Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims he is a defender of human rights, yet he will not speak up against Trump's racist ban. What is worse, once rejected by the U.S., those refugees cannot make a claim in Canada because of the safe third country agreement. So much for #welcometoCanada. Canadians no longer have confidence that the U.S. is a safe haven for refugees. If we do not suspend the agreement, Canada will be complicit in this discriminatory ban.Will the government immediately suspend the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the chief of Black Lake, Saskatchewan fears for the lives of the young members of our community. In the last six weeks, 30 young people have attempted suicide. Last week, one young person succeeded. These young people cannot afford more broken promises. Words are meaningless and action is needed now.There are fewer mental health services available and there are more cuts. Will the Prime Minister urgently increase funding for the Athabasca Health Authority for Black Lake and other communities in the area?
Mr. Speaker, Quebec dairy producers are concerned about the Liberals' plan to renegotiate NAFTA.That is completely understandable given the government's inaction on the diafiltered milk issue. This American product is threatening our supply management system and costing our producers millions of dollars, as is the loophole in the Canada-Europe trade agreement. We know that the Prime Minister's promises do not mean anything, but will he confirm to Canadians today that he will defend our supply management system in the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, guess what? Just one day after announcing that the government was finally putting an end to all Sixties Scoop litigation, the government was in court to argue against the case of Marcia Brown.My question is very simple: will the minister immediately put an end to the government's legal defence and recognize that Canada has, and has always had, a duty to protect the cultural identity of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for BeachesEast York is on record calling for the legalization of all illegal drugs. Yesterday the Prime Minister refused to denounce that position.Will the Minister of Health have the courage to stand today, denounce that position of that Liberal member of Parliament, and state for the record that the only drug the Liberals will be legalizing is marijuana, and please be clear for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, you wake up in the morning and you feel like you are living the same day over and over again. Another Liberal 180, another prime ministerial flip-flop, another letdown, another broken promise. Sure feels like Groundhog Day. Oh right, it is Groundhog Day.The consensus is clear: 90% of the experts and the witnesses were in favour of proportional representation. That was the committee's majority opinion and the opinion that emerged from citizen assemblies. Even the people who did the Liberals' survey want political parties to work together.Consultation is all well and good, but why not listen to people? Why are the Liberals making choices that benefit only themselves?
Mr. Speaker, the call from a Liberal member of Parliament to legalize all drugs is very troubling. The Liberals are going to be legalizing marijuana, but parents are concerned they may be considering legalizing even more dangerous drugs. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister was not clear on this yesterday, so I wonder if the Minister of Justice could tell us, after the Liberals legalize marijuana, what will be the next drug they plan on legalizing?
Mr. Speaker, the approach of this government to drug policy is evidence-based, compassionate, collaborative, and comprehensive. When it comes to the matter of cannabis, we have made it very clear that we are going to legalize access to cannabis, but we are going to do so in a strict regulatory regime to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is not working. The Liberals have been in power for 15 months, and the economy has been stagnating ever since. Even worse, we are headed toward a huge deficit and colossal debt. It is unacceptable. The minister refused to say that he plans to regain control of public finances, so I will reach out to him once again. Can the minister tell us this time that the Liberal government will not impose any new taxes on Canadians in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are playing politics with the lives of Canadians.Yesterday the Conservatives agreed to unanimously support portions of Bill C-37 to ensure that important lifesaving measures could be implemented immediately. We asked that the controversial elements of forcing communities to accept heroin injection sites without proper consultation be further debated so Canadians could have their voices heard.Will the Liberals stop playing politics and allow portions of the bill, which have all-party support, to be adopted in the House today?
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps talking about her mandate, but I do not actually think she understands what the word fully means.The mandate of a government does not come from some piece of paper handed to them by the Prime Minister. The mandate comes from the democratic will expressed by the voters of our country. Let me quote the Prime Minister, who said just a few months ago, Over 60% of Canadians voted in favour of parties that promised to change the current voting system. That, in fact, is true. That is the minister's mandate. That is the government's mandate.Is the Prime Minister so arrogant that he believes he can change, with the flick of a pen, the mandate that was given to him by millions of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised to reform our electoral system, which is archaic, outdated, and ineffective. All of the Liberal candidates promised electoral reform. Once elected, the Prime Minister repeated dozens of times that there would be electoral reform. He reiterated it in the House, the Speech from the Throne, the minister's mandate, and even the committee's mandate. We believed him. That was a big mistake. The lesson learned is that one should never believe the Liberals because they will go back on their word, just like that.If they are breaking promises about our democracy, what is next?
Mr. Speaker, again, our government values scientists and the important work they do. The opposition members are trying to manufacture a scandal where one does not exist and, frankly, I think Canadians see right through this.The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length body. It has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, it has become clear this week that Vladimir Putin is testing resolve of western democracies and the new American president. The Russian-backed war in eastern Ukraine continues to intensify, pushing some communities to the brink of humanitarian disaster. Yesterday, as Ukraine assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, the permanent council member sponsoring the war had the temerity to urge restraint.The Liberals say they are considering options. How about some action?
Mr. Speaker, that is a no. The money will keep flowing to his friends.The Prime Minister gives special access to billionaires and lobbyists at cash-for-access fundraisers. He awards his friends at Canada 2020 with government contracts, taxpayer money for conferences, and lavish island vacations.The Prime Minister promised Canadians that he would defend their interests, but it seems the only interests he is concerned about are his own, and his Liberal friends and insiders. Will the Prime Minister commit today to dictate to each and every one of his ministers to cut funding to Canada 2020?
Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a terrible, preventable situation lived by too many Canadians. I was proud to see our government increasing the homeless partnering strategy funding by $111.8 million.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (Housing and Urban Affairs) give us an update on our government's work on this very important file?
Mr. Speaker, we are tired of hearing talking points; we want real answers today.The former minister of status of women spent the tidy amount of $1.1 million renovating her office. Many organizations that help women could have really used that money.Can the Minister of Status of Women explain why her priority was renovations rather than women who are very short of money?
Mr. Speaker, in order for an organization to be considered arm's length, it must not be linked in any way to any political party. In the case of Canada 2020, clearly, given that the president of the think tank Canada 2020 happens to be married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada and is a childhood friend of the Prime Minister, that organization is definitely not arm's length.Here we are once again with a case of the Prime Minister thinking he is above the law and showing a lack of ethics and poor judgment.Will the Prime Minister stop funding Canada 2020, an organization that belongs to his buddy, who is married to the Liberal Party president?
Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, our approach to drug policy is evidence-based. We have made it very clear that we have plans to legalize access to cannabis and to strictly regulate it. We have plans to legalize no other substances.We will work together to address the opioid crisis in a manner that is comprehensive, evidence-based, and responds to the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the European free trade agreement could help promote Quebec. We have an opportunity to build a bridge between Europe and America. However, we will not abandon our people. We will not support the agreement if the government sacrifices our agricultural and dairy producers. Canada-Europe relations must not be forged by creating hardship for the families in our regions.Will the government fully compensate Quebec producers and, ultimately, not deem them to be collateral damage?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's good friend and lobbyist Tim Barber of Canada 2020 was posting pictures on Twitter earlier this week and bragging that Canada 2020 has new space in the Parliamentary Precinct. I cannot make this stuff up. I wish it was fake news, but sadly it is real. Will the Prime Minister commit today to end taxpayer support for his friends at Canada 2020 and ensure that no government department or agency contributes any more money to this partisan Liberal organization?
Mr. Speaker, the evidence shows that the Liberals' policies were ill-advised from the start. The group that represents Canadian manufacturers had this to say: Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Add this to the rapidly changing business environment in the USa primary competitor for investmentwith increased protectionism...and Canada's situation will only worsen. The Liberals can keep kidding themselves with their plans that do not work, but we are reporting facts.What steps will the Prime Minister take to defend jobs here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, this is not reassuring.How can those members stand over there with a straight face and tell Canadians they believe in free trade? The minister's mandate letters make no mention of the softwood lumber agreement or trade with Asia-Pacific nations that were in the TPP. Canadian workers need the Liberal government to work in their best interests.When can we expect a new softwood lumber agreement and new markets for our exporters?
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs depend on trade with the United States, but the Liberals' silence on their priorities for NAFTA renegotiations is deafening. Canadians want fair trade that benefits all Canadians, not just a few at the top. The government's first priority must be protecting Canadian jobs in trade-dependent industries, like softwood lumber, auto, steel, agriculture, and dairy.Today the U.S. has started the clock on renegotiations, so when will the Liberals come clean to Canadians about what is on the table?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister gave the Minister of Foreign Affairs new instructions. Now, any deployment of Canadian troops abroad must align with Canada's national interest. That is exactly what we did in the past. In light of this new vision and the Prime Minister's eagerness to deploy 600 soldiers on a peacekeeping mission in Africa where there is no peace to keep, can the minister explain to us how this African mission aligns with Canada's national interest?
Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals are saying is simply not true. It is the exact opposite of the truth. In fact, it is one of those alternative facts of which they have suddenly grown so fond.There was a consensus. It was the Liberals who just simply refused to listen to it. Ninety percent of experts and Canadians who came before us and testified said that they wanted a proportional representation system. The recommendation from the Bloc, the Greens, the Conservatives, and the New Democrats called for a plan to bring in proportional representation.There was actually one party that stood in the way of that consensus, and that was the Liberal Party of Canada. It is a bit rich when the Liberals claim there is no consensus. It is only Liberals standing in the way of that very consensus.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege regarding a tweet by Canada 2020 advertising that it was opening offices in the parliamentary precinct. The tweet, dated January 27, 11:47 a.m., states, @Canada2020 almost there! New floors next week - 2100 Sq ft of meeting space #canada2020 in the Parliamentary precinct #cndpoli.Section 79.51 of the Parliament of Canada Act with respect to the Parliamentary Protective Services, defines the precinct as follows: parliamentary precinct means the premises or any part of the premises, other than the constituency offices of members of Parliament, that are used by the following entities or individuals or their officers or staff, and that are designated in writing by the Speaker of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Commons: (a) the Senate, House of Commons, Library of Parliament or Parliamentary committees; (b) members of the Senate or House of Commons who are carrying out their parliamentary functions; (c) the Senate Ethics Officer or the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner; or (d) the Service. On the Public Works website, it defines the parliamentary precinct as home to Canada's federal legislature and is an iconic symbol of our country's commitment to democracy and peace.As you know, Mr. Speaker, Canada 2020 cannot take up shop in the home of our federal legislature, and the only commitment it can boast of is receiving largesse from the Liberal government. Apparently, it is not good enough for Canada 2020 to be an entity of the Liberal Party of Canada; it now wants to give the impression that it is part of the parliamentary precinct.My question of privilege touches on two points: one, the misrepresentation of Parliament; and two, the breach of subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act.A prima facie case of privilege was found on May 6, 1985, when the appearance of a newspaper advertisement identified as a member of Parliament someone other than the sitting member. Canada 2020 tweeted out that it was part of the parliamentary precinct, misrepresenting itself as part of the parliamentary family. I would argue that this misrepresentation constitutes an affront to the House and to members of Parliament.In the Ontario legislature, Speaker Stockwell dealt with a question of privilege concerning a pamphlet that was issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the government's program for reforming municipal government in metropolitan Toronto. On January 22, 1997, Speaker Stockwell ruled the matter to be a prima facie question of privilege since the pamphlet gave the impression that passage of the required legislation was not necessary. Simply put, no one or organization, even the government itself, can misrepresent what Parliament does or who is a member of Parliament, or as Canada 2020 is attempting to do, misrepresenting its role in relation to Parliament.Further, and this is my second point in relation to the use of such references as Canada 2020 tweeted, the principle of Canada 2020's offensive tweet can also be explained in subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act: Notwithstanding anything contained in any Act of Parliament or regulation made thereunder, no person shall use the words Parliament Hill in combination (a) to describe or designate a property, place, site, or location in the National Capital Region described in the schedule to the National Capital Act other than the area of ground in the City of Ottawa bounded by Wellington Street, the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and Kent Street; (b) to identify any goods, merchandise, wares, or articles for commercial use or sale; or (c) in association with a commercial establishment providing services. No one would be surprised if Canada 2020 advertised the opening of a new office in the Liberal Party's headquarters, for example, and as I said in my opening remarks, no one is surprised that Canada 2020 is essentially an entity of the Liberal Party, but it is an affront for Canada 2020 to be passing itself off as an entity of Parliament. It is there where it has crossed the line.Mr. Speaker, if you find this to be a prima facie question of privilege, I am prepared to move the appropriate motion.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to act to strengthen our democracy.While we did not hear a consensus on a particular electoral system to replace the one we have now, Canadians were clear that we could do more to improve our democratic institutions. What we did hear was that Canadians were proud of our democracy.That is why my new mandate letter includes protecting the integrity of our democracy by making our system less vulnerable to hacking, and improving transparency by making parties' political fundraising more open than ever before.We will always work to ensure our democracy represents the values of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, starting to build before knowing how many people are going to be in the office is what we call bad project management. Canadians expect that when the minister goes back to taxpayers for additional emergency funding, it will be used for such things as emergency shelters for vulnerable women, but no, to these Liberals, an emergency is building luxury offices to make themselves more comfortable. In those same supplementary estimates, can the minister confirm how much funding the Liberals requested for women's shelters in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that we started by cutting taxes for the middle class. That is the first thing we did. What is interesting is that the member and his party decided to vote against those measures. We plan to continue with our program to improve the lives of middle-class Canadians by leaving more money in their families' pockets.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if the minister heard, but the question was actually about manufacturing. It is an industry that employs 1.7 million Canadians. He might have also noticed that yesterday, the association that represents those jobs indicated that Canada is moving from the seventh most favourable environment in which to manufacture to tenth, while the Americans are moving from third to first, and that is before the new payroll and carbon taxes the government is introducing. South of the border, they are cutting taxes and regulations to unleash the potential of free markets.When will the government realize that if we do not get down to business over here, the Americans are going to eat us for lunch?
Mr. Speaker, this morning, the parliamentary budget officer released a report called Following the Money, stating that the Liberals' infrastructure plan has no way to measure performance, has virtually no transparency on how the money is being spent, and has shortchanged communities by $9 billion for local infrastructure. The Liberal plan to stimulate the Canadian economy has failed.Will the minister commit to flowing the $9 billion to communities before spring construction begins?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think my hon. colleague heard the answer. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length organization. Its mandate is to share and promote research with Canadians. As I said, the granting council has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that dollar amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, Status of Women did not have enough money in its budget for office renovations, but started them anyway and then had to get $900,000 from supplementary estimates for the $1.1 million project.Would the minister describe this as responsible management of the budget and of taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, as I am sure the member opposite is aware, I am watching the situation near Avdiivka very carefully, and I have been in close touch with our excellent ambassador, Roman Waschuk, in Kiev. It is an issue of utmost concern, and we condemn the actions of the Russian-backed separatist forces there.As I have said earlier this week, we are working closely together with my colleague, the Minister of National Defence on Operation Unifier, which I think has done excellent work thus far.
Mr. Speaker, more trade is more growth and more growth is more jobs for Canadians. That is why this government will be relentless. We will have an ambitious trade agenda to create jobs for Canadians, to open markets, so Canadians and their families can be better in our country. We have an ambitious trade agenda and we will put it forward.
Mr. Speaker, our electoral system is the foundation of our democracy. We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. Canadians are proud of our democracy. We have always been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians. I look forward to working with all Canadians and to continuing to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, it would seem as though the minister and the government are not aware of last week's events and that hiding one's head in the sand may not be the solution.For example, how can they claim that they are convinced that refugees will be treated properly and with respect in the United States following the President's immigration order?Will the government immediately suspend the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question and I do look forward to working with him. We have done a lot of work together in the past.I agree strongly with the member opposite that of course it is absolutely correct for all of the actions of the government to be in the national interest, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs that will be my north star.When it comes to peacekeeping, Canada is a determined peace-builder. We believe in peace and we believe in our role in multilateral organizations.As to specific missions, that is something which the government is currently considering.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Science said that Canada 2020 was an arm's length-organization. Everyone knows that science is based on facts, so let us look at the facts.First of all, the president of Canada 2020 is married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada. Second, the president and his wife were on vacation with the Prime Minister over the holidays. Third, Canada 2020 organized an event in Washington for the Prime Minister and was paid $15,000 in public funds. Does the Minister of Science agree with me that 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, and that funding to Canada 2020 must stop?
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more foundational than how we choose to govern ourselves as Canadians.We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. We listened to Canadians. We heard that Canadians were proud of our democracy. We have been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians.I look forward to working with Canadians to continue to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to remain a compassionate and generous country. We have one of the most compassionate and generous refugee systems in the world. The safe third country agreement with the United States enables both countries to better handle asylum claims. The executive order has no impact on asylum claims made in either country. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we will continue to be a country that is open to refugees and protected persons.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know or ought to know that the safe third country agreement pertains to domestic asylum seekers and has no relevance to resettled refugees. Having said that, Canada has a system in place that is considered to be the most generous and compassionate in the world. We in Canada and the United States view the safe third country agreement as a proper system to handle local asylum seekers, and we will continue to be an open and generous country to those seeking protection and refuge.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer's report on infrastructure indicates that the Liberals risk not achieving their objectives for economic growth. Contrary to what the minister stated, $4.6 billion for projects has been approved.In the wake of our Prime Minister's out-of-control deficits, tax increases, broken promises, and conflicts of interest, we are now learning that the Liberal's infrastructure plan is simply not working. What is the Minister of Infrastructure waiting for to release the funds, the missing $9 billion, that would allow projects to move forward in every municipality in Canada?The party is over.
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by commenting on Tuesday, which was a historic day in this House. I did not have a chance to speak then, and I had no questions yesterday. Therefore, I want to quickly thank the member for Saint-Laurent and the member for MarkhamThornhill for their decades of service to their constituents. We all honour them, and I am looking forward to working with them in their new roles.As for the question, it is incorrect that the clock was started today by the U.S. That has not happened. Of course, our priority is jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the construction was completed on time, within budget, and follows the government's workplace standards to optimize office space accommodation. As the first government to introduce a full minister responsible for Status of Women, I am looking forward to working with the member opposite as the chair of the committee responsible for this work. We have restored advocacy to the scope of activities that can be supported by the women's program, the granting body, and we believe it will help make better decisions and impact. We are committed to ensuring that a full gender-based analysis is done across policies and programs to ensure that women and girls are at the heart of all our efforts.
Mr. Speaker, our government values science and the important work our scientists do. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council has a mandate to share and promote research to Canadians.As I have said, a granting council is an arm's-length organization. It is able to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below the amount, and the decision was made by the granting council.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint JohnRothesay for his concern and advocacy on this issue, and in particular his strong support for the Outflow and Coverdale shelters in his riding.Homelessness affects all of our communities, and all of us have a role to play in ending it. Yesterday, we announced the call for nominations to establish an advisory council of experts and stakeholders to help the government as it reviews and renews the homeless partnership strategy.This committee, which I will chair, will have members chosen through an open and transparent process. Canadians with lived experience and people with knowledge of the program and who deliver front-line services will be encouraged to apply. I would also stress that indigenous and Inuit voices must be heard through this process. People can check Canada.ca for information.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made huge election promises, including when it comes to electric transportation. They even promised to have charging stations installed at federal building parking lots across the country, and people believed them. We are still waiting. It is not just about keeping a promise. It is about climate urgency. I am truly proud to be the NDP critic for electrification of transportation. That said, I wonder who will be my counterpart across the way.Can someone please tell us that this government is going to keep its promise and when?
Mr. Speaker, I want to just keep repeating the fact that we are actually the government that reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians. We know we have a competitive corporate tax rate in this country. We know that it is important to continue to make investments in innovation in our economy. We know it is important to continue to focus on how we can help Canadians get the skills they need in our economy.That is our intention, and I am very much looking forward to budget 2017 to continue that message to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, if the Liberal government had not imposed arbitrary deadlines on the Connect to Innovate program, and if it had listened to the regions in Quebec and Canada, there would be no need to change the dates today as it just did. By all accounts, the minister from Toronto knows very little about Canada's regions.Will he extend the deadline by another two or three months, since the municipalities are unable to submit plans under the current program?We had also asked for more money to build cellphone towers in our regions because of the significant problems we have in Canada.Can the minister tell us when we can expect to have that money?
Mr. Speaker, a few hours before Christmas, on December 23, the Department of Finance published a document that stated two very alarming things for Canada's future. If nothing changes, we are heading toward an accumulated debt of $1.5 trillion by 2050 and a return to balanced budgets in 2055. This does not make any sense. To fix the problem, the government has two choices: either it gets its spending under control, or it increases taxes.Can the Minister of Finance assure us and tell Canadians that he is finally going to regain control over public finances?
Mr. Speaker, we as a government have said again and again that we would prefer negotiation over litigation at any time. It is our preferred route to settle differences, especially those of historic wrongs with indigenous people in this country.That is why our government has launched negotiations toward a national resolution to the Sixties Scoop litigation. That is why as well we feel that these are important resolutions to have if we are able to move forward with reconciliation with all indigenous people in Canada. We will keep working toward that goal and that path.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that when it comes to taking concrete steps, we extended the automotive innovation fund in the 2016 budget. Not only did we extend that fund, but we changed the terms. Because of that, we attracted a $500 million investment in the Honda plant in Alliston. That will secure 4,000 jobs. That is taking concrete action. That is bringing investment to Canada. That is securing good quality jobs for the middle class. We will remain focused on growing the economy and creating good quality jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of neglect by the previous government, we are finally making progress to ensure that women and girls thrive in
Mr. Speaker, when he was elected, the Prime Minister said that his mandate letters were his ministers' bible.After reading the mandate letters for the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, it seems that international trade is not really important to the Prime Minister because there is no mention at all of the softwood lumber agreement, the TPP, or bilateral agreements with countries that were in the TPP.Why has the Prime Minister not shown us that he believes it is important to open borders?
Mr. Speaker, our government has an outstanding record on serving Canadians well when it comes to international trade. Canada signed CETA this past October. In December 2015, the current government had the U.S. labelling law, known as COOL, repealed. We have obtained greater access to the U.S. and Chinese markets for beef. We have also obtained greater access in China for canola producers, including my father.We will continue to work tirelessly to grow the middle class, and I will vigorously defend our interests together with my dear colleague.
Mr. Speaker, the roots of the suicide crisis in indigenous communities are deep and complex. We are working hard with our partners in those communities to address this crisis. In fact, we have provided an additional $69 million in mental wellness funding. This means 24 new mental wellness teams. There are already three new crisis intervention teams at work in various parts of the country, and there is a 24-7 Hope for Wellness Help Line which is available in five languages. We will continue to do the good work to provide hope for these communities.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday it was revealed that the new Minister of Foreign Affairs was given different instructions from her predecessor. Specifically, troop deployments will now be based solely on Canada's national interest. It makes us wonder what they were based on before. For months we have been asking the Liberals to explain how their intention to send our troops on a UN mission in Africa serves our national interest.Can the minister confirm that the previous peacekeeping plans are now on hold, or have the Liberals abandoned them completely?
Mr. Speaker, first I would like to convey that our thoughts are with the people of New Brunswick as they recover from the ice storm there.Today our government and FCM announced two new programs. These programs will raise awareness about asset management practices, making small, long-term infrastructure decisions. These programs will also help municipalities fight climate change and transition to our low-carbon communities.I urge all members to tell their communities about these two initiatives. We are proud of our partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and cities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, we listened to Canadians. We were clear: no change of this magnitude should go ahead without the broad support of Canadians. We consulted extensively with Canadians. MPs organized public meetings. The special all-party committee produced a comprehensive report. Over 360,000 Canadians weighed in at MyDemocracy.ca.My job is to strengthen and protect our democratic institutions. That is exactly what we are working toward together with
Mr. Speaker, we have a real plan for improving the situation in the future. That plan is not in the finance department's report. We are going to invest in our country's future. That means investing in infrastructure and innovation. By doing so we will have more growth and be better positioned in the future. It is about having more work for Canadians and an economy that works for everyone.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that CETA is in the national interest and that we have listened to all Canadians. I can guarantee one thing: trade brings growth and growth brings jobs to ridings across Canada. We will continue to listen to our agricultural producers and we will continue to have a trade vision that includes the entire country.
Mr. Speaker, our government has made gender equality a key priority with the appointment of a historic gender balanced cabinet and the first ever full Minister for Status of Women. Previous ministers responsible for the Status of Women were also ministers of departments that already had offices. Being located in the same building as the department, as is the standard across government, will ensure that departmental and ministerial operations run more efficiently. I look forward to working with the member opposite to further the opportunities for women and girls in this country.
Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief, but very clear.Will the government honour Quebec's requests and formally undertake to fully compensate the losses of our dairy producers before, with the emphasis on before, the vote on the free trade agreement with Europe?
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister has broken his promise on deficits and electoral reform, he is keeping his promise to transition away from manufacturing-based employment. Yesterday's Manufacturers and Exporters' report said, Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Increases in business taxes, regulatory demands, and energy costs are making it more difficult and costly to do business in Canada, and there are new carbon and payroll taxes to come.Why is the government taxing 1.7 million manufacturing workers out of their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the harmonization of regulations and reducing barriers, this has been a key priority for our government, and that is why I have been working with my provincial and territorial counterparts to sign a Canada free trade agreement. We have an agreement in principle. We announced that agreement in July. We will provide the details of that agreement, and that will create an environment for our manufacturers to grow and expand in Canada so they can compete globally and create good, quality jobs. That is how we are delivering for our manufacturing sector. On those 1.7 million jobs, we will make sure we will continue to grow and expand that industry.
Mr. Speaker, we are finally working to ensure, and are making progress, that all women and girls have an opportunity to thrive in our country. We are investing in shelters, transitional homes, and affordable housing to allow women to be safe. We are also developing the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. This is a cause that transcends party lines and departments. I am looking forward to working with all members to ensure that we reach our common goal.
Mr. Speaker, that question gives me an opportunity to share with all members of the House some very good news. This is not a political matter. This is a very serious matter, a matter of saving lives. I am very happy to report that not only with the support of the vote that took place yesterday to pass second reading, all parties agreed today in committee to expedite the passage through committee of Bill C-37 to save lives and get the work done.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to reiterate that this is the first time there has ever been a full Minister for Status of Women. In previous governments, the minister responsible for Status of Women had another place to work within. That said, let us talk about what the minister before me and the team have been working on since we formed government. We are working and have engaged with experts, academics, and those with lived experience to bring forward the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. We are expanding the services of Status of Women across the country, and more. I look forward to working with the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, our government continues to support innovation around things like electric charging stations and electric vehicles. Indeed, I personally had the opportunity to test drive an electric vehicle while I attended the conference in Montreal.We know they are the next version of some of the energy saving opportunities we have around carbon, reducing our carbon footprint. We continue to support those innovators who are moving this forward.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue the debate that we began this morning on the Conservative Party's motion. Tomorrow, we will begin the report stage debate of Bill C-30 on the Canada-European Union comprehensive economic and trade agreement. Monday, we will resume debate of that bill. Next week, we will also continue the second reading debate of Bill C-36, an act to amend the Statistics Act, and Bill C-31, an act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine.Next Thursday, February 9, shall be an allotted day.Last, there have been consultations among the parties and I believe you would find agreement for the following motion. I move: That a take-note debate on the subject of job losses in the energy sector take place, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, and that, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, (a) any member rising to speak during the debate my indicate to the Chair that he or she will dividing his or her time with another member; and (b) no quorum calls, dilatory motions, or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, I hear a lot about infrastructure needs from citizens and municipalities in my riding of New Brunswick Southwest. Citizens want better roads, access to public transit, clean drinking water, and affordable housing.Our municipalities want to offer all of these things while also leading the way fighting climate change. Municipalities are pleased with our government's commitment to invest in infrastructure, but they want to know how the federal government will help them to plan for the future.Could the minister tell this House how the government will support our municipalities in this important goal?
Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that this government has been consulting dairy farmers right across the country, including in Quebec. With that consultation, we put a program in place that involved $350 million to make sure the dairy farmers and processing sector were innovative.We have worked with the supply management sector, particularly the dairy sector, and we will continue to work in support of the dairy sector.
Mr. Speaker, when I was the international trade minister, I worked closely with Quebec ministers St-Pierre and Anglade, Quebec companies such as Bombardier, the forestry industry, and Quebec unions in the context of CETA.I am very aware of the interests of Quebec and Canada, and I will defend all of our interests, all of our workers, and all of our farmers, as always.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the government about the business for this week and next week. However, you may recall that before we rose for the Christmas break, I asked the government if it would consider a take-note debate regarding the job situation in Canada and, specifically, the job losses in the energy sector. Again, I ask the House leader if she would please let us know the business for this week and next week, and when we will be able to have that important take-note debate.
Mr. Speaker, the primary responsibility of the Minister of Status of Women should be providing vulnerable women with the resources they need, many of whom are forced to seek shelter or refuge in women's shelters across Canada, which, of course, are desperate for resources. In his mandate letter to the minister, the Prime Minister said, It is important that we acknowledge mistakes when we make them. Will the minister now admit that spending over $1 million on luxury offices to make her more comfortable is a mistake and a betrayal of vulnerable women?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to answer the member's question. I can assure all members and Canadians that when we work as a government we work in the best interests of Canadians, and we will make decisions that will help us advance the work that they have elected us to do. We will ensure that we make investments that will help grow the economy and create new jobs to support Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I think what we will do is take this as notice from the member and if we have something to add, we will do it at a future time. I am a bit reluctant at this point to add further comments. Suffice to say, beyond the social media, I suspect there are all sorts of entities and individuals and so forth that might make reference to the sense of pride they have for our parliamentary precinct and the Parliament Buildings and so forth. Without reading too much into it, if there is a need for us to respond to it, we will in time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I answered the question in English, but it is my pleasure to try answering it in French. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is my privilege to defend the national interest, and that is what I will try to do. As a determined peace-builder, Canada will re-engage in peacekeeping. Our government is committed to restoring Canada's role in peacekeeping missions, and we are currently considering our options in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for again talking about the connect to innovate program.We had extensive consultations with municipalities and stakeholders when we designed the program. We actually announced the program in our 2016 budget, so people are well aware of this initiative and our government's commitment to deal with that digital divide and make sure we invest in our rural and remote communities. This is a significant investment. When leveraged with the private sector, it has the potential of a billion dollar investment. This is significant for our regions. We are listening to our regions. That is why we extended the date to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, since the introduction of budget 2016, we have concluded bilateral agreements with each province and territory within a very short amount of time. Since doing that, we have approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. We have approved more projects in one year than the previous government did in five years. That is our track record, and that is exactly what we are delivering on.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LaurentidesLabelle for his question.Access to broadband is essential for living, working, and competing in a digital world. For Canadians in rural and remote regions, access to high-speed Internet can unlock tremendous economic potential. That is why we launched a $500-million program called connect to innovate, to provide high-speed broadband Internet connectivity across Canada in various communities. We want to make sure that this will help 300 rural and remote communities. We want to ensure that as many Canadians as possible benefit. That is why we are extending the application deadline to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, access to reliable broadband Internet is crucial to participating in today's economy.Rural and remote areas, like my region of LaurentidesLabelle, do not have the necessary infrastructure to support broadband services. My constituents were therefore happy to hear about the government's budget 2016 promise regarding broadband Internet access.Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development provide the House with an update on this critical issue for all of rural Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the work of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to monitor spending as well as inform Canadians and Parliament. Since taking office, our government, in partnership with the municipalities and provinces, has approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. These investments are helping the design and planning work for Ottawa's LRT, Edmonton's LRT, and Calgary's LRT. As a matter of fact, in the member's own city of Surrey, planning work is being done with these resources to expand the LRT work in her own municipality.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims he is a defender of human rights, yet he will not speak up against Trump's racist ban. What is worse, once rejected by the U.S., those refugees cannot make a claim in Canada because of the safe third country agreement. So much for #welcometoCanada. Canadians no longer have confidence that the U.S. is a safe haven for refugees. If we do not suspend the agreement, Canada will be complicit in this discriminatory ban.Will the government immediately suspend the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the chief of Black Lake, Saskatchewan fears for the lives of the young members of our community. In the last six weeks, 30 young people have attempted suicide. Last week, one young person succeeded. These young people cannot afford more broken promises. Words are meaningless and action is needed now.There are fewer mental health services available and there are more cuts. Will the Prime Minister urgently increase funding for the Athabasca Health Authority for Black Lake and other communities in the area?
Mr. Speaker, Quebec dairy producers are concerned about the Liberals' plan to renegotiate NAFTA.That is completely understandable given the government's inaction on the diafiltered milk issue. This American product is threatening our supply management system and costing our producers millions of dollars, as is the loophole in the Canada-Europe trade agreement. We know that the Prime Minister's promises do not mean anything, but will he confirm to Canadians today that he will defend our supply management system in the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, guess what? Just one day after announcing that the government was finally putting an end to all Sixties Scoop litigation, the government was in court to argue against the case of Marcia Brown.My question is very simple: will the minister immediately put an end to the government's legal defence and recognize that Canada has, and has always had, a duty to protect the cultural identity of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for BeachesEast York is on record calling for the legalization of all illegal drugs. Yesterday the Prime Minister refused to denounce that position.Will the Minister of Health have the courage to stand today, denounce that position of that Liberal member of Parliament, and state for the record that the only drug the Liberals will be legalizing is marijuana, and please be clear for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, you wake up in the morning and you feel like you are living the same day over and over again. Another Liberal 180, another prime ministerial flip-flop, another letdown, another broken promise. Sure feels like Groundhog Day. Oh right, it is Groundhog Day.The consensus is clear: 90% of the experts and the witnesses were in favour of proportional representation. That was the committee's majority opinion and the opinion that emerged from citizen assemblies. Even the people who did the Liberals' survey want political parties to work together.Consultation is all well and good, but why not listen to people? Why are the Liberals making choices that benefit only themselves?
Mr. Speaker, the call from a Liberal member of Parliament to legalize all drugs is very troubling. The Liberals are going to be legalizing marijuana, but parents are concerned they may be considering legalizing even more dangerous drugs. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister was not clear on this yesterday, so I wonder if the Minister of Justice could tell us, after the Liberals legalize marijuana, what will be the next drug they plan on legalizing?
Mr. Speaker, the approach of this government to drug policy is evidence-based, compassionate, collaborative, and comprehensive. When it comes to the matter of cannabis, we have made it very clear that we are going to legalize access to cannabis, but we are going to do so in a strict regulatory regime to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is not working. The Liberals have been in power for 15 months, and the economy has been stagnating ever since. Even worse, we are headed toward a huge deficit and colossal debt. It is unacceptable. The minister refused to say that he plans to regain control of public finances, so I will reach out to him once again. Can the minister tell us this time that the Liberal government will not impose any new taxes on Canadians in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are playing politics with the lives of Canadians.Yesterday the Conservatives agreed to unanimously support portions of Bill C-37 to ensure that important lifesaving measures could be implemented immediately. We asked that the controversial elements of forcing communities to accept heroin injection sites without proper consultation be further debated so Canadians could have their voices heard.Will the Liberals stop playing politics and allow portions of the bill, which have all-party support, to be adopted in the House today?
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps talking about her mandate, but I do not actually think she understands what the word fully means.The mandate of a government does not come from some piece of paper handed to them by the Prime Minister. The mandate comes from the democratic will expressed by the voters of our country. Let me quote the Prime Minister, who said just a few months ago, Over 60% of Canadians voted in favour of parties that promised to change the current voting system. That, in fact, is true. That is the minister's mandate. That is the government's mandate.Is the Prime Minister so arrogant that he believes he can change, with the flick of a pen, the mandate that was given to him by millions of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised to reform our electoral system, which is archaic, outdated, and ineffective. All of the Liberal candidates promised electoral reform. Once elected, the Prime Minister repeated dozens of times that there would be electoral reform. He reiterated it in the House, the Speech from the Throne, the minister's mandate, and even the committee's mandate. We believed him. That was a big mistake. The lesson learned is that one should never believe the Liberals because they will go back on their word, just like that.If they are breaking promises about our democracy, what is next?
Mr. Speaker, again, our government values scientists and the important work they do. The opposition members are trying to manufacture a scandal where one does not exist and, frankly, I think Canadians see right through this.The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length body. It has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, it has become clear this week that Vladimir Putin is testing resolve of western democracies and the new American president. The Russian-backed war in eastern Ukraine continues to intensify, pushing some communities to the brink of humanitarian disaster. Yesterday, as Ukraine assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, the permanent council member sponsoring the war had the temerity to urge restraint.The Liberals say they are considering options. How about some action?
Mr. Speaker, that is a no. The money will keep flowing to his friends.The Prime Minister gives special access to billionaires and lobbyists at cash-for-access fundraisers. He awards his friends at Canada 2020 with government contracts, taxpayer money for conferences, and lavish island vacations.The Prime Minister promised Canadians that he would defend their interests, but it seems the only interests he is concerned about are his own, and his Liberal friends and insiders. Will the Prime Minister commit today to dictate to each and every one of his ministers to cut funding to Canada 2020?
Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a terrible, preventable situation lived by too many Canadians. I was proud to see our government increasing the homeless partnering strategy funding by $111.8 million.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (Housing and Urban Affairs) give us an update on our government's work on this very important file?
Mr. Speaker, we are tired of hearing talking points; we want real answers today.The former minister of status of women spent the tidy amount of $1.1 million renovating her office. Many organizations that help women could have really used that money.Can the Minister of Status of Women explain why her priority was renovations rather than women who are very short of money?
Mr. Speaker, in order for an organization to be considered arm's length, it must not be linked in any way to any political party. In the case of Canada 2020, clearly, given that the president of the think tank Canada 2020 happens to be married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada and is a childhood friend of the Prime Minister, that organization is definitely not arm's length.Here we are once again with a case of the Prime Minister thinking he is above the law and showing a lack of ethics and poor judgment.Will the Prime Minister stop funding Canada 2020, an organization that belongs to his buddy, who is married to the Liberal Party president?
Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, our approach to drug policy is evidence-based. We have made it very clear that we have plans to legalize access to cannabis and to strictly regulate it. We have plans to legalize no other substances.We will work together to address the opioid crisis in a manner that is comprehensive, evidence-based, and responds to the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the European free trade agreement could help promote Quebec. We have an opportunity to build a bridge between Europe and America. However, we will not abandon our people. We will not support the agreement if the government sacrifices our agricultural and dairy producers. Canada-Europe relations must not be forged by creating hardship for the families in our regions.Will the government fully compensate Quebec producers and, ultimately, not deem them to be collateral damage?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's good friend and lobbyist Tim Barber of Canada 2020 was posting pictures on Twitter earlier this week and bragging that Canada 2020 has new space in the Parliamentary Precinct. I cannot make this stuff up. I wish it was fake news, but sadly it is real. Will the Prime Minister commit today to end taxpayer support for his friends at Canada 2020 and ensure that no government department or agency contributes any more money to this partisan Liberal organization?
Mr. Speaker, the evidence shows that the Liberals' policies were ill-advised from the start. The group that represents Canadian manufacturers had this to say: Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Add this to the rapidly changing business environment in the USa primary competitor for investmentwith increased protectionism...and Canada's situation will only worsen. The Liberals can keep kidding themselves with their plans that do not work, but we are reporting facts.What steps will the Prime Minister take to defend jobs here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, this is not reassuring.How can those members stand over there with a straight face and tell Canadians they believe in free trade? The minister's mandate letters make no mention of the softwood lumber agreement or trade with Asia-Pacific nations that were in the TPP. Canadian workers need the Liberal government to work in their best interests.When can we expect a new softwood lumber agreement and new markets for our exporters?
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs depend on trade with the United States, but the Liberals' silence on their priorities for NAFTA renegotiations is deafening. Canadians want fair trade that benefits all Canadians, not just a few at the top. The government's first priority must be protecting Canadian jobs in trade-dependent industries, like softwood lumber, auto, steel, agriculture, and dairy.Today the U.S. has started the clock on renegotiations, so when will the Liberals come clean to Canadians about what is on the table?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister gave the Minister of Foreign Affairs new instructions. Now, any deployment of Canadian troops abroad must align with Canada's national interest. That is exactly what we did in the past. In light of this new vision and the Prime Minister's eagerness to deploy 600 soldiers on a peacekeeping mission in Africa where there is no peace to keep, can the minister explain to us how this African mission aligns with Canada's national interest?
Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals are saying is simply not true. It is the exact opposite of the truth. In fact, it is one of those alternative facts of which they have suddenly grown so fond.There was a consensus. It was the Liberals who just simply refused to listen to it. Ninety percent of experts and Canadians who came before us and testified said that they wanted a proportional representation system. The recommendation from the Bloc, the Greens, the Conservatives, and the New Democrats called for a plan to bring in proportional representation.There was actually one party that stood in the way of that consensus, and that was the Liberal Party of Canada. It is a bit rich when the Liberals claim there is no consensus. It is only Liberals standing in the way of that very consensus.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege regarding a tweet by Canada 2020 advertising that it was opening offices in the parliamentary precinct. The tweet, dated January 27, 11:47 a.m., states, @Canada2020 almost there! New floors next week - 2100 Sq ft of meeting space #canada2020 in the Parliamentary precinct #cndpoli.Section 79.51 of the Parliament of Canada Act with respect to the Parliamentary Protective Services, defines the precinct as follows: parliamentary precinct means the premises or any part of the premises, other than the constituency offices of members of Parliament, that are used by the following entities or individuals or their officers or staff, and that are designated in writing by the Speaker of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Commons: (a) the Senate, House of Commons, Library of Parliament or Parliamentary committees; (b) members of the Senate or House of Commons who are carrying out their parliamentary functions; (c) the Senate Ethics Officer or the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner; or (d) the Service. On the Public Works website, it defines the parliamentary precinct as home to Canada's federal legislature and is an iconic symbol of our country's commitment to democracy and peace.As you know, Mr. Speaker, Canada 2020 cannot take up shop in the home of our federal legislature, and the only commitment it can boast of is receiving largesse from the Liberal government. Apparently, it is not good enough for Canada 2020 to be an entity of the Liberal Party of Canada; it now wants to give the impression that it is part of the parliamentary precinct.My question of privilege touches on two points: one, the misrepresentation of Parliament; and two, the breach of subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act.A prima facie case of privilege was found on May 6, 1985, when the appearance of a newspaper advertisement identified as a member of Parliament someone other than the sitting member. Canada 2020 tweeted out that it was part of the parliamentary precinct, misrepresenting itself as part of the parliamentary family. I would argue that this misrepresentation constitutes an affront to the House and to members of Parliament.In the Ontario legislature, Speaker Stockwell dealt with a question of privilege concerning a pamphlet that was issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the government's program for reforming municipal government in metropolitan Toronto. On January 22, 1997, Speaker Stockwell ruled the matter to be a prima facie question of privilege since the pamphlet gave the impression that passage of the required legislation was not necessary. Simply put, no one or organization, even the government itself, can misrepresent what Parliament does or who is a member of Parliament, or as Canada 2020 is attempting to do, misrepresenting its role in relation to Parliament.Further, and this is my second point in relation to the use of such references as Canada 2020 tweeted, the principle of Canada 2020's offensive tweet can also be explained in subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act: Notwithstanding anything contained in any Act of Parliament or regulation made thereunder, no person shall use the words Parliament Hill in combination (a) to describe or designate a property, place, site, or location in the National Capital Region described in the schedule to the National Capital Act other than the area of ground in the City of Ottawa bounded by Wellington Street, the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and Kent Street; (b) to identify any goods, merchandise, wares, or articles for commercial use or sale; or (c) in association with a commercial establishment providing services. No one would be surprised if Canada 2020 advertised the opening of a new office in the Liberal Party's headquarters, for example, and as I said in my opening remarks, no one is surprised that Canada 2020 is essentially an entity of the Liberal Party, but it is an affront for Canada 2020 to be passing itself off as an entity of Parliament. It is there where it has crossed the line.Mr. Speaker, if you find this to be a prima facie question of privilege, I am prepared to move the appropriate motion.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to act to strengthen our democracy.While we did not hear a consensus on a particular electoral system to replace the one we have now, Canadians were clear that we could do more to improve our democratic institutions. What we did hear was that Canadians were proud of our democracy.That is why my new mandate letter includes protecting the integrity of our democracy by making our system less vulnerable to hacking, and improving transparency by making parties' political fundraising more open than ever before.We will always work to ensure our democracy represents the values of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, starting to build before knowing how many people are going to be in the office is what we call bad project management. Canadians expect that when the minister goes back to taxpayers for additional emergency funding, it will be used for such things as emergency shelters for vulnerable women, but no, to these Liberals, an emergency is building luxury offices to make themselves more comfortable. In those same supplementary estimates, can the minister confirm how much funding the Liberals requested for women's shelters in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that we started by cutting taxes for the middle class. That is the first thing we did. What is interesting is that the member and his party decided to vote against those measures. We plan to continue with our program to improve the lives of middle-class Canadians by leaving more money in their families' pockets.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if the minister heard, but the question was actually about manufacturing. It is an industry that employs 1.7 million Canadians. He might have also noticed that yesterday, the association that represents those jobs indicated that Canada is moving from the seventh most favourable environment in which to manufacture to tenth, while the Americans are moving from third to first, and that is before the new payroll and carbon taxes the government is introducing. South of the border, they are cutting taxes and regulations to unleash the potential of free markets.When will the government realize that if we do not get down to business over here, the Americans are going to eat us for lunch?
Mr. Speaker, this morning, the parliamentary budget officer released a report called Following the Money, stating that the Liberals' infrastructure plan has no way to measure performance, has virtually no transparency on how the money is being spent, and has shortchanged communities by $9 billion for local infrastructure. The Liberal plan to stimulate the Canadian economy has failed.Will the minister commit to flowing the $9 billion to communities before spring construction begins?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think my hon. colleague heard the answer. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length organization. Its mandate is to share and promote research with Canadians. As I said, the granting council has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that dollar amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, Status of Women did not have enough money in its budget for office renovations, but started them anyway and then had to get $900,000 from supplementary estimates for the $1.1 million project.Would the minister describe this as responsible management of the budget and of taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, as I am sure the member opposite is aware, I am watching the situation near Avdiivka very carefully, and I have been in close touch with our excellent ambassador, Roman Waschuk, in Kiev. It is an issue of utmost concern, and we condemn the actions of the Russian-backed separatist forces there.As I have said earlier this week, we are working closely together with my colleague, the Minister of National Defence on Operation Unifier, which I think has done excellent work thus far.
Mr. Speaker, more trade is more growth and more growth is more jobs for Canadians. That is why this government will be relentless. We will have an ambitious trade agenda to create jobs for Canadians, to open markets, so Canadians and their families can be better in our country. We have an ambitious trade agenda and we will put it forward.
Mr. Speaker, our electoral system is the foundation of our democracy. We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. Canadians are proud of our democracy. We have always been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians. I look forward to working with all Canadians and to continuing to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, it would seem as though the minister and the government are not aware of last week's events and that hiding one's head in the sand may not be the solution.For example, how can they claim that they are convinced that refugees will be treated properly and with respect in the United States following the President's immigration order?Will the government immediately suspend the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question and I do look forward to working with him. We have done a lot of work together in the past.I agree strongly with the member opposite that of course it is absolutely correct for all of the actions of the government to be in the national interest, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs that will be my north star.When it comes to peacekeeping, Canada is a determined peace-builder. We believe in peace and we believe in our role in multilateral organizations.As to specific missions, that is something which the government is currently considering.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Science said that Canada 2020 was an arm's length-organization. Everyone knows that science is based on facts, so let us look at the facts.First of all, the president of Canada 2020 is married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada. Second, the president and his wife were on vacation with the Prime Minister over the holidays. Third, Canada 2020 organized an event in Washington for the Prime Minister and was paid $15,000 in public funds. Does the Minister of Science agree with me that 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, and that funding to Canada 2020 must stop?
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more foundational than how we choose to govern ourselves as Canadians.We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. We listened to Canadians. We heard that Canadians were proud of our democracy. We have been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians.I look forward to working with Canadians to continue to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to remain a compassionate and generous country. We have one of the most compassionate and generous refugee systems in the world. The safe third country agreement with the United States enables both countries to better handle asylum claims. The executive order has no impact on asylum claims made in either country. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we will continue to be a country that is open to refugees and protected persons.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know or ought to know that the safe third country agreement pertains to domestic asylum seekers and has no relevance to resettled refugees. Having said that, Canada has a system in place that is considered to be the most generous and compassionate in the world. We in Canada and the United States view the safe third country agreement as a proper system to handle local asylum seekers, and we will continue to be an open and generous country to those seeking protection and refuge.
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer's report on infrastructure indicates that the Liberals risk not achieving their objectives for economic growth. Contrary to what the minister stated, $4.6 billion for projects has been approved.In the wake of our Prime Minister's out-of-control deficits, tax increases, broken promises, and conflicts of interest, we are now learning that the Liberal's infrastructure plan is simply not working. What is the Minister of Infrastructure waiting for to release the funds, the missing $9 billion, that would allow projects to move forward in every municipality in Canada?The party is over.
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by commenting on Tuesday, which was a historic day in this House. I did not have a chance to speak then, and I had no questions yesterday. Therefore, I want to quickly thank the member for Saint-Laurent and the member for MarkhamThornhill for their decades of service to their constituents. We all honour them, and I am looking forward to working with them in their new roles.As for the question, it is incorrect that the clock was started today by the U.S. That has not happened. Of course, our priority is jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the construction was completed on time, within budget, and follows the government's workplace standards to optimize office space accommodation. As the first government to introduce a full minister responsible for Status of Women, I am looking forward to working with the member opposite as the chair of the committee responsible for this work. We have restored advocacy to the scope of activities that can be supported by the women's program, the granting body, and we believe it will help make better decisions and impact. We are committed to ensuring that a full gender-based analysis is done across policies and programs to ensure that women and girls are at the heart of all our efforts.
Mr. Speaker, our government values science and the important work our scientists do. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council has a mandate to share and promote research to Canadians.As I have said, a granting council is an arm's-length organization. It is able to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below the amount, and the decision was made by the granting council.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint JohnRothesay for his concern and advocacy on this issue, and in particular his strong support for the Outflow and Coverdale shelters in his riding.Homelessness affects all of our communities, and all of us have a role to play in ending it. Yesterday, we announced the call for nominations to establish an advisory council of experts and stakeholders to help the government as it reviews and renews the homeless partnership strategy.This committee, which I will chair, will have members chosen through an open and transparent process. Canadians with lived experience and people with knowledge of the program and who deliver front-line services will be encouraged to apply. I would also stress that indigenous and Inuit voices must be heard through this process. People can check Canada.ca for information.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made huge election promises, including when it comes to electric transportation. They even promised to have charging stations installed at federal building parking lots across the country, and people believed them. We are still waiting. It is not just about keeping a promise. It is about climate urgency. I am truly proud to be the NDP critic for electrification of transportation. That said, I wonder who will be my counterpart across the way.Can someone please tell us that this government is going to keep its promise and when?
Mr. Speaker, I want to just keep repeating the fact that we are actually the government that reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians. We know we have a competitive corporate tax rate in this country. We know that it is important to continue to make investments in innovation in our economy. We know it is important to continue to focus on how we can help Canadians get the skills they need in our economy.That is our intention, and I am very much looking forward to budget 2017 to continue that message to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, if the Liberal government had not imposed arbitrary deadlines on the Connect to Innovate program, and if it had listened to the regions in Quebec and Canada, there would be no need to change the dates today as it just did. By all accounts, the minister from Toronto knows very little about Canada's regions.Will he extend the deadline by another two or three months, since the municipalities are unable to submit plans under the current program?We had also asked for more money to build cellphone towers in our regions because of the significant problems we have in Canada.Can the minister tell us when we can expect to have that money?
Mr. Speaker, a few hours before Christmas, on December 23, the Department of Finance published a document that stated two very alarming things for Canada's future. If nothing changes, we are heading toward an accumulated debt of $1.5 trillion by 2050 and a return to balanced budgets in 2055. This does not make any sense. To fix the problem, the government has two choices: either it gets its spending under control, or it increases taxes.Can the Minister of Finance assure us and tell Canadians that he is finally going to regain control over public finances?
Mr. Speaker, we as a government have said again and again that we would prefer negotiation over litigation at any time. It is our preferred route to settle differences, especially those of historic wrongs with indigenous people in this country.That is why our government has launched negotiations toward a national resolution to the Sixties Scoop litigation. That is why as well we feel that these are important resolutions to have if we are able to move forward with reconciliation with all indigenous people in Canada. We will keep working toward that goal and that path.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that when it comes to taking concrete steps, we extended the automotive innovation fund in the 2016 budget. Not only did we extend that fund, but we changed the terms. Because of that, we attracted a $500 million investment in the Honda plant in Alliston. That will secure 4,000 jobs. That is taking concrete action. That is bringing investment to Canada. That is securing good quality jobs for the middle class. We will remain focused on growing the economy and creating good quality jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of neglect by the previous government, we are finally making progress to ensure that women and girls thrive in
Mr. Speaker, when he was elected, the Prime Minister said that his mandate letters were his ministers' bible.After reading the mandate letters for the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, it seems that international trade is not really important to the Prime Minister because there is no mention at all of the softwood lumber agreement, the TPP, or bilateral agreements with countries that were in the TPP.Why has the Prime Minister not shown us that he believes it is important to open borders?
Mr. Speaker, our government has an outstanding record on serving Canadians well when it comes to international trade. Canada signed CETA this past October. In December 2015, the current government had the U.S. labelling law, known as COOL, repealed. We have obtained greater access to the U.S. and Chinese markets for beef. We have also obtained greater access in China for canola producers, including my father.We will continue to work tirelessly to grow the middle class, and I will vigorously defend our interests together with my dear colleague.
Mr. Speaker, the roots of the suicide crisis in indigenous communities are deep and complex. We are working hard with our partners in those communities to address this crisis. In fact, we have provided an additional $69 million in mental wellness funding. This means 24 new mental wellness teams. There are already three new crisis intervention teams at work in various parts of the country, and there is a 24-7 Hope for Wellness Help Line which is available in five languages. We will continue to do the good work to provide hope for these communities.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday it was revealed that the new Minister of Foreign Affairs was given different instructions from her predecessor. Specifically, troop deployments will now be based solely on Canada's national interest. It makes us wonder what they were based on before. For months we have been asking the Liberals to explain how their intention to send our troops on a UN mission in Africa serves our national interest.Can the minister confirm that the previous peacekeeping plans are now on hold, or have the Liberals abandoned them completely?
Mr. Speaker, first I would like to convey that our thoughts are with the people of New Brunswick as they recover from the ice storm there.Today our government and FCM announced two new programs. These programs will raise awareness about asset management practices, making small, long-term infrastructure decisions. These programs will also help municipalities fight climate change and transition to our low-carbon communities.I urge all members to tell their communities about these two initiatives. We are proud of our partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and cities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, we listened to Canadians. We were clear: no change of this magnitude should go ahead without the broad support of Canadians. We consulted extensively with Canadians. MPs organized public meetings. The special all-party committee produced a comprehensive report. Over 360,000 Canadians weighed in at MyDemocracy.ca.My job is to strengthen and protect our democratic institutions. That is exactly what we are working toward together with
Mr. Speaker, we have a real plan for improving the situation in the future. That plan is not in the finance department's report. We are going to invest in our country's future. That means investing in infrastructure and innovation. By doing so we will have more growth and be better positioned in the future. It is about having more work for Canadians and an economy that works for everyone.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that CETA is in the national interest and that we have listened to all Canadians. I can guarantee one thing: trade brings growth and growth brings jobs to ridings across Canada. We will continue to listen to our agricultural producers and we will continue to have a trade vision that includes the entire country.
Mr. Speaker, our government has made gender equality a key priority with the appointment of a historic gender balanced cabinet and the first ever full Minister for Status of Women. Previous ministers responsible for the Status of Women were also ministers of departments that already had offices. Being located in the same building as the department, as is the standard across government, will ensure that departmental and ministerial operations run more efficiently. I look forward to working with the member opposite to further the opportunities for women and girls in this country.
Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief, but very clear.Will the government honour Quebec's requests and formally undertake to fully compensate the losses of our dairy producers before, with the emphasis on before, the vote on the free trade agreement with Europe?
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister has broken his promise on deficits and electoral reform, he is keeping his promise to transition away from manufacturing-based employment. Yesterday's Manufacturers and Exporters' report said, Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Increases in business taxes, regulatory demands, and energy costs are making it more difficult and costly to do business in Canada, and there are new carbon and payroll taxes to come.Why is the government taxing 1.7 million manufacturing workers out of their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the harmonization of regulations and reducing barriers, this has been a key priority for our government, and that is why I have been working with my provincial and territorial counterparts to sign a Canada free trade agreement. We have an agreement in principle. We announced that agreement in July. We will provide the details of that agreement, and that will create an environment for our manufacturers to grow and expand in Canada so they can compete globally and create good, quality jobs. That is how we are delivering for our manufacturing sector. On those 1.7 million jobs, we will make sure we will continue to grow and expand that industry.
Mr. Speaker, we are finally working to ensure, and are making progress, that all women and girls have an opportunity to thrive in our country. We are investing in shelters, transitional homes, and affordable housing to allow women to be safe. We are also developing the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. This is a cause that transcends party lines and departments. I am looking forward to working with all members to ensure that we reach our common goal.
Mr. Speaker, that question gives me an opportunity to share with all members of the House some very good news. This is not a political matter. This is a very serious matter, a matter of saving lives. I am very happy to report that not only with the support of the vote that took place yesterday to pass second reading, all parties agreed today in committee to expedite the passage through committee of Bill C-37 to save lives and get the work done.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to reiterate that this is the first time there has ever been a full Minister for Status of Women. In previous governments, the minister responsible for Status of Women had another place to work within. That said, let us talk about what the minister before me and the team have been working on since we formed government. We are working and have engaged with experts, academics, and those with lived experience to bring forward the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. We are expanding the services of Status of Women across the country, and more. I look forward to working with the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, our government continues to support innovation around things like electric charging stations and electric vehicles. Indeed, I personally had the opportunity to test drive an electric vehicle while I attended the conference in Montreal.We know they are the next version of some of the energy saving opportunities we have around carbon, reducing our carbon footprint. We continue to support those innovators who are moving this forward.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue the debate that we began this morning on the Conservative Party's motion. Tomorrow, we will begin the report stage debate of Bill C-30 on the Canada-European Union comprehensive economic and trade agreement. Monday, we will resume debate of that bill. Next week, we will also continue the second reading debate of Bill C-36, an act to amend the Statistics Act, and Bill C-31, an act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine.Next Thursday, February 9, shall be an allotted day.Last, there have been consultations among the parties and I believe you would find agreement for the following motion. I move: That a take-note debate on the subject of job losses in the energy sector take place, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, and that, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, (a) any member rising to speak during the debate my indicate to the Chair that he or she will dividing his or her time with another member; and (b) no quorum calls, dilatory motions, or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, I hear a lot about infrastructure needs from citizens and municipalities in my riding of New Brunswick Southwest. Citizens want better roads, access to public transit, clean drinking water, and affordable housing.Our municipalities want to offer all of these things while also leading the way fighting climate change. Municipalities are pleased with our government's commitment to invest in infrastructure, but they want to know how the federal government will help them to plan for the future.Could the minister tell this House how the government will support our municipalities in this important goal?
Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that this government has been consulting dairy farmers right across the country, including in Quebec. With that consultation, we put a program in place that involved $350 million to make sure the dairy farmers and processing sector were innovative.We have worked with the supply management sector, particularly the dairy sector, and we will continue to work in support of the dairy sector.
Mr. Speaker, when I was the international trade minister, I worked closely with Quebec ministers St-Pierre and Anglade, Quebec companies such as Bombardier, the forestry industry, and Quebec unions in the context of CETA.I am very aware of the interests of Quebec and Canada, and I will defend all of our interests, all of our workers, and all of our farmers, as always.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the government about the business for this week and next week. However, you may recall that before we rose for the Christmas break, I asked the government if it would consider a take-note debate regarding the job situation in Canada and, specifically, the job losses in the energy sector. Again, I ask the House leader if she would please let us know the business for this week and next week, and when we will be able to have that important take-note debate.
Mr. Speaker, the primary responsibility of the Minister of Status of Women should be providing vulnerable women with the resources they need, many of whom are forced to seek shelter or refuge in women's shelters across Canada, which, of course, are desperate for resources. In his mandate letter to the minister, the Prime Minister said, It is important that we acknowledge mistakes when we make them. Will the minister now admit that spending over $1 million on luxury offices to make her more comfortable is a mistake and a betrayal of vulnerable women?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to answer the member's question. I can assure all members and Canadians that when we work as a government we work in the best interests of Canadians, and we will make decisions that will help us advance the work that they have elected us to do. We will ensure that we make investments that will help grow the economy and create new jobs to support Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I think what we will do is take this as notice from the member and if we have something to add, we will do it at a future time. I am a bit reluctant at this point to add further comments. Suffice to say, beyond the social media, I suspect there are all sorts of entities and individuals and so forth that might make reference to the sense of pride they have for our parliamentary precinct and the Parliament Buildings and so forth. Without reading too much into it, if there is a need for us to respond to it, we will in time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I answered the question in English, but it is my pleasure to try answering it in French. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is my privilege to defend the national interest, and that is what I will try to do. As a determined peace-builder, Canada will re-engage in peacekeeping. Our government is committed to restoring Canada's role in peacekeeping missions, and we are currently considering our options in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for again talking about the connect to innovate program.We had extensive consultations with municipalities and stakeholders when we designed the program. We actually announced the program in our 2016 budget, so people are well aware of this initiative and our government's commitment to deal with that digital divide and make sure we invest in our rural and remote communities. This is a significant investment. When leveraged with the private sector, it has the potential of a billion dollar investment. This is significant for our regions. We are listening to our regions. That is why we extended the date to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, since the introduction of budget 2016, we have concluded bilateral agreements with each province and territory within a very short amount of time. Since doing that, we have approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. We have approved more projects in one year than the previous government did in five years. That is our track record, and that is exactly what we are delivering on.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LaurentidesLabelle for his question.Access to broadband is essential for living, working, and competing in a digital world. For Canadians in rural and remote regions, access to high-speed Internet can unlock tremendous economic potential. That is why we launched a $500-million program called connect to innovate, to provide high-speed broadband Internet connectivity across Canada in various communities. We want to make sure that this will help 300 rural and remote communities. We want to ensure that as many Canadians as possible benefit. That is why we are extending the application deadline to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, access to reliable broadband Internet is crucial to participating in today's economy.Rural and remote areas, like my region of LaurentidesLabelle, do not have the necessary infrastructure to support broadband services. My constituents were therefore happy to hear about the government's budget 2016 promise regarding broadband Internet access.Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development provide the House with an update on this critical issue for all of rural Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the work of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to monitor spending as well as inform Canadians and Parliament. Since taking office, our government, in partnership with the municipalities and provinces, has approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. These investments are helping the design and planning work for Ottawa's LRT, Edmonton's LRT, and Calgary's LRT. As a matter of fact, in the member's own city of Surrey, planning work is being done with these resources to expand the LRT work in her own municipality.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for BeachesEast York is on record calling for the legalization of all illegal drugs. Yesterday the Prime Minister refused to denounce that position.Will the Minister of Health have the courage to stand today, denounce that position of that Liberal member of Parliament, and state for the record that the only drug the Liberals will be legalizing is marijuana, and please be clear for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised to reform our electoral system, which is archaic, outdated, and ineffective. All of the Liberal candidates promised electoral reform. Once elected, the Prime Minister repeated dozens of times that there would be electoral reform. He reiterated it in the House, the Speech from the Throne, the minister's mandate, and even the committee's mandate. We believed him. That was a big mistake. The lesson learned is that one should never believe the Liberals because they will go back on their word, just like that.If they are breaking promises about our democracy, what is next?
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer's report on infrastructure indicates that the Liberals risk not achieving their objectives for economic growth. Contrary to what the minister stated, $4.6 billion for projects has been approved.In the wake of our Prime Minister's out-of-control deficits, tax increases, broken promises, and conflicts of interest, we are now learning that the Liberal's infrastructure plan is simply not working. What is the Minister of Infrastructure waiting for to release the funds, the missing $9 billion, that would allow projects to move forward in every municipality in Canada?The party is over.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of neglect by the previous government, we are finally making progress to ensure that women and girls thrive in
Mr. Speaker, the call from a Liberal member of Parliament to legalize all drugs is very troubling. The Liberals are going to be legalizing marijuana, but parents are concerned they may be considering legalizing even more dangerous drugs. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister was not clear on this yesterday, so I wonder if the Minister of Justice could tell us, after the Liberals legalize marijuana, what will be the next drug they plan on legalizing?
Mr. Speaker, a few hours before Christmas, on December 23, the Department of Finance published a document that stated two very alarming things for Canada's future. If nothing changes, we are heading toward an accumulated debt of $1.5 trillion by 2050 and a return to balanced budgets in 2055. This does not make any sense. To fix the problem, the government has two choices: either it gets its spending under control, or it increases taxes.Can the Minister of Finance assure us and tell Canadians that he is finally going to regain control over public finances?
Mr. Speaker, this morning, the parliamentary budget officer released a report called Following the Money, stating that the Liberals' infrastructure plan has no way to measure performance, has virtually no transparency on how the money is being spent, and has shortchanged communities by $9 billion for local infrastructure. The Liberal plan to stimulate the Canadian economy has failed.Will the minister commit to flowing the $9 billion to communities before spring construction begins?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I answered the question in English, but it is my pleasure to try answering it in French. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is my privilege to defend the national interest, and that is what I will try to do. As a determined peace-builder, Canada will re-engage in peacekeeping. Our government is committed to restoring Canada's role in peacekeeping missions, and we are currently considering our options in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday it was revealed that the new Minister of Foreign Affairs was given different instructions from her predecessor. Specifically, troop deployments will now be based solely on Canada's national interest. It makes us wonder what they were based on before. For months we have been asking the Liberals to explain how their intention to send our troops on a UN mission in Africa serves our national interest.Can the minister confirm that the previous peacekeeping plans are now on hold, or have the Liberals abandoned them completely?
Mr. Speaker, our government continues to support innovation around things like electric charging stations and electric vehicles. Indeed, I personally had the opportunity to test drive an electric vehicle while I attended the conference in Montreal.We know they are the next version of some of the energy saving opportunities we have around carbon, reducing our carbon footprint. We continue to support those innovators who are moving this forward.
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister has broken his promise on deficits and electoral reform, he is keeping his promise to transition away from manufacturing-based employment. Yesterday's Manufacturers and Exporters' report said, Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Increases in business taxes, regulatory demands, and energy costs are making it more difficult and costly to do business in Canada, and there are new carbon and payroll taxes to come.Why is the government taxing 1.7 million manufacturing workers out of their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, if the Liberal government had not imposed arbitrary deadlines on the Connect to Innovate program, and if it had listened to the regions in Quebec and Canada, there would be no need to change the dates today as it just did. By all accounts, the minister from Toronto knows very little about Canada's regions.Will he extend the deadline by another two or three months, since the municipalities are unable to submit plans under the current program?We had also asked for more money to build cellphone towers in our regions because of the significant problems we have in Canada.Can the minister tell us when we can expect to have that money?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege regarding a tweet by Canada 2020 advertising that it was opening offices in the parliamentary precinct. The tweet, dated January 27, 11:47 a.m., states, @Canada2020 almost there! New floors next week - 2100 Sq ft of meeting space #canada2020 in the Parliamentary precinct #cndpoli.Section 79.51 of the Parliament of Canada Act with respect to the Parliamentary Protective Services, defines the precinct as follows: parliamentary precinct means the premises or any part of the premises, other than the constituency offices of members of Parliament, that are used by the following entities or individuals or their officers or staff, and that are designated in writing by the Speaker of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Commons: (a) the Senate, House of Commons, Library of Parliament or Parliamentary committees; (b) members of the Senate or House of Commons who are carrying out their parliamentary functions; (c) the Senate Ethics Officer or the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner; or (d) the Service. On the Public Works website, it defines the parliamentary precinct as home to Canada's federal legislature and is an iconic symbol of our country's commitment to democracy and peace.As you know, Mr. Speaker, Canada 2020 cannot take up shop in the home of our federal legislature, and the only commitment it can boast of is receiving largesse from the Liberal government. Apparently, it is not good enough for Canada 2020 to be an entity of the Liberal Party of Canada; it now wants to give the impression that it is part of the parliamentary precinct.My question of privilege touches on two points: one, the misrepresentation of Parliament; and two, the breach of subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act.A prima facie case of privilege was found on May 6, 1985, when the appearance of a newspaper advertisement identified as a member of Parliament someone other than the sitting member. Canada 2020 tweeted out that it was part of the parliamentary precinct, misrepresenting itself as part of the parliamentary family. I would argue that this misrepresentation constitutes an affront to the House and to members of Parliament.In the Ontario legislature, Speaker Stockwell dealt with a question of privilege concerning a pamphlet that was issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the government's program for reforming municipal government in metropolitan Toronto. On January 22, 1997, Speaker Stockwell ruled the matter to be a prima facie question of privilege since the pamphlet gave the impression that passage of the required legislation was not necessary. Simply put, no one or organization, even the government itself, can misrepresent what Parliament does or who is a member of Parliament, or as Canada 2020 is attempting to do, misrepresenting its role in relation to Parliament.Further, and this is my second point in relation to the use of such references as Canada 2020 tweeted, the principle of Canada 2020's offensive tweet can also be explained in subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act: Notwithstanding anything contained in any Act of Parliament or regulation made thereunder, no person shall use the words Parliament Hill in combination (a) to describe or designate a property, place, site, or location in the National Capital Region described in the schedule to the National Capital Act other than the area of ground in the City of Ottawa bounded by Wellington Street, the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and Kent Street; (b) to identify any goods, merchandise, wares, or articles for commercial use or sale; or (c) in association with a commercial establishment providing services. No one would be surprised if Canada 2020 advertised the opening of a new office in the Liberal Party's headquarters, for example, and as I said in my opening remarks, no one is surprised that Canada 2020 is essentially an entity of the Liberal Party, but it is an affront for Canada 2020 to be passing itself off as an entity of Parliament. It is there where it has crossed the line.Mr. Speaker, if you find this to be a prima facie question of privilege, I am prepared to move the appropriate motion.
Mr. Speaker, when he was elected, the Prime Minister said that his mandate letters were his ministers' bible.After reading the mandate letters for the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, it seems that international trade is not really important to the Prime Minister because there is no mention at all of the softwood lumber agreement, the TPP, or bilateral agreements with countries that were in the TPP.Why has the Prime Minister not shown us that he believes it is important to open borders?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue the debate that we began this morning on the Conservative Party's motion. Tomorrow, we will begin the report stage debate of Bill C-30 on the Canada-European Union comprehensive economic and trade agreement. Monday, we will resume debate of that bill. Next week, we will also continue the second reading debate of Bill C-36, an act to amend the Statistics Act, and Bill C-31, an act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine.Next Thursday, February 9, shall be an allotted day.Last, there have been consultations among the parties and I believe you would find agreement for the following motion. I move: That a take-note debate on the subject of job losses in the energy sector take place, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, and that, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, (a) any member rising to speak during the debate my indicate to the Chair that he or she will dividing his or her time with another member; and (b) no quorum calls, dilatory motions, or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, the chief of Black Lake, Saskatchewan fears for the lives of the young members of our community. In the last six weeks, 30 young people have attempted suicide. Last week, one young person succeeded. These young people cannot afford more broken promises. Words are meaningless and action is needed now.There are fewer mental health services available and there are more cuts. Will the Prime Minister urgently increase funding for the Athabasca Health Authority for Black Lake and other communities in the area?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if the minister heard, but the question was actually about manufacturing. It is an industry that employs 1.7 million Canadians. He might have also noticed that yesterday, the association that represents those jobs indicated that Canada is moving from the seventh most favourable environment in which to manufacture to tenth, while the Americans are moving from third to first, and that is before the new payroll and carbon taxes the government is introducing. South of the border, they are cutting taxes and regulations to unleash the potential of free markets.When will the government realize that if we do not get down to business over here, the Americans are going to eat us for lunch?
Mr. Speaker, in order for an organization to be considered arm's length, it must not be linked in any way to any political party. In the case of Canada 2020, clearly, given that the president of the think tank Canada 2020 happens to be married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada and is a childhood friend of the Prime Minister, that organization is definitely not arm's length.Here we are once again with a case of the Prime Minister thinking he is above the law and showing a lack of ethics and poor judgment.Will the Prime Minister stop funding Canada 2020, an organization that belongs to his buddy, who is married to the Liberal Party president?
Mr. Speaker, the primary responsibility of the Minister of Status of Women should be providing vulnerable women with the resources they need, many of whom are forced to seek shelter or refuge in women's shelters across Canada, which, of course, are desperate for resources. In his mandate letter to the minister, the Prime Minister said, It is important that we acknowledge mistakes when we make them. Will the minister now admit that spending over $1 million on luxury offices to make her more comfortable is a mistake and a betrayal of vulnerable women?
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps talking about her mandate, but I do not actually think she understands what the word fully means.The mandate of a government does not come from some piece of paper handed to them by the Prime Minister. The mandate comes from the democratic will expressed by the voters of our country. Let me quote the Prime Minister, who said just a few months ago, Over 60% of Canadians voted in favour of parties that promised to change the current voting system. That, in fact, is true. That is the minister's mandate. That is the government's mandate.Is the Prime Minister so arrogant that he believes he can change, with the flick of a pen, the mandate that was given to him by millions of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, starting to build before knowing how many people are going to be in the office is what we call bad project management. Canadians expect that when the minister goes back to taxpayers for additional emergency funding, it will be used for such things as emergency shelters for vulnerable women, but no, to these Liberals, an emergency is building luxury offices to make themselves more comfortable. In those same supplementary estimates, can the minister confirm how much funding the Liberals requested for women's shelters in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the roots of the suicide crisis in indigenous communities are deep and complex. We are working hard with our partners in those communities to address this crisis. In fact, we have provided an additional $69 million in mental wellness funding. This means 24 new mental wellness teams. There are already three new crisis intervention teams at work in various parts of the country, and there is a 24-7 Hope for Wellness Help Line which is available in five languages. We will continue to do the good work to provide hope for these communities.
Mr. Speaker, I think what we will do is take this as notice from the member and if we have something to add, we will do it at a future time. I am a bit reluctant at this point to add further comments. Suffice to say, beyond the social media, I suspect there are all sorts of entities and individuals and so forth that might make reference to the sense of pride they have for our parliamentary precinct and the Parliament Buildings and so forth. Without reading too much into it, if there is a need for us to respond to it, we will in time.
Mr. Speaker, it would seem as though the minister and the government are not aware of last week's events and that hiding one's head in the sand may not be the solution.For example, how can they claim that they are convinced that refugees will be treated properly and with respect in the United States following the President's immigration order?Will the government immediately suspend the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Science said that Canada 2020 was an arm's length-organization. Everyone knows that science is based on facts, so let us look at the facts.First of all, the president of Canada 2020 is married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada. Second, the president and his wife were on vacation with the Prime Minister over the holidays. Third, Canada 2020 organized an event in Washington for the Prime Minister and was paid $15,000 in public funds. Does the Minister of Science agree with me that 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, and that funding to Canada 2020 must stop?
Mr. Speaker, it has become clear this week that Vladimir Putin is testing resolve of western democracies and the new American president. The Russian-backed war in eastern Ukraine continues to intensify, pushing some communities to the brink of humanitarian disaster. Yesterday, as Ukraine assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, the permanent council member sponsoring the war had the temerity to urge restraint.The Liberals say they are considering options. How about some action?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is not working. The Liberals have been in power for 15 months, and the economy has been stagnating ever since. Even worse, we are headed toward a huge deficit and colossal debt. It is unacceptable. The minister refused to say that he plans to regain control of public finances, so I will reach out to him once again. Can the minister tell us this time that the Liberal government will not impose any new taxes on Canadians in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, guess what? Just one day after announcing that the government was finally putting an end to all Sixties Scoop litigation, the government was in court to argue against the case of Marcia Brown.My question is very simple: will the minister immediately put an end to the government's legal defence and recognize that Canada has, and has always had, a duty to protect the cultural identity of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question and I do look forward to working with him. We have done a lot of work together in the past.I agree strongly with the member opposite that of course it is absolutely correct for all of the actions of the government to be in the national interest, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs that will be my north star.When it comes to peacekeeping, Canada is a determined peace-builder. We believe in peace and we believe in our role in multilateral organizations.As to specific missions, that is something which the government is currently considering.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister gave the Minister of Foreign Affairs new instructions. Now, any deployment of Canadian troops abroad must align with Canada's national interest. That is exactly what we did in the past. In light of this new vision and the Prime Minister's eagerness to deploy 600 soldiers on a peacekeeping mission in Africa where there is no peace to keep, can the minister explain to us how this African mission aligns with Canada's national interest?
Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals are saying is simply not true. It is the exact opposite of the truth. In fact, it is one of those alternative facts of which they have suddenly grown so fond.There was a consensus. It was the Liberals who just simply refused to listen to it. Ninety percent of experts and Canadians who came before us and testified said that they wanted a proportional representation system. The recommendation from the Bloc, the Greens, the Conservatives, and the New Democrats called for a plan to bring in proportional representation.There was actually one party that stood in the way of that consensus, and that was the Liberal Party of Canada. It is a bit rich when the Liberals claim there is no consensus. It is only Liberals standing in the way of that very consensus.
Mr. Speaker, Quebec dairy producers are concerned about the Liberals' plan to renegotiate NAFTA.That is completely understandable given the government's inaction on the diafiltered milk issue. This American product is threatening our supply management system and costing our producers millions of dollars, as is the loophole in the Canada-Europe trade agreement. We know that the Prime Minister's promises do not mean anything, but will he confirm to Canadians today that he will defend our supply management system in the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, our approach to drug policy is evidence-based. We have made it very clear that we have plans to legalize access to cannabis and to strictly regulate it. We have plans to legalize no other substances.We will work together to address the opioid crisis in a manner that is comprehensive, evidence-based, and responds to the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Status of Women did not have enough money in its budget for office renovations, but started them anyway and then had to get $900,000 from supplementary estimates for the $1.1 million project.Would the minister describe this as responsible management of the budget and of taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that CETA is in the national interest and that we have listened to all Canadians. I can guarantee one thing: trade brings growth and growth brings jobs to ridings across Canada. We will continue to listen to our agricultural producers and we will continue to have a trade vision that includes the entire country.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LaurentidesLabelle for his question.Access to broadband is essential for living, working, and competing in a digital world. For Canadians in rural and remote regions, access to high-speed Internet can unlock tremendous economic potential. That is why we launched a $500-million program called connect to innovate, to provide high-speed broadband Internet connectivity across Canada in various communities. We want to make sure that this will help 300 rural and remote communities. We want to ensure that as many Canadians as possible benefit. That is why we are extending the application deadline to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, our government has made gender equality a key priority with the appointment of a historic gender balanced cabinet and the first ever full Minister for Status of Women. Previous ministers responsible for the Status of Women were also ministers of departments that already had offices. Being located in the same building as the department, as is the standard across government, will ensure that departmental and ministerial operations run more efficiently. I look forward to working with the member opposite to further the opportunities for women and girls in this country.
Mr. Speaker, when I was the international trade minister, I worked closely with Quebec ministers St-Pierre and Anglade, Quebec companies such as Bombardier, the forestry industry, and Quebec unions in the context of CETA.I am very aware of the interests of Quebec and Canada, and I will defend all of our interests, all of our workers, and all of our farmers, as always.
Mr. Speaker, we are finally working to ensure, and are making progress, that all women and girls have an opportunity to thrive in our country. We are investing in shelters, transitional homes, and affordable housing to allow women to be safe. We are also developing the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. This is a cause that transcends party lines and departments. I am looking forward to working with all members to ensure that we reach our common goal.
Mr. Speaker, I do not think my hon. colleague heard the answer. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length organization. Its mandate is to share and promote research with Canadians. As I said, the granting council has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that dollar amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, we are tired of hearing talking points; we want real answers today.The former minister of status of women spent the tidy amount of $1.1 million renovating her office. Many organizations that help women could have really used that money.Can the Minister of Status of Women explain why her priority was renovations rather than women who are very short of money?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for again talking about the connect to innovate program.We had extensive consultations with municipalities and stakeholders when we designed the program. We actually announced the program in our 2016 budget, so people are well aware of this initiative and our government's commitment to deal with that digital divide and make sure we invest in our rural and remote communities. This is a significant investment. When leveraged with the private sector, it has the potential of a billion dollar investment. This is significant for our regions. We are listening to our regions. That is why we extended the date to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, we listened to Canadians. We were clear: no change of this magnitude should go ahead without the broad support of Canadians. We consulted extensively with Canadians. MPs organized public meetings. The special all-party committee produced a comprehensive report. Over 360,000 Canadians weighed in at MyDemocracy.ca.My job is to strengthen and protect our democratic institutions. That is exactly what we are working toward together with
Mr. Speaker, access to reliable broadband Internet is crucial to participating in today's economy.Rural and remote areas, like my region of LaurentidesLabelle, do not have the necessary infrastructure to support broadband services. My constituents were therefore happy to hear about the government's budget 2016 promise regarding broadband Internet access.Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development provide the House with an update on this critical issue for all of rural Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the approach of this government to drug policy is evidence-based, compassionate, collaborative, and comprehensive. When it comes to the matter of cannabis, we have made it very clear that we are going to legalize access to cannabis, but we are going to do so in a strict regulatory regime to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals.
Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that we started by cutting taxes for the middle class. That is the first thing we did. What is interesting is that the member and his party decided to vote against those measures. We plan to continue with our program to improve the lives of middle-class Canadians by leaving more money in their families' pockets.
Mr. Speaker, the European free trade agreement could help promote Quebec. We have an opportunity to build a bridge between Europe and America. However, we will not abandon our people. We will not support the agreement if the government sacrifices our agricultural and dairy producers. Canada-Europe relations must not be forged by creating hardship for the families in our regions.Will the government fully compensate Quebec producers and, ultimately, not deem them to be collateral damage?
Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a terrible, preventable situation lived by too many Canadians. I was proud to see our government increasing the homeless partnering strategy funding by $111.8 million.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (Housing and Urban Affairs) give us an update on our government's work on this very important file?
Mr. Speaker, since the introduction of budget 2016, we have concluded bilateral agreements with each province and territory within a very short amount of time. Since doing that, we have approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. We have approved more projects in one year than the previous government did in five years. That is our track record, and that is exactly what we are delivering on.
Mr. Speaker, you wake up in the morning and you feel like you are living the same day over and over again. Another Liberal 180, another prime ministerial flip-flop, another letdown, another broken promise. Sure feels like Groundhog Day. Oh right, it is Groundhog Day.The consensus is clear: 90% of the experts and the witnesses were in favour of proportional representation. That was the committee's majority opinion and the opinion that emerged from citizen assemblies. Even the people who did the Liberals' survey want political parties to work together.Consultation is all well and good, but why not listen to people? Why are the Liberals making choices that benefit only themselves?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know or ought to know that the safe third country agreement pertains to domestic asylum seekers and has no relevance to resettled refugees. Having said that, Canada has a system in place that is considered to be the most generous and compassionate in the world. We in Canada and the United States view the safe third country agreement as a proper system to handle local asylum seekers, and we will continue to be an open and generous country to those seeking protection and refuge.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to act to strengthen our democracy.While we did not hear a consensus on a particular electoral system to replace the one we have now, Canadians were clear that we could do more to improve our democratic institutions. What we did hear was that Canadians were proud of our democracy.That is why my new mandate letter includes protecting the integrity of our democracy by making our system less vulnerable to hacking, and improving transparency by making parties' political fundraising more open than ever before.We will always work to ensure our democracy represents the values of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by commenting on Tuesday, which was a historic day in this House. I did not have a chance to speak then, and I had no questions yesterday. Therefore, I want to quickly thank the member for Saint-Laurent and the member for MarkhamThornhill for their decades of service to their constituents. We all honour them, and I am looking forward to working with them in their new roles.As for the question, it is incorrect that the clock was started today by the U.S. That has not happened. Of course, our priority is jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims he is a defender of human rights, yet he will not speak up against Trump's racist ban. What is worse, once rejected by the U.S., those refugees cannot make a claim in Canada because of the safe third country agreement. So much for #welcometoCanada. Canadians no longer have confidence that the U.S. is a safe haven for refugees. If we do not suspend the agreement, Canada will be complicit in this discriminatory ban.Will the government immediately suspend the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's good friend and lobbyist Tim Barber of Canada 2020 was posting pictures on Twitter earlier this week and bragging that Canada 2020 has new space in the Parliamentary Precinct. I cannot make this stuff up. I wish it was fake news, but sadly it is real. Will the Prime Minister commit today to end taxpayer support for his friends at Canada 2020 and ensure that no government department or agency contributes any more money to this partisan Liberal organization?
Mr. Speaker, our government has an outstanding record on serving Canadians well when it comes to international trade. Canada signed CETA this past October. In December 2015, the current government had the U.S. labelling law, known as COOL, repealed. We have obtained greater access to the U.S. and Chinese markets for beef. We have also obtained greater access in China for canola producers, including my father.We will continue to work tirelessly to grow the middle class, and I will vigorously defend our interests together with my dear colleague.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to reiterate that this is the first time there has ever been a full Minister for Status of Women. In previous governments, the minister responsible for Status of Women had another place to work within. That said, let us talk about what the minister before me and the team have been working on since we formed government. We are working and have engaged with experts, academics, and those with lived experience to bring forward the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. We are expanding the services of Status of Women across the country, and more. I look forward to working with the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint JohnRothesay for his concern and advocacy on this issue, and in particular his strong support for the Outflow and Coverdale shelters in his riding.Homelessness affects all of our communities, and all of us have a role to play in ending it. Yesterday, we announced the call for nominations to establish an advisory council of experts and stakeholders to help the government as it reviews and renews the homeless partnership strategy.This committee, which I will chair, will have members chosen through an open and transparent process. Canadians with lived experience and people with knowledge of the program and who deliver front-line services will be encouraged to apply. I would also stress that indigenous and Inuit voices must be heard through this process. People can check Canada.ca for information.
Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief, but very clear.Will the government honour Quebec's requests and formally undertake to fully compensate the losses of our dairy producers before, with the emphasis on before, the vote on the free trade agreement with Europe?
Mr. Speaker, I want to just keep repeating the fact that we are actually the government that reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians. We know we have a competitive corporate tax rate in this country. We know that it is important to continue to make investments in innovation in our economy. We know it is important to continue to focus on how we can help Canadians get the skills they need in our economy.That is our intention, and I am very much looking forward to budget 2017 to continue that message to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, first I would like to convey that our thoughts are with the people of New Brunswick as they recover from the ice storm there.Today our government and FCM announced two new programs. These programs will raise awareness about asset management practices, making small, long-term infrastructure decisions. These programs will also help municipalities fight climate change and transition to our low-carbon communities.I urge all members to tell their communities about these two initiatives. We are proud of our partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and cities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, we as a government have said again and again that we would prefer negotiation over litigation at any time. It is our preferred route to settle differences, especially those of historic wrongs with indigenous people in this country.That is why our government has launched negotiations toward a national resolution to the Sixties Scoop litigation. That is why as well we feel that these are important resolutions to have if we are able to move forward with reconciliation with all indigenous people in Canada. We will keep working toward that goal and that path.
Mr. Speaker, the evidence shows that the Liberals' policies were ill-advised from the start. The group that represents Canadian manufacturers had this to say: Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Add this to the rapidly changing business environment in the USa primary competitor for investmentwith increased protectionism...and Canada's situation will only worsen. The Liberals can keep kidding themselves with their plans that do not work, but we are reporting facts.What steps will the Prime Minister take to defend jobs here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, again, our government values scientists and the important work they do. The opposition members are trying to manufacture a scandal where one does not exist and, frankly, I think Canadians see right through this.The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length body. It has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, our electoral system is the foundation of our democracy. We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. Canadians are proud of our democracy. We have always been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians. I look forward to working with all Canadians and to continuing to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are playing politics with the lives of Canadians.Yesterday the Conservatives agreed to unanimously support portions of Bill C-37 to ensure that important lifesaving measures could be implemented immediately. We asked that the controversial elements of forcing communities to accept heroin injection sites without proper consultation be further debated so Canadians could have their voices heard.Will the Liberals stop playing politics and allow portions of the bill, which have all-party support, to be adopted in the House today?
Mr. Speaker, we have a real plan for improving the situation in the future. That plan is not in the finance department's report. We are going to invest in our country's future. That means investing in infrastructure and innovation. By doing so we will have more growth and be better positioned in the future. It is about having more work for Canadians and an economy that works for everyone.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that when it comes to taking concrete steps, we extended the automotive innovation fund in the 2016 budget. Not only did we extend that fund, but we changed the terms. Because of that, we attracted a $500 million investment in the Honda plant in Alliston. That will secure 4,000 jobs. That is taking concrete action. That is bringing investment to Canada. That is securing good quality jobs for the middle class. We will remain focused on growing the economy and creating good quality jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, that question gives me an opportunity to share with all members of the House some very good news. This is not a political matter. This is a very serious matter, a matter of saving lives. I am very happy to report that not only with the support of the vote that took place yesterday to pass second reading, all parties agreed today in committee to expedite the passage through committee of Bill C-37 to save lives and get the work done.
Mr. Speaker, the construction was completed on time, within budget, and follows the government's workplace standards to optimize office space accommodation. As the first government to introduce a full minister responsible for Status of Women, I am looking forward to working with the member opposite as the chair of the committee responsible for this work. We have restored advocacy to the scope of activities that can be supported by the women's program, the granting body, and we believe it will help make better decisions and impact. We are committed to ensuring that a full gender-based analysis is done across policies and programs to ensure that women and girls are at the heart of all our efforts.
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more foundational than how we choose to govern ourselves as Canadians.We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. We listened to Canadians. We heard that Canadians were proud of our democracy. We have been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians.I look forward to working with Canadians to continue to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, our government values science and the important work our scientists do. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council has a mandate to share and promote research to Canadians.As I have said, a granting council is an arm's-length organization. It is able to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below the amount, and the decision was made by the granting council.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to remain a compassionate and generous country. We have one of the most compassionate and generous refugee systems in the world. The safe third country agreement with the United States enables both countries to better handle asylum claims. The executive order has no impact on asylum claims made in either country. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we will continue to be a country that is open to refugees and protected persons.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the government about the business for this week and next week. However, you may recall that before we rose for the Christmas break, I asked the government if it would consider a take-note debate regarding the job situation in Canada and, specifically, the job losses in the energy sector. Again, I ask the House leader if she would please let us know the business for this week and next week, and when we will be able to have that important take-note debate.
Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that this government has been consulting dairy farmers right across the country, including in Quebec. With that consultation, we put a program in place that involved $350 million to make sure the dairy farmers and processing sector were innovative.We have worked with the supply management sector, particularly the dairy sector, and we will continue to work in support of the dairy sector.
Mr. Speaker, as I am sure the member opposite is aware, I am watching the situation near Avdiivka very carefully, and I have been in close touch with our excellent ambassador, Roman Waschuk, in Kiev. It is an issue of utmost concern, and we condemn the actions of the Russian-backed separatist forces there.As I have said earlier this week, we are working closely together with my colleague, the Minister of National Defence on Operation Unifier, which I think has done excellent work thus far.
Mr. Speaker, I hear a lot about infrastructure needs from citizens and municipalities in my riding of New Brunswick Southwest. Citizens want better roads, access to public transit, clean drinking water, and affordable housing.Our municipalities want to offer all of these things while also leading the way fighting climate change. Municipalities are pleased with our government's commitment to invest in infrastructure, but they want to know how the federal government will help them to plan for the future.Could the minister tell this House how the government will support our municipalities in this important goal?
Mr. Speaker, that is a no. The money will keep flowing to his friends.The Prime Minister gives special access to billionaires and lobbyists at cash-for-access fundraisers. He awards his friends at Canada 2020 with government contracts, taxpayer money for conferences, and lavish island vacations.The Prime Minister promised Canadians that he would defend their interests, but it seems the only interests he is concerned about are his own, and his Liberal friends and insiders. Will the Prime Minister commit today to dictate to each and every one of his ministers to cut funding to Canada 2020?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the harmonization of regulations and reducing barriers, this has been a key priority for our government, and that is why I have been working with my provincial and territorial counterparts to sign a Canada free trade agreement. We have an agreement in principle. We announced that agreement in July. We will provide the details of that agreement, and that will create an environment for our manufacturers to grow and expand in Canada so they can compete globally and create good, quality jobs. That is how we are delivering for our manufacturing sector. On those 1.7 million jobs, we will make sure we will continue to grow and expand that industry.
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs depend on trade with the United States, but the Liberals' silence on their priorities for NAFTA renegotiations is deafening. Canadians want fair trade that benefits all Canadians, not just a few at the top. The government's first priority must be protecting Canadian jobs in trade-dependent industries, like softwood lumber, auto, steel, agriculture, and dairy.Today the U.S. has started the clock on renegotiations, so when will the Liberals come clean to Canadians about what is on the table?
Mr. Speaker, this is not reassuring.How can those members stand over there with a straight face and tell Canadians they believe in free trade? The minister's mandate letters make no mention of the softwood lumber agreement or trade with Asia-Pacific nations that were in the TPP. Canadian workers need the Liberal government to work in their best interests.When can we expect a new softwood lumber agreement and new markets for our exporters?
Mr. Speaker, more trade is more growth and more growth is more jobs for Canadians. That is why this government will be relentless. We will have an ambitious trade agenda to create jobs for Canadians, to open markets, so Canadians and their families can be better in our country. We have an ambitious trade agenda and we will put it forward.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to answer the member's question. I can assure all members and Canadians that when we work as a government we work in the best interests of Canadians, and we will make decisions that will help us advance the work that they have elected us to do. We will ensure that we make investments that will help grow the economy and create new jobs to support Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the work of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to monitor spending as well as inform Canadians and Parliament. Since taking office, our government, in partnership with the municipalities and provinces, has approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. These investments are helping the design and planning work for Ottawa's LRT, Edmonton's LRT, and Calgary's LRT. As a matter of fact, in the member's own city of Surrey, planning work is being done with these resources to expand the LRT work in her own municipality.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made huge election promises, including when it comes to electric transportation. They even promised to have charging stations installed at federal building parking lots across the country, and people believed them. We are still waiting. It is not just about keeping a promise. It is about climate urgency. I am truly proud to be the NDP critic for electrification of transportation. That said, I wonder who will be my counterpart across the way.Can someone please tell us that this government is going to keep its promise and when?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for BeachesEast York is on record calling for the legalization of all illegal drugs. Yesterday the Prime Minister refused to denounce that position.Will the Minister of Health have the courage to stand today, denounce that position of that Liberal member of Parliament, and state for the record that the only drug the Liberals will be legalizing is marijuana, and please be clear for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised to reform our electoral system, which is archaic, outdated, and ineffective. All of the Liberal candidates promised electoral reform. Once elected, the Prime Minister repeated dozens of times that there would be electoral reform. He reiterated it in the House, the Speech from the Throne, the minister's mandate, and even the committee's mandate. We believed him. That was a big mistake. The lesson learned is that one should never believe the Liberals because they will go back on their word, just like that.If they are breaking promises about our democracy, what is next?
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer's report on infrastructure indicates that the Liberals risk not achieving their objectives for economic growth. Contrary to what the minister stated, $4.6 billion for projects has been approved.In the wake of our Prime Minister's out-of-control deficits, tax increases, broken promises, and conflicts of interest, we are now learning that the Liberal's infrastructure plan is simply not working. What is the Minister of Infrastructure waiting for to release the funds, the missing $9 billion, that would allow projects to move forward in every municipality in Canada?The party is over.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of neglect by the previous government, we are finally making progress to ensure that women and girls thrive in
Mr. Speaker, the call from a Liberal member of Parliament to legalize all drugs is very troubling. The Liberals are going to be legalizing marijuana, but parents are concerned they may be considering legalizing even more dangerous drugs. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister was not clear on this yesterday, so I wonder if the Minister of Justice could tell us, after the Liberals legalize marijuana, what will be the next drug they plan on legalizing?
Mr. Speaker, a few hours before Christmas, on December 23, the Department of Finance published a document that stated two very alarming things for Canada's future. If nothing changes, we are heading toward an accumulated debt of $1.5 trillion by 2050 and a return to balanced budgets in 2055. This does not make any sense. To fix the problem, the government has two choices: either it gets its spending under control, or it increases taxes.Can the Minister of Finance assure us and tell Canadians that he is finally going to regain control over public finances?
Mr. Speaker, this morning, the parliamentary budget officer released a report called Following the Money, stating that the Liberals' infrastructure plan has no way to measure performance, has virtually no transparency on how the money is being spent, and has shortchanged communities by $9 billion for local infrastructure. The Liberal plan to stimulate the Canadian economy has failed.Will the minister commit to flowing the $9 billion to communities before spring construction begins?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I answered the question in English, but it is my pleasure to try answering it in French. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is my privilege to defend the national interest, and that is what I will try to do. As a determined peace-builder, Canada will re-engage in peacekeeping. Our government is committed to restoring Canada's role in peacekeeping missions, and we are currently considering our options in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday it was revealed that the new Minister of Foreign Affairs was given different instructions from her predecessor. Specifically, troop deployments will now be based solely on Canada's national interest. It makes us wonder what they were based on before. For months we have been asking the Liberals to explain how their intention to send our troops on a UN mission in Africa serves our national interest.Can the minister confirm that the previous peacekeeping plans are now on hold, or have the Liberals abandoned them completely?
Mr. Speaker, our government continues to support innovation around things like electric charging stations and electric vehicles. Indeed, I personally had the opportunity to test drive an electric vehicle while I attended the conference in Montreal.We know they are the next version of some of the energy saving opportunities we have around carbon, reducing our carbon footprint. We continue to support those innovators who are moving this forward.
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister has broken his promise on deficits and electoral reform, he is keeping his promise to transition away from manufacturing-based employment. Yesterday's Manufacturers and Exporters' report said, Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Increases in business taxes, regulatory demands, and energy costs are making it more difficult and costly to do business in Canada, and there are new carbon and payroll taxes to come.Why is the government taxing 1.7 million manufacturing workers out of their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, if the Liberal government had not imposed arbitrary deadlines on the Connect to Innovate program, and if it had listened to the regions in Quebec and Canada, there would be no need to change the dates today as it just did. By all accounts, the minister from Toronto knows very little about Canada's regions.Will he extend the deadline by another two or three months, since the municipalities are unable to submit plans under the current program?We had also asked for more money to build cellphone towers in our regions because of the significant problems we have in Canada.Can the minister tell us when we can expect to have that money?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege regarding a tweet by Canada 2020 advertising that it was opening offices in the parliamentary precinct. The tweet, dated January 27, 11:47 a.m., states, @Canada2020 almost there! New floors next week - 2100 Sq ft of meeting space #canada2020 in the Parliamentary precinct #cndpoli.Section 79.51 of the Parliament of Canada Act with respect to the Parliamentary Protective Services, defines the precinct as follows: parliamentary precinct means the premises or any part of the premises, other than the constituency offices of members of Parliament, that are used by the following entities or individuals or their officers or staff, and that are designated in writing by the Speaker of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Commons: (a) the Senate, House of Commons, Library of Parliament or Parliamentary committees; (b) members of the Senate or House of Commons who are carrying out their parliamentary functions; (c) the Senate Ethics Officer or the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner; or (d) the Service. On the Public Works website, it defines the parliamentary precinct as home to Canada's federal legislature and is an iconic symbol of our country's commitment to democracy and peace.As you know, Mr. Speaker, Canada 2020 cannot take up shop in the home of our federal legislature, and the only commitment it can boast of is receiving largesse from the Liberal government. Apparently, it is not good enough for Canada 2020 to be an entity of the Liberal Party of Canada; it now wants to give the impression that it is part of the parliamentary precinct.My question of privilege touches on two points: one, the misrepresentation of Parliament; and two, the breach of subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act.A prima facie case of privilege was found on May 6, 1985, when the appearance of a newspaper advertisement identified as a member of Parliament someone other than the sitting member. Canada 2020 tweeted out that it was part of the parliamentary precinct, misrepresenting itself as part of the parliamentary family. I would argue that this misrepresentation constitutes an affront to the House and to members of Parliament.In the Ontario legislature, Speaker Stockwell dealt with a question of privilege concerning a pamphlet that was issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the government's program for reforming municipal government in metropolitan Toronto. On January 22, 1997, Speaker Stockwell ruled the matter to be a prima facie question of privilege since the pamphlet gave the impression that passage of the required legislation was not necessary. Simply put, no one or organization, even the government itself, can misrepresent what Parliament does or who is a member of Parliament, or as Canada 2020 is attempting to do, misrepresenting its role in relation to Parliament.Further, and this is my second point in relation to the use of such references as Canada 2020 tweeted, the principle of Canada 2020's offensive tweet can also be explained in subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act: Notwithstanding anything contained in any Act of Parliament or regulation made thereunder, no person shall use the words Parliament Hill in combination (a) to describe or designate a property, place, site, or location in the National Capital Region described in the schedule to the National Capital Act other than the area of ground in the City of Ottawa bounded by Wellington Street, the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and Kent Street; (b) to identify any goods, merchandise, wares, or articles for commercial use or sale; or (c) in association with a commercial establishment providing services. No one would be surprised if Canada 2020 advertised the opening of a new office in the Liberal Party's headquarters, for example, and as I said in my opening remarks, no one is surprised that Canada 2020 is essentially an entity of the Liberal Party, but it is an affront for Canada 2020 to be passing itself off as an entity of Parliament. It is there where it has crossed the line.Mr. Speaker, if you find this to be a prima facie question of privilege, I am prepared to move the appropriate motion.
Mr. Speaker, when he was elected, the Prime Minister said that his mandate letters were his ministers' bible.After reading the mandate letters for the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, it seems that international trade is not really important to the Prime Minister because there is no mention at all of the softwood lumber agreement, the TPP, or bilateral agreements with countries that were in the TPP.Why has the Prime Minister not shown us that he believes it is important to open borders?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue the debate that we began this morning on the Conservative Party's motion. Tomorrow, we will begin the report stage debate of Bill C-30 on the Canada-European Union comprehensive economic and trade agreement. Monday, we will resume debate of that bill. Next week, we will also continue the second reading debate of Bill C-36, an act to amend the Statistics Act, and Bill C-31, an act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine.Next Thursday, February 9, shall be an allotted day.Last, there have been consultations among the parties and I believe you would find agreement for the following motion. I move: That a take-note debate on the subject of job losses in the energy sector take place, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, and that, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, (a) any member rising to speak during the debate my indicate to the Chair that he or she will dividing his or her time with another member; and (b) no quorum calls, dilatory motions, or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, the chief of Black Lake, Saskatchewan fears for the lives of the young members of our community. In the last six weeks, 30 young people have attempted suicide. Last week, one young person succeeded. These young people cannot afford more broken promises. Words are meaningless and action is needed now.There are fewer mental health services available and there are more cuts. Will the Prime Minister urgently increase funding for the Athabasca Health Authority for Black Lake and other communities in the area?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if the minister heard, but the question was actually about manufacturing. It is an industry that employs 1.7 million Canadians. He might have also noticed that yesterday, the association that represents those jobs indicated that Canada is moving from the seventh most favourable environment in which to manufacture to tenth, while the Americans are moving from third to first, and that is before the new payroll and carbon taxes the government is introducing. South of the border, they are cutting taxes and regulations to unleash the potential of free markets.When will the government realize that if we do not get down to business over here, the Americans are going to eat us for lunch?
Mr. Speaker, in order for an organization to be considered arm's length, it must not be linked in any way to any political party. In the case of Canada 2020, clearly, given that the president of the think tank Canada 2020 happens to be married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada and is a childhood friend of the Prime Minister, that organization is definitely not arm's length.Here we are once again with a case of the Prime Minister thinking he is above the law and showing a lack of ethics and poor judgment.Will the Prime Minister stop funding Canada 2020, an organization that belongs to his buddy, who is married to the Liberal Party president?
Mr. Speaker, the primary responsibility of the Minister of Status of Women should be providing vulnerable women with the resources they need, many of whom are forced to seek shelter or refuge in women's shelters across Canada, which, of course, are desperate for resources. In his mandate letter to the minister, the Prime Minister said, It is important that we acknowledge mistakes when we make them. Will the minister now admit that spending over $1 million on luxury offices to make her more comfortable is a mistake and a betrayal of vulnerable women?
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps talking about her mandate, but I do not actually think she understands what the word fully means.The mandate of a government does not come from some piece of paper handed to them by the Prime Minister. The mandate comes from the democratic will expressed by the voters of our country. Let me quote the Prime Minister, who said just a few months ago, Over 60% of Canadians voted in favour of parties that promised to change the current voting system. That, in fact, is true. That is the minister's mandate. That is the government's mandate.Is the Prime Minister so arrogant that he believes he can change, with the flick of a pen, the mandate that was given to him by millions of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, starting to build before knowing how many people are going to be in the office is what we call bad project management. Canadians expect that when the minister goes back to taxpayers for additional emergency funding, it will be used for such things as emergency shelters for vulnerable women, but no, to these Liberals, an emergency is building luxury offices to make themselves more comfortable. In those same supplementary estimates, can the minister confirm how much funding the Liberals requested for women's shelters in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the roots of the suicide crisis in indigenous communities are deep and complex. We are working hard with our partners in those communities to address this crisis. In fact, we have provided an additional $69 million in mental wellness funding. This means 24 new mental wellness teams. There are already three new crisis intervention teams at work in various parts of the country, and there is a 24-7 Hope for Wellness Help Line which is available in five languages. We will continue to do the good work to provide hope for these communities.
Mr. Speaker, I think what we will do is take this as notice from the member and if we have something to add, we will do it at a future time. I am a bit reluctant at this point to add further comments. Suffice to say, beyond the social media, I suspect there are all sorts of entities and individuals and so forth that might make reference to the sense of pride they have for our parliamentary precinct and the Parliament Buildings and so forth. Without reading too much into it, if there is a need for us to respond to it, we will in time.
Mr. Speaker, it would seem as though the minister and the government are not aware of last week's events and that hiding one's head in the sand may not be the solution.For example, how can they claim that they are convinced that refugees will be treated properly and with respect in the United States following the President's immigration order?Will the government immediately suspend the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Science said that Canada 2020 was an arm's length-organization. Everyone knows that science is based on facts, so let us look at the facts.First of all, the president of Canada 2020 is married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada. Second, the president and his wife were on vacation with the Prime Minister over the holidays. Third, Canada 2020 organized an event in Washington for the Prime Minister and was paid $15,000 in public funds. Does the Minister of Science agree with me that 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, and that funding to Canada 2020 must stop?
Mr. Speaker, it has become clear this week that Vladimir Putin is testing resolve of western democracies and the new American president. The Russian-backed war in eastern Ukraine continues to intensify, pushing some communities to the brink of humanitarian disaster. Yesterday, as Ukraine assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, the permanent council member sponsoring the war had the temerity to urge restraint.The Liberals say they are considering options. How about some action?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is not working. The Liberals have been in power for 15 months, and the economy has been stagnating ever since. Even worse, we are headed toward a huge deficit and colossal debt. It is unacceptable. The minister refused to say that he plans to regain control of public finances, so I will reach out to him once again. Can the minister tell us this time that the Liberal government will not impose any new taxes on Canadians in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, guess what? Just one day after announcing that the government was finally putting an end to all Sixties Scoop litigation, the government was in court to argue against the case of Marcia Brown.My question is very simple: will the minister immediately put an end to the government's legal defence and recognize that Canada has, and has always had, a duty to protect the cultural identity of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question and I do look forward to working with him. We have done a lot of work together in the past.I agree strongly with the member opposite that of course it is absolutely correct for all of the actions of the government to be in the national interest, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs that will be my north star.When it comes to peacekeeping, Canada is a determined peace-builder. We believe in peace and we believe in our role in multilateral organizations.As to specific missions, that is something which the government is currently considering.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister gave the Minister of Foreign Affairs new instructions. Now, any deployment of Canadian troops abroad must align with Canada's national interest. That is exactly what we did in the past. In light of this new vision and the Prime Minister's eagerness to deploy 600 soldiers on a peacekeeping mission in Africa where there is no peace to keep, can the minister explain to us how this African mission aligns with Canada's national interest?
Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals are saying is simply not true. It is the exact opposite of the truth. In fact, it is one of those alternative facts of which they have suddenly grown so fond.There was a consensus. It was the Liberals who just simply refused to listen to it. Ninety percent of experts and Canadians who came before us and testified said that they wanted a proportional representation system. The recommendation from the Bloc, the Greens, the Conservatives, and the New Democrats called for a plan to bring in proportional representation.There was actually one party that stood in the way of that consensus, and that was the Liberal Party of Canada. It is a bit rich when the Liberals claim there is no consensus. It is only Liberals standing in the way of that very consensus.
Mr. Speaker, Quebec dairy producers are concerned about the Liberals' plan to renegotiate NAFTA.That is completely understandable given the government's inaction on the diafiltered milk issue. This American product is threatening our supply management system and costing our producers millions of dollars, as is the loophole in the Canada-Europe trade agreement. We know that the Prime Minister's promises do not mean anything, but will he confirm to Canadians today that he will defend our supply management system in the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, our approach to drug policy is evidence-based. We have made it very clear that we have plans to legalize access to cannabis and to strictly regulate it. We have plans to legalize no other substances.We will work together to address the opioid crisis in a manner that is comprehensive, evidence-based, and responds to the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Status of Women did not have enough money in its budget for office renovations, but started them anyway and then had to get $900,000 from supplementary estimates for the $1.1 million project.Would the minister describe this as responsible management of the budget and of taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that CETA is in the national interest and that we have listened to all Canadians. I can guarantee one thing: trade brings growth and growth brings jobs to ridings across Canada. We will continue to listen to our agricultural producers and we will continue to have a trade vision that includes the entire country.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LaurentidesLabelle for his question.Access to broadband is essential for living, working, and competing in a digital world. For Canadians in rural and remote regions, access to high-speed Internet can unlock tremendous economic potential. That is why we launched a $500-million program called connect to innovate, to provide high-speed broadband Internet connectivity across Canada in various communities. We want to make sure that this will help 300 rural and remote communities. We want to ensure that as many Canadians as possible benefit. That is why we are extending the application deadline to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, our government has made gender equality a key priority with the appointment of a historic gender balanced cabinet and the first ever full Minister for Status of Women. Previous ministers responsible for the Status of Women were also ministers of departments that already had offices. Being located in the same building as the department, as is the standard across government, will ensure that departmental and ministerial operations run more efficiently. I look forward to working with the member opposite to further the opportunities for women and girls in this country.
Mr. Speaker, when I was the international trade minister, I worked closely with Quebec ministers St-Pierre and Anglade, Quebec companies such as Bombardier, the forestry industry, and Quebec unions in the context of CETA.I am very aware of the interests of Quebec and Canada, and I will defend all of our interests, all of our workers, and all of our farmers, as always.
Mr. Speaker, we are finally working to ensure, and are making progress, that all women and girls have an opportunity to thrive in our country. We are investing in shelters, transitional homes, and affordable housing to allow women to be safe. We are also developing the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. This is a cause that transcends party lines and departments. I am looking forward to working with all members to ensure that we reach our common goal.
Mr. Speaker, I do not think my hon. colleague heard the answer. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length organization. Its mandate is to share and promote research with Canadians. As I said, the granting council has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that dollar amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, we are tired of hearing talking points; we want real answers today.The former minister of status of women spent the tidy amount of $1.1 million renovating her office. Many organizations that help women could have really used that money.Can the Minister of Status of Women explain why her priority was renovations rather than women who are very short of money?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for again talking about the connect to innovate program.We had extensive consultations with municipalities and stakeholders when we designed the program. We actually announced the program in our 2016 budget, so people are well aware of this initiative and our government's commitment to deal with that digital divide and make sure we invest in our rural and remote communities. This is a significant investment. When leveraged with the private sector, it has the potential of a billion dollar investment. This is significant for our regions. We are listening to our regions. That is why we extended the date to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, we listened to Canadians. We were clear: no change of this magnitude should go ahead without the broad support of Canadians. We consulted extensively with Canadians. MPs organized public meetings. The special all-party committee produced a comprehensive report. Over 360,000 Canadians weighed in at MyDemocracy.ca.My job is to strengthen and protect our democratic institutions. That is exactly what we are working toward together with
Mr. Speaker, access to reliable broadband Internet is crucial to participating in today's economy.Rural and remote areas, like my region of LaurentidesLabelle, do not have the necessary infrastructure to support broadband services. My constituents were therefore happy to hear about the government's budget 2016 promise regarding broadband Internet access.Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development provide the House with an update on this critical issue for all of rural Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the approach of this government to drug policy is evidence-based, compassionate, collaborative, and comprehensive. When it comes to the matter of cannabis, we have made it very clear that we are going to legalize access to cannabis, but we are going to do so in a strict regulatory regime to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals.
Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that we started by cutting taxes for the middle class. That is the first thing we did. What is interesting is that the member and his party decided to vote against those measures. We plan to continue with our program to improve the lives of middle-class Canadians by leaving more money in their families' pockets.
Mr. Speaker, the European free trade agreement could help promote Quebec. We have an opportunity to build a bridge between Europe and America. However, we will not abandon our people. We will not support the agreement if the government sacrifices our agricultural and dairy producers. Canada-Europe relations must not be forged by creating hardship for the families in our regions.Will the government fully compensate Quebec producers and, ultimately, not deem them to be collateral damage?
Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a terrible, preventable situation lived by too many Canadians. I was proud to see our government increasing the homeless partnering strategy funding by $111.8 million.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (Housing and Urban Affairs) give us an update on our government's work on this very important file?
Mr. Speaker, since the introduction of budget 2016, we have concluded bilateral agreements with each province and territory within a very short amount of time. Since doing that, we have approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. We have approved more projects in one year than the previous government did in five years. That is our track record, and that is exactly what we are delivering on.
Mr. Speaker, you wake up in the morning and you feel like you are living the same day over and over again. Another Liberal 180, another prime ministerial flip-flop, another letdown, another broken promise. Sure feels like Groundhog Day. Oh right, it is Groundhog Day.The consensus is clear: 90% of the experts and the witnesses were in favour of proportional representation. That was the committee's majority opinion and the opinion that emerged from citizen assemblies. Even the people who did the Liberals' survey want political parties to work together.Consultation is all well and good, but why not listen to people? Why are the Liberals making choices that benefit only themselves?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know or ought to know that the safe third country agreement pertains to domestic asylum seekers and has no relevance to resettled refugees. Having said that, Canada has a system in place that is considered to be the most generous and compassionate in the world. We in Canada and the United States view the safe third country agreement as a proper system to handle local asylum seekers, and we will continue to be an open and generous country to those seeking protection and refuge.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to act to strengthen our democracy.While we did not hear a consensus on a particular electoral system to replace the one we have now, Canadians were clear that we could do more to improve our democratic institutions. What we did hear was that Canadians were proud of our democracy.That is why my new mandate letter includes protecting the integrity of our democracy by making our system less vulnerable to hacking, and improving transparency by making parties' political fundraising more open than ever before.We will always work to ensure our democracy represents the values of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by commenting on Tuesday, which was a historic day in this House. I did not have a chance to speak then, and I had no questions yesterday. Therefore, I want to quickly thank the member for Saint-Laurent and the member for MarkhamThornhill for their decades of service to their constituents. We all honour them, and I am looking forward to working with them in their new roles.As for the question, it is incorrect that the clock was started today by the U.S. That has not happened. Of course, our priority is jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims he is a defender of human rights, yet he will not speak up against Trump's racist ban. What is worse, once rejected by the U.S., those refugees cannot make a claim in Canada because of the safe third country agreement. So much for #welcometoCanada. Canadians no longer have confidence that the U.S. is a safe haven for refugees. If we do not suspend the agreement, Canada will be complicit in this discriminatory ban.Will the government immediately suspend the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's good friend and lobbyist Tim Barber of Canada 2020 was posting pictures on Twitter earlier this week and bragging that Canada 2020 has new space in the Parliamentary Precinct. I cannot make this stuff up. I wish it was fake news, but sadly it is real. Will the Prime Minister commit today to end taxpayer support for his friends at Canada 2020 and ensure that no government department or agency contributes any more money to this partisan Liberal organization?
Mr. Speaker, our government has an outstanding record on serving Canadians well when it comes to international trade. Canada signed CETA this past October. In December 2015, the current government had the U.S. labelling law, known as COOL, repealed. We have obtained greater access to the U.S. and Chinese markets for beef. We have also obtained greater access in China for canola producers, including my father.We will continue to work tirelessly to grow the middle class, and I will vigorously defend our interests together with my dear colleague.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to reiterate that this is the first time there has ever been a full Minister for Status of Women. In previous governments, the minister responsible for Status of Women had another place to work within. That said, let us talk about what the minister before me and the team have been working on since we formed government. We are working and have engaged with experts, academics, and those with lived experience to bring forward the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. We are expanding the services of Status of Women across the country, and more. I look forward to working with the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint JohnRothesay for his concern and advocacy on this issue, and in particular his strong support for the Outflow and Coverdale shelters in his riding.Homelessness affects all of our communities, and all of us have a role to play in ending it. Yesterday, we announced the call for nominations to establish an advisory council of experts and stakeholders to help the government as it reviews and renews the homeless partnership strategy.This committee, which I will chair, will have members chosen through an open and transparent process. Canadians with lived experience and people with knowledge of the program and who deliver front-line services will be encouraged to apply. I would also stress that indigenous and Inuit voices must be heard through this process. People can check Canada.ca for information.
Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief, but very clear.Will the government honour Quebec's requests and formally undertake to fully compensate the losses of our dairy producers before, with the emphasis on before, the vote on the free trade agreement with Europe?
Mr. Speaker, I want to just keep repeating the fact that we are actually the government that reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians. We know we have a competitive corporate tax rate in this country. We know that it is important to continue to make investments in innovation in our economy. We know it is important to continue to focus on how we can help Canadians get the skills they need in our economy.That is our intention, and I am very much looking forward to budget 2017 to continue that message to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, first I would like to convey that our thoughts are with the people of New Brunswick as they recover from the ice storm there.Today our government and FCM announced two new programs. These programs will raise awareness about asset management practices, making small, long-term infrastructure decisions. These programs will also help municipalities fight climate change and transition to our low-carbon communities.I urge all members to tell their communities about these two initiatives. We are proud of our partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and cities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, we as a government have said again and again that we would prefer negotiation over litigation at any time. It is our preferred route to settle differences, especially those of historic wrongs with indigenous people in this country.That is why our government has launched negotiations toward a national resolution to the Sixties Scoop litigation. That is why as well we feel that these are important resolutions to have if we are able to move forward with reconciliation with all indigenous people in Canada. We will keep working toward that goal and that path.
Mr. Speaker, the evidence shows that the Liberals' policies were ill-advised from the start. The group that represents Canadian manufacturers had this to say: Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Add this to the rapidly changing business environment in the USa primary competitor for investmentwith increased protectionism...and Canada's situation will only worsen. The Liberals can keep kidding themselves with their plans that do not work, but we are reporting facts.What steps will the Prime Minister take to defend jobs here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, again, our government values scientists and the important work they do. The opposition members are trying to manufacture a scandal where one does not exist and, frankly, I think Canadians see right through this.The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length body. It has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, our electoral system is the foundation of our democracy. We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. Canadians are proud of our democracy. We have always been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians. I look forward to working with all Canadians and to continuing to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are playing politics with the lives of Canadians.Yesterday the Conservatives agreed to unanimously support portions of Bill C-37 to ensure that important lifesaving measures could be implemented immediately. We asked that the controversial elements of forcing communities to accept heroin injection sites without proper consultation be further debated so Canadians could have their voices heard.Will the Liberals stop playing politics and allow portions of the bill, which have all-party support, to be adopted in the House today?
Mr. Speaker, we have a real plan for improving the situation in the future. That plan is not in the finance department's report. We are going to invest in our country's future. That means investing in infrastructure and innovation. By doing so we will have more growth and be better positioned in the future. It is about having more work for Canadians and an economy that works for everyone.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that when it comes to taking concrete steps, we extended the automotive innovation fund in the 2016 budget. Not only did we extend that fund, but we changed the terms. Because of that, we attracted a $500 million investment in the Honda plant in Alliston. That will secure 4,000 jobs. That is taking concrete action. That is bringing investment to Canada. That is securing good quality jobs for the middle class. We will remain focused on growing the economy and creating good quality jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, that question gives me an opportunity to share with all members of the House some very good news. This is not a political matter. This is a very serious matter, a matter of saving lives. I am very happy to report that not only with the support of the vote that took place yesterday to pass second reading, all parties agreed today in committee to expedite the passage through committee of Bill C-37 to save lives and get the work done.
Mr. Speaker, the construction was completed on time, within budget, and follows the government's workplace standards to optimize office space accommodation. As the first government to introduce a full minister responsible for Status of Women, I am looking forward to working with the member opposite as the chair of the committee responsible for this work. We have restored advocacy to the scope of activities that can be supported by the women's program, the granting body, and we believe it will help make better decisions and impact. We are committed to ensuring that a full gender-based analysis is done across policies and programs to ensure that women and girls are at the heart of all our efforts.
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more foundational than how we choose to govern ourselves as Canadians.We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. We listened to Canadians. We heard that Canadians were proud of our democracy. We have been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians.I look forward to working with Canadians to continue to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, our government values science and the important work our scientists do. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council has a mandate to share and promote research to Canadians.As I have said, a granting council is an arm's-length organization. It is able to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below the amount, and the decision was made by the granting council.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to remain a compassionate and generous country. We have one of the most compassionate and generous refugee systems in the world. The safe third country agreement with the United States enables both countries to better handle asylum claims. The executive order has no impact on asylum claims made in either country. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we will continue to be a country that is open to refugees and protected persons.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the government about the business for this week and next week. However, you may recall that before we rose for the Christmas break, I asked the government if it would consider a take-note debate regarding the job situation in Canada and, specifically, the job losses in the energy sector. Again, I ask the House leader if she would please let us know the business for this week and next week, and when we will be able to have that important take-note debate.
Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that this government has been consulting dairy farmers right across the country, including in Quebec. With that consultation, we put a program in place that involved $350 million to make sure the dairy farmers and processing sector were innovative.We have worked with the supply management sector, particularly the dairy sector, and we will continue to work in support of the dairy sector.
Mr. Speaker, as I am sure the member opposite is aware, I am watching the situation near Avdiivka very carefully, and I have been in close touch with our excellent ambassador, Roman Waschuk, in Kiev. It is an issue of utmost concern, and we condemn the actions of the Russian-backed separatist forces there.As I have said earlier this week, we are working closely together with my colleague, the Minister of National Defence on Operation Unifier, which I think has done excellent work thus far.
Mr. Speaker, I hear a lot about infrastructure needs from citizens and municipalities in my riding of New Brunswick Southwest. Citizens want better roads, access to public transit, clean drinking water, and affordable housing.Our municipalities want to offer all of these things while also leading the way fighting climate change. Municipalities are pleased with our government's commitment to invest in infrastructure, but they want to know how the federal government will help them to plan for the future.Could the minister tell this House how the government will support our municipalities in this important goal?
Mr. Speaker, that is a no. The money will keep flowing to his friends.The Prime Minister gives special access to billionaires and lobbyists at cash-for-access fundraisers. He awards his friends at Canada 2020 with government contracts, taxpayer money for conferences, and lavish island vacations.The Prime Minister promised Canadians that he would defend their interests, but it seems the only interests he is concerned about are his own, and his Liberal friends and insiders. Will the Prime Minister commit today to dictate to each and every one of his ministers to cut funding to Canada 2020?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the harmonization of regulations and reducing barriers, this has been a key priority for our government, and that is why I have been working with my provincial and territorial counterparts to sign a Canada free trade agreement. We have an agreement in principle. We announced that agreement in July. We will provide the details of that agreement, and that will create an environment for our manufacturers to grow and expand in Canada so they can compete globally and create good, quality jobs. That is how we are delivering for our manufacturing sector. On those 1.7 million jobs, we will make sure we will continue to grow and expand that industry.
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs depend on trade with the United States, but the Liberals' silence on their priorities for NAFTA renegotiations is deafening. Canadians want fair trade that benefits all Canadians, not just a few at the top. The government's first priority must be protecting Canadian jobs in trade-dependent industries, like softwood lumber, auto, steel, agriculture, and dairy.Today the U.S. has started the clock on renegotiations, so when will the Liberals come clean to Canadians about what is on the table?
Mr. Speaker, this is not reassuring.How can those members stand over there with a straight face and tell Canadians they believe in free trade? The minister's mandate letters make no mention of the softwood lumber agreement or trade with Asia-Pacific nations that were in the TPP. Canadian workers need the Liberal government to work in their best interests.When can we expect a new softwood lumber agreement and new markets for our exporters?
Mr. Speaker, more trade is more growth and more growth is more jobs for Canadians. That is why this government will be relentless. We will have an ambitious trade agenda to create jobs for Canadians, to open markets, so Canadians and their families can be better in our country. We have an ambitious trade agenda and we will put it forward.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to answer the member's question. I can assure all members and Canadians that when we work as a government we work in the best interests of Canadians, and we will make decisions that will help us advance the work that they have elected us to do. We will ensure that we make investments that will help grow the economy and create new jobs to support Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the work of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to monitor spending as well as inform Canadians and Parliament. Since taking office, our government, in partnership with the municipalities and provinces, has approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. These investments are helping the design and planning work for Ottawa's LRT, Edmonton's LRT, and Calgary's LRT. As a matter of fact, in the member's own city of Surrey, planning work is being done with these resources to expand the LRT work in her own municipality.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made huge election promises, including when it comes to electric transportation. They even promised to have charging stations installed at federal building parking lots across the country, and people believed them. We are still waiting. It is not just about keeping a promise. It is about climate urgency. I am truly proud to be the NDP critic for electrification of transportation. That said, I wonder who will be my counterpart across the way.Can someone please tell us that this government is going to keep its promise and when?
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Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the work of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to monitor spending as well as inform Canadians and Parliament. Since taking office, our government, in partnership with the municipalities and provinces, has approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. These investments are helping the design and planning work for Ottawa's LRT, Edmonton's LRT, and Calgary's LRT. As a matter of fact, in the member's own city of Surrey, planning work is being done with these resources to expand the LRT work in her own municipality.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made huge election promises, including when it comes to electric transportation. They even promised to have charging stations installed at federal building parking lots across the country, and people believed them. We are still waiting. It is not just about keeping a promise. It is about climate urgency. I am truly proud to be the NDP critic for electrification of transportation. That said, I wonder who will be my counterpart across the way.Can someone please tell us that this government is going to keep its promise and when?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to answer the member's question. I can assure all members and Canadians that when we work as a government we work in the best interests of Canadians, and we will make decisions that will help us advance the work that they have elected us to do. We will ensure that we make investments that will help grow the economy and create new jobs to support Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, more trade is more growth and more growth is more jobs for Canadians. That is why this government will be relentless. We will have an ambitious trade agenda to create jobs for Canadians, to open markets, so Canadians and their families can be better in our country. We have an ambitious trade agenda and we will put it forward.
Mr. Speaker, this is not reassuring.How can those members stand over there with a straight face and tell Canadians they believe in free trade? The minister's mandate letters make no mention of the softwood lumber agreement or trade with Asia-Pacific nations that were in the TPP. Canadian workers need the Liberal government to work in their best interests.When can we expect a new softwood lumber agreement and new markets for our exporters?
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs depend on trade with the United States, but the Liberals' silence on their priorities for NAFTA renegotiations is deafening. Canadians want fair trade that benefits all Canadians, not just a few at the top. The government's first priority must be protecting Canadian jobs in trade-dependent industries, like softwood lumber, auto, steel, agriculture, and dairy.Today the U.S. has started the clock on renegotiations, so when will the Liberals come clean to Canadians about what is on the table?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the harmonization of regulations and reducing barriers, this has been a key priority for our government, and that is why I have been working with my provincial and territorial counterparts to sign a Canada free trade agreement. We have an agreement in principle. We announced that agreement in July. We will provide the details of that agreement, and that will create an environment for our manufacturers to grow and expand in Canada so they can compete globally and create good, quality jobs. That is how we are delivering for our manufacturing sector. On those 1.7 million jobs, we will make sure we will continue to grow and expand that industry.
Mr. Speaker, that is a no. The money will keep flowing to his friends.The Prime Minister gives special access to billionaires and lobbyists at cash-for-access fundraisers. He awards his friends at Canada 2020 with government contracts, taxpayer money for conferences, and lavish island vacations.The Prime Minister promised Canadians that he would defend their interests, but it seems the only interests he is concerned about are his own, and his Liberal friends and insiders. Will the Prime Minister commit today to dictate to each and every one of his ministers to cut funding to Canada 2020?
Mr. Speaker, I hear a lot about infrastructure needs from citizens and municipalities in my riding of New Brunswick Southwest. Citizens want better roads, access to public transit, clean drinking water, and affordable housing.Our municipalities want to offer all of these things while also leading the way fighting climate change. Municipalities are pleased with our government's commitment to invest in infrastructure, but they want to know how the federal government will help them to plan for the future.Could the minister tell this House how the government will support our municipalities in this important goal?
Mr. Speaker, as I am sure the member opposite is aware, I am watching the situation near Avdiivka very carefully, and I have been in close touch with our excellent ambassador, Roman Waschuk, in Kiev. It is an issue of utmost concern, and we condemn the actions of the Russian-backed separatist forces there.As I have said earlier this week, we are working closely together with my colleague, the Minister of National Defence on Operation Unifier, which I think has done excellent work thus far.
Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that this government has been consulting dairy farmers right across the country, including in Quebec. With that consultation, we put a program in place that involved $350 million to make sure the dairy farmers and processing sector were innovative.We have worked with the supply management sector, particularly the dairy sector, and we will continue to work in support of the dairy sector.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to remain a compassionate and generous country. We have one of the most compassionate and generous refugee systems in the world. The safe third country agreement with the United States enables both countries to better handle asylum claims. The executive order has no impact on asylum claims made in either country. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we will continue to be a country that is open to refugees and protected persons.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the government about the business for this week and next week. However, you may recall that before we rose for the Christmas break, I asked the government if it would consider a take-note debate regarding the job situation in Canada and, specifically, the job losses in the energy sector. Again, I ask the House leader if she would please let us know the business for this week and next week, and when we will be able to have that important take-note debate.
Mr. Speaker, our government values science and the important work our scientists do. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council has a mandate to share and promote research to Canadians.As I have said, a granting council is an arm's-length organization. It is able to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below the amount, and the decision was made by the granting council.
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more foundational than how we choose to govern ourselves as Canadians.We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. We listened to Canadians. We heard that Canadians were proud of our democracy. We have been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians.I look forward to working with Canadians to continue to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, the construction was completed on time, within budget, and follows the government's workplace standards to optimize office space accommodation. As the first government to introduce a full minister responsible for Status of Women, I am looking forward to working with the member opposite as the chair of the committee responsible for this work. We have restored advocacy to the scope of activities that can be supported by the women's program, the granting body, and we believe it will help make better decisions and impact. We are committed to ensuring that a full gender-based analysis is done across policies and programs to ensure that women and girls are at the heart of all our efforts.
Mr. Speaker, that question gives me an opportunity to share with all members of the House some very good news. This is not a political matter. This is a very serious matter, a matter of saving lives. I am very happy to report that not only with the support of the vote that took place yesterday to pass second reading, all parties agreed today in committee to expedite the passage through committee of Bill C-37 to save lives and get the work done.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that when it comes to taking concrete steps, we extended the automotive innovation fund in the 2016 budget. Not only did we extend that fund, but we changed the terms. Because of that, we attracted a $500 million investment in the Honda plant in Alliston. That will secure 4,000 jobs. That is taking concrete action. That is bringing investment to Canada. That is securing good quality jobs for the middle class. We will remain focused on growing the economy and creating good quality jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we have a real plan for improving the situation in the future. That plan is not in the finance department's report. We are going to invest in our country's future. That means investing in infrastructure and innovation. By doing so we will have more growth and be better positioned in the future. It is about having more work for Canadians and an economy that works for everyone.
Mr. Speaker, our electoral system is the foundation of our democracy. We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. Canadians are proud of our democracy. We have always been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians. I look forward to working with all Canadians and to continuing to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are playing politics with the lives of Canadians.Yesterday the Conservatives agreed to unanimously support portions of Bill C-37 to ensure that important lifesaving measures could be implemented immediately. We asked that the controversial elements of forcing communities to accept heroin injection sites without proper consultation be further debated so Canadians could have their voices heard.Will the Liberals stop playing politics and allow portions of the bill, which have all-party support, to be adopted in the House today?
Mr. Speaker, again, our government values scientists and the important work they do. The opposition members are trying to manufacture a scandal where one does not exist and, frankly, I think Canadians see right through this.The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length body. It has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, the evidence shows that the Liberals' policies were ill-advised from the start. The group that represents Canadian manufacturers had this to say: Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Add this to the rapidly changing business environment in the USa primary competitor for investmentwith increased protectionism...and Canada's situation will only worsen. The Liberals can keep kidding themselves with their plans that do not work, but we are reporting facts.What steps will the Prime Minister take to defend jobs here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we as a government have said again and again that we would prefer negotiation over litigation at any time. It is our preferred route to settle differences, especially those of historic wrongs with indigenous people in this country.That is why our government has launched negotiations toward a national resolution to the Sixties Scoop litigation. That is why as well we feel that these are important resolutions to have if we are able to move forward with reconciliation with all indigenous people in Canada. We will keep working toward that goal and that path.
Mr. Speaker, first I would like to convey that our thoughts are with the people of New Brunswick as they recover from the ice storm there.Today our government and FCM announced two new programs. These programs will raise awareness about asset management practices, making small, long-term infrastructure decisions. These programs will also help municipalities fight climate change and transition to our low-carbon communities.I urge all members to tell their communities about these two initiatives. We are proud of our partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and cities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, I want to just keep repeating the fact that we are actually the government that reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians. We know we have a competitive corporate tax rate in this country. We know that it is important to continue to make investments in innovation in our economy. We know it is important to continue to focus on how we can help Canadians get the skills they need in our economy.That is our intention, and I am very much looking forward to budget 2017 to continue that message to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint JohnRothesay for his concern and advocacy on this issue, and in particular his strong support for the Outflow and Coverdale shelters in his riding.Homelessness affects all of our communities, and all of us have a role to play in ending it. Yesterday, we announced the call for nominations to establish an advisory council of experts and stakeholders to help the government as it reviews and renews the homeless partnership strategy.This committee, which I will chair, will have members chosen through an open and transparent process. Canadians with lived experience and people with knowledge of the program and who deliver front-line services will be encouraged to apply. I would also stress that indigenous and Inuit voices must be heard through this process. People can check Canada.ca for information.
Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief, but very clear.Will the government honour Quebec's requests and formally undertake to fully compensate the losses of our dairy producers before, with the emphasis on before, the vote on the free trade agreement with Europe?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to reiterate that this is the first time there has ever been a full Minister for Status of Women. In previous governments, the minister responsible for Status of Women had another place to work within. That said, let us talk about what the minister before me and the team have been working on since we formed government. We are working and have engaged with experts, academics, and those with lived experience to bring forward the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. We are expanding the services of Status of Women across the country, and more. I look forward to working with the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, our government has an outstanding record on serving Canadians well when it comes to international trade. Canada signed CETA this past October. In December 2015, the current government had the U.S. labelling law, known as COOL, repealed. We have obtained greater access to the U.S. and Chinese markets for beef. We have also obtained greater access in China for canola producers, including my father.We will continue to work tirelessly to grow the middle class, and I will vigorously defend our interests together with my dear colleague.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's good friend and lobbyist Tim Barber of Canada 2020 was posting pictures on Twitter earlier this week and bragging that Canada 2020 has new space in the Parliamentary Precinct. I cannot make this stuff up. I wish it was fake news, but sadly it is real. Will the Prime Minister commit today to end taxpayer support for his friends at Canada 2020 and ensure that no government department or agency contributes any more money to this partisan Liberal organization?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims he is a defender of human rights, yet he will not speak up against Trump's racist ban. What is worse, once rejected by the U.S., those refugees cannot make a claim in Canada because of the safe third country agreement. So much for #welcometoCanada. Canadians no longer have confidence that the U.S. is a safe haven for refugees. If we do not suspend the agreement, Canada will be complicit in this discriminatory ban.Will the government immediately suspend the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by commenting on Tuesday, which was a historic day in this House. I did not have a chance to speak then, and I had no questions yesterday. Therefore, I want to quickly thank the member for Saint-Laurent and the member for MarkhamThornhill for their decades of service to their constituents. We all honour them, and I am looking forward to working with them in their new roles.As for the question, it is incorrect that the clock was started today by the U.S. That has not happened. Of course, our priority is jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to act to strengthen our democracy.While we did not hear a consensus on a particular electoral system to replace the one we have now, Canadians were clear that we could do more to improve our democratic institutions. What we did hear was that Canadians were proud of our democracy.That is why my new mandate letter includes protecting the integrity of our democracy by making our system less vulnerable to hacking, and improving transparency by making parties' political fundraising more open than ever before.We will always work to ensure our democracy represents the values of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know or ought to know that the safe third country agreement pertains to domestic asylum seekers and has no relevance to resettled refugees. Having said that, Canada has a system in place that is considered to be the most generous and compassionate in the world. We in Canada and the United States view the safe third country agreement as a proper system to handle local asylum seekers, and we will continue to be an open and generous country to those seeking protection and refuge.
Mr. Speaker, you wake up in the morning and you feel like you are living the same day over and over again. Another Liberal 180, another prime ministerial flip-flop, another letdown, another broken promise. Sure feels like Groundhog Day. Oh right, it is Groundhog Day.The consensus is clear: 90% of the experts and the witnesses were in favour of proportional representation. That was the committee's majority opinion and the opinion that emerged from citizen assemblies. Even the people who did the Liberals' survey want political parties to work together.Consultation is all well and good, but why not listen to people? Why are the Liberals making choices that benefit only themselves?
Mr. Speaker, since the introduction of budget 2016, we have concluded bilateral agreements with each province and territory within a very short amount of time. Since doing that, we have approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. We have approved more projects in one year than the previous government did in five years. That is our track record, and that is exactly what we are delivering on.
Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a terrible, preventable situation lived by too many Canadians. I was proud to see our government increasing the homeless partnering strategy funding by $111.8 million.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (Housing and Urban Affairs) give us an update on our government's work on this very important file?
Mr. Speaker, the European free trade agreement could help promote Quebec. We have an opportunity to build a bridge between Europe and America. However, we will not abandon our people. We will not support the agreement if the government sacrifices our agricultural and dairy producers. Canada-Europe relations must not be forged by creating hardship for the families in our regions.Will the government fully compensate Quebec producers and, ultimately, not deem them to be collateral damage?
Mr. Speaker, the approach of this government to drug policy is evidence-based, compassionate, collaborative, and comprehensive. When it comes to the matter of cannabis, we have made it very clear that we are going to legalize access to cannabis, but we are going to do so in a strict regulatory regime to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals.
Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that we started by cutting taxes for the middle class. That is the first thing we did. What is interesting is that the member and his party decided to vote against those measures. We plan to continue with our program to improve the lives of middle-class Canadians by leaving more money in their families' pockets.
Mr. Speaker, access to reliable broadband Internet is crucial to participating in today's economy.Rural and remote areas, like my region of LaurentidesLabelle, do not have the necessary infrastructure to support broadband services. My constituents were therefore happy to hear about the government's budget 2016 promise regarding broadband Internet access.Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development provide the House with an update on this critical issue for all of rural Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we listened to Canadians. We were clear: no change of this magnitude should go ahead without the broad support of Canadians. We consulted extensively with Canadians. MPs organized public meetings. The special all-party committee produced a comprehensive report. Over 360,000 Canadians weighed in at MyDemocracy.ca.My job is to strengthen and protect our democratic institutions. That is exactly what we are working toward together with
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for again talking about the connect to innovate program.We had extensive consultations with municipalities and stakeholders when we designed the program. We actually announced the program in our 2016 budget, so people are well aware of this initiative and our government's commitment to deal with that digital divide and make sure we invest in our rural and remote communities. This is a significant investment. When leveraged with the private sector, it has the potential of a billion dollar investment. This is significant for our regions. We are listening to our regions. That is why we extended the date to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, we are tired of hearing talking points; we want real answers today.The former minister of status of women spent the tidy amount of $1.1 million renovating her office. Many organizations that help women could have really used that money.Can the Minister of Status of Women explain why her priority was renovations rather than women who are very short of money?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think my hon. colleague heard the answer. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length organization. Its mandate is to share and promote research with Canadians. As I said, the granting council has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that dollar amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, we are finally working to ensure, and are making progress, that all women and girls have an opportunity to thrive in our country. We are investing in shelters, transitional homes, and affordable housing to allow women to be safe. We are also developing the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. This is a cause that transcends party lines and departments. I am looking forward to working with all members to ensure that we reach our common goal.
Mr. Speaker, when I was the international trade minister, I worked closely with Quebec ministers St-Pierre and Anglade, Quebec companies such as Bombardier, the forestry industry, and Quebec unions in the context of CETA.I am very aware of the interests of Quebec and Canada, and I will defend all of our interests, all of our workers, and all of our farmers, as always.
Mr. Speaker, our government has made gender equality a key priority with the appointment of a historic gender balanced cabinet and the first ever full Minister for Status of Women. Previous ministers responsible for the Status of Women were also ministers of departments that already had offices. Being located in the same building as the department, as is the standard across government, will ensure that departmental and ministerial operations run more efficiently. I look forward to working with the member opposite to further the opportunities for women and girls in this country.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LaurentidesLabelle for his question.Access to broadband is essential for living, working, and competing in a digital world. For Canadians in rural and remote regions, access to high-speed Internet can unlock tremendous economic potential. That is why we launched a $500-million program called connect to innovate, to provide high-speed broadband Internet connectivity across Canada in various communities. We want to make sure that this will help 300 rural and remote communities. We want to ensure that as many Canadians as possible benefit. That is why we are extending the application deadline to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, Status of Women did not have enough money in its budget for office renovations, but started them anyway and then had to get $900,000 from supplementary estimates for the $1.1 million project.Would the minister describe this as responsible management of the budget and of taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that CETA is in the national interest and that we have listened to all Canadians. I can guarantee one thing: trade brings growth and growth brings jobs to ridings across Canada. We will continue to listen to our agricultural producers and we will continue to have a trade vision that includes the entire country.
Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, our approach to drug policy is evidence-based. We have made it very clear that we have plans to legalize access to cannabis and to strictly regulate it. We have plans to legalize no other substances.We will work together to address the opioid crisis in a manner that is comprehensive, evidence-based, and responds to the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Quebec dairy producers are concerned about the Liberals' plan to renegotiate NAFTA.That is completely understandable given the government's inaction on the diafiltered milk issue. This American product is threatening our supply management system and costing our producers millions of dollars, as is the loophole in the Canada-Europe trade agreement. We know that the Prime Minister's promises do not mean anything, but will he confirm to Canadians today that he will defend our supply management system in the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals are saying is simply not true. It is the exact opposite of the truth. In fact, it is one of those alternative facts of which they have suddenly grown so fond.There was a consensus. It was the Liberals who just simply refused to listen to it. Ninety percent of experts and Canadians who came before us and testified said that they wanted a proportional representation system. The recommendation from the Bloc, the Greens, the Conservatives, and the New Democrats called for a plan to bring in proportional representation.There was actually one party that stood in the way of that consensus, and that was the Liberal Party of Canada. It is a bit rich when the Liberals claim there is no consensus. It is only Liberals standing in the way of that very consensus.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister gave the Minister of Foreign Affairs new instructions. Now, any deployment of Canadian troops abroad must align with Canada's national interest. That is exactly what we did in the past. In light of this new vision and the Prime Minister's eagerness to deploy 600 soldiers on a peacekeeping mission in Africa where there is no peace to keep, can the minister explain to us how this African mission aligns with Canada's national interest?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question and I do look forward to working with him. We have done a lot of work together in the past.I agree strongly with the member opposite that of course it is absolutely correct for all of the actions of the government to be in the national interest, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs that will be my north star.When it comes to peacekeeping, Canada is a determined peace-builder. We believe in peace and we believe in our role in multilateral organizations.As to specific missions, that is something which the government is currently considering.
Mr. Speaker, guess what? Just one day after announcing that the government was finally putting an end to all Sixties Scoop litigation, the government was in court to argue against the case of Marcia Brown.My question is very simple: will the minister immediately put an end to the government's legal defence and recognize that Canada has, and has always had, a duty to protect the cultural identity of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is not working. The Liberals have been in power for 15 months, and the economy has been stagnating ever since. Even worse, we are headed toward a huge deficit and colossal debt. It is unacceptable. The minister refused to say that he plans to regain control of public finances, so I will reach out to him once again. Can the minister tell us this time that the Liberal government will not impose any new taxes on Canadians in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, it has become clear this week that Vladimir Putin is testing resolve of western democracies and the new American president. The Russian-backed war in eastern Ukraine continues to intensify, pushing some communities to the brink of humanitarian disaster. Yesterday, as Ukraine assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, the permanent council member sponsoring the war had the temerity to urge restraint.The Liberals say they are considering options. How about some action?
Mr. Speaker, it would seem as though the minister and the government are not aware of last week's events and that hiding one's head in the sand may not be the solution.For example, how can they claim that they are convinced that refugees will be treated properly and with respect in the United States following the President's immigration order?Will the government immediately suspend the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Science said that Canada 2020 was an arm's length-organization. Everyone knows that science is based on facts, so let us look at the facts.First of all, the president of Canada 2020 is married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada. Second, the president and his wife were on vacation with the Prime Minister over the holidays. Third, Canada 2020 organized an event in Washington for the Prime Minister and was paid $15,000 in public funds. Does the Minister of Science agree with me that 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, and that funding to Canada 2020 must stop?
Mr. Speaker, I think what we will do is take this as notice from the member and if we have something to add, we will do it at a future time. I am a bit reluctant at this point to add further comments. Suffice to say, beyond the social media, I suspect there are all sorts of entities and individuals and so forth that might make reference to the sense of pride they have for our parliamentary precinct and the Parliament Buildings and so forth. Without reading too much into it, if there is a need for us to respond to it, we will in time.
Mr. Speaker, the roots of the suicide crisis in indigenous communities are deep and complex. We are working hard with our partners in those communities to address this crisis. In fact, we have provided an additional $69 million in mental wellness funding. This means 24 new mental wellness teams. There are already three new crisis intervention teams at work in various parts of the country, and there is a 24-7 Hope for Wellness Help Line which is available in five languages. We will continue to do the good work to provide hope for these communities.
Mr. Speaker, starting to build before knowing how many people are going to be in the office is what we call bad project management. Canadians expect that when the minister goes back to taxpayers for additional emergency funding, it will be used for such things as emergency shelters for vulnerable women, but no, to these Liberals, an emergency is building luxury offices to make themselves more comfortable. In those same supplementary estimates, can the minister confirm how much funding the Liberals requested for women's shelters in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps talking about her mandate, but I do not actually think she understands what the word fully means.The mandate of a government does not come from some piece of paper handed to them by the Prime Minister. The mandate comes from the democratic will expressed by the voters of our country. Let me quote the Prime Minister, who said just a few months ago, Over 60% of Canadians voted in favour of parties that promised to change the current voting system. That, in fact, is true. That is the minister's mandate. That is the government's mandate.Is the Prime Minister so arrogant that he believes he can change, with the flick of a pen, the mandate that was given to him by millions of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the primary responsibility of the Minister of Status of Women should be providing vulnerable women with the resources they need, many of whom are forced to seek shelter or refuge in women's shelters across Canada, which, of course, are desperate for resources. In his mandate letter to the minister, the Prime Minister said, It is important that we acknowledge mistakes when we make them. Will the minister now admit that spending over $1 million on luxury offices to make her more comfortable is a mistake and a betrayal of vulnerable women?
Mr. Speaker, in order for an organization to be considered arm's length, it must not be linked in any way to any political party. In the case of Canada 2020, clearly, given that the president of the think tank Canada 2020 happens to be married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada and is a childhood friend of the Prime Minister, that organization is definitely not arm's length.Here we are once again with a case of the Prime Minister thinking he is above the law and showing a lack of ethics and poor judgment.Will the Prime Minister stop funding Canada 2020, an organization that belongs to his buddy, who is married to the Liberal Party president?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if the minister heard, but the question was actually about manufacturing. It is an industry that employs 1.7 million Canadians. He might have also noticed that yesterday, the association that represents those jobs indicated that Canada is moving from the seventh most favourable environment in which to manufacture to tenth, while the Americans are moving from third to first, and that is before the new payroll and carbon taxes the government is introducing. South of the border, they are cutting taxes and regulations to unleash the potential of free markets.When will the government realize that if we do not get down to business over here, the Americans are going to eat us for lunch?
Mr. Speaker, the chief of Black Lake, Saskatchewan fears for the lives of the young members of our community. In the last six weeks, 30 young people have attempted suicide. Last week, one young person succeeded. These young people cannot afford more broken promises. Words are meaningless and action is needed now.There are fewer mental health services available and there are more cuts. Will the Prime Minister urgently increase funding for the Athabasca Health Authority for Black Lake and other communities in the area?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue the debate that we began this morning on the Conservative Party's motion. Tomorrow, we will begin the report stage debate of Bill C-30 on the Canada-European Union comprehensive economic and trade agreement. Monday, we will resume debate of that bill. Next week, we will also continue the second reading debate of Bill C-36, an act to amend the Statistics Act, and Bill C-31, an act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine.Next Thursday, February 9, shall be an allotted day.Last, there have been consultations among the parties and I believe you would find agreement for the following motion. I move: That a take-note debate on the subject of job losses in the energy sector take place, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, and that, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, (a) any member rising to speak during the debate my indicate to the Chair that he or she will dividing his or her time with another member; and (b) no quorum calls, dilatory motions, or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, when he was elected, the Prime Minister said that his mandate letters were his ministers' bible.After reading the mandate letters for the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, it seems that international trade is not really important to the Prime Minister because there is no mention at all of the softwood lumber agreement, the TPP, or bilateral agreements with countries that were in the TPP.Why has the Prime Minister not shown us that he believes it is important to open borders?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege regarding a tweet by Canada 2020 advertising that it was opening offices in the parliamentary precinct. The tweet, dated January 27, 11:47 a.m., states, @Canada2020 almost there! New floors next week - 2100 Sq ft of meeting space #canada2020 in the Parliamentary precinct #cndpoli.Section 79.51 of the Parliament of Canada Act with respect to the Parliamentary Protective Services, defines the precinct as follows: parliamentary precinct means the premises or any part of the premises, other than the constituency offices of members of Parliament, that are used by the following entities or individuals or their officers or staff, and that are designated in writing by the Speaker of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Commons: (a) the Senate, House of Commons, Library of Parliament or Parliamentary committees; (b) members of the Senate or House of Commons who are carrying out their parliamentary functions; (c) the Senate Ethics Officer or the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner; or (d) the Service. On the Public Works website, it defines the parliamentary precinct as home to Canada's federal legislature and is an iconic symbol of our country's commitment to democracy and peace.As you know, Mr. Speaker, Canada 2020 cannot take up shop in the home of our federal legislature, and the only commitment it can boast of is receiving largesse from the Liberal government. Apparently, it is not good enough for Canada 2020 to be an entity of the Liberal Party of Canada; it now wants to give the impression that it is part of the parliamentary precinct.My question of privilege touches on two points: one, the misrepresentation of Parliament; and two, the breach of subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act.A prima facie case of privilege was found on May 6, 1985, when the appearance of a newspaper advertisement identified as a member of Parliament someone other than the sitting member. Canada 2020 tweeted out that it was part of the parliamentary precinct, misrepresenting itself as part of the parliamentary family. I would argue that this misrepresentation constitutes an affront to the House and to members of Parliament.In the Ontario legislature, Speaker Stockwell dealt with a question of privilege concerning a pamphlet that was issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the government's program for reforming municipal government in metropolitan Toronto. On January 22, 1997, Speaker Stockwell ruled the matter to be a prima facie question of privilege since the pamphlet gave the impression that passage of the required legislation was not necessary. Simply put, no one or organization, even the government itself, can misrepresent what Parliament does or who is a member of Parliament, or as Canada 2020 is attempting to do, misrepresenting its role in relation to Parliament.Further, and this is my second point in relation to the use of such references as Canada 2020 tweeted, the principle of Canada 2020's offensive tweet can also be explained in subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act: Notwithstanding anything contained in any Act of Parliament or regulation made thereunder, no person shall use the words Parliament Hill in combination (a) to describe or designate a property, place, site, or location in the National Capital Region described in the schedule to the National Capital Act other than the area of ground in the City of Ottawa bounded by Wellington Street, the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and Kent Street; (b) to identify any goods, merchandise, wares, or articles for commercial use or sale; or (c) in association with a commercial establishment providing services. No one would be surprised if Canada 2020 advertised the opening of a new office in the Liberal Party's headquarters, for example, and as I said in my opening remarks, no one is surprised that Canada 2020 is essentially an entity of the Liberal Party, but it is an affront for Canada 2020 to be passing itself off as an entity of Parliament. It is there where it has crossed the line.Mr. Speaker, if you find this to be a prima facie question of privilege, I am prepared to move the appropriate motion.
Mr. Speaker, if the Liberal government had not imposed arbitrary deadlines on the Connect to Innovate program, and if it had listened to the regions in Quebec and Canada, there would be no need to change the dates today as it just did. By all accounts, the minister from Toronto knows very little about Canada's regions.Will he extend the deadline by another two or three months, since the municipalities are unable to submit plans under the current program?We had also asked for more money to build cellphone towers in our regions because of the significant problems we have in Canada.Can the minister tell us when we can expect to have that money?
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister has broken his promise on deficits and electoral reform, he is keeping his promise to transition away from manufacturing-based employment. Yesterday's Manufacturers and Exporters' report said, Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Increases in business taxes, regulatory demands, and energy costs are making it more difficult and costly to do business in Canada, and there are new carbon and payroll taxes to come.Why is the government taxing 1.7 million manufacturing workers out of their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, our government continues to support innovation around things like electric charging stations and electric vehicles. Indeed, I personally had the opportunity to test drive an electric vehicle while I attended the conference in Montreal.We know they are the next version of some of the energy saving opportunities we have around carbon, reducing our carbon footprint. We continue to support those innovators who are moving this forward.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday it was revealed that the new Minister of Foreign Affairs was given different instructions from her predecessor. Specifically, troop deployments will now be based solely on Canada's national interest. It makes us wonder what they were based on before. For months we have been asking the Liberals to explain how their intention to send our troops on a UN mission in Africa serves our national interest.Can the minister confirm that the previous peacekeeping plans are now on hold, or have the Liberals abandoned them completely?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I answered the question in English, but it is my pleasure to try answering it in French. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is my privilege to defend the national interest, and that is what I will try to do. As a determined peace-builder, Canada will re-engage in peacekeeping. Our government is committed to restoring Canada's role in peacekeeping missions, and we are currently considering our options in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, this morning, the parliamentary budget officer released a report called Following the Money, stating that the Liberals' infrastructure plan has no way to measure performance, has virtually no transparency on how the money is being spent, and has shortchanged communities by $9 billion for local infrastructure. The Liberal plan to stimulate the Canadian economy has failed.Will the minister commit to flowing the $9 billion to communities before spring construction begins?
Mr. Speaker, a few hours before Christmas, on December 23, the Department of Finance published a document that stated two very alarming things for Canada's future. If nothing changes, we are heading toward an accumulated debt of $1.5 trillion by 2050 and a return to balanced budgets in 2055. This does not make any sense. To fix the problem, the government has two choices: either it gets its spending under control, or it increases taxes.Can the Minister of Finance assure us and tell Canadians that he is finally going to regain control over public finances?
Mr. Speaker, the call from a Liberal member of Parliament to legalize all drugs is very troubling. The Liberals are going to be legalizing marijuana, but parents are concerned they may be considering legalizing even more dangerous drugs. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister was not clear on this yesterday, so I wonder if the Minister of Justice could tell us, after the Liberals legalize marijuana, what will be the next drug they plan on legalizing?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of neglect by the previous government, we are finally making progress to ensure that women and girls thrive in
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised to reform our electoral system, which is archaic, outdated, and ineffective. All of the Liberal candidates promised electoral reform. Once elected, the Prime Minister repeated dozens of times that there would be electoral reform. He reiterated it in the House, the Speech from the Throne, the minister's mandate, and even the committee's mandate. We believed him. That was a big mistake. The lesson learned is that one should never believe the Liberals because they will go back on their word, just like that.If they are breaking promises about our democracy, what is next?
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer's report on infrastructure indicates that the Liberals risk not achieving their objectives for economic growth. Contrary to what the minister stated, $4.6 billion for projects has been approved.In the wake of our Prime Minister's out-of-control deficits, tax increases, broken promises, and conflicts of interest, we are now learning that the Liberal's infrastructure plan is simply not working. What is the Minister of Infrastructure waiting for to release the funds, the missing $9 billion, that would allow projects to move forward in every municipality in Canada?The party is over.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for BeachesEast York is on record calling for the legalization of all illegal drugs. Yesterday the Prime Minister refused to denounce that position.Will the Minister of Health have the courage to stand today, denounce that position of that Liberal member of Parliament, and state for the record that the only drug the Liberals will be legalizing is marijuana, and please be clear for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the work of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to monitor spending as well as inform Canadians and Parliament. Since taking office, our government, in partnership with the municipalities and provinces, has approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. These investments are helping the design and planning work for Ottawa's LRT, Edmonton's LRT, and Calgary's LRT. As a matter of fact, in the member's own city of Surrey, planning work is being done with these resources to expand the LRT work in her own municipality.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made huge election promises, including when it comes to electric transportation. They even promised to have charging stations installed at federal building parking lots across the country, and people believed them. We are still waiting. It is not just about keeping a promise. It is about climate urgency. I am truly proud to be the NDP critic for electrification of transportation. That said, I wonder who will be my counterpart across the way.Can someone please tell us that this government is going to keep its promise and when?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to answer the member's question. I can assure all members and Canadians that when we work as a government we work in the best interests of Canadians, and we will make decisions that will help us advance the work that they have elected us to do. We will ensure that we make investments that will help grow the economy and create new jobs to support Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, more trade is more growth and more growth is more jobs for Canadians. That is why this government will be relentless. We will have an ambitious trade agenda to create jobs for Canadians, to open markets, so Canadians and their families can be better in our country. We have an ambitious trade agenda and we will put it forward.
Mr. Speaker, this is not reassuring.How can those members stand over there with a straight face and tell Canadians they believe in free trade? The minister's mandate letters make no mention of the softwood lumber agreement or trade with Asia-Pacific nations that were in the TPP. Canadian workers need the Liberal government to work in their best interests.When can we expect a new softwood lumber agreement and new markets for our exporters?
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs depend on trade with the United States, but the Liberals' silence on their priorities for NAFTA renegotiations is deafening. Canadians want fair trade that benefits all Canadians, not just a few at the top. The government's first priority must be protecting Canadian jobs in trade-dependent industries, like softwood lumber, auto, steel, agriculture, and dairy.Today the U.S. has started the clock on renegotiations, so when will the Liberals come clean to Canadians about what is on the table?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the harmonization of regulations and reducing barriers, this has been a key priority for our government, and that is why I have been working with my provincial and territorial counterparts to sign a Canada free trade agreement. We have an agreement in principle. We announced that agreement in July. We will provide the details of that agreement, and that will create an environment for our manufacturers to grow and expand in Canada so they can compete globally and create good, quality jobs. That is how we are delivering for our manufacturing sector. On those 1.7 million jobs, we will make sure we will continue to grow and expand that industry.
Mr. Speaker, that is a no. The money will keep flowing to his friends.The Prime Minister gives special access to billionaires and lobbyists at cash-for-access fundraisers. He awards his friends at Canada 2020 with government contracts, taxpayer money for conferences, and lavish island vacations.The Prime Minister promised Canadians that he would defend their interests, but it seems the only interests he is concerned about are his own, and his Liberal friends and insiders. Will the Prime Minister commit today to dictate to each and every one of his ministers to cut funding to Canada 2020?
Mr. Speaker, I hear a lot about infrastructure needs from citizens and municipalities in my riding of New Brunswick Southwest. Citizens want better roads, access to public transit, clean drinking water, and affordable housing.Our municipalities want to offer all of these things while also leading the way fighting climate change. Municipalities are pleased with our government's commitment to invest in infrastructure, but they want to know how the federal government will help them to plan for the future.Could the minister tell this House how the government will support our municipalities in this important goal?
Mr. Speaker, as I am sure the member opposite is aware, I am watching the situation near Avdiivka very carefully, and I have been in close touch with our excellent ambassador, Roman Waschuk, in Kiev. It is an issue of utmost concern, and we condemn the actions of the Russian-backed separatist forces there.As I have said earlier this week, we are working closely together with my colleague, the Minister of National Defence on Operation Unifier, which I think has done excellent work thus far.
Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. colleague is fully aware that this government has been consulting dairy farmers right across the country, including in Quebec. With that consultation, we put a program in place that involved $350 million to make sure the dairy farmers and processing sector were innovative.We have worked with the supply management sector, particularly the dairy sector, and we will continue to work in support of the dairy sector.
Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to remain a compassionate and generous country. We have one of the most compassionate and generous refugee systems in the world. The safe third country agreement with the United States enables both countries to better handle asylum claims. The executive order has no impact on asylum claims made in either country. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we will continue to be a country that is open to refugees and protected persons.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the government about the business for this week and next week. However, you may recall that before we rose for the Christmas break, I asked the government if it would consider a take-note debate regarding the job situation in Canada and, specifically, the job losses in the energy sector. Again, I ask the House leader if she would please let us know the business for this week and next week, and when we will be able to have that important take-note debate.
Mr. Speaker, our government values science and the important work our scientists do. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council has a mandate to share and promote research to Canadians.As I have said, a granting council is an arm's-length organization. It is able to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below the amount, and the decision was made by the granting council.
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more foundational than how we choose to govern ourselves as Canadians.We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. We listened to Canadians. We heard that Canadians were proud of our democracy. We have been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians.I look forward to working with Canadians to continue to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, the construction was completed on time, within budget, and follows the government's workplace standards to optimize office space accommodation. As the first government to introduce a full minister responsible for Status of Women, I am looking forward to working with the member opposite as the chair of the committee responsible for this work. We have restored advocacy to the scope of activities that can be supported by the women's program, the granting body, and we believe it will help make better decisions and impact. We are committed to ensuring that a full gender-based analysis is done across policies and programs to ensure that women and girls are at the heart of all our efforts.
Mr. Speaker, that question gives me an opportunity to share with all members of the House some very good news. This is not a political matter. This is a very serious matter, a matter of saving lives. I am very happy to report that not only with the support of the vote that took place yesterday to pass second reading, all parties agreed today in committee to expedite the passage through committee of Bill C-37 to save lives and get the work done.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member opposite that when it comes to taking concrete steps, we extended the automotive innovation fund in the 2016 budget. Not only did we extend that fund, but we changed the terms. Because of that, we attracted a $500 million investment in the Honda plant in Alliston. That will secure 4,000 jobs. That is taking concrete action. That is bringing investment to Canada. That is securing good quality jobs for the middle class. We will remain focused on growing the economy and creating good quality jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we have a real plan for improving the situation in the future. That plan is not in the finance department's report. We are going to invest in our country's future. That means investing in infrastructure and innovation. By doing so we will have more growth and be better positioned in the future. It is about having more work for Canadians and an economy that works for everyone.
Mr. Speaker, our electoral system is the foundation of our democracy. We respect the views of Canadians, and we consulted extensively with them on this important issue. Canadians are proud of our democracy. We have always been clear. Major reforms to the electoral system should not be made if they lack the broad support of Canadians. I look forward to working with all Canadians and to continuing to strengthen our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are playing politics with the lives of Canadians.Yesterday the Conservatives agreed to unanimously support portions of Bill C-37 to ensure that important lifesaving measures could be implemented immediately. We asked that the controversial elements of forcing communities to accept heroin injection sites without proper consultation be further debated so Canadians could have their voices heard.Will the Liberals stop playing politics and allow portions of the bill, which have all-party support, to be adopted in the House today?
Mr. Speaker, again, our government values scientists and the important work they do. The opposition members are trying to manufacture a scandal where one does not exist and, frankly, I think Canadians see right through this.The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length body. It has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, the evidence shows that the Liberals' policies were ill-advised from the start. The group that represents Canadian manufacturers had this to say: Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Add this to the rapidly changing business environment in the USa primary competitor for investmentwith increased protectionism...and Canada's situation will only worsen. The Liberals can keep kidding themselves with their plans that do not work, but we are reporting facts.What steps will the Prime Minister take to defend jobs here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we as a government have said again and again that we would prefer negotiation over litigation at any time. It is our preferred route to settle differences, especially those of historic wrongs with indigenous people in this country.That is why our government has launched negotiations toward a national resolution to the Sixties Scoop litigation. That is why as well we feel that these are important resolutions to have if we are able to move forward with reconciliation with all indigenous people in Canada. We will keep working toward that goal and that path.
Mr. Speaker, first I would like to convey that our thoughts are with the people of New Brunswick as they recover from the ice storm there.Today our government and FCM announced two new programs. These programs will raise awareness about asset management practices, making small, long-term infrastructure decisions. These programs will also help municipalities fight climate change and transition to our low-carbon communities.I urge all members to tell their communities about these two initiatives. We are proud of our partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and cities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, I want to just keep repeating the fact that we are actually the government that reduced taxes on middle-class Canadians. We know we have a competitive corporate tax rate in this country. We know that it is important to continue to make investments in innovation in our economy. We know it is important to continue to focus on how we can help Canadians get the skills they need in our economy.That is our intention, and I am very much looking forward to budget 2017 to continue that message to Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint JohnRothesay for his concern and advocacy on this issue, and in particular his strong support for the Outflow and Coverdale shelters in his riding.Homelessness affects all of our communities, and all of us have a role to play in ending it. Yesterday, we announced the call for nominations to establish an advisory council of experts and stakeholders to help the government as it reviews and renews the homeless partnership strategy.This committee, which I will chair, will have members chosen through an open and transparent process. Canadians with lived experience and people with knowledge of the program and who deliver front-line services will be encouraged to apply. I would also stress that indigenous and Inuit voices must be heard through this process. People can check Canada.ca for information.
Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief, but very clear.Will the government honour Quebec's requests and formally undertake to fully compensate the losses of our dairy producers before, with the emphasis on before, the vote on the free trade agreement with Europe?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to reiterate that this is the first time there has ever been a full Minister for Status of Women. In previous governments, the minister responsible for Status of Women had another place to work within. That said, let us talk about what the minister before me and the team have been working on since we formed government. We are working and have engaged with experts, academics, and those with lived experience to bring forward the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. We are expanding the services of Status of Women across the country, and more. I look forward to working with the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, our government has an outstanding record on serving Canadians well when it comes to international trade. Canada signed CETA this past October. In December 2015, the current government had the U.S. labelling law, known as COOL, repealed. We have obtained greater access to the U.S. and Chinese markets for beef. We have also obtained greater access in China for canola producers, including my father.We will continue to work tirelessly to grow the middle class, and I will vigorously defend our interests together with my dear colleague.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's good friend and lobbyist Tim Barber of Canada 2020 was posting pictures on Twitter earlier this week and bragging that Canada 2020 has new space in the Parliamentary Precinct. I cannot make this stuff up. I wish it was fake news, but sadly it is real. Will the Prime Minister commit today to end taxpayer support for his friends at Canada 2020 and ensure that no government department or agency contributes any more money to this partisan Liberal organization?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims he is a defender of human rights, yet he will not speak up against Trump's racist ban. What is worse, once rejected by the U.S., those refugees cannot make a claim in Canada because of the safe third country agreement. So much for #welcometoCanada. Canadians no longer have confidence that the U.S. is a safe haven for refugees. If we do not suspend the agreement, Canada will be complicit in this discriminatory ban.Will the government immediately suspend the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by commenting on Tuesday, which was a historic day in this House. I did not have a chance to speak then, and I had no questions yesterday. Therefore, I want to quickly thank the member for Saint-Laurent and the member for MarkhamThornhill for their decades of service to their constituents. We all honour them, and I am looking forward to working with them in their new roles.As for the question, it is incorrect that the clock was started today by the U.S. That has not happened. Of course, our priority is jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to act to strengthen our democracy.While we did not hear a consensus on a particular electoral system to replace the one we have now, Canadians were clear that we could do more to improve our democratic institutions. What we did hear was that Canadians were proud of our democracy.That is why my new mandate letter includes protecting the integrity of our democracy by making our system less vulnerable to hacking, and improving transparency by making parties' political fundraising more open than ever before.We will always work to ensure our democracy represents the values of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know or ought to know that the safe third country agreement pertains to domestic asylum seekers and has no relevance to resettled refugees. Having said that, Canada has a system in place that is considered to be the most generous and compassionate in the world. We in Canada and the United States view the safe third country agreement as a proper system to handle local asylum seekers, and we will continue to be an open and generous country to those seeking protection and refuge.
Mr. Speaker, you wake up in the morning and you feel like you are living the same day over and over again. Another Liberal 180, another prime ministerial flip-flop, another letdown, another broken promise. Sure feels like Groundhog Day. Oh right, it is Groundhog Day.The consensus is clear: 90% of the experts and the witnesses were in favour of proportional representation. That was the committee's majority opinion and the opinion that emerged from citizen assemblies. Even the people who did the Liberals' survey want political parties to work together.Consultation is all well and good, but why not listen to people? Why are the Liberals making choices that benefit only themselves?
Mr. Speaker, since the introduction of budget 2016, we have concluded bilateral agreements with each province and territory within a very short amount of time. Since doing that, we have approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. We have approved more projects in one year than the previous government did in five years. That is our track record, and that is exactly what we are delivering on.
Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a terrible, preventable situation lived by too many Canadians. I was proud to see our government increasing the homeless partnering strategy funding by $111.8 million.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (Housing and Urban Affairs) give us an update on our government's work on this very important file?
Mr. Speaker, the European free trade agreement could help promote Quebec. We have an opportunity to build a bridge between Europe and America. However, we will not abandon our people. We will not support the agreement if the government sacrifices our agricultural and dairy producers. Canada-Europe relations must not be forged by creating hardship for the families in our regions.Will the government fully compensate Quebec producers and, ultimately, not deem them to be collateral damage?
Mr. Speaker, the approach of this government to drug policy is evidence-based, compassionate, collaborative, and comprehensive. When it comes to the matter of cannabis, we have made it very clear that we are going to legalize access to cannabis, but we are going to do so in a strict regulatory regime to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals.
Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that we started by cutting taxes for the middle class. That is the first thing we did. What is interesting is that the member and his party decided to vote against those measures. We plan to continue with our program to improve the lives of middle-class Canadians by leaving more money in their families' pockets.
Mr. Speaker, access to reliable broadband Internet is crucial to participating in today's economy.Rural and remote areas, like my region of LaurentidesLabelle, do not have the necessary infrastructure to support broadband services. My constituents were therefore happy to hear about the government's budget 2016 promise regarding broadband Internet access.Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development provide the House with an update on this critical issue for all of rural Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we listened to Canadians. We were clear: no change of this magnitude should go ahead without the broad support of Canadians. We consulted extensively with Canadians. MPs organized public meetings. The special all-party committee produced a comprehensive report. Over 360,000 Canadians weighed in at MyDemocracy.ca.My job is to strengthen and protect our democratic institutions. That is exactly what we are working toward together with
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for again talking about the connect to innovate program.We had extensive consultations with municipalities and stakeholders when we designed the program. We actually announced the program in our 2016 budget, so people are well aware of this initiative and our government's commitment to deal with that digital divide and make sure we invest in our rural and remote communities. This is a significant investment. When leveraged with the private sector, it has the potential of a billion dollar investment. This is significant for our regions. We are listening to our regions. That is why we extended the date to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, we are tired of hearing talking points; we want real answers today.The former minister of status of women spent the tidy amount of $1.1 million renovating her office. Many organizations that help women could have really used that money.Can the Minister of Status of Women explain why her priority was renovations rather than women who are very short of money?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think my hon. colleague heard the answer. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is an arm's-length organization. Its mandate is to share and promote research with Canadians. As I said, the granting council has the ability to issue contracts below a certain dollar amount. This contract fell below that dollar amount and the granting council made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, we are finally working to ensure, and are making progress, that all women and girls have an opportunity to thrive in our country. We are investing in shelters, transitional homes, and affordable housing to allow women to be safe. We are also developing the first ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. This is a cause that transcends party lines and departments. I am looking forward to working with all members to ensure that we reach our common goal.
Mr. Speaker, when I was the international trade minister, I worked closely with Quebec ministers St-Pierre and Anglade, Quebec companies such as Bombardier, the forestry industry, and Quebec unions in the context of CETA.I am very aware of the interests of Quebec and Canada, and I will defend all of our interests, all of our workers, and all of our farmers, as always.
Mr. Speaker, our government has made gender equality a key priority with the appointment of a historic gender balanced cabinet and the first ever full Minister for Status of Women. Previous ministers responsible for the Status of Women were also ministers of departments that already had offices. Being located in the same building as the department, as is the standard across government, will ensure that departmental and ministerial operations run more efficiently. I look forward to working with the member opposite to further the opportunities for women and girls in this country.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LaurentidesLabelle for his question.Access to broadband is essential for living, working, and competing in a digital world. For Canadians in rural and remote regions, access to high-speed Internet can unlock tremendous economic potential. That is why we launched a $500-million program called connect to innovate, to provide high-speed broadband Internet connectivity across Canada in various communities. We want to make sure that this will help 300 rural and remote communities. We want to ensure that as many Canadians as possible benefit. That is why we are extending the application deadline to April 20.
Mr. Speaker, Status of Women did not have enough money in its budget for office renovations, but started them anyway and then had to get $900,000 from supplementary estimates for the $1.1 million project.Would the minister describe this as responsible management of the budget and of taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that CETA is in the national interest and that we have listened to all Canadians. I can guarantee one thing: trade brings growth and growth brings jobs to ridings across Canada. We will continue to listen to our agricultural producers and we will continue to have a trade vision that includes the entire country.
Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, our approach to drug policy is evidence-based. We have made it very clear that we have plans to legalize access to cannabis and to strictly regulate it. We have plans to legalize no other substances.We will work together to address the opioid crisis in a manner that is comprehensive, evidence-based, and responds to the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Quebec dairy producers are concerned about the Liberals' plan to renegotiate NAFTA.That is completely understandable given the government's inaction on the diafiltered milk issue. This American product is threatening our supply management system and costing our producers millions of dollars, as is the loophole in the Canada-Europe trade agreement. We know that the Prime Minister's promises do not mean anything, but will he confirm to Canadians today that he will defend our supply management system in the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals are saying is simply not true. It is the exact opposite of the truth. In fact, it is one of those alternative facts of which they have suddenly grown so fond.There was a consensus. It was the Liberals who just simply refused to listen to it. Ninety percent of experts and Canadians who came before us and testified said that they wanted a proportional representation system. The recommendation from the Bloc, the Greens, the Conservatives, and the New Democrats called for a plan to bring in proportional representation.There was actually one party that stood in the way of that consensus, and that was the Liberal Party of Canada. It is a bit rich when the Liberals claim there is no consensus. It is only Liberals standing in the way of that very consensus.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister gave the Minister of Foreign Affairs new instructions. Now, any deployment of Canadian troops abroad must align with Canada's national interest. That is exactly what we did in the past. In light of this new vision and the Prime Minister's eagerness to deploy 600 soldiers on a peacekeeping mission in Africa where there is no peace to keep, can the minister explain to us how this African mission aligns with Canada's national interest?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question and I do look forward to working with him. We have done a lot of work together in the past.I agree strongly with the member opposite that of course it is absolutely correct for all of the actions of the government to be in the national interest, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs that will be my north star.When it comes to peacekeeping, Canada is a determined peace-builder. We believe in peace and we believe in our role in multilateral organizations.As to specific missions, that is something which the government is currently considering.
Mr. Speaker, guess what? Just one day after announcing that the government was finally putting an end to all Sixties Scoop litigation, the government was in court to argue against the case of Marcia Brown.My question is very simple: will the minister immediately put an end to the government's legal defence and recognize that Canada has, and has always had, a duty to protect the cultural identity of indigenous children?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan is not working. The Liberals have been in power for 15 months, and the economy has been stagnating ever since. Even worse, we are headed toward a huge deficit and colossal debt. It is unacceptable. The minister refused to say that he plans to regain control of public finances, so I will reach out to him once again. Can the minister tell us this time that the Liberal government will not impose any new taxes on Canadians in the next budget?
Mr. Speaker, it has become clear this week that Vladimir Putin is testing resolve of western democracies and the new American president. The Russian-backed war in eastern Ukraine continues to intensify, pushing some communities to the brink of humanitarian disaster. Yesterday, as Ukraine assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, the permanent council member sponsoring the war had the temerity to urge restraint.The Liberals say they are considering options. How about some action?
Mr. Speaker, it would seem as though the minister and the government are not aware of last week's events and that hiding one's head in the sand may not be the solution.For example, how can they claim that they are convinced that refugees will be treated properly and with respect in the United States following the President's immigration order?Will the government immediately suspend the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Science said that Canada 2020 was an arm's length-organization. Everyone knows that science is based on facts, so let us look at the facts.First of all, the president of Canada 2020 is married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada. Second, the president and his wife were on vacation with the Prime Minister over the holidays. Third, Canada 2020 organized an event in Washington for the Prime Minister and was paid $15,000 in public funds. Does the Minister of Science agree with me that 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, and that funding to Canada 2020 must stop?
Mr. Speaker, I think what we will do is take this as notice from the member and if we have something to add, we will do it at a future time. I am a bit reluctant at this point to add further comments. Suffice to say, beyond the social media, I suspect there are all sorts of entities and individuals and so forth that might make reference to the sense of pride they have for our parliamentary precinct and the Parliament Buildings and so forth. Without reading too much into it, if there is a need for us to respond to it, we will in time.
Mr. Speaker, the roots of the suicide crisis in indigenous communities are deep and complex. We are working hard with our partners in those communities to address this crisis. In fact, we have provided an additional $69 million in mental wellness funding. This means 24 new mental wellness teams. There are already three new crisis intervention teams at work in various parts of the country, and there is a 24-7 Hope for Wellness Help Line which is available in five languages. We will continue to do the good work to provide hope for these communities.
Mr. Speaker, starting to build before knowing how many people are going to be in the office is what we call bad project management. Canadians expect that when the minister goes back to taxpayers for additional emergency funding, it will be used for such things as emergency shelters for vulnerable women, but no, to these Liberals, an emergency is building luxury offices to make themselves more comfortable. In those same supplementary estimates, can the minister confirm how much funding the Liberals requested for women's shelters in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps talking about her mandate, but I do not actually think she understands what the word fully means.The mandate of a government does not come from some piece of paper handed to them by the Prime Minister. The mandate comes from the democratic will expressed by the voters of our country. Let me quote the Prime Minister, who said just a few months ago, Over 60% of Canadians voted in favour of parties that promised to change the current voting system. That, in fact, is true. That is the minister's mandate. That is the government's mandate.Is the Prime Minister so arrogant that he believes he can change, with the flick of a pen, the mandate that was given to him by millions of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the primary responsibility of the Minister of Status of Women should be providing vulnerable women with the resources they need, many of whom are forced to seek shelter or refuge in women's shelters across Canada, which, of course, are desperate for resources. In his mandate letter to the minister, the Prime Minister said, It is important that we acknowledge mistakes when we make them. Will the minister now admit that spending over $1 million on luxury offices to make her more comfortable is a mistake and a betrayal of vulnerable women?
Mr. Speaker, in order for an organization to be considered arm's length, it must not be linked in any way to any political party. In the case of Canada 2020, clearly, given that the president of the think tank Canada 2020 happens to be married to the president of the Liberal Party of Canada and is a childhood friend of the Prime Minister, that organization is definitely not arm's length.Here we are once again with a case of the Prime Minister thinking he is above the law and showing a lack of ethics and poor judgment.Will the Prime Minister stop funding Canada 2020, an organization that belongs to his buddy, who is married to the Liberal Party president?
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if the minister heard, but the question was actually about manufacturing. It is an industry that employs 1.7 million Canadians. He might have also noticed that yesterday, the association that represents those jobs indicated that Canada is moving from the seventh most favourable environment in which to manufacture to tenth, while the Americans are moving from third to first, and that is before the new payroll and carbon taxes the government is introducing. South of the border, they are cutting taxes and regulations to unleash the potential of free markets.When will the government realize that if we do not get down to business over here, the Americans are going to eat us for lunch?
Mr. Speaker, the chief of Black Lake, Saskatchewan fears for the lives of the young members of our community. In the last six weeks, 30 young people have attempted suicide. Last week, one young person succeeded. These young people cannot afford more broken promises. Words are meaningless and action is needed now.There are fewer mental health services available and there are more cuts. Will the Prime Minister urgently increase funding for the Athabasca Health Authority for Black Lake and other communities in the area?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue the debate that we began this morning on the Conservative Party's motion. Tomorrow, we will begin the report stage debate of Bill C-30 on the Canada-European Union comprehensive economic and trade agreement. Monday, we will resume debate of that bill. Next week, we will also continue the second reading debate of Bill C-36, an act to amend the Statistics Act, and Bill C-31, an act to implement the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Ukraine.Next Thursday, February 9, shall be an allotted day.Last, there have been consultations among the parties and I believe you would find agreement for the following motion. I move: That a take-note debate on the subject of job losses in the energy sector take place, pursuant to Standing Order 53.1, on Wednesday, February 8, 2017, and that, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, (a) any member rising to speak during the debate my indicate to the Chair that he or she will dividing his or her time with another member; and (b) no quorum calls, dilatory motions, or requests for unanimous consent shall be received by the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, when he was elected, the Prime Minister said that his mandate letters were his ministers' bible.After reading the mandate letters for the Minister of International Trade and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, it seems that international trade is not really important to the Prime Minister because there is no mention at all of the softwood lumber agreement, the TPP, or bilateral agreements with countries that were in the TPP.Why has the Prime Minister not shown us that he believes it is important to open borders?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege regarding a tweet by Canada 2020 advertising that it was opening offices in the parliamentary precinct. The tweet, dated January 27, 11:47 a.m., states, @Canada2020 almost there! New floors next week - 2100 Sq ft of meeting space #canada2020 in the Parliamentary precinct #cndpoli.Section 79.51 of the Parliament of Canada Act with respect to the Parliamentary Protective Services, defines the precinct as follows: parliamentary precinct means the premises or any part of the premises, other than the constituency offices of members of Parliament, that are used by the following entities or individuals or their officers or staff, and that are designated in writing by the Speaker of the Senate or the Speaker of the House of Commons: (a) the Senate, House of Commons, Library of Parliament or Parliamentary committees; (b) members of the Senate or House of Commons who are carrying out their parliamentary functions; (c) the Senate Ethics Officer or the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner; or (d) the Service. On the Public Works website, it defines the parliamentary precinct as home to Canada's federal legislature and is an iconic symbol of our country's commitment to democracy and peace.As you know, Mr. Speaker, Canada 2020 cannot take up shop in the home of our federal legislature, and the only commitment it can boast of is receiving largesse from the Liberal government. Apparently, it is not good enough for Canada 2020 to be an entity of the Liberal Party of Canada; it now wants to give the impression that it is part of the parliamentary precinct.My question of privilege touches on two points: one, the misrepresentation of Parliament; and two, the breach of subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act.A prima facie case of privilege was found on May 6, 1985, when the appearance of a newspaper advertisement identified as a member of Parliament someone other than the sitting member. Canada 2020 tweeted out that it was part of the parliamentary precinct, misrepresenting itself as part of the parliamentary family. I would argue that this misrepresentation constitutes an affront to the House and to members of Parliament.In the Ontario legislature, Speaker Stockwell dealt with a question of privilege concerning a pamphlet that was issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the government's program for reforming municipal government in metropolitan Toronto. On January 22, 1997, Speaker Stockwell ruled the matter to be a prima facie question of privilege since the pamphlet gave the impression that passage of the required legislation was not necessary. Simply put, no one or organization, even the government itself, can misrepresent what Parliament does or who is a member of Parliament, or as Canada 2020 is attempting to do, misrepresenting its role in relation to Parliament.Further, and this is my second point in relation to the use of such references as Canada 2020 tweeted, the principle of Canada 2020's offensive tweet can also be explained in subsection 80(1) of the Parliament of Canada Act: Notwithstanding anything contained in any Act of Parliament or regulation made thereunder, no person shall use the words Parliament Hill in combination (a) to describe or designate a property, place, site, or location in the National Capital Region described in the schedule to the National Capital Act other than the area of ground in the City of Ottawa bounded by Wellington Street, the Rideau Canal, the Ottawa River and Kent Street; (b) to identify any goods, merchandise, wares, or articles for commercial use or sale; or (c) in association with a commercial establishment providing services. No one would be surprised if Canada 2020 advertised the opening of a new office in the Liberal Party's headquarters, for example, and as I said in my opening remarks, no one is surprised that Canada 2020 is essentially an entity of the Liberal Party, but it is an affront for Canada 2020 to be passing itself off as an entity of Parliament. It is there where it has crossed the line.Mr. Speaker, if you find this to be a prima facie question of privilege, I am prepared to move the appropriate motion.
Mr. Speaker, if the Liberal government had not imposed arbitrary deadlines on the Connect to Innovate program, and if it had listened to the regions in Quebec and Canada, there would be no need to change the dates today as it just did. By all accounts, the minister from Toronto knows very little about Canada's regions.Will he extend the deadline by another two or three months, since the municipalities are unable to submit plans under the current program?We had also asked for more money to build cellphone towers in our regions because of the significant problems we have in Canada.Can the minister tell us when we can expect to have that money?
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister has broken his promise on deficits and electoral reform, he is keeping his promise to transition away from manufacturing-based employment. Yesterday's Manufacturers and Exporters' report said, Right now, Canada is not a competitive location for investment. Increases in business taxes, regulatory demands, and energy costs are making it more difficult and costly to do business in Canada, and there are new carbon and payroll taxes to come.Why is the government taxing 1.7 million manufacturing workers out of their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, our government continues to support innovation around things like electric charging stations and electric vehicles. Indeed, I personally had the opportunity to test drive an electric vehicle while I attended the conference in Montreal.We know they are the next version of some of the energy saving opportunities we have around carbon, reducing our carbon footprint. We continue to support those innovators who are moving this forward.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday it was revealed that the new Minister of Foreign Affairs was given different instructions from her predecessor. Specifically, troop deployments will now be based solely on Canada's national interest. It makes us wonder what they were based on before. For months we have been asking the Liberals to explain how their intention to send our troops on a UN mission in Africa serves our national interest.Can the minister confirm that the previous peacekeeping plans are now on hold, or have the Liberals abandoned them completely?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I answered the question in English, but it is my pleasure to try answering it in French. As Minister of Foreign Affairs, it is my privilege to defend the national interest, and that is what I will try to do. As a determined peace-builder, Canada will re-engage in peacekeeping. Our government is committed to restoring Canada's role in peacekeeping missions, and we are currently considering our options in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, this morning, the parliamentary budget officer released a report called Following the Money, stating that the Liberals' infrastructure plan has no way to measure performance, has virtually no transparency on how the money is being spent, and has shortchanged communities by $9 billion for local infrastructure. The Liberal plan to stimulate the Canadian economy has failed.Will the minister commit to flowing the $9 billion to communities before spring construction begins?
Mr. Speaker, a few hours before Christmas, on December 23, the Department of Finance published a document that stated two very alarming things for Canada's future. If nothing changes, we are heading toward an accumulated debt of $1.5 trillion by 2050 and a return to balanced budgets in 2055. This does not make any sense. To fix the problem, the government has two choices: either it gets its spending under control, or it increases taxes.Can the Minister of Finance assure us and tell Canadians that he is finally going to regain control over public finances?
Mr. Speaker, the call from a Liberal member of Parliament to legalize all drugs is very troubling. The Liberals are going to be legalizing marijuana, but parents are concerned they may be considering legalizing even more dangerous drugs. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister was not clear on this yesterday, so I wonder if the Minister of Justice could tell us, after the Liberals legalize marijuana, what will be the next drug they plan on legalizing?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of neglect by the previous government, we are finally making progress to ensure that women and girls thrive in
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised to reform our electoral system, which is archaic, outdated, and ineffective. All of the Liberal candidates promised electoral reform. Once elected, the Prime Minister repeated dozens of times that there would be electoral reform. He reiterated it in the House, the Speech from the Throne, the minister's mandate, and even the committee's mandate. We believed him. That was a big mistake. The lesson learned is that one should never believe the Liberals because they will go back on their word, just like that.If they are breaking promises about our democracy, what is next?
Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer's report on infrastructure indicates that the Liberals risk not achieving their objectives for economic growth. Contrary to what the minister stated, $4.6 billion for projects has been approved.In the wake of our Prime Minister's out-of-control deficits, tax increases, broken promises, and conflicts of interest, we are now learning that the Liberal's infrastructure plan is simply not working. What is the Minister of Infrastructure waiting for to release the funds, the missing $9 billion, that would allow projects to move forward in every municipality in Canada?The party is over.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for BeachesEast York is on record calling for the legalization of all illegal drugs. Yesterday the Prime Minister refused to denounce that position.Will the Minister of Health have the courage to stand today, denounce that position of that Liberal member of Parliament, and state for the record that the only drug the Liberals will be legalizing is marijuana, and please be clear for all Canadians?