Island is shrinking by 43 centimetres per year. We know in the north, indigenous peoples are on the front line for the impacts of climate change.We are going to take action. We will be announcing this plan at the first ministers meeting later in the fall.

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward today to introducing our fall economic update to give Canadians a sense of what we are going to do to amplify the impact we are making for Canadians.We made a very big impact on Canadian families in budget 2016. We lowered taxes on Canadians. We introduced the Canada child benefit. Those actions are having a real and measurable impact on Canadian families today. I am looking forward to talking very soon in the House about the long-term impact we are going to have.

Mr. Speaker, while this current issue is entirely within the jurisdiction of the Province of Québec, and this morning the premier of Québec made an important pronouncement in that regard, I am sure that all of us in the House believe profoundly in the freedom of the press. It is a value that is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A Supreme Court judgment has laid out the rules that must be clearly followed, and those high standards are reflected in a ministerial directive that guides the operations of police federally. Police forces need to be assiduous in following the—

Mr. Speaker, according to the PBO, Canada has seen a net loss of jobs since the Liberals took office. Kathleen Wynne and the current Prime Minister are now working together to implement a carbon tax that will raise hydro rates and kill even more manufacturing jobs.We know the Prime Minister does not have a plan to create jobs in Canada, but is he purposely trying to create manufacturing jobs in Ohio, New York, and Michigan?

Mr. Speaker, the member is well aware that federal rules are among the most stringent in the country.Our government does not practice favouritism. Its approach is as open and transparent as can be. It is not just following the rules; it is more deeply engaged with Canadians than any other government in history.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the federal rules are some of the strictest in the country and I am sure all members follow the same rules, because the rules are open and transparent.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, federal rules are among the most stringent in Canada.Some provinces allow donations from unions, corporations, and business or trade associations. Such donations are not allowed in the federal system.Every member and every party does fundraising and they all have to follow the same rules.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make it very clear that we have a whole-of-government approach when it comes to developing economic policy in this country. We have four outstanding ministers from Atlantic Canada who not only represent Atlantic Canada but represent all Canadians. We are working to put forward economic policies that benefit not only Atlantic Canada but all of Canada and that make us the envy of the world. We will continue to do that. We will continue to grow the economy, invest in people, and create jobs.

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that all members of Parliament and all parties fundraise, and we all abide by the exact same rules. When the rules are followed, no conflicts of interest can exist. We will continue to follow the rules.It is true that we are engaging with Canadians and we are listening to Canadians, something the previous government did not know how to do.

Mr. Speaker, until 1992, thousands of members of the Canadian Armed Forces were dishonourably discharged just because they were members of the LGBTQ community.Last week, a first step was made in committee to have this dishonourable discharge removed from their service records, but we have heard nothing from the government since then.Does the minister understand the consequences of a dishonourable discharge? If so, will he commit to taking immediate action to correct this injustice?

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear that the member opposite has decided to join the Canadian delegation at COP22. Of course that does not change the fact that the party opposite is the only party that voted against the Paris agreement. Unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together, and I am very pleased about our achievements this past year. We helped achieve an ambitious Paris agreement. We announced the greenest budget ever. We had the pan-Canadian plan on climate change, which includes pricing pollution. We had a climate and clean energy agreement with the United States—

Mr. Speaker, the point is very clear. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled on this very issue. The Supreme Court has laid out explicitly the five-part test that needs to be satisfied when these issues arise. Those same values are embodied in the ministerial directive that applies to police operations at the federal level. It is very clear that freedom of the press is something that matters to all Canadians and this government and, I expect, every member of the House will defend that freedom vigorously.

Mr. Speaker, Canada has a thriving pre- and post-production movie industry. Vancouver has seen a strong increase in the number of productions in recent years, making it the number one hub for special effects globally. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us what the government is doing to promote and support Canadian films?

Mr. Speaker, all the finance minister has done is load down Canadian taxpayers with more debt and higher taxes. In fact, the Canadian economy is like an increasingly skinny man carrying an increasingly fat government up an increasingly steep hill. When will the finance minister and his tax-and-spend plan get off the backs of hard-working Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the member very well knows that the federal rules are some of the strongest in the country. Some provinces accept donations from unions, trade associations, and corporations. That is not the case in the federal system. In fact, in some provinces, individuals can donate in the tens of thousands—

Mr. Speaker, now that the free trade agreement with Europe has been signed, our dairy and cheese producers are worried.The opening of the Canadian market undermines supply management. Producers are going to lose millions of dollars because of the arrival of European products on the market. We are still waiting to find out more about the assistance the government promised producers, particularly since producers in Quebec are not getting the same benefits and subsidies as those in Europe.How much money is the government going to put on the table to compensate producers so that they are not negatively affected by this agreement?

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that members of the Canadian Armed Forces were treated in this manner. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation is simply unacceptable. We believe strongly that LGBTQ2 people should be treated like any other Canadian.Our government is engaged, on a wide departmental basis, to address this very important concern.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell for his question.Canada already contributes to a number of projects in French-speaking Africa in the areas of education, health, reproductive health, and agriculture in the era of climate change, but young Africans, particularly adolescent girls, need more opportunities to achieve their full potential and contribute to the economic growth and stability of their countries and the world.At the Sommet de la Francophonie in Madagascar, I will be making a series of announcements about Canada's renewed presence in French-speaking Africa.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to talk about taxes in this country. The first thing we did was reduce taxes on nine million Canadians. For the single person getting that tax reduction, it will be on average $330 less this year. For the family, it is $540 less this year. This is really important. But more importantly, we have made a huge difference for Canadian families. There are 3.2 million Canadian families getting the Canada child benefit and experiencing a much better situation with $2,300 more on average this year, without tax, than they had in the years before.

Mr. Speaker, we certainly regret the impact this has had on some members of the community. We are working with stakeholders to ensure that everyone currently employed in Vegreville will also have the chance to work in Edmonton. However, I can say that there was a strong business case to move the operation to Edmonton. This will result in better service, and it will result in net additional jobs for the province of Alberta.

Mr. Speaker, we welcomed the tribunal's ruling, and we are taking concrete action to follow through on its legal orders.We have invested $635 million to address the child funding gap, and we have provided services to 900 more kids since July, thanks to $382 million in additional funding to expand the definition of Jordan's principle.

Mr. Speaker, we began by implementing our budget 2016 measures for Canada's middle class. We began with very important measures for the middle class and Canadian families, such as reducing taxes and creating the Canada child benefit. We have already changed many things for Canadian families.I am very pleased to have the opportunity today to present our fall economic statement to explain to Canadians what more we are going to do in the future.

Mr. Speaker, of course, we are very grateful for the work of the Transportation Safety Board, which is there to remind us what we need to do for safety's sake, and it is doing an excellent job. At the same time, we are making constant efforts to improve safety and security in Canada, especially in the area of rail safety, as I have said repeatedly. We are making improvements. I have announced three such improvements since I became transport minister, and there will be more in the months and years to come.

Mr. Speaker, what we are asking for is action on this now.Until 1992, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Canadians were systematically driven out of the military. More than 1,200 Canadians were dishonourably discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.Last week, the defence committee unanimously adopted my motion urging the minister to take action to revise these service records.Will the minister take this first step now and begin righting the injustice done to these Canadians who served their country honourably?

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite actually praised B.C. for its carbon price. I find it quite surprising that he is now arguing against something that he knows is the most efficient way to reduce emissions, foster innovation, and grow our economy. He also knows that 80% of Canadians already live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on pollution. We understand that we need to take action to tackle climate change. That is also the way to grow our economy, create good jobs, and ensure a sustainable future for our children.

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that the federal rules are some of the strictest in the country, and all members abide by the exact same rules.It is true that our government has embarked on an unprecedented level of—

Mr. Speaker, our government always appreciates the recommendations of the Transportation Safety Board. We take this very seriously. I have indicated many times how important safety is to our government. We are looking at all the reports submitted to us by the Transportation Safety Board. We have done a lot in a year. Can we do better? Of course we can and we are working on doing better when it comes to safety.

Mr. Speaker, I know that if the member spoke to students in her riding, the students would have said that they were very pleased with the investments that this government has been making in students. The student grant program has just been increased by $1.5 billion. Low-income students have now seen their grant potential rise from $2,000 to $3,000 annually. Canadian students deserve to be invested in, and that is exactly what this government is doing.

Mr. Speaker, I would just say that Canadians of all shapes and sizes are better off with this government.I can say that what we have done is lowered taxes for Canadians. We have improved child benefits for Canadians, and we are setting about to make investments that Canadians know are going to make their lives better in the future. We are going to create jobs. We are going to improve the economy for Canadians and we are going to do it through an investment plan that will make a real difference for Canadians. That is what we intend on doing. We will all see the results in the days, months, and years to come.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party is up to its old tricks again. Today we have bribery charges against one of Kathleen Wynne's top advisers, and also against an Ontario Liberal bag man who once held a fundraiser for our Prime Minister. Now we have our Liberal Prime Minister and his cabinet refusing to acknowledge their own ethical violations with the cash for access scheme. This is a lesson for the Prime Minister. He can take action immediately and enforce his own ethical standards, or he can end up like Kathleen Wynne. What is he going to do?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise once again in the House to remind all members that the federal rules are some of the strongest in the country. There is no preferential access to this government. This government is demonstrating the most open and transparent approach, not just by following the rules but by being more engaged with Canadians, listening to Canadians, consulting with Canadians, and we will continue to do the good work that we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that.Once again I will remind members that our government has embarked on unprecedented levels of public consultation to make sure that we are responding to the very real needs and challenges of Canadians. This is why we raised taxes on the one per cent, the wealthiest Canadians, and lowered taxes for the middle class.We will continue to do the good work that we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Vancouver Centre for her important question.We know that the film industry generates billions of dollars a year in economic activity, and we believe in its potential. That is why we decided to reinvest in Telefilm Canada in the last budget.Tonight, Telefilm Canada is hosting a screening of the Canadian film Two Lovers and a Bear. This film is set in Nunavut and successfully premiered at Cannes. Many of the talented creators and actors are with us today. Therefore, I really hope that you, Mr. Speaker, and all parliamentarians will be there tonight.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are now saying they have a problem with mandatory sentences for convicted criminals. It is true that, under our Conservative government, people who have brought drugs into this country to sell to our children, people who produce child pornography, and people who molest children would all go to jail. I am proud of that.I would like to know what problem the Liberals have with that now?

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I am proud of our plan. We know that it is important to grow the economy.For 10 years, the economy has been going downhill, and Canadian families have been struggling. Now, we are going to invest for the future. These investments will create a better situation for our children and our grandchildren and a more productive economy for our country in the future. That is what we are going to do for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, our position is clear. We support our dairy producers and our supply management system. We are pleased to have been able to sign this progressive agreement that could drive additional exports of up to $1.5 billion.We are aware of the needs of the Canadian dairy industry, and that is why, as we have said all along, the government will provide transition programs to help that industry. We are in the process of finalizing these programs, and we will ensure that they are in place before CETA takes effect.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to provide the provinces with a source of clean and reliable energy to meet their energy needs. We are monitoring the projects and working closely with the province.Under the existing agreement, it is the province's responsibility to cover the increases in cost. No decision has been made on this yet.

Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago I stood in the House and said that we have approved more than 900 projects. Today I can say that we have approved more than 950 projects, with a combined investment of more than $11 billion. Many of those projects are currently under way, creating opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, to provide provinces in Canada with clean, renewable sources of energy is absolutely consistent with the goals of this government. We understand that it is very important that provinces have the opportunity to make sure that their electrical systems are intact so that we can, as the Minister of Environment and Climate Change says almost every day in this House, find sustainable ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, in the softwood lumber file, the federal government put the interests of British Columbia ahead of those of Quebec. In the shipyards file, “a great day for Canada”, as the NDP called it, it was the interests of the Maritimes that came ahead of those of Quebec. In the energy east file, it was Alberta that came ahead of Quebec. In the Muskrat Falls file, it is Newfoundland and Labrador that matters more than Quebec.Enough is enough.Will the minister promise once and for all not to increase the loan guarantee for Newfoundland and Labrador for the Muskrat Falls project?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Scarborough—Rouge Park for his advocacy in promoting business growth. As the member knows, the European Union is a market of more than 500 million people and it has economic activity of over $20 trillion. In signing this free trade agreement with Europe, all Canadian businesses and all sectors will now have greater market access. When businesses are able to grow, they create good quality Canadian jobs from coast to coast to coast, and this is a priority for us. We are going to grow the economy and create good quality jobs.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we do regret the dislocation. We are working with staff to ensure that everybody who wishes to work in Edmonton has a job. The fundamental responsibility of the immigration department is to get good value for taxpayers' money, to offer good service to customers, to improve efficiency, to reduce processing times, and to create more jobs in Alberta. That is what we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we do regret the dislocation. We are working with staff to ensure that everybody who wishes to work in Edmonton has a job. The fundamental responsibility of the immigration department is to get good value for taxpayers' money, to offer good service to customers, to improve efficiency, to reduce processing times, and to create more jobs in Alberta. That is what we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Scarborough—Rouge Park for his advocacy in promoting business growth. As the member knows, the European Union is a market of more than 500 million people and it has economic activity of over $20 trillion. In signing this free trade agreement with Europe, all Canadian businesses and all sectors will now have greater market access. When businesses are able to grow, they create good quality Canadian jobs from coast to coast to coast, and this is a priority for us. We are going to grow the economy and create good quality jobs.

Mr. Speaker, in the softwood lumber file, the federal government put the interests of British Columbia ahead of those of Quebec. In the shipyards file, “a great day for Canada”, as the NDP called it, it was the interests of the Maritimes that came ahead of those of Quebec. In the energy east file, it was Alberta that came ahead of Quebec. In the Muskrat Falls file, it is Newfoundland and Labrador that matters more than Quebec.Enough is enough.Will the minister promise once and for all not to increase the loan guarantee for Newfoundland and Labrador for the Muskrat Falls project?

Mr. Speaker, as I said, to provide provinces in Canada with clean, renewable sources of energy is absolutely consistent with the goals of this government. We understand that it is very important that provinces have the opportunity to make sure that their electrical systems are intact so that we can, as the Minister of Environment and Climate Change says almost every day in this House, find sustainable ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago I stood in the House and said that we have approved more than 900 projects. Today I can say that we have approved more than 950 projects, with a combined investment of more than $11 billion. Many of those projects are currently under way, creating opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to provide the provinces with a source of clean and reliable energy to meet their energy needs. We are monitoring the projects and working closely with the province.Under the existing agreement, it is the province's responsibility to cover the increases in cost. No decision has been made on this yet.

Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, our position is clear. We support our dairy producers and our supply management system. We are pleased to have been able to sign this progressive agreement that could drive additional exports of up to $1.5 billion.We are aware of the needs of the Canadian dairy industry, and that is why, as we have said all along, the government will provide transition programs to help that industry. We are in the process of finalizing these programs, and we will ensure that they are in place before CETA takes effect.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I am proud of our plan. We know that it is important to grow the economy.For 10 years, the economy has been going downhill, and Canadian families have been struggling. Now, we are going to invest for the future. These investments will create a better situation for our children and our grandchildren and a more productive economy for our country in the future. That is what we are going to do for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are now saying they have a problem with mandatory sentences for convicted criminals. It is true that, under our Conservative government, people who have brought drugs into this country to sell to our children, people who produce child pornography, and people who molest children would all go to jail. I am proud of that.I would like to know what problem the Liberals have with that now?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Vancouver Centre for her important question.We know that the film industry generates billions of dollars a year in economic activity, and we believe in its potential. That is why we decided to reinvest in Telefilm Canada in the last budget.Tonight, Telefilm Canada is hosting a screening of the Canadian film Two Lovers and a Bear. This film is set in Nunavut and successfully premiered at Cannes. Many of the talented creators and actors are with us today. Therefore, I really hope that you, Mr. Speaker, and all parliamentarians will be there tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that.Once again I will remind members that our government has embarked on unprecedented levels of public consultation to make sure that we are responding to the very real needs and challenges of Canadians. This is why we raised taxes on the one per cent, the wealthiest Canadians, and lowered taxes for the middle class.We will continue to do the good work that we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise once again in the House to remind all members that the federal rules are some of the strongest in the country. There is no preferential access to this government. This government is demonstrating the most open and transparent approach, not just by following the rules but by being more engaged with Canadians, listening to Canadians, consulting with Canadians, and we will continue to do the good work that we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party is up to its old tricks again. Today we have bribery charges against one of Kathleen Wynne's top advisers, and also against an Ontario Liberal bag man who once held a fundraiser for our Prime Minister. Now we have our Liberal Prime Minister and his cabinet refusing to acknowledge their own ethical violations with the cash for access scheme. This is a lesson for the Prime Minister. He can take action immediately and enforce his own ethical standards, or he can end up like Kathleen Wynne. What is he going to do?

Mr. Speaker, I know that if the member spoke to students in her riding, the students would have said that they were very pleased with the investments that this government has been making in students. The student grant program has just been increased by $1.5 billion. Low-income students have now seen their grant potential rise from $2,000 to $3,000 annually. Canadian students deserve to be invested in, and that is exactly what this government is doing.

Mr. Speaker, I would just say that Canadians of all shapes and sizes are better off with this government.I can say that what we have done is lowered taxes for Canadians. We have improved child benefits for Canadians, and we are setting about to make investments that Canadians know are going to make their lives better in the future. We are going to create jobs. We are going to improve the economy for Canadians and we are going to do it through an investment plan that will make a real difference for Canadians. That is what we intend on doing. We will all see the results in the days, months, and years to come.

Mr. Speaker, our government always appreciates the recommendations of the Transportation Safety Board. We take this very seriously. I have indicated many times how important safety is to our government. We are looking at all the reports submitted to us by the Transportation Safety Board. We have done a lot in a year. Can we do better? Of course we can and we are working on doing better when it comes to safety.

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that the federal rules are some of the strictest in the country, and all members abide by the exact same rules.It is true that our government has embarked on an unprecedented level of—

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite actually praised B.C. for its carbon price. I find it quite surprising that he is now arguing against something that he knows is the most efficient way to reduce emissions, foster innovation, and grow our economy. He also knows that 80% of Canadians already live in a jurisdiction where there is a price on pollution. We understand that we need to take action to tackle climate change. That is also the way to grow our economy, create good jobs, and ensure a sustainable future for our children.

Mr. Speaker, what we are asking for is action on this now.Until 1992, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Canadians were systematically driven out of the military. More than 1,200 Canadians were dishonourably discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.Last week, the defence committee unanimously adopted my motion urging the minister to take action to revise these service records.Will the minister take this first step now and begin righting the injustice done to these Canadians who served their country honourably?

Mr. Speaker, of course, we are very grateful for the work of the Transportation Safety Board, which is there to remind us what we need to do for safety's sake, and it is doing an excellent job. At the same time, we are making constant efforts to improve safety and security in Canada, especially in the area of rail safety, as I have said repeatedly. We are making improvements. I have announced three such improvements since I became transport minister, and there will be more in the months and years to come.

Mr. Speaker, we began by implementing our budget 2016 measures for Canada's middle class. We began with very important measures for the middle class and Canadian families, such as reducing taxes and creating the Canada child benefit. We have already changed many things for Canadian families.I am very pleased to have the opportunity today to present our fall economic statement to explain to Canadians what more we are going to do in the future.

Mr. Speaker, we welcomed the tribunal's ruling, and we are taking concrete action to follow through on its legal orders.We have invested $635 million to address the child funding gap, and we have provided services to 900 more kids since July, thanks to $382 million in additional funding to expand the definition of Jordan's principle.

Mr. Speaker, we certainly regret the impact this has had on some members of the community. We are working with stakeholders to ensure that everyone currently employed in Vegreville will also have the chance to work in Edmonton. However, I can say that there was a strong business case to move the operation to Edmonton. This will result in better service, and it will result in net additional jobs for the province of Alberta.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to talk about taxes in this country. The first thing we did was reduce taxes on nine million Canadians. For the single person getting that tax reduction, it will be on average $330 less this year. For the family, it is $540 less this year. This is really important. But more importantly, we have made a huge difference for Canadian families. There are 3.2 million Canadian families getting the Canada child benefit and experiencing a much better situation with $2,300 more on average this year, without tax, than they had in the years before.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell for his question.Canada already contributes to a number of projects in French-speaking Africa in the areas of education, health, reproductive health, and agriculture in the era of climate change, but young Africans, particularly adolescent girls, need more opportunities to achieve their full potential and contribute to the economic growth and stability of their countries and the world.At the Sommet de la Francophonie in Madagascar, I will be making a series of announcements about Canada's renewed presence in French-speaking Africa.

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that members of the Canadian Armed Forces were treated in this manner. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation is simply unacceptable. We believe strongly that LGBTQ2 people should be treated like any other Canadian.Our government is engaged, on a wide departmental basis, to address this very important concern.

Mr. Speaker, now that the free trade agreement with Europe has been signed, our dairy and cheese producers are worried.The opening of the Canadian market undermines supply management. Producers are going to lose millions of dollars because of the arrival of European products on the market. We are still waiting to find out more about the assistance the government promised producers, particularly since producers in Quebec are not getting the same benefits and subsidies as those in Europe.How much money is the government going to put on the table to compensate producers so that they are not negatively affected by this agreement?

Mr. Speaker, the member very well knows that the federal rules are some of the strongest in the country. Some provinces accept donations from unions, trade associations, and corporations. That is not the case in the federal system. In fact, in some provinces, individuals can donate in the tens of thousands—

Mr. Speaker, all the finance minister has done is load down Canadian taxpayers with more debt and higher taxes. In fact, the Canadian economy is like an increasingly skinny man carrying an increasingly fat government up an increasingly steep hill. When will the finance minister and his tax-and-spend plan get off the backs of hard-working Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has a thriving pre- and post-production movie industry. Vancouver has seen a strong increase in the number of productions in recent years, making it the number one hub for special effects globally. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us what the government is doing to promote and support Canadian films?

Mr. Speaker, the point is very clear. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled on this very issue. The Supreme Court has laid out explicitly the five-part test that needs to be satisfied when these issues arise. Those same values are embodied in the ministerial directive that applies to police operations at the federal level. It is very clear that freedom of the press is something that matters to all Canadians and this government and, I expect, every member of the House will defend that freedom vigorously.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear that the member opposite has decided to join the Canadian delegation at COP22. Of course that does not change the fact that the party opposite is the only party that voted against the Paris agreement. Unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together, and I am very pleased about our achievements this past year. We helped achieve an ambitious Paris agreement. We announced the greenest budget ever. We had the pan-Canadian plan on climate change, which includes pricing pollution. We had a climate and clean energy agreement with the United States—

Mr. Speaker, until 1992, thousands of members of the Canadian Armed Forces were dishonourably discharged just because they were members of the LGBTQ community.Last week, a first step was made in committee to have this dishonourable discharge removed from their service records, but we have heard nothing from the government since then.Does the minister understand the consequences of a dishonourable discharge? If so, will he commit to taking immediate action to correct this injustice?

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that all members of Parliament and all parties fundraise, and we all abide by the exact same rules. When the rules are followed, no conflicts of interest can exist. We will continue to follow the rules.It is true that we are engaging with Canadians and we are listening to Canadians, something the previous government did not know how to do.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make it very clear that we have a whole-of-government approach when it comes to developing economic policy in this country. We have four outstanding ministers from Atlantic Canada who not only represent Atlantic Canada but represent all Canadians. We are working to put forward economic policies that benefit not only Atlantic Canada but all of Canada and that make us the envy of the world. We will continue to do that. We will continue to grow the economy, invest in people, and create jobs.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the federal rules are some of the strictest in the country and I am sure all members follow the same rules, because the rules are open and transparent.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, federal rules are among the most stringent in Canada.Some provinces allow donations from unions, corporations, and business or trade associations. Such donations are not allowed in the federal system.Every member and every party does fundraising and they all have to follow the same rules.

Mr. Speaker, the member is well aware that federal rules are among the most stringent in the country.Our government does not practice favouritism. Its approach is as open and transparent as can be. It is not just following the rules; it is more deeply engaged with Canadians than any other government in history.

Mr. Speaker, according to the PBO, Canada has seen a net loss of jobs since the Liberals took office. Kathleen Wynne and the current Prime Minister are now working together to implement a carbon tax that will raise hydro rates and kill even more manufacturing jobs.We know the Prime Minister does not have a plan to create jobs in Canada, but is he purposely trying to create manufacturing jobs in Ohio, New York, and Michigan?

Mr. Speaker, while this current issue is entirely within the jurisdiction of the Province of Québec, and this morning the premier of Québec made an important pronouncement in that regard, I am sure that all of us in the House believe profoundly in the freedom of the press. It is a value that is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A Supreme Court judgment has laid out the rules that must be clearly followed, and those high standards are reflected in a ministerial directive that guides the operations of police federally. Police forces need to be assiduous in following the—

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward today to introducing our fall economic update to give Canadians a sense of what we are going to do to amplify the impact we are making for Canadians.We made a very big impact on Canadian families in budget 2016. We lowered taxes on Canadians. We introduced the Canada child benefit. Those actions are having a real and measurable impact on Canadian families today. I am looking forward to talking very soon in the House about the long-term impact we are going to have.

Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, we are working with the provinces and territories to develop our pan-Canadian plan on climate change. The Prime Minister met with the first ministers. They agreed on this plan, which included taking action to adapt to the impacts of climate change. We know that we are seeing flooding across the country. We are seeing forest fires. Prince Edward Island is shrinking by 43 centimetres per year. We know in the north, indigenous peoples are on the front line for the impacts of climate change.We are going to take action. We will be announcing this plan at the first ministers meeting later in the fall.

Mr. Speaker, as I told the member opposite, discrimination in any manner is completely unacceptable. Our diversity in the Canadian Armed Forces is an operational necessity. As I stated, our government is engaged, on a wide departmental basis, to address this very important concern.

Mr. Speaker, the member very well knows that the federal rules are some of the strictest in the country and they are the same rules for all members. They are open and transparent. I am sure all members abide by those exact same rules.There is no preferential access to this government. This government is demonstrating the most open and transparent approach compared with any previous government, not just by following the rules but by being engaged with Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said to the House, I am looking forward to giving the House an update of our economic situation. I have already given Canadians real hope. We have changed their situation by lowering their taxes. We have improved the lives of nine out of 10 families in this country. In 2017, 40% fewer children will live in poverty in this country than in 2014. These are enormous steps that are starting down the path of prosperity. We are going to amplify our efforts to make a huge impact in the future, with more growth for future generations of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, the government accepted the tribunal's ruling and is taking concrete steps to address its orders. We have committed $635 million to address the child funding gap. As well, since July, 900 more kids have received care because of the $382 million in additional funding and the expanded definition. I have appointed a ministerial special representative to fix the broken system, and as the member knows, we are beginning conversations with the Human Rights Commission to get this thing done.

Mr. Speaker, right now, millions of people are working hard to support their families. There is no way any of those workers will ever be able to cough up $1,500 for privileged access to a Liberal minister.Fundraising rules are as strict as can be, but they have clearly not stopped the Minister of Natural Resources from holding a fundraising campaign with a firm that has a vested interest in his portfolio.When will the government show a modicum of good judgment, stop granting privileged access to the wealthy, and stop being in conflict of interest all the time? Will the guilty party please rise.

Mr. Speaker, Atlantic Canadians have every right to expect some level of representation by the Liberals. Unfortunately, not one of the 32 Atlantic Liberal MPs has stood up against these directives by an increasingly centralized top-down PMO. We learned this week that, of the 14 members of the finance minister's economic advisory council, none of them hail from Atlantic Canada. Will the President of the Treasury Board finally start advocating for Atlantic Canada and demand that the finance minister fix this mess?

Mr. Speaker, defending that freedom means doing something when we learn that a journalist here in Ottawa like Joel-Denis Bellavance is under police surveillance, and that minister did nothing in the Joel-Denis Bellavance case. That is the reality.There was recently another cash for access fundraiser involving the Minister of Finance. It was a Liberal Party appreciation night at an elite law firm. The Prime Minister said that they have to uphold the highest standards and that this obligation is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law.Does the finance minister honestly believe he is in compliance with what the Prime Minister put in his letter?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to talk about the comprehensive criminal justice system review that we are undertaking.Our government supports mandatory minimum penalties for the most serious of offences. However, we are going to conduct a comprehensive review of mandatory minimums, with an eye to ensuring that we inject the necessary discretion, where appropriate, to judges. This is the reason for Bill C-28: to ensure that judges have the ability, with respect to the victims' fine surcharge, to take into account the financial hardships of the individuals who appear before them.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs has confirmed that she will vote in favour of our motion today, so that is a good thing.At the same time, she also said in an interview yesterday that the $155 million in additional funding that we are asking for and that is needed to address the underfunding of child welfare could actually have “really bad results”.Is the minister truly committed to implementing our motion, or is she supporting it simply to avoid embarrassment?

Mr. Speaker, big money donors continue to buy private time with Liberal ministers. Many of these donors have financial interests that are regulated by these same ministers. The justice minister took money from lawyers, the finance minister took money from Bay Street bankers, and now we have learned that the natural resource minister has had a little fundraising help from natural resource lobbyists.When will the Liberals finally do the right thing and end this shameful cash for access scheme?

Mr. Speaker, this morning, Jacques Corriveau, a former Liberal Party fundraiser, was found guilty of fraud.Now the Prime Minister and his cabinet refuse to acknowledge that they are breaking their own ethics rules with their fundraising activities.The Prime Minister needs to learn from the past. He can take immediate measures to implement his own ethics rules, or he can turn his party into the same Liberal Party of the sponsorship scandal days.Which will it be?

Mr. Speaker, there are many small businesses in my riding of Scarborough—Rouge Park that are looking for opportunities to grow and scale up. Scaling up of businesses is essential for Canada's economy, and ultimately our middle class, to grow and prosper. One of the challenges I hear from my local business leaders is the need to increase access to new markets.Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development share with us how CETA will help businesses face this challenge?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be conducting a broad review of the criminal justice system, including sentencing reforms. This broad review will include a comprehensive review of the mandatory minimum penalties in the Criminal Code, with an eye to reform. The purpose of this review is to ensure that all our laws, including mandatory minimums, are effective in meeting their objectives, promoting public security and providing value to Canadians, and to ensure that the laws that we have are in compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Mr. Speaker, last week, it was the victims' surcharge—the law where, if people attempted to murder someone, they had to pay $200 to victims.Now, this week, the Liberals have a problem with mandatory sentences. Where are they going to start? Are they going to start with the most serious crime? For decades, people who committed premeditated murder got a life sentence, with no chance of parole for 25 years.Is this one of the areas that the Liberals have a problem with? We want to know.

Mr. Speaker, she should be listening to real Canadians and real job creators. Here is what the Nova Scotia Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters had to say: “With half the [carbon tax] cost being incurred by businesses, this will definitely negatively impact competitiveness and an already fragile economy”.To the Prime Minister, why a harmful carbon tax, why the distain for job creators, and why the betrayal of provinces like Nova Scotia, which already leads Canada with clean electricity?

Mr. Speaker, the federal rules are some of the strongest in the country. Our government spends a tremendous amount of time working hard for Canadians across the country, whether that is meeting with crowds, meeting with individuals, listening to consumers, or engaging with small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs, and the like. We are engaged so that we can deliver for Canadians, and Canadians know that.

Mr. Speaker, I recently took some time to sit down with student leaders in my local riding. They are absolutely terrified of their job prospects with this failing Liberal economy. They did not expect to be written off by the finance minister who left them with a lifetime of “job churn”, as he said. This generation is actually looking to the finance minister to provide them with even a morsel of hope. How can young workers trust the Liberals' economic update when the finance minister has already written them off?

Mr. Speaker, I certainly would reiterate that we are taking a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system, including sentencing reforms that occurred across the last 10 years. As I stated, we are not against mandatory minimum penalties for the most serious of crimes. However, what we are seeking to do is comprehensively review all of the mandatory minimums in the Criminal Code with an eye to ensuring that the necessary discretion is provided to judges in terms of the individuals who are presented to them, to ensure that we are in compliance with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that we have a fair, efficient, and responsive justice system.

Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada believes that the government is taking too long to act on rail safety in this country. That is troubling, and it also explains why, despite the minister's reassuring words, the municipal unions of Quebec and New Brunswick are holding a symposium on rail safety this Friday in Edmundston.Considering the growing number of rail incidents and the fact that trains are still passing through downtown Lac-Mégantic three years later, does the minister think it is acceptable that the TSB has to act as a lobbyist to improve the safety and security of Canadian communities?

Mr. Speaker, the vote this afternoon is to order the government to comply with the Human Rights Tribunal and order the immediate $155-million shortfall to child welfare. The finance minister's advisers said that money must flow, but I am concerned the government is floating the idea that spending more money on first nation children will somehow harm them and the documents they were forced to put in court yesterday directly undermine this vote. After 150 years of broken promises, this is about the credibility of the Prime Minister's words. Will he stand up and vote yes and will he ensure that money flows today, as ordered by Parliament?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals campaigned on a promise to mitigate the impacts of climate change.Under the Paris agreement, Canada now must submit to the UN its plan on climate action and climate change mitigation. Mitigation experts are calling for urgent action here at home, warning that Canada remains unprepared to respond to increased flooding and extreme weather.Where is the minister's plan to mitigate the impacts of climate change? Will she show her plan to Canadians before taking it to the UN?

Mr. Speaker, we know the impact. Not one new additional full-time job has been created in Canada.The Prime Minister also promised to build infrastructure. He promised to get these projects out the door fast. Now we find out that in reality only one new project has actually broken ground, and now the construction season is over. His infrastructure plan failed just like his jobs plan.Before the Prime Minister announces billions of dollars more in infrastructure spending, why does he not actually just get something built?

Mr. Speaker, is the member really unaware that the Prime Minister put in the finance minister's mandate letter that he has obligations that go beyond the law, or is she now admitting that when the Prime Minister put that in the mandate letter it was a fraud on the Canadian public, because they were not—

Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we understand that the environment and the economy go together. It was the Conservatives in their 2008 platform and Speech from the Throne who committed to implement a price on carbon pollution. The Conservatives subsequent “Turning the Corner” plan committed the Conservative government to: Forcing industry to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions; Setting up a carbon emissions trading market.... Establishing a market price for carbon. It seems that rather than turning the corner, the Conservatives instead chose to hide their plan.

Mr. Speaker, since I am a member of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, and since the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie will be participating in the Sommet de la Francophonie in Madagascar in just under a month, can she tell the House what Canada is doing to fight poverty and promote inclusive growth in francophone countries?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' economic plan is not working.Last week, the parliamentary budget officer informed us that no full-time jobs were created in Canada last year. Even worse, the number of jobs created last year was down by 50% compared to the average number of jobs we created in the past five years. We were criticized for having a plan that did not work. It did work. I imagine that the Minister of Finance is going to say the same old things while he spends even more money to get a different result.The Liberals' plan is not working. What are they going to do?

Mr. Speaker, if the minister got projects built as fast as he renovated his office, we would be in really good shape.The Prime Minister's CPP tax hike, his cancelling of the small business tax cut, and his carbon tax will cost families thousands of dollars and make our businesses less competitive. When will the Prime Minister realize his plan has failed and stop making life harder for Canadian families and stop raising their taxes?

Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Justice says that legislation to roll back mandatory sentences is coming soon, the minister has yet to say which mandatory sentences she has a problem with. Is it the mandatory jail term for selling drugs near a school or for child pornography; is it the mandatory jail term for drive-by shootings; or perhaps it is the mandatory jail term for murder? Can the minister stand in her place and explain just which of these mandatory sentences she has a problem with?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to borrow billions of dollars and create a lot of jobs. He kept his promise to borrow and spend billions of dollars, but he did not keep his promise to create jobs.The figures speak for themselves. Statistics Canada is not out to please politicians. It delivers scientific results. I imagine that the Minister of Finance will soon tell us that he is going to spend even more money. Because of this government's bad management, the Liberals are saddling future generations, our grandchildren, with massive debt. I would be ashamed of that.What are they going to do about this?

Mr. Speaker, in October, the Prime Minister unilaterally announced a massive carbon tax grab on Canadians. He perversely claimed that Canadians would benefit economically from this new tax, but we recently learned from the assistant deputy minister for environment that an economic impact analysis has never been done and that the Liberals believe such an assessment was premature. Did he say premature? The Prime Minister just hammered Canadians with a punishing carbon tax, and his officials say an impact analysis is premature.When will the Prime Minister finally tell us how badly this carbon tax will hurt Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get the scope of the damage: 280 jobs, 250 spousal jobs, three local businesses, one-quarter of the students in town. Listen, moving these jobs is like taking 55,000 jobs out of Edmonton. There was no consultation and no cost analysis. Schools will lose students; groups will lose volunteers and donors; small businesses will lose customers, revenue, and owners in town; farm families will be hurt.Will the minister stop this destruction and keep these jobs in rural Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, freedom of the press is not something that a government can just claim to support, because as the minister himself has just pointed out, it is enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.Yesterday, the minister said that “The utmost care must be taken by law enforcement when criminal investigations and journalism intersect”. We are not talking about police stumbling into journalists. We are talking about police surveillance of the media in Canada in the 21st century.How can we believe that the government respects press freedom when the minister refuses to say whether or not other journalists are currently under surveillance?

Mr. Speaker, those talking points are as old as the Liberal culture of corruption.Liberal ministers continue to put themselves in blatant conflicts of interest by selling access to the big money donors they regulate. This is not a coincidence. This is coordinated corruption with the Prime Minister himself leading the parade.What will it take for the Liberals to finally put an end to this cash for conflict of interest fundraising scheme?

Mr. Speaker, last week, Canadian values was the argument used to justify a loan guarantee somewhere in the neighbourhood of $15 billion.Is unfair competition a Canadian value?Is putting Quebec's interests last a Canadian value?How can the government justify its involvement in an operation designed solely to allow Newfoundland and Labrador to enter into direct competition with Hydro-Québec on foreign markets?

Mr. Speaker, today's economic update will confirm that the Prime Minister's plan is failing badly. The Prime Minister claimed that borrowing billions of dollars would get the economy growing and create jobs, but that has not created one new additional full-time job in Canada since he was elected. The average Canadian cannot get ahead. Instead of jobs, all Canadians are getting are higher taxes. What is the Prime Minister going to say to those Canadians who are out of work when they find out he is doubling down on a failed plan?

Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board is sounding the alarm over the government's inaction.No less than 52 TSB recommendations have been on ice for at least 10 years now and the minister, who claims to be an advocate of safety, is dragging his feet just like the previous government did. The same goes for the transportation of dangerous goods. The TSB has made it clear that current safety measures are inadequate.Is the minister waiting for another tragedy before following through on the TSB's recommendations?

Mr. Speaker, the police spied on journalist Patrick Lagacé for months. A total of 24 warrants were issued, which is absolutely unacceptable, even shocking, as one of my colleagues said.When we learned that the RCMP had spied on journalist Joël-Denis Bellavance, here in Ottawa, the Prime minister refused to hold an inquiry.Can the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness tell us outright whether other journalists are currently under surveillance by the RCMP or CSIS?

Mr. Speaker, the government said that there would be a little deficit that would create lots of jobs. Instead, we got lots of deficit and no jobs. In fact, there are 6,000 fewer people working today than a year ago when the government took office, 20,000 fewer manufacturing jobs, and the deficit is spiralling out of control. When will the finance minister learn that when one is in a hole, quit digging?

Mr. Speaker, rural Albertans recently rejected the urban-centric Liberal agenda. The out of touch edict to close the Vegreville case processing centre, which shocked the town and region, is an example of why they did. This unilateral deliberate removal of rural jobs to a Liberal-held city riding will cause unnecessary pain to families and devastate this rural town. When will the Liberals end their attack on rural Canada? Will the minister stop this edict and save the jobs of these hard-working people?

Mr. Speaker, it seems the Prime Minister is importing all of Kathleen Wynne's bad ideas and the insiders who were trained to execute her playbook.For weeks, Canadians have been learning about these tactics and have become increasingly concerned. Today, we have learned that some of these people are being charged with criminal activity. Just minutes ago, Gerry Lougheed, a long-time Liberal supporter and fundraiser for the Prime Minister was charged with one count of bribery.When will the Prime Minister admit that the tactics and people who are around him have failed to live up to any measure of ethical standards?