Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister purports to be a feminist, yet when a strong, confident woman dares to question his arrogance and unilaterally changing the fundamentals of Canadian democracy, he tried to stare her down and yell at her. Will this so-called feminist stand up and apologize to my colleague, or will he once again make a woman do his dirty work?
Mr. Speaker, as we speak, opposition MPs continue to stand up to defend Canadians from the Liberals' attack on democracy. Not only does the Prime Minister only want to show up and be accountable to Canadians one day a week, but I have never seen a more pathetic display of arrogance than I saw in question period today as he laughed and smirked as opposition MPs tried to hold him accountable for his actions.I can assure him that in the next election, Canadians will wipe that smirk right off his face.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they want to make Parliament more predictable. The only thing predictable around here is that the Liberals will do whatever it takes, including rigging the rules, to avoid accountability. Predictably, the Prime Minister only likes to show up to places where it is all selfies, slogans, and superficiality, so when he finds an opposition instead of an audience, he predictably heads for the exit.Since he loves to be loved, will the Liberal whip demand his MPs start applauding the Prime Minister more often so that he could be predicted to maybe show up here for question period more than once a week?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her statement and support. We were all saddened to learn about today's incident near the British Parliament in London. I express my deepest condolences to the victims of this cowardly attack. The scene unfolding in London is one that is all too familiar to members of this House who were here two and a half years ago.Today's attack on the United Kingdom Parliament is an attack on the world's democracies.An attack on the symbol and the seat of democracy is a cowardly and reprehensible act that we condemn in the strongest terms. Canada and the U.K. are close friends and allies and our message to the citizens of the United Kingdom and our colleagues in the British Parliament is simple: We stand with you.
Mr. Speaker, this is unbelievable. There can only be one conclusion drawn. This a quote with which I am sure the Prime Minister is very familiar: Solutions to important problems are decided not by Party committee...but by one individual. Do members know who said that? It was Chinese dictator Chairman Mao. Canada is not China. Canada is not a dictatorship. The Prime Minister is not the supreme emperor, so maybe he could do Canadians a favour, take another vacation, and not come back until he is ready to stop acting like those dictators he so admires.
Mr. Speaker, it turns out that the cut-outs became an international embarrassment to the Liberals because of inappropriate things people were doing and posting on social media.Global Affairs ordered the life-sized effigies taken down, as Liberals knew that they were tarnishing the Prime Minister's celebrity persona. Now the government is refusing to tell Canadians how much they cost.In just over an hour, Canadians will find out how much more will be lifted from their wallets to pay for frivolous and out-of-control Liberal spending.Who authorized this half-baked idea, and what were they smoking?
Mr. Speaker, in an unprecedented act, the federal government is dropping its judicial case against 36 individuals arrested in the largest anti-Mafia sting since the Rizzuto case. Thanks to Liberal dithering, serious criminal charges are being either stayed or withdrawn. Is this the reason that the Liberal government is abandoning this case? Is the Minister of Justice going to throw six years of anti-Mafia investigations in the trash because they refuse to provide proper resources to our justice system?
Mr. Speaker, the spectacle in the House today was not a good one for the Prime Minister. He was there laughing and heckling and over-talking the Conservative House leader when she was trying to make a pertinent point about the future of parliamentary democracy in this country. The Prime Minister treats this chamber as his personal chew toy. We are going to stand in our place, we are going to fight for democracy, and we are going to fight for Canadians' rights. When is the Prime Minister going to be on our side and live up to his promises in the last election, rather than throwing it all out the window for his own personal gain?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister thinks he is elected royalty and Canadians should lavish him with exotic island vacations, nannies, and a jet-setting lifestyle. The Prime Minister spent $127,000 on his island excursion with the famjam and his BFFs. Seventeen hundred dollars were spent on food and drinks alone for a three-hour flight. There are people in my riding who are struggling to pay the mortgage, but the Prime Minister thinks he is entitled to his caviar and champagne.Why does this wealthy trust-fund Prime Minister think he can abuse taxpayers' dollars entertaining himself this way?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers get up every morning and go to work to earn a living. Now the government is considering cutting back our hours of work here in Ottawa. Spending more and working less: what kind of example is that setting for society? Merely thinking up the idea is immoral. The Liberals say this is just a consultation. Can the Liberal government work to create a prosperous Canada? Can the government respect all members and commit to changing the rules only if there is unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has been playing fast and loose with the truth. First, there was the Liberals' fabricated fighter jet capability gap, which is really a Liberal credibility gap. Then the minister put an unprecedented gag order on DND officials and stifled debate right here in Parliament. Now the defence minister says it was not him who cut danger pay from our troops fighting ISIS, but I have a document right here with his signature on it that proves that it was.Will the minister come clean and apologize for misleading Canadians, or is he going to double down on his alternate facts?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship of China. Now it turns out he is trying to bring that dictatorship to life right here in Canada. He is trying to avoid any accountability to Canadians by eliminating debate and by giving the Liberals unprecedented control over the House of Commons and its committees. On top of this, he wants to give all his Liberal MPs Fridays off, and it turns out he, himself, only wants to show up to work one day a week. Why does the Prime Minister have such a blatant disregard for being held accountable to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is no wonder the Prime Minister only wants to be here one day a week. When someone thinks he is elected royalty, he does not have to work, and the average Canadian can pick up the tab for caviar and champagne, but when the Prime Minister wants to fire up the old Challenger, jet off to an island, and get away to entertain his friends, he just pulls out the old taxpayer credit card.Can the Prime Minister justify to Canadians why they are on the hook for his $127,000 vacation and his $1,700 snack bill?
Mr. Speaker, occasionally incidents such as this do happen, and we have made it clear to the owner of the ship that it is responsible for the cleanup, and we will make sure that it does happen.
Mr. Speaker, my question is simple. In the Prime Minister's opinion, what would be an appropriate penalty for ministers who violate the Conflict of Interest Act?
Mr. Speaker, when I was a young officer in the army, I was taught to be honest, but from what I can see, not everyone received that training.The minister distorts the facts whenever it suits him. He has made up a capability gap because that will allow him to purchase Super Hornets and please his friends at Boeing. Secondly, to justify the fact that he has not done anything to improve protection for cadets, he is saying that they no longer handle weapons, even though many cadet corps participate in shooting competitions.Will the minister stop misleading the House and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Our purpose during question period is to question the government and hold it to account. After asking the question today, the government House leader looked at me and said, I'm going to get you for this. In that sense, I believe my privilege, and others here, has been violated. As such, I ask you to look into this matter.
Mr. Speaker, I am interested to know how much the finance minister will put in the budget for the Prime Minister's future vacations to billionaire islands. We just learned it cost taxpayers $127,000 the last time, and that is before we add the cost of the Ethics Commissioner's investigation. When will the Prime Minister realize that real Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, and they cannot afford, and do not want to pay for, his lavish lifestyle?
Mr. Speaker, four months ago, a South Korean cargo ship lost 35 containers at sea, and potentially harmful debris is still arriving every day on Vancouver Island's west coast. Large pieces of metal and chunks of styrofoam are contaminating our sensitive ecosystems. The Liberal government continues to delay and refuses to act. Community volunteers have been forced to start cleanup efforts themselves. Now we learn that the government received $72,000 from the company to clean up the mess, but it still has not released the funds. Will the government finally step up, do its job, and clean up the mess?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals love to talk up the Canada child benefit. It was supposed to help nine million children out of poverty, but in my riding, there are many families that have to jump through one hoop after another just to submit a claim. What good is a benefit if families that really need it are not getting it? How many eligible parents have yet to receive the Canada child benefit, and when will the government shift its priorities from protecting the wealthiest to making life more affordable for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the government House leader introduced a discussion paper, and then mere days later tried to ram that, and is currently ramming that discussion paper, through Parliament. This is not a discussion. This is not a conversation. This is a dictatorship. I implore the House leader. I implore the government. All we are asking for is that we all be able to come to agreement, as precedent has set, before any major changes are made. I am asking the government to reset this horrid mess it has created and listen to all of us before any changes are made.
Mr. Speaker, today in London, the U.K. Parliament is the scene of an attack, an attack all too familiar to many members of the House and those who work here. While there are still many questions yet to be answered around the circumstances, on behalf of the official opposition, I offer my sincere condolences and prayers to all of those who are affected.Will the Prime Minister join me in condemning these attacks and offer any and all support to our U.K. friends?
Mr. Speaker, I wonder about the schoolchildren in the gallery who are wondering how effective this Parliament actually is right now.We are proposing a way to discuss how to improve the quality of debate and allow the government to be held to account in a thoughtful, responsible way, and this kind of shouting is what they get. That is not worthy of this Parliament. It is not worthy of the people they serve.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect all parliamentarians to have the highest ethical standards and behaviour that is beyond reproach. It is essential that we maintain Canadians' trust and demonstrate an approach that is worthy of the trust that Canadians have in us.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of my service in the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist. I am proud of my combat time. Every time I make a decision, it is about thinking about when I had boots on the ground. That is how I will take every future decision.
Mr. Speaker, when a parliamentarian is deeply hurt and wronged by comments and debates in the House that undermine the very essence of his work, he must immediately stand up and say so. I therefore rise on a question of privilege.I humbly address all my colleagues. I heard the House Leader of the Official Opposition refer to the government's approach to procedural reform as dictatorial. I heard the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons say that she wanted to hold a discussion and have all parliamentarians take part in it. I would humbly submit to the House that we have had to witness this exchange even though we cannot sit on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs or any other committee. Indeed, since October 19, 2015, we have been banned from this type of debate and thus ostracized as parliamentarians.What I am humbly stating today is that if we want to reform the Standing Orders, I imagine that we want to do so for the good of parliamentary democracy. Therefore, no one would oppose our right to speak, which we had in the case in the Special Committee on Electoral Reform. It is an affront to hear people who have millions of dollars, and so much the better for them, to spend on being heard and having their constituents' voices heard. I was legitimately elected by people who pay their taxes to the federal government and I have the right to sit on the committee that will study parliamentary reforms.
Mr. Speaker, when a minister breaches that trust, what is the penalty? Instead of going around in circles, the Prime Minister would do well to respond soon.To be clear, Canadians believe that there is no problem with the Prime Minister taking a vacation, but Canadians do have a problem with the Prime Minister accepting illegal gifts, breaking the law, and then charging the taxpayers over $125,000.Does the Prime Minister honestly believe that paying back a mere $4,000 is enough when he blew over $125,000 of hard-earned taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his leadership on this file.Last week, I was in beautiful British Columbia and saw first hand the diversity of this innovative economy, especially the vibrant clean tech sector. The member opposite has highlighted the leadership role that B.C. is playing in clean tech, with the number of companies, the number of jobs, and these are good-quality jobs that, on average, pay $84,000. That is why our government invested $58 million in clean tech jobs. This is about addressing the problems of tomorrow and creating good-quality jobs today.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for the question, especially on budget day, because it gives us the chance to reflect back to budget 2016. The commitments that were made included $81 billion over 11 years in public transit, green infrastructure, transportation, and smart cities. We are committed to transitioning to a low-carbon economy, while encouraging businesses to innovate, grow, and create good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. I am sure all members will be very anxious to hear what the Minister of Finance will have to say on the subject only minutes from now.
Mr. Speaker, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the International Energy Agency have all urged governments around the world to do two things, at a minimum: to put in place a carbon price and to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies.I wonder if the Prime Minister could update us on where we are. We know progress is being made on the carbon price. Where are we on eliminating fossil fuel subsidies?
Mr. Speaker, it was about a year ago the Prime Minister tried to push through changes to Parliament's rules to silence the opposition. That attempt ended in complete failure and he had to back down, but yet, here he is again, at it again, wanting to centralize his power. This time he wants to shut down debate and he only wants to show up for question period one day a week.Why is the Prime Minister so determined to avoid accountability?
Mr. Speaker, I will reply in our other official language this time. The use of the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our Canadian missions in the United States. They have been asked to no longer use it for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion Canadian values. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, our international friend and ally.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals campaigned on a promise of real change. This is real change, a move from democracy to what? A dictatorship? The Chinese style of dictatorship the Prime Minister seems to prefer is creeping its way into committees. Discussions are more like directives. I would like to ask the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, what is the schedule, what is the agenda, and what are the priorities of the committee on procedure and house affairs?
Mr. Speaker, at festivals and events, at consulates and the Canadian embassy in the U.S., cardboard cut-outs of the Prime Minister have started appearing. Much like the real-life version of the Prime Minister, there were plenty of selfies but not much in the way of substance. The cut-outs are so vain that the Prime Minister probably thinks a certain Carly Simon song was about him.When Canadian seniors and families are paying for the Liberals' tax-and-spend agenda, who thought a cut-out was a good idea, and how much did it cost? What was the Prime Minister thinking?
Mr. Speaker, as is often the case, we did not actually get an answer to the question asked by the Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister is going further than Stephen Harper would have ever dared to do in telling Canadians he only wants to show up in question period once a week.I am going to ask the question again. What would the Prime Minister's reaction have been if Stephen Harper had dared to propose what he is proposing?
Mr. Speaker, it is not just a question of role and money. It is a question of principle and honour, and the government has none.A prime minister must adhere to three guiding principles: he must show humility, show restraint, and manage finances carefully.When will this Prime Minister finally act with honour, lead by example, and stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, with answers like that, we really could replace him with a cardboard cutout, and his peanut gallery would never notice the difference.If the Prime Minister was serious when he said that he wanted to work with the other parties, will he agree to set up a proportional committee where no party can impose changes solely to their own advantage?If he is worried about the reaction of the students who are here today, will he act democratically for once in his life?
Mr. Speaker, decisions such as this are made by the Public Prosecution Service, which is independent of government. I will say that there are still charges pending in this case. Further to that, I will use this opportunity to again talk about the reforms that we are making and the comprehensive review of the criminal justice system that we are undertaking, including sentencing reform and looking at bail reform. We introduced an open and transparent process for judges to ensure public safety, respect for victims, and respect for the charter. I look forward to continuing this work.
Mr. Speaker, the government was elected because it promised to grow the economy and the middle class and to help more Canadians join the middle class. With that in mind, today's budget will introduce an even more solid program to make our society more inclusive and to ensure that Canadian families that are struggling have a better chance to flourish and succeed.I would ask the member to listen very carefully to what will be said in just a few minutes.
Again, Mr. Speaker, the way we are going about this is by opening a discussion, having an open conversation with the members opposite about how to
Mr. Speaker, the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our missions in the United States. The missions have been asked to no longer use these for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion the values Canadians hold dear, both here and abroad. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, Canada's partner and ally.
On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, we were pleased to put out a broad discussion paper on how we can make improvements to the functioning of this House of Commons so that members can better hold the government to account, so we can move forward on legislation, so we can make for a better work-life balance for the many individuals in this House with young families. This is so that members can do a better job of working efficiently here in Ottawa while serving their constituents back at home.I am excited to be launching an open conversation for all members of this House to participate in. I encourage the members opposite to continue to contribute their thoughtful ideas to this process.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is proposing to change the rules so he can actually silence the opposition. His plan is to restrict debate, shorten the work week, and limit his attendance at question period to one day a week. No one has ever attempted gutting accountability like this.I would like to ask him a simple question. What would he have done if former prime minister Stephen Harper had proposed the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's plan undermines the very principles of responsible and accountable government. The fact that the Prime Minister does not want to show up to answer questions more than once a week shows what little respect he has for Canada's Parliament. As inconvenient as he thinks it is, Parliament is actually the seat of our democracy, and central to that is the role of the opposition. Can the Prime Minister explain to us why he is willing to undermine our system of democracy simply to get out of answering tough questions?
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to add that this is the only democracy in the western world that has a double standard for members. We do not see this in any Canadian province or in any western democracy. It is time to address this injustice.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise to respond to the member's question and to remind all Canadians that we have shared a discussion paper with members of Parliament as well as the public. This government, including myself, respects the work of the committee and I believe that members have the opportunity to have an honest conversation. I actually appreciate a lot of the work that the member opposite has done. I know the committee sat late last night and I know that conversation is starting. All we are asking is let us have a constructive conversation to really modernize the way this place works.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question.It is a shame, but our young people are already seeing the impact of climate change in their communities. I am very happy to see them be part of the solution by buying reusable products, reducing waste, using public transit, and preserving natural spaces. I also strongly encourage young Canadians to submit their bold ideas for clean growth to the North American youth innovation challenge. Winners will receive $5,000 and will have a chance to pitch their innovations to me and my counterparts from Mexico and the United States.
Mr. Speaker, it is this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. It was this government that introduced the Canada child benefit to help families with children who need help the most, to ensure that they get the most. It was this government that took unprecedented levels of public consultation so that we could respond to the very real challenges that Canadians are facing.In regard to the member's question, when we took office, there were no guidelines in place. One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council office to put guidelines in place, and we will continue to do the good work Canadians expect us to do.
Mr. Speaker, the Service alimentaire communautaire, the SAC, has been providing a unique food assistance program to the families of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield since 2001. It may have to close its doors in June, leaving many vulnerable families with nowhere to turn unless the federal government takes urgent action. A letter was sent to the minister one month ago, but the organization and my constituents have not received a response. A growing number of families in the region are having difficulty putting food on the table. Last December alone, the use of food banks skyrocketed following a 300% increase in demand.When will the minister take action?
Mr. Speaker, as I have shared with members in the House as well as with Canadians, our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is more relevant for Canadians, to ensure that we can make this place more efficient, more predictable, more transparent, and more accountable. That is the purpose of the discussion paper. It is a conversation we would like to have with all colleagues in this place. I am also encouraging Canadians to be part of this conversation. As we all know, this place belongs to Canadians and that is exactly whom we are here to serve.
Mr. Speaker, for decades, Canada has had one of the strongest and most successful immigration and refugee programs in the world. That is because we have detailed laws, passport requirements, borders, and visas, all to ensure that our system is fair and rules based. This actually ensures the integrity and the success of our system.Will the Prime Minister strongly signal to all those who want to make Canada their home that they must follow the rules?
Mr. Speaker, the Calgary Olympic bid exploration committee is making plans to include Banff's Lake Louise ski area in its 2026 bid. Putting the Olympic Games in Canada's oldest national park would require expanding the resort into protected natural areas. The environment minister has been silent on whether she would permit Olympic expansion in this UNESCO world heritage site.Will she stand today and firmly reject any further development in Banff National Park?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected our government on a plan to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class, and we are delivering on that very commitment. Over the last six months, almost 220,000 jobs were created, the majority of which were full-time jobs. This is the strongest six months of job growth in almost a decade. This is evidence that the plan we have put in place is working. We will continue to make the necessary investments in budget 2017 to continue to strengthen the middle class and those working hard to join it and to create the conditions for growth of our economy.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that the member opposite might be feeling a bit of guilt from the time when he was the parliamentary secretary sending our troops overseas without the tax exemption. That was his original question from yesterday. As I told him very openly, we looked at the problem in February 2016 and sent a letter to the finance minister to get this changed. There are rules that were placed in 2014 that we are now reviewing so that we can make sure that when we send troops, they do not have to deal with this issue ever again.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that the work members do here in the House and in their ridings is important.During the election campaign, we vowed to modernize Parliament and turn it into a 21st-century workplace. Our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is relevant to Canadians and that the House is accountable, predictable, efficient, and transparent.
Mr. Speaker, if he gets his way, we really never will get to second-guess the Prime Minister.The Prime Minister would put everybody's mind at ease if he would just agree that he will not use his majority to ram through changes to the Standing Orders without all-party consent. Unanimity has always been sought for changes to the rules that divide power between government and opposition. For example, the committee that Jean Chrétien set up to review the Standing Orders had unanimous consent written into its mandate, but the current Prime Minister seems to feel that decades of precedents count for nothing.Why the fuddle duddle will he not commit to the long-standing practice that we do not change the rules without unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is extraordinarily fortunate because we have citizens who understand that a strong immigration policy is a benefit to the country, but also requires a rigorous process and protected borders. That is why we are ensuring that all Canadian laws are being followed. We continue to make sure that our police agencies and border services have all the resources they need to deal with situations that arise, as, for example, are arising in Manitoba and in Quebec. We continue to make sure that Canadians are confident that our system is strong and solid.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are worried about their future. That is why we are pleased to present a budget that invests in their future and that helps the middle class.I look forward to answering questions about what we are doing for Canadians, because that is what our job requires, that is, serving Canadians to the best of our ability.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud that their government takes openness and transparency seriously. They appreciate the fact that their government gets them involved in finding solutions to their problems.Now, it is the international community's turn to demonstrate its confidence in Canada's leadership and openness. Can the minister explain to the House Canada's new role on the global stage, now that we have been elected to a seat on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be a strong woman who has been empowered by a government to have a voice and to help create the change we were elected to create.It is clear that this House needs modernization. The House needs this conversation. The House needs a solid, substantial discussion, and that is exactly what I am encouraging all of us to do. Each of us has a role. Each of us represents a riding. We represent Canadians all together. Let us work better together.
Mr. Speaker, what exactly was the protocol for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister? The RCMP always accompanies the Prime Minister when he travels, whether for business or pleasure.One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council to put guidelines in place regarding the travel expenses of the sitting Prime Minister, his family, and their guests.
Mr. Speaker, as was the case for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister, for security reasons the RCMP accompanies the Prime Minister, whether for personal or business purposes. It was this government that recognized that there was not a policy in place and asked the Clerk of the Privy Council office to help set some guidelines.I would also like to remind the member that it was this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. Conservatives voted against that measure, but I am sure the member would agree that the middle-class tax cut has benefited hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are very excited about the 150th anniversary celebrations. This is obvious from the thousands of projects we received, all totalling nearly $2 billion, when we have only $200 million in available funds.My colleagues and Canadians know that the celebrations will feature four main themes: youth, the environment, inclusiveness and diversity, and reconciliation with indigenous peoples. I am very pleased to say that Canadians will come through, there will be equitable regional distribution, and when all is said and done, 2017 will be a big year.
Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge, I see more and more entrepreneurs and businesses either starting up something new in the clean-tech sector or creating a business line that offers clean-tech innovation. In a recent report on B.C.'s clean-tech sector, it was reported that there are now 273 clean-tech companies with 8,650 jobs based in B.C. These companies are diversified and operate in everything from transportation to agriculture. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please share with us what the government is doing to support this sector and to create good, quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague because we have the same problem. Of course I am the only member of the Green Party, but the Green Party is a parliamentary party.We recognize that the motion before the committee at the moment recognizes that parties that do not sit on the committee as a caucus have some ability to participate, but we are not, at this point, informed as to what that ability would be. And, unfortunately, the discussion paper itself makes a large mistake in vocabulary in describing members of the Bloc and members of the Green Party as though we were independents, which we are not.
Mr. Speaker, budget day brings with it high expectations about the future of thousands of jobs in the softwood lumber sector in the Saguenay and across Quebec.We are still waiting for the government to share information about its plan for the forestry industry. The government has a unique opportunity to show that it is taking the possibility of a trade war with the United States seriously by proposing a plan B that involves loan guarantees.Will the government step up once and for all and show that it is ready to act on behalf of workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, we recognize the importance of Canada's forestry sector. We have initiated a very good dialogue with the provinces that could be affected by new measures. We will absolutely have a plan to work together to protect jobs in this country. Canadians can count on us.
Mr. Speaker, as is the custom for previous prime ministers, we repaid the cost of equivalent commercial flights, but for the first time, we actually put in place a system of rules that oversee that because there was never that in previous Parliaments or under previous prime ministers.The other fact is the RCMP makes determinations on how to protect the prime minister and we will not second-guess the decisions that the RCMP makes.
Mr. Speaker, I do believe that this is actually demonstrating more of a reason why this conversation and discussion is necessary. Every single member of Parliament is elected by their constituents to represent their voice in this place. It is important for us to have these conversations so that we can better serve the Canadians that we are here to represent. These are tough conversations, I agree, but I think they are important conversations for us to have, and that is why I released a discussion paper not only for members of Parliament but for the public to also participate in so that we can have the important conversations that we need to have.
Mr. Speaker, the previous government would not have put out an open discussion paper nor would it have engaged with the opposition in proposed months of discussion in committee on the best way to move forward.We are happy to be launching an open conversation on how to improve the functioning of this Parliament in a way that meets the needs of Canadian families and Canadian members of Parliament. The fact is we are happy that we are launching in an open way an important conversation that apparently the members opposite really do not want to have.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House time and time again, I have the utmost respect for this place. No such comment was made. If the member feels that was the case, I have no problem having a conversation with her. I personally was surprised after their response of what we were getting, but I do believe we can work better in this place.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Canada was elected by its international partners to hold one of the four seats on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership.The Open Government Partnership is an international organization that brings together 75 countries and hundreds of civil society organizations. We are going to help promote the global movement towards more open and accountable government.
Mr. Speaker, Canada has a rich and proud history of hosting both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Any bid from any city and province will definitely be looked at within the context of this submission, including under our international hosting sports strategy and policy. We will make a decision once we have all the information, once we have government guarantees, and certainly taking into consideration where this event is supposed to be hosted.
Mr. Speaker, bilingualism is very important to our government, as is respect for official languages. Federal services must be provided in accordance with the Official Languages Act. Airport security is important and CATSA does good work, but it must also do so by providing service in both languages with courtesy and respect, of course.
Mr. Speaker, I assume that the member opposite is speaking about the community action fund. I have heard from several members of the House about the importance of the community action fund. The Public Health Agency of Canada is making sure that all programs that are doing this good and important work have the resources necessary for them and is working with the provinces and territories in that regard. We look forward to continuing to support this kind of work.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to talk about some young leaders in my community. Some of them belong to my riding's community group. These young people are very interested in the environment and want to know how they can get more involved in protecting the environment.I would like to ask the Minister of Environment and Climate Change if she could share with the House how young people in Canada can get more involved and play a bigger role in climate change.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on much the same point.I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague. This is a problem, but I believe that there is a solution.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Commissioner of Official Languages tabled a report denouncing the shortage of bilingual agents at Canadian airports. Only 9% of employees in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto speak French.The Official Languages Act stipulates that all Canadians flying through an airport in Canada should be able to be served in the official language of their choice. Complying with legislation is mandatory, not optional.When will the Minister of Transport enforce the use of official languages by the employees in question?
Mr. Speaker, a discussion paper that I released was made available for members of Parliament as well as Canadians. I believe it is a reasonable discussion paper, encouraging members in this place to have a conversation, to have a discussion. The member opposite is misrepresenting the document, as there are many ideas being shared. We would like to see people actually having a thoughtful conversation where we can have opposing views but really come to modernizing this place and bringing it into the 21st century.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to welcome all the young people in the gallery. We are going to present a budget that will help the middle class and assure its future. That is the type of thing that we should be discussing. The fact that we are proposing
Mr. Speaker, now that the Minister of Canadian Heritage is not denying that 87% of the projects approved for Canada 150 are in Liberal ridings in Quebec, can she explain to the House why the objectives and criteria for the Canada 150 program were changed in the summer of 2016? Does the Prime Minister think it is acceptable to change the criteria and objectives of a program that is already under way?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected
Mr. Speaker, an organization in my riding, Projet Harmonie, has been receiving funding since 1999 from the community action program for children. The organization offers services to extremely vulnerable young people, including some struggling with problems related to street gangs.As a result of a serious internal crisis and administrative management problems, which it has recognized, the organization's funding was cut. Project Harmonie has gotten back on track and would like to restore its partnership with the Public Health Agency.Will the minister step up and support this important organization?
Mr. Speaker, all members of the House were delighted with the introduction of the Canada child benefit, which is the most important social policy innovation in a generation. It is because we are not sending benefits and cheques to families of millionaires anymore that we are able to help nine families out of 10, families with six million children across Canada who receive on average $200 per month, non-taxable, unlike the earlier inequitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to highlight that we are always open to improvements and ways to be able to hold this government to account. That includes looking at how things are done elsewhere, including in the U.K., where the prime minister has an entire question period devoted to answering questions.
Mr. Speaker, I am always pleased to be here in this House to answer tough questions, and easy ones like the member just asked me.The fact is that we are always looking for ways to improve things, and today, as we reflect upon the seat of democracy in London, the fact is that we are putting forward a broad range of proposals, including one
Mr. Speaker, it is a discussion paper, and I encourage all members, as well as the public, to read it in its entirety. There are many great ideas, and we are asking the committee to actually broaden the scope of its study. We know that many ideas have already been presented. I have made myself part of that conversation. Every single member of Parliament is here to do important work for Canadians. We would like to make this place more relevant to Canadians, and I am sure all members would agree that we can work better together.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate once again the opportunity to rise in the House to talk about the important discussion paper I presented to members of Parliament as well as the public. An important conversation needs to take place. It is important that we read the document in its entirety. I remember when I was growing up that I talked about change and the importance of change. I remember a good friend of mine saying to me that change starts with me. Every single one of us has a responsibility to Canadians to be part of this conversation. I know we can have a good conversation, a meaningful, constructive conversation, and I encourage all members to be part of it.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister purports to be a feminist, yet when a strong, confident woman dares to question his arrogance and unilaterally changing the fundamentals of Canadian democracy, he tried to stare her down and yell at her. Will this so-called feminist stand up and apologize to my colleague, or will he once again make a woman do his dirty work?
Mr. Speaker, as we speak, opposition MPs continue to stand up to defend Canadians from the Liberals' attack on democracy. Not only does the Prime Minister only want to show up and be accountable to Canadians one day a week, but I have never seen a more pathetic display of arrogance than I saw in question period today as he laughed and smirked as opposition MPs tried to hold him accountable for his actions.I can assure him that in the next election, Canadians will wipe that smirk right off his face.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they want to make Parliament more predictable. The only thing predictable around here is that the Liberals will do whatever it takes, including rigging the rules, to avoid accountability. Predictably, the Prime Minister only likes to show up to places where it is all selfies, slogans, and superficiality, so when he finds an opposition instead of an audience, he predictably heads for the exit.Since he loves to be loved, will the Liberal whip demand his MPs start applauding the Prime Minister more often so that he could be predicted to maybe show up here for question period more than once a week?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her statement and support. We were all saddened to learn about today's incident near the British Parliament in London. I express my deepest condolences to the victims of this cowardly attack. The scene unfolding in London is one that is all too familiar to members of this House who were here two and a half years ago.Today's attack on the United Kingdom Parliament is an attack on the world's democracies.An attack on the symbol and the seat of democracy is a cowardly and reprehensible act that we condemn in the strongest terms. Canada and the U.K. are close friends and allies and our message to the citizens of the United Kingdom and our colleagues in the British Parliament is simple: We stand with you.
Mr. Speaker, this is unbelievable. There can only be one conclusion drawn. This a quote with which I am sure the Prime Minister is very familiar: Solutions to important problems are decided not by Party committee...but by one individual. Do members know who said that? It was Chinese dictator Chairman Mao. Canada is not China. Canada is not a dictatorship. The Prime Minister is not the supreme emperor, so maybe he could do Canadians a favour, take another vacation, and not come back until he is ready to stop acting like those dictators he so admires.
Mr. Speaker, it turns out that the cut-outs became an international embarrassment to the Liberals because of inappropriate things people were doing and posting on social media.Global Affairs ordered the life-sized effigies taken down, as Liberals knew that they were tarnishing the Prime Minister's celebrity persona. Now the government is refusing to tell Canadians how much they cost.In just over an hour, Canadians will find out how much more will be lifted from their wallets to pay for frivolous and out-of-control Liberal spending.Who authorized this half-baked idea, and what were they smoking?
Mr. Speaker, in an unprecedented act, the federal government is dropping its judicial case against 36 individuals arrested in the largest anti-Mafia sting since the Rizzuto case. Thanks to Liberal dithering, serious criminal charges are being either stayed or withdrawn. Is this the reason that the Liberal government is abandoning this case? Is the Minister of Justice going to throw six years of anti-Mafia investigations in the trash because they refuse to provide proper resources to our justice system?
Mr. Speaker, the spectacle in the House today was not a good one for the Prime Minister. He was there laughing and heckling and over-talking the Conservative House leader when she was trying to make a pertinent point about the future of parliamentary democracy in this country. The Prime Minister treats this chamber as his personal chew toy. We are going to stand in our place, we are going to fight for democracy, and we are going to fight for Canadians' rights. When is the Prime Minister going to be on our side and live up to his promises in the last election, rather than throwing it all out the window for his own personal gain?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister thinks he is elected royalty and Canadians should lavish him with exotic island vacations, nannies, and a jet-setting lifestyle. The Prime Minister spent $127,000 on his island excursion with the famjam and his BFFs. Seventeen hundred dollars were spent on food and drinks alone for a three-hour flight. There are people in my riding who are struggling to pay the mortgage, but the Prime Minister thinks he is entitled to his caviar and champagne.Why does this wealthy trust-fund Prime Minister think he can abuse taxpayers' dollars entertaining himself this way?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers get up every morning and go to work to earn a living. Now the government is considering cutting back our hours of work here in Ottawa. Spending more and working less: what kind of example is that setting for society? Merely thinking up the idea is immoral. The Liberals say this is just a consultation. Can the Liberal government work to create a prosperous Canada? Can the government respect all members and commit to changing the rules only if there is unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has been playing fast and loose with the truth. First, there was the Liberals' fabricated fighter jet capability gap, which is really a Liberal credibility gap. Then the minister put an unprecedented gag order on DND officials and stifled debate right here in Parliament. Now the defence minister says it was not him who cut danger pay from our troops fighting ISIS, but I have a document right here with his signature on it that proves that it was.Will the minister come clean and apologize for misleading Canadians, or is he going to double down on his alternate facts?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship of China. Now it turns out he is trying to bring that dictatorship to life right here in Canada. He is trying to avoid any accountability to Canadians by eliminating debate and by giving the Liberals unprecedented control over the House of Commons and its committees. On top of this, he wants to give all his Liberal MPs Fridays off, and it turns out he, himself, only wants to show up to work one day a week. Why does the Prime Minister have such a blatant disregard for being held accountable to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is no wonder the Prime Minister only wants to be here one day a week. When someone thinks he is elected royalty, he does not have to work, and the average Canadian can pick up the tab for caviar and champagne, but when the Prime Minister wants to fire up the old Challenger, jet off to an island, and get away to entertain his friends, he just pulls out the old taxpayer credit card.Can the Prime Minister justify to Canadians why they are on the hook for his $127,000 vacation and his $1,700 snack bill?
Mr. Speaker, occasionally incidents such as this do happen, and we have made it clear to the owner of the ship that it is responsible for the cleanup, and we will make sure that it does happen.
Mr. Speaker, my question is simple. In the Prime Minister's opinion, what would be an appropriate penalty for ministers who violate the Conflict of Interest Act?
Mr. Speaker, when I was a young officer in the army, I was taught to be honest, but from what I can see, not everyone received that training.The minister distorts the facts whenever it suits him. He has made up a capability gap because that will allow him to purchase Super Hornets and please his friends at Boeing. Secondly, to justify the fact that he has not done anything to improve protection for cadets, he is saying that they no longer handle weapons, even though many cadet corps participate in shooting competitions.Will the minister stop misleading the House and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Our purpose during question period is to question the government and hold it to account. After asking the question today, the government House leader looked at me and said, I'm going to get you for this. In that sense, I believe my privilege, and others here, has been violated. As such, I ask you to look into this matter.
Mr. Speaker, I am interested to know how much the finance minister will put in the budget for the Prime Minister's future vacations to billionaire islands. We just learned it cost taxpayers $127,000 the last time, and that is before we add the cost of the Ethics Commissioner's investigation. When will the Prime Minister realize that real Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, and they cannot afford, and do not want to pay for, his lavish lifestyle?
Mr. Speaker, four months ago, a South Korean cargo ship lost 35 containers at sea, and potentially harmful debris is still arriving every day on Vancouver Island's west coast. Large pieces of metal and chunks of styrofoam are contaminating our sensitive ecosystems. The Liberal government continues to delay and refuses to act. Community volunteers have been forced to start cleanup efforts themselves. Now we learn that the government received $72,000 from the company to clean up the mess, but it still has not released the funds. Will the government finally step up, do its job, and clean up the mess?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals love to talk up the Canada child benefit. It was supposed to help nine million children out of poverty, but in my riding, there are many families that have to jump through one hoop after another just to submit a claim. What good is a benefit if families that really need it are not getting it? How many eligible parents have yet to receive the Canada child benefit, and when will the government shift its priorities from protecting the wealthiest to making life more affordable for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the government House leader introduced a discussion paper, and then mere days later tried to ram that, and is currently ramming that discussion paper, through Parliament. This is not a discussion. This is not a conversation. This is a dictatorship. I implore the House leader. I implore the government. All we are asking for is that we all be able to come to agreement, as precedent has set, before any major changes are made. I am asking the government to reset this horrid mess it has created and listen to all of us before any changes are made.
Mr. Speaker, today in London, the U.K. Parliament is the scene of an attack, an attack all too familiar to many members of the House and those who work here. While there are still many questions yet to be answered around the circumstances, on behalf of the official opposition, I offer my sincere condolences and prayers to all of those who are affected.Will the Prime Minister join me in condemning these attacks and offer any and all support to our U.K. friends?
Mr. Speaker, I wonder about the schoolchildren in the gallery who are wondering how effective this Parliament actually is right now.We are proposing a way to discuss how to improve the quality of debate and allow the government to be held to account in a thoughtful, responsible way, and this kind of shouting is what they get. That is not worthy of this Parliament. It is not worthy of the people they serve.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect all parliamentarians to have the highest ethical standards and behaviour that is beyond reproach. It is essential that we maintain Canadians' trust and demonstrate an approach that is worthy of the trust that Canadians have in us.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of my service in the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist. I am proud of my combat time. Every time I make a decision, it is about thinking about when I had boots on the ground. That is how I will take every future decision.
Mr. Speaker, when a parliamentarian is deeply hurt and wronged by comments and debates in the House that undermine the very essence of his work, he must immediately stand up and say so. I therefore rise on a question of privilege.I humbly address all my colleagues. I heard the House Leader of the Official Opposition refer to the government's approach to procedural reform as dictatorial. I heard the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons say that she wanted to hold a discussion and have all parliamentarians take part in it. I would humbly submit to the House that we have had to witness this exchange even though we cannot sit on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs or any other committee. Indeed, since October 19, 2015, we have been banned from this type of debate and thus ostracized as parliamentarians.What I am humbly stating today is that if we want to reform the Standing Orders, I imagine that we want to do so for the good of parliamentary democracy. Therefore, no one would oppose our right to speak, which we had in the case in the Special Committee on Electoral Reform. It is an affront to hear people who have millions of dollars, and so much the better for them, to spend on being heard and having their constituents' voices heard. I was legitimately elected by people who pay their taxes to the federal government and I have the right to sit on the committee that will study parliamentary reforms.
Mr. Speaker, when a minister breaches that trust, what is the penalty? Instead of going around in circles, the Prime Minister would do well to respond soon.To be clear, Canadians believe that there is no problem with the Prime Minister taking a vacation, but Canadians do have a problem with the Prime Minister accepting illegal gifts, breaking the law, and then charging the taxpayers over $125,000.Does the Prime Minister honestly believe that paying back a mere $4,000 is enough when he blew over $125,000 of hard-earned taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his leadership on this file.Last week, I was in beautiful British Columbia and saw first hand the diversity of this innovative economy, especially the vibrant clean tech sector. The member opposite has highlighted the leadership role that B.C. is playing in clean tech, with the number of companies, the number of jobs, and these are good-quality jobs that, on average, pay $84,000. That is why our government invested $58 million in clean tech jobs. This is about addressing the problems of tomorrow and creating good-quality jobs today.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for the question, especially on budget day, because it gives us the chance to reflect back to budget 2016. The commitments that were made included $81 billion over 11 years in public transit, green infrastructure, transportation, and smart cities. We are committed to transitioning to a low-carbon economy, while encouraging businesses to innovate, grow, and create good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. I am sure all members will be very anxious to hear what the Minister of Finance will have to say on the subject only minutes from now.
Mr. Speaker, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the International Energy Agency have all urged governments around the world to do two things, at a minimum: to put in place a carbon price and to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies.I wonder if the Prime Minister could update us on where we are. We know progress is being made on the carbon price. Where are we on eliminating fossil fuel subsidies?
Mr. Speaker, it was about a year ago the Prime Minister tried to push through changes to Parliament's rules to silence the opposition. That attempt ended in complete failure and he had to back down, but yet, here he is again, at it again, wanting to centralize his power. This time he wants to shut down debate and he only wants to show up for question period one day a week.Why is the Prime Minister so determined to avoid accountability?
Mr. Speaker, I will reply in our other official language this time. The use of the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our Canadian missions in the United States. They have been asked to no longer use it for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion Canadian values. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, our international friend and ally.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals campaigned on a promise of real change. This is real change, a move from democracy to what? A dictatorship? The Chinese style of dictatorship the Prime Minister seems to prefer is creeping its way into committees. Discussions are more like directives. I would like to ask the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, what is the schedule, what is the agenda, and what are the priorities of the committee on procedure and house affairs?
Mr. Speaker, at festivals and events, at consulates and the Canadian embassy in the U.S., cardboard cut-outs of the Prime Minister have started appearing. Much like the real-life version of the Prime Minister, there were plenty of selfies but not much in the way of substance. The cut-outs are so vain that the Prime Minister probably thinks a certain Carly Simon song was about him.When Canadian seniors and families are paying for the Liberals' tax-and-spend agenda, who thought a cut-out was a good idea, and how much did it cost? What was the Prime Minister thinking?
Mr. Speaker, as is often the case, we did not actually get an answer to the question asked by the Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister is going further than Stephen Harper would have ever dared to do in telling Canadians he only wants to show up in question period once a week.I am going to ask the question again. What would the Prime Minister's reaction have been if Stephen Harper had dared to propose what he is proposing?
Mr. Speaker, it is not just a question of role and money. It is a question of principle and honour, and the government has none.A prime minister must adhere to three guiding principles: he must show humility, show restraint, and manage finances carefully.When will this Prime Minister finally act with honour, lead by example, and stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, with answers like that, we really could replace him with a cardboard cutout, and his peanut gallery would never notice the difference.If the Prime Minister was serious when he said that he wanted to work with the other parties, will he agree to set up a proportional committee where no party can impose changes solely to their own advantage?If he is worried about the reaction of the students who are here today, will he act democratically for once in his life?
Mr. Speaker, decisions such as this are made by the Public Prosecution Service, which is independent of government. I will say that there are still charges pending in this case. Further to that, I will use this opportunity to again talk about the reforms that we are making and the comprehensive review of the criminal justice system that we are undertaking, including sentencing reform and looking at bail reform. We introduced an open and transparent process for judges to ensure public safety, respect for victims, and respect for the charter. I look forward to continuing this work.
Mr. Speaker, the government was elected because it promised to grow the economy and the middle class and to help more Canadians join the middle class. With that in mind, today's budget will introduce an even more solid program to make our society more inclusive and to ensure that Canadian families that are struggling have a better chance to flourish and succeed.I would ask the member to listen very carefully to what will be said in just a few minutes.
Again, Mr. Speaker, the way we are going about this is by opening a discussion, having an open conversation with the members opposite about how to
Mr. Speaker, the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our missions in the United States. The missions have been asked to no longer use these for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion the values Canadians hold dear, both here and abroad. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, Canada's partner and ally.
On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, we were pleased to put out a broad discussion paper on how we can make improvements to the functioning of this House of Commons so that members can better hold the government to account, so we can move forward on legislation, so we can make for a better work-life balance for the many individuals in this House with young families. This is so that members can do a better job of working efficiently here in Ottawa while serving their constituents back at home.I am excited to be launching an open conversation for all members of this House to participate in. I encourage the members opposite to continue to contribute their thoughtful ideas to this process.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is proposing to change the rules so he can actually silence the opposition. His plan is to restrict debate, shorten the work week, and limit his attendance at question period to one day a week. No one has ever attempted gutting accountability like this.I would like to ask him a simple question. What would he have done if former prime minister Stephen Harper had proposed the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's plan undermines the very principles of responsible and accountable government. The fact that the Prime Minister does not want to show up to answer questions more than once a week shows what little respect he has for Canada's Parliament. As inconvenient as he thinks it is, Parliament is actually the seat of our democracy, and central to that is the role of the opposition. Can the Prime Minister explain to us why he is willing to undermine our system of democracy simply to get out of answering tough questions?
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to add that this is the only democracy in the western world that has a double standard for members. We do not see this in any Canadian province or in any western democracy. It is time to address this injustice.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise to respond to the member's question and to remind all Canadians that we have shared a discussion paper with members of Parliament as well as the public. This government, including myself, respects the work of the committee and I believe that members have the opportunity to have an honest conversation. I actually appreciate a lot of the work that the member opposite has done. I know the committee sat late last night and I know that conversation is starting. All we are asking is let us have a constructive conversation to really modernize the way this place works.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question.It is a shame, but our young people are already seeing the impact of climate change in their communities. I am very happy to see them be part of the solution by buying reusable products, reducing waste, using public transit, and preserving natural spaces. I also strongly encourage young Canadians to submit their bold ideas for clean growth to the North American youth innovation challenge. Winners will receive $5,000 and will have a chance to pitch their innovations to me and my counterparts from Mexico and the United States.
Mr. Speaker, it is this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. It was this government that introduced the Canada child benefit to help families with children who need help the most, to ensure that they get the most. It was this government that took unprecedented levels of public consultation so that we could respond to the very real challenges that Canadians are facing.In regard to the member's question, when we took office, there were no guidelines in place. One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council office to put guidelines in place, and we will continue to do the good work Canadians expect us to do.
Mr. Speaker, the Service alimentaire communautaire, the SAC, has been providing a unique food assistance program to the families of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield since 2001. It may have to close its doors in June, leaving many vulnerable families with nowhere to turn unless the federal government takes urgent action. A letter was sent to the minister one month ago, but the organization and my constituents have not received a response. A growing number of families in the region are having difficulty putting food on the table. Last December alone, the use of food banks skyrocketed following a 300% increase in demand.When will the minister take action?
Mr. Speaker, as I have shared with members in the House as well as with Canadians, our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is more relevant for Canadians, to ensure that we can make this place more efficient, more predictable, more transparent, and more accountable. That is the purpose of the discussion paper. It is a conversation we would like to have with all colleagues in this place. I am also encouraging Canadians to be part of this conversation. As we all know, this place belongs to Canadians and that is exactly whom we are here to serve.
Mr. Speaker, for decades, Canada has had one of the strongest and most successful immigration and refugee programs in the world. That is because we have detailed laws, passport requirements, borders, and visas, all to ensure that our system is fair and rules based. This actually ensures the integrity and the success of our system.Will the Prime Minister strongly signal to all those who want to make Canada their home that they must follow the rules?
Mr. Speaker, the Calgary Olympic bid exploration committee is making plans to include Banff's Lake Louise ski area in its 2026 bid. Putting the Olympic Games in Canada's oldest national park would require expanding the resort into protected natural areas. The environment minister has been silent on whether she would permit Olympic expansion in this UNESCO world heritage site.Will she stand today and firmly reject any further development in Banff National Park?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected our government on a plan to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class, and we are delivering on that very commitment. Over the last six months, almost 220,000 jobs were created, the majority of which were full-time jobs. This is the strongest six months of job growth in almost a decade. This is evidence that the plan we have put in place is working. We will continue to make the necessary investments in budget 2017 to continue to strengthen the middle class and those working hard to join it and to create the conditions for growth of our economy.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that the member opposite might be feeling a bit of guilt from the time when he was the parliamentary secretary sending our troops overseas without the tax exemption. That was his original question from yesterday. As I told him very openly, we looked at the problem in February 2016 and sent a letter to the finance minister to get this changed. There are rules that were placed in 2014 that we are now reviewing so that we can make sure that when we send troops, they do not have to deal with this issue ever again.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that the work members do here in the House and in their ridings is important.During the election campaign, we vowed to modernize Parliament and turn it into a 21st-century workplace. Our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is relevant to Canadians and that the House is accountable, predictable, efficient, and transparent.
Mr. Speaker, if he gets his way, we really never will get to second-guess the Prime Minister.The Prime Minister would put everybody's mind at ease if he would just agree that he will not use his majority to ram through changes to the Standing Orders without all-party consent. Unanimity has always been sought for changes to the rules that divide power between government and opposition. For example, the committee that Jean Chrétien set up to review the Standing Orders had unanimous consent written into its mandate, but the current Prime Minister seems to feel that decades of precedents count for nothing.Why the fuddle duddle will he not commit to the long-standing practice that we do not change the rules without unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is extraordinarily fortunate because we have citizens who understand that a strong immigration policy is a benefit to the country, but also requires a rigorous process and protected borders. That is why we are ensuring that all Canadian laws are being followed. We continue to make sure that our police agencies and border services have all the resources they need to deal with situations that arise, as, for example, are arising in Manitoba and in Quebec. We continue to make sure that Canadians are confident that our system is strong and solid.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are worried about their future. That is why we are pleased to present a budget that invests in their future and that helps the middle class.I look forward to answering questions about what we are doing for Canadians, because that is what our job requires, that is, serving Canadians to the best of our ability.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud that their government takes openness and transparency seriously. They appreciate the fact that their government gets them involved in finding solutions to their problems.Now, it is the international community's turn to demonstrate its confidence in Canada's leadership and openness. Can the minister explain to the House Canada's new role on the global stage, now that we have been elected to a seat on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be a strong woman who has been empowered by a government to have a voice and to help create the change we were elected to create.It is clear that this House needs modernization. The House needs this conversation. The House needs a solid, substantial discussion, and that is exactly what I am encouraging all of us to do. Each of us has a role. Each of us represents a riding. We represent Canadians all together. Let us work better together.
Mr. Speaker, what exactly was the protocol for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister? The RCMP always accompanies the Prime Minister when he travels, whether for business or pleasure.One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council to put guidelines in place regarding the travel expenses of the sitting Prime Minister, his family, and their guests.
Mr. Speaker, as was the case for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister, for security reasons the RCMP accompanies the Prime Minister, whether for personal or business purposes. It was this government that recognized that there was not a policy in place and asked the Clerk of the Privy Council office to help set some guidelines.I would also like to remind the member that it was this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. Conservatives voted against that measure, but I am sure the member would agree that the middle-class tax cut has benefited hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are very excited about the 150th anniversary celebrations. This is obvious from the thousands of projects we received, all totalling nearly $2 billion, when we have only $200 million in available funds.My colleagues and Canadians know that the celebrations will feature four main themes: youth, the environment, inclusiveness and diversity, and reconciliation with indigenous peoples. I am very pleased to say that Canadians will come through, there will be equitable regional distribution, and when all is said and done, 2017 will be a big year.
Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge, I see more and more entrepreneurs and businesses either starting up something new in the clean-tech sector or creating a business line that offers clean-tech innovation. In a recent report on B.C.'s clean-tech sector, it was reported that there are now 273 clean-tech companies with 8,650 jobs based in B.C. These companies are diversified and operate in everything from transportation to agriculture. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please share with us what the government is doing to support this sector and to create good, quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague because we have the same problem. Of course I am the only member of the Green Party, but the Green Party is a parliamentary party.We recognize that the motion before the committee at the moment recognizes that parties that do not sit on the committee as a caucus have some ability to participate, but we are not, at this point, informed as to what that ability would be. And, unfortunately, the discussion paper itself makes a large mistake in vocabulary in describing members of the Bloc and members of the Green Party as though we were independents, which we are not.
Mr. Speaker, budget day brings with it high expectations about the future of thousands of jobs in the softwood lumber sector in the Saguenay and across Quebec.We are still waiting for the government to share information about its plan for the forestry industry. The government has a unique opportunity to show that it is taking the possibility of a trade war with the United States seriously by proposing a plan B that involves loan guarantees.Will the government step up once and for all and show that it is ready to act on behalf of workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, we recognize the importance of Canada's forestry sector. We have initiated a very good dialogue with the provinces that could be affected by new measures. We will absolutely have a plan to work together to protect jobs in this country. Canadians can count on us.
Mr. Speaker, as is the custom for previous prime ministers, we repaid the cost of equivalent commercial flights, but for the first time, we actually put in place a system of rules that oversee that because there was never that in previous Parliaments or under previous prime ministers.The other fact is the RCMP makes determinations on how to protect the prime minister and we will not second-guess the decisions that the RCMP makes.
Mr. Speaker, I do believe that this is actually demonstrating more of a reason why this conversation and discussion is necessary. Every single member of Parliament is elected by their constituents to represent their voice in this place. It is important for us to have these conversations so that we can better serve the Canadians that we are here to represent. These are tough conversations, I agree, but I think they are important conversations for us to have, and that is why I released a discussion paper not only for members of Parliament but for the public to also participate in so that we can have the important conversations that we need to have.
Mr. Speaker, the previous government would not have put out an open discussion paper nor would it have engaged with the opposition in proposed months of discussion in committee on the best way to move forward.We are happy to be launching an open conversation on how to improve the functioning of this Parliament in a way that meets the needs of Canadian families and Canadian members of Parliament. The fact is we are happy that we are launching in an open way an important conversation that apparently the members opposite really do not want to have.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House time and time again, I have the utmost respect for this place. No such comment was made. If the member feels that was the case, I have no problem having a conversation with her. I personally was surprised after their response of what we were getting, but I do believe we can work better in this place.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Canada was elected by its international partners to hold one of the four seats on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership.The Open Government Partnership is an international organization that brings together 75 countries and hundreds of civil society organizations. We are going to help promote the global movement towards more open and accountable government.
Mr. Speaker, Canada has a rich and proud history of hosting both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Any bid from any city and province will definitely be looked at within the context of this submission, including under our international hosting sports strategy and policy. We will make a decision once we have all the information, once we have government guarantees, and certainly taking into consideration where this event is supposed to be hosted.
Mr. Speaker, bilingualism is very important to our government, as is respect for official languages. Federal services must be provided in accordance with the Official Languages Act. Airport security is important and CATSA does good work, but it must also do so by providing service in both languages with courtesy and respect, of course.
Mr. Speaker, I assume that the member opposite is speaking about the community action fund. I have heard from several members of the House about the importance of the community action fund. The Public Health Agency of Canada is making sure that all programs that are doing this good and important work have the resources necessary for them and is working with the provinces and territories in that regard. We look forward to continuing to support this kind of work.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to talk about some young leaders in my community. Some of them belong to my riding's community group. These young people are very interested in the environment and want to know how they can get more involved in protecting the environment.I would like to ask the Minister of Environment and Climate Change if she could share with the House how young people in Canada can get more involved and play a bigger role in climate change.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on much the same point.I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague. This is a problem, but I believe that there is a solution.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Commissioner of Official Languages tabled a report denouncing the shortage of bilingual agents at Canadian airports. Only 9% of employees in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto speak French.The Official Languages Act stipulates that all Canadians flying through an airport in Canada should be able to be served in the official language of their choice. Complying with legislation is mandatory, not optional.When will the Minister of Transport enforce the use of official languages by the employees in question?
Mr. Speaker, a discussion paper that I released was made available for members of Parliament as well as Canadians. I believe it is a reasonable discussion paper, encouraging members in this place to have a conversation, to have a discussion. The member opposite is misrepresenting the document, as there are many ideas being shared. We would like to see people actually having a thoughtful conversation where we can have opposing views but really come to modernizing this place and bringing it into the 21st century.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to welcome all the young people in the gallery. We are going to present a budget that will help the middle class and assure its future. That is the type of thing that we should be discussing. The fact that we are proposing
Mr. Speaker, now that the Minister of Canadian Heritage is not denying that 87% of the projects approved for Canada 150 are in Liberal ridings in Quebec, can she explain to the House why the objectives and criteria for the Canada 150 program were changed in the summer of 2016? Does the Prime Minister think it is acceptable to change the criteria and objectives of a program that is already under way?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected
Mr. Speaker, an organization in my riding, Projet Harmonie, has been receiving funding since 1999 from the community action program for children. The organization offers services to extremely vulnerable young people, including some struggling with problems related to street gangs.As a result of a serious internal crisis and administrative management problems, which it has recognized, the organization's funding was cut. Project Harmonie has gotten back on track and would like to restore its partnership with the Public Health Agency.Will the minister step up and support this important organization?
Mr. Speaker, all members of the House were delighted with the introduction of the Canada child benefit, which is the most important social policy innovation in a generation. It is because we are not sending benefits and cheques to families of millionaires anymore that we are able to help nine families out of 10, families with six million children across Canada who receive on average $200 per month, non-taxable, unlike the earlier inequitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to highlight that we are always open to improvements and ways to be able to hold this government to account. That includes looking at how things are done elsewhere, including in the U.K., where the prime minister has an entire question period devoted to answering questions.
Mr. Speaker, I am always pleased to be here in this House to answer tough questions, and easy ones like the member just asked me.The fact is that we are always looking for ways to improve things, and today, as we reflect upon the seat of democracy in London, the fact is that we are putting forward a broad range of proposals, including one
Mr. Speaker, it is a discussion paper, and I encourage all members, as well as the public, to read it in its entirety. There are many great ideas, and we are asking the committee to actually broaden the scope of its study. We know that many ideas have already been presented. I have made myself part of that conversation. Every single member of Parliament is here to do important work for Canadians. We would like to make this place more relevant to Canadians, and I am sure all members would agree that we can work better together.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate once again the opportunity to rise in the House to talk about the important discussion paper I presented to members of Parliament as well as the public. An important conversation needs to take place. It is important that we read the document in its entirety. I remember when I was growing up that I talked about change and the importance of change. I remember a good friend of mine saying to me that change starts with me. Every single one of us has a responsibility to Canadians to be part of this conversation. I know we can have a good conversation, a meaningful, constructive conversation, and I encourage all members to be part of it.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague because we have the same problem. Of course I am the only member of the Green Party, but the Green Party is a parliamentary party.We recognize that the motion before the committee at the moment recognizes that parties that do not sit on the committee as a caucus have some ability to participate, but we are not, at this point, informed as to what that ability would be. And, unfortunately, the discussion paper itself makes a large mistake in vocabulary in describing members of the Bloc and members of the Green Party as though we were independents, which we are not.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister purports to be a feminist, yet when a strong, confident woman dares to question his arrogance and unilaterally changing the fundamentals of Canadian democracy, he tried to stare her down and yell at her. Will this so-called feminist stand up and apologize to my colleague, or will he once again make a woman do his dirty work?
Mr. Speaker, decisions such as this are made by the Public Prosecution Service, which is independent of government. I will say that there are still charges pending in this case. Further to that, I will use this opportunity to again talk about the reforms that we are making and the comprehensive review of the criminal justice system that we are undertaking, including sentencing reform and looking at bail reform. We introduced an open and transparent process for judges to ensure public safety, respect for victims, and respect for the charter. I look forward to continuing this work.
Mr. Speaker, as is the custom for previous prime ministers, we repaid the cost of equivalent commercial flights, but for the first time, we actually put in place a system of rules that oversee that because there was never that in previous Parliaments or under previous prime ministers.The other fact is the RCMP makes determinations on how to protect the prime minister and we will not second-guess the decisions that the RCMP makes.
Mr. Speaker, when a minister breaches that trust, what is the penalty? Instead of going around in circles, the Prime Minister would do well to respond soon.To be clear, Canadians believe that there is no problem with the Prime Minister taking a vacation, but Canadians do have a problem with the Prime Minister accepting illegal gifts, breaking the law, and then charging the taxpayers over $125,000.Does the Prime Minister honestly believe that paying back a mere $4,000 is enough when he blew over $125,000 of hard-earned taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, if he gets his way, we really never will get to second-guess the Prime Minister.The Prime Minister would put everybody's mind at ease if he would just agree that he will not use his majority to ram through changes to the Standing Orders without all-party consent. Unanimity has always been sought for changes to the rules that divide power between government and opposition. For example, the committee that Jean Chrétien set up to review the Standing Orders had unanimous consent written into its mandate, but the current Prime Minister seems to feel that decades of precedents count for nothing.Why the fuddle duddle will he not commit to the long-standing practice that we do not change the rules without unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, I will reply in our other official language this time. The use of the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our Canadian missions in the United States. They have been asked to no longer use it for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion Canadian values. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, our international friend and ally.
Mr. Speaker, the Calgary Olympic bid exploration committee is making plans to include Banff's Lake Louise ski area in its 2026 bid. Putting the Olympic Games in Canada's oldest national park would require expanding the resort into protected natural areas. The environment minister has been silent on whether she would permit Olympic expansion in this UNESCO world heritage site.Will she stand today and firmly reject any further development in Banff National Park?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers get up every morning and go to work to earn a living. Now the government is considering cutting back our hours of work here in Ottawa. Spending more and working less: what kind of example is that setting for society? Merely thinking up the idea is immoral. The Liberals say this is just a consultation. Can the Liberal government work to create a prosperous Canada? Can the government respect all members and commit to changing the rules only if there is unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, the government House leader introduced a discussion paper, and then mere days later tried to ram that, and is currently ramming that discussion paper, through Parliament. This is not a discussion. This is not a conversation. This is a dictatorship. I implore the House leader. I implore the government. All we are asking for is that we all be able to come to agreement, as precedent has set, before any major changes are made. I am asking the government to reset this horrid mess it has created and listen to all of us before any changes are made.
Mr. Speaker, it was about a year ago the Prime Minister tried to push through changes to Parliament's rules to silence the opposition. That attempt ended in complete failure and he had to back down, but yet, here he is again, at it again, wanting to centralize his power. This time he wants to shut down debate and he only wants to show up for question period one day a week.Why is the Prime Minister so determined to avoid accountability?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected our government on a plan to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class, and we are delivering on that very commitment. Over the last six months, almost 220,000 jobs were created, the majority of which were full-time jobs. This is the strongest six months of job growth in almost a decade. This is evidence that the plan we have put in place is working. We will continue to make the necessary investments in budget 2017 to continue to strengthen the middle class and those working hard to join it and to create the conditions for growth of our economy.
Mr. Speaker, an organization in my riding, Projet Harmonie, has been receiving funding since 1999 from the community action program for children. The organization offers services to extremely vulnerable young people, including some struggling with problems related to street gangs.As a result of a serious internal crisis and administrative management problems, which it has recognized, the organization's funding was cut. Project Harmonie has gotten back on track and would like to restore its partnership with the Public Health Agency.Will the minister step up and support this important organization?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's plan undermines the very principles of responsible and accountable government. The fact that the Prime Minister does not want to show up to answer questions more than once a week shows what little respect he has for Canada's Parliament. As inconvenient as he thinks it is, Parliament is actually the seat of our democracy, and central to that is the role of the opposition. Can the Prime Minister explain to us why he is willing to undermine our system of democracy simply to get out of answering tough questions?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is proposing to change the rules so he can actually silence the opposition. His plan is to restrict debate, shorten the work week, and limit his attendance at question period to one day a week. No one has ever attempted gutting accountability like this.I would like to ask him a simple question. What would he have done if former prime minister Stephen Harper had proposed the same thing?
Again, Mr. Speaker, the way we are going about this is by opening a discussion, having an open conversation with the members opposite about how to
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected
Mr. Speaker, it is not just a question of role and money. It is a question of principle and honour, and the government has none.A prime minister must adhere to three guiding principles: he must show humility, show restraint, and manage finances carefully.When will this Prime Minister finally act with honour, lead by example, and stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our missions in the United States. The missions have been asked to no longer use these for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion the values Canadians hold dear, both here and abroad. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, Canada's partner and ally.
Mr. Speaker, now that the Minister of Canadian Heritage is not denying that 87% of the projects approved for Canada 150 are in Liberal ridings in Quebec, can she explain to the House why the objectives and criteria for the Canada 150 program were changed in the summer of 2016? Does the Prime Minister think it is acceptable to change the criteria and objectives of a program that is already under way?
Mr. Speaker, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the International Energy Agency have all urged governments around the world to do two things, at a minimum: to put in place a carbon price and to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies.I wonder if the Prime Minister could update us on where we are. We know progress is being made on the carbon price. Where are we on eliminating fossil fuel subsidies?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Our purpose during question period is to question the government and hold it to account. After asking the question today, the government House leader looked at me and said, I'm going to get you for this. In that sense, I believe my privilege, and others here, has been violated. As such, I ask you to look into this matter.
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to add that this is the only democracy in the western world that has a double standard for members. We do not see this in any Canadian province or in any western democracy. It is time to address this injustice.
Mr. Speaker, in an unprecedented act, the federal government is dropping its judicial case against 36 individuals arrested in the largest anti-Mafia sting since the Rizzuto case. Thanks to Liberal dithering, serious criminal charges are being either stayed or withdrawn. Is this the reason that the Liberal government is abandoning this case? Is the Minister of Justice going to throw six years of anti-Mafia investigations in the trash because they refuse to provide proper resources to our justice system?
Mr. Speaker, four months ago, a South Korean cargo ship lost 35 containers at sea, and potentially harmful debris is still arriving every day on Vancouver Island's west coast. Large pieces of metal and chunks of styrofoam are contaminating our sensitive ecosystems. The Liberal government continues to delay and refuses to act. Community volunteers have been forced to start cleanup efforts themselves. Now we learn that the government received $72,000 from the company to clean up the mess, but it still has not released the funds. Will the government finally step up, do its job, and clean up the mess?
Mr. Speaker, as is often the case, we did not actually get an answer to the question asked by the Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister is going further than Stephen Harper would have ever dared to do in telling Canadians he only wants to show up in question period once a week.I am going to ask the question again. What would the Prime Minister's reaction have been if Stephen Harper had dared to propose what he is proposing?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her statement and support. We were all saddened to learn about today's incident near the British Parliament in London. I express my deepest condolences to the victims of this cowardly attack. The scene unfolding in London is one that is all too familiar to members of this House who were here two and a half years ago.Today's attack on the United Kingdom Parliament is an attack on the world's democracies.An attack on the symbol and the seat of democracy is a cowardly and reprehensible act that we condemn in the strongest terms. Canada and the U.K. are close friends and allies and our message to the citizens of the United Kingdom and our colleagues in the British Parliament is simple: We stand with you.
Mr. Speaker, the spectacle in the House today was not a good one for the Prime Minister. He was there laughing and heckling and over-talking the Conservative House leader when she was trying to make a pertinent point about the future of parliamentary democracy in this country. The Prime Minister treats this chamber as his personal chew toy. We are going to stand in our place, we are going to fight for democracy, and we are going to fight for Canadians' rights. When is the Prime Minister going to be on our side and live up to his promises in the last election, rather than throwing it all out the window for his own personal gain?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise to respond to the member's question and to remind all Canadians that we have shared a discussion paper with members of Parliament as well as the public. This government, including myself, respects the work of the committee and I believe that members have the opportunity to have an honest conversation. I actually appreciate a lot of the work that the member opposite has done. I know the committee sat late last night and I know that conversation is starting. All we are asking is let us have a constructive conversation to really modernize the way this place works.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that the work members do here in the House and in their ridings is important.During the election campaign, we vowed to modernize Parliament and turn it into a 21st-century workplace. Our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is relevant to Canadians and that the House is accountable, predictable, efficient, and transparent.
Mr. Speaker, as we speak, opposition MPs continue to stand up to defend Canadians from the Liberals' attack on democracy. Not only does the Prime Minister only want to show up and be accountable to Canadians one day a week, but I have never seen a more pathetic display of arrogance than I saw in question period today as he laughed and smirked as opposition MPs tried to hold him accountable for his actions.I can assure him that in the next election, Canadians will wipe that smirk right off his face.
Mr. Speaker, it is no wonder the Prime Minister only wants to be here one day a week. When someone thinks he is elected royalty, he does not have to work, and the average Canadian can pick up the tab for caviar and champagne, but when the Prime Minister wants to fire up the old Challenger, jet off to an island, and get away to entertain his friends, he just pulls out the old taxpayer credit card.Can the Prime Minister justify to Canadians why they are on the hook for his $127,000 vacation and his $1,700 snack bill?
Mr. Speaker, budget day brings with it high expectations about the future of thousands of jobs in the softwood lumber sector in the Saguenay and across Quebec.We are still waiting for the government to share information about its plan for the forestry industry. The government has a unique opportunity to show that it is taking the possibility of a trade war with the United States seriously by proposing a plan B that involves loan guarantees.Will the government step up once and for all and show that it is ready to act on behalf of workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, the Service alimentaire communautaire, the SAC, has been providing a unique food assistance program to the families of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield since 2001. It may have to close its doors in June, leaving many vulnerable families with nowhere to turn unless the federal government takes urgent action. A letter was sent to the minister one month ago, but the organization and my constituents have not received a response. A growing number of families in the region are having difficulty putting food on the table. Last December alone, the use of food banks skyrocketed following a 300% increase in demand.When will the minister take action?
Mr. Speaker, as was the case for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister, for security reasons the RCMP accompanies the Prime Minister, whether for personal or business purposes. It was this government that recognized that there was not a policy in place and asked the Clerk of the Privy Council office to help set some guidelines.I would also like to remind the member that it was this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. Conservatives voted against that measure, but I am sure the member would agree that the middle-class tax cut has benefited hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, what exactly was the protocol for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister? The RCMP always accompanies the Prime Minister when he travels, whether for business or pleasure.One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council to put guidelines in place regarding the travel expenses of the sitting Prime Minister, his family, and their guests.
Mr. Speaker, with answers like that, we really could replace him with a cardboard cutout, and his peanut gallery would never notice the difference.If the Prime Minister was serious when he said that he wanted to work with the other parties, will he agree to set up a proportional committee where no party can impose changes solely to their own advantage?If he is worried about the reaction of the students who are here today, will he act democratically for once in his life?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on much the same point.I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague. This is a problem, but I believe that there is a solution.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud that their government takes openness and transparency seriously. They appreciate the fact that their government gets them involved in finding solutions to their problems.Now, it is the international community's turn to demonstrate its confidence in Canada's leadership and openness. Can the minister explain to the House Canada's new role on the global stage, now that we have been elected to a seat on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for the question, especially on budget day, because it gives us the chance to reflect back to budget 2016. The commitments that were made included $81 billion over 11 years in public transit, green infrastructure, transportation, and smart cities. We are committed to transitioning to a low-carbon economy, while encouraging businesses to innovate, grow, and create good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. I am sure all members will be very anxious to hear what the Minister of Finance will have to say on the subject only minutes from now.
Mr. Speaker, it turns out that the cut-outs became an international embarrassment to the Liberals because of inappropriate things people were doing and posting on social media.Global Affairs ordered the life-sized effigies taken down, as Liberals knew that they were tarnishing the Prime Minister's celebrity persona. Now the government is refusing to tell Canadians how much they cost.In just over an hour, Canadians will find out how much more will be lifted from their wallets to pay for frivolous and out-of-control Liberal spending.Who authorized this half-baked idea, and what were they smoking?
Mr. Speaker, I am interested to know how much the finance minister will put in the budget for the Prime Minister's future vacations to billionaire islands. We just learned it cost taxpayers $127,000 the last time, and that is before we add the cost of the Ethics Commissioner's investigation. When will the Prime Minister realize that real Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, and they cannot afford, and do not want to pay for, his lavish lifestyle?
Mr. Speaker, this is unbelievable. There can only be one conclusion drawn. This a quote with which I am sure the Prime Minister is very familiar: Solutions to important problems are decided not by Party committee...but by one individual. Do members know who said that? It was Chinese dictator Chairman Mao. Canada is not China. Canada is not a dictatorship. The Prime Minister is not the supreme emperor, so maybe he could do Canadians a favour, take another vacation, and not come back until he is ready to stop acting like those dictators he so admires.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they want to make Parliament more predictable. The only thing predictable around here is that the Liberals will do whatever it takes, including rigging the rules, to avoid accountability. Predictably, the Prime Minister only likes to show up to places where it is all selfies, slogans, and superficiality, so when he finds an opposition instead of an audience, he predictably heads for the exit.Since he loves to be loved, will the Liberal whip demand his MPs start applauding the Prime Minister more often so that he could be predicted to maybe show up here for question period more than once a week?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship of China. Now it turns out he is trying to bring that dictatorship to life right here in Canada. He is trying to avoid any accountability to Canadians by eliminating debate and by giving the Liberals unprecedented control over the House of Commons and its committees. On top of this, he wants to give all his Liberal MPs Fridays off, and it turns out he, himself, only wants to show up to work one day a week. Why does the Prime Minister have such a blatant disregard for being held accountable to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House time and time again, I have the utmost respect for this place. No such comment was made. If the member feels that was the case, I have no problem having a conversation with her. I personally was surprised after their response of what we were getting, but I do believe we can work better in this place.
Mr. Speaker, when a parliamentarian is deeply hurt and wronged by comments and debates in the House that undermine the very essence of his work, he must immediately stand up and say so. I therefore rise on a question of privilege.I humbly address all my colleagues. I heard the House Leader of the Official Opposition refer to the government's approach to procedural reform as dictatorial. I heard the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons say that she wanted to hold a discussion and have all parliamentarians take part in it. I would humbly submit to the House that we have had to witness this exchange even though we cannot sit on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs or any other committee. Indeed, since October 19, 2015, we have been banned from this type of debate and thus ostracized as parliamentarians.What I am humbly stating today is that if we want to reform the Standing Orders, I imagine that we want to do so for the good of parliamentary democracy. Therefore, no one would oppose our right to speak, which we had in the case in the Special Committee on Electoral Reform. It is an affront to hear people who have millions of dollars, and so much the better for them, to spend on being heard and having their constituents' voices heard. I was legitimately elected by people who pay their taxes to the federal government and I have the right to sit on the committee that will study parliamentary reforms.
Mr. Speaker, I am always pleased to be here in this House to answer tough questions, and easy ones like the member just asked me.The fact is that we are always looking for ways to improve things, and today, as we reflect upon the seat of democracy in London, the fact is that we are putting forward a broad range of proposals, including one
Mr. Speaker, I do believe that this is actually demonstrating more of a reason why this conversation and discussion is necessary. Every single member of Parliament is elected by their constituents to represent their voice in this place. It is important for us to have these conversations so that we can better serve the Canadians that we are here to represent. These are tough conversations, I agree, but I think they are important conversations for us to have, and that is why I released a discussion paper not only for members of Parliament but for the public to also participate in so that we can have the important conversations that we need to have.
Mr. Speaker, occasionally incidents such as this do happen, and we have made it clear to the owner of the ship that it is responsible for the cleanup, and we will make sure that it does happen.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Canada was elected by its international partners to hold one of the four seats on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership.The Open Government Partnership is an international organization that brings together 75 countries and hundreds of civil society organizations. We are going to help promote the global movement towards more open and accountable government.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has been playing fast and loose with the truth. First, there was the Liberals' fabricated fighter jet capability gap, which is really a Liberal credibility gap. Then the minister put an unprecedented gag order on DND officials and stifled debate right here in Parliament. Now the defence minister says it was not him who cut danger pay from our troops fighting ISIS, but I have a document right here with his signature on it that proves that it was.Will the minister come clean and apologize for misleading Canadians, or is he going to double down on his alternate facts?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect all parliamentarians to have the highest ethical standards and behaviour that is beyond reproach. It is essential that we maintain Canadians' trust and demonstrate an approach that is worthy of the trust that Canadians have in us.
Mr. Speaker, the government was elected because it promised to grow the economy and the middle class and to help more Canadians join the middle class. With that in mind, today's budget will introduce an even more solid program to make our society more inclusive and to ensure that Canadian families that are struggling have a better chance to flourish and succeed.I would ask the member to listen very carefully to what will be said in just a few minutes.
Mr. Speaker, a discussion paper that I released was made available for members of Parliament as well as Canadians. I believe it is a reasonable discussion paper, encouraging members in this place to have a conversation, to have a discussion. The member opposite is misrepresenting the document, as there are many ideas being shared. We would like to see people actually having a thoughtful conversation where we can have opposing views but really come to modernizing this place and bringing it into the 21st century.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that the member opposite might be feeling a bit of guilt from the time when he was the parliamentary secretary sending our troops overseas without the tax exemption. That was his original question from yesterday. As I told him very openly, we looked at the problem in February 2016 and sent a letter to the finance minister to get this changed. There are rules that were placed in 2014 that we are now reviewing so that we can make sure that when we send troops, they do not have to deal with this issue ever again.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question.It is a shame, but our young people are already seeing the impact of climate change in their communities. I am very happy to see them be part of the solution by buying reusable products, reducing waste, using public transit, and preserving natural spaces. I also strongly encourage young Canadians to submit their bold ideas for clean growth to the North American youth innovation challenge. Winners will receive $5,000 and will have a chance to pitch their innovations to me and my counterparts from Mexico and the United States.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals campaigned on a promise of real change. This is real change, a move from democracy to what? A dictatorship? The Chinese style of dictatorship the Prime Minister seems to prefer is creeping its way into committees. Discussions are more like directives. I would like to ask the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, what is the schedule, what is the agenda, and what are the priorities of the committee on procedure and house affairs?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are very excited about the 150th anniversary celebrations. This is obvious from the thousands of projects we received, all totalling nearly $2 billion, when we have only $200 million in available funds.My colleagues and Canadians know that the celebrations will feature four main themes: youth, the environment, inclusiveness and diversity, and reconciliation with indigenous peoples. I am very pleased to say that Canadians will come through, there will be equitable regional distribution, and when all is said and done, 2017 will be a big year.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to talk about some young leaders in my community. Some of them belong to my riding's community group. These young people are very interested in the environment and want to know how they can get more involved in protecting the environment.I would like to ask the Minister of Environment and Climate Change if she could share with the House how young people in Canada can get more involved and play a bigger role in climate change.
Mr. Speaker, I assume that the member opposite is speaking about the community action fund. I have heard from several members of the House about the importance of the community action fund. The Public Health Agency of Canada is making sure that all programs that are doing this good and important work have the resources necessary for them and is working with the provinces and territories in that regard. We look forward to continuing to support this kind of work.
Mr. Speaker, at festivals and events, at consulates and the Canadian embassy in the U.S., cardboard cut-outs of the Prime Minister have started appearing. Much like the real-life version of the Prime Minister, there were plenty of selfies but not much in the way of substance. The cut-outs are so vain that the Prime Minister probably thinks a certain Carly Simon song was about him.When Canadian seniors and families are paying for the Liberals' tax-and-spend agenda, who thought a cut-out was a good idea, and how much did it cost? What was the Prime Minister thinking?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his leadership on this file.Last week, I was in beautiful British Columbia and saw first hand the diversity of this innovative economy, especially the vibrant clean tech sector. The member opposite has highlighted the leadership role that B.C. is playing in clean tech, with the number of companies, the number of jobs, and these are good-quality jobs that, on average, pay $84,000. That is why our government invested $58 million in clean tech jobs. This is about addressing the problems of tomorrow and creating good-quality jobs today.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are worried about their future. That is why we are pleased to present a budget that invests in their future and that helps the middle class.I look forward to answering questions about what we are doing for Canadians, because that is what our job requires, that is, serving Canadians to the best of our ability.
Mr. Speaker, my question is simple. In the Prime Minister's opinion, what would be an appropriate penalty for ministers who violate the Conflict of Interest Act?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Commissioner of Official Languages tabled a report denouncing the shortage of bilingual agents at Canadian airports. Only 9% of employees in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto speak French.The Official Languages Act stipulates that all Canadians flying through an airport in Canada should be able to be served in the official language of their choice. Complying with legislation is mandatory, not optional.When will the Minister of Transport enforce the use of official languages by the employees in question?
Mr. Speaker, I wonder about the schoolchildren in the gallery who are wondering how effective this Parliament actually is right now.We are proposing a way to discuss how to improve the quality of debate and allow the government to be held to account in a thoughtful, responsible way, and this kind of shouting is what they get. That is not worthy of this Parliament. It is not worthy of the people they serve.
Mr. Speaker, the previous government would not have put out an open discussion paper nor would it have engaged with the opposition in proposed months of discussion in committee on the best way to move forward.We are happy to be launching an open conversation on how to improve the functioning of this Parliament in a way that meets the needs of Canadian families and Canadian members of Parliament. The fact is we are happy that we are launching in an open way an important conversation that apparently the members opposite really do not want to have.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to welcome all the young people in the gallery. We are going to present a budget that will help the middle class and assure its future. That is the type of thing that we should be discussing. The fact that we are proposing
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister thinks he is elected royalty and Canadians should lavish him with exotic island vacations, nannies, and a jet-setting lifestyle. The Prime Minister spent $127,000 on his island excursion with the famjam and his BFFs. Seventeen hundred dollars were spent on food and drinks alone for a three-hour flight. There are people in my riding who are struggling to pay the mortgage, but the Prime Minister thinks he is entitled to his caviar and champagne.Why does this wealthy trust-fund Prime Minister think he can abuse taxpayers' dollars entertaining himself this way?
Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge, I see more and more entrepreneurs and businesses either starting up something new in the clean-tech sector or creating a business line that offers clean-tech innovation. In a recent report on B.C.'s clean-tech sector, it was reported that there are now 273 clean-tech companies with 8,650 jobs based in B.C. These companies are diversified and operate in everything from transportation to agriculture. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please share with us what the government is doing to support this sector and to create good, quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, Canada has a rich and proud history of hosting both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Any bid from any city and province will definitely be looked at within the context of this submission, including under our international hosting sports strategy and policy. We will make a decision once we have all the information, once we have government guarantees, and certainly taking into consideration where this event is supposed to be hosted.
Mr. Speaker, all members of the House were delighted with the introduction of the Canada child benefit, which is the most important social policy innovation in a generation. It is because we are not sending benefits and cheques to families of millionaires anymore that we are able to help nine families out of 10, families with six million children across Canada who receive on average $200 per month, non-taxable, unlike the earlier inequitable tax system.
On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, we were pleased to put out a broad discussion paper on how we can make improvements to the functioning of this House of Commons so that members can better hold the government to account, so we can move forward on legislation, so we can make for a better work-life balance for the many individuals in this House with young families. This is so that members can do a better job of working efficiently here in Ottawa while serving their constituents back at home.I am excited to be launching an open conversation for all members of this House to participate in. I encourage the members opposite to continue to contribute their thoughtful ideas to this process.
Mr. Speaker, when I was a young officer in the army, I was taught to be honest, but from what I can see, not everyone received that training.The minister distorts the facts whenever it suits him. He has made up a capability gap because that will allow him to purchase Super Hornets and please his friends at Boeing. Secondly, to justify the fact that he has not done anything to improve protection for cadets, he is saying that they no longer handle weapons, even though many cadet corps participate in shooting competitions.Will the minister stop misleading the House and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to highlight that we are always open to improvements and ways to be able to hold this government to account. That includes looking at how things are done elsewhere, including in the U.K., where the prime minister has an entire question period devoted to answering questions.
Mr. Speaker, as I have shared with members in the House as well as with Canadians, our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is more relevant for Canadians, to ensure that we can make this place more efficient, more predictable, more transparent, and more accountable. That is the purpose of the discussion paper. It is a conversation we would like to have with all colleagues in this place. I am also encouraging Canadians to be part of this conversation. As we all know, this place belongs to Canadians and that is exactly whom we are here to serve.
Mr. Speaker, it is a discussion paper, and I encourage all members, as well as the public, to read it in its entirety. There are many great ideas, and we are asking the committee to actually broaden the scope of its study. We know that many ideas have already been presented. I have made myself part of that conversation. Every single member of Parliament is here to do important work for Canadians. We would like to make this place more relevant to Canadians, and I am sure all members would agree that we can work better together.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate once again the opportunity to rise in the House to talk about the important discussion paper I presented to members of Parliament as well as the public. An important conversation needs to take place. It is important that we read the document in its entirety. I remember when I was growing up that I talked about change and the importance of change. I remember a good friend of mine saying to me that change starts with me. Every single one of us has a responsibility to Canadians to be part of this conversation. I know we can have a good conversation, a meaningful, constructive conversation, and I encourage all members to be part of it.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be a strong woman who has been empowered by a government to have a voice and to help create the change we were elected to create.It is clear that this House needs modernization. The House needs this conversation. The House needs a solid, substantial discussion, and that is exactly what I am encouraging all of us to do. Each of us has a role. Each of us represents a riding. We represent Canadians all together. Let us work better together.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is extraordinarily fortunate because we have citizens who understand that a strong immigration policy is a benefit to the country, but also requires a rigorous process and protected borders. That is why we are ensuring that all Canadian laws are being followed. We continue to make sure that our police agencies and border services have all the resources they need to deal with situations that arise, as, for example, are arising in Manitoba and in Quebec. We continue to make sure that Canadians are confident that our system is strong and solid.
Mr. Speaker, it is this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. It was this government that introduced the Canada child benefit to help families with children who need help the most, to ensure that they get the most. It was this government that took unprecedented levels of public consultation so that we could respond to the very real challenges that Canadians are facing.In regard to the member's question, when we took office, there were no guidelines in place. One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council office to put guidelines in place, and we will continue to do the good work Canadians expect us to do.
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, we recognize the importance of Canada's forestry sector. We have initiated a very good dialogue with the provinces that could be affected by new measures. We will absolutely have a plan to work together to protect jobs in this country. Canadians can count on us.
Mr. Speaker, for decades, Canada has had one of the strongest and most successful immigration and refugee programs in the world. That is because we have detailed laws, passport requirements, borders, and visas, all to ensure that our system is fair and rules based. This actually ensures the integrity and the success of our system.Will the Prime Minister strongly signal to all those who want to make Canada their home that they must follow the rules?
Mr. Speaker, today in London, the U.K. Parliament is the scene of an attack, an attack all too familiar to many members of the House and those who work here. While there are still many questions yet to be answered around the circumstances, on behalf of the official opposition, I offer my sincere condolences and prayers to all of those who are affected.Will the Prime Minister join me in condemning these attacks and offer any and all support to our U.K. friends?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals love to talk up the Canada child benefit. It was supposed to help nine million children out of poverty, but in my riding, there are many families that have to jump through one hoop after another just to submit a claim. What good is a benefit if families that really need it are not getting it? How many eligible parents have yet to receive the Canada child benefit, and when will the government shift its priorities from protecting the wealthiest to making life more affordable for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of my service in the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist. I am proud of my combat time. Every time I make a decision, it is about thinking about when I had boots on the ground. That is how I will take every future decision.
Mr. Speaker, bilingualism is very important to our government, as is respect for official languages. Federal services must be provided in accordance with the Official Languages Act. Airport security is important and CATSA does good work, but it must also do so by providing service in both languages with courtesy and respect, of course.
Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague because we have the same problem. Of course I am the only member of the Green Party, but the Green Party is a parliamentary party.We recognize that the motion before the committee at the moment recognizes that parties that do not sit on the committee as a caucus have some ability to participate, but we are not, at this point, informed as to what that ability would be. And, unfortunately, the discussion paper itself makes a large mistake in vocabulary in describing members of the Bloc and members of the Green Party as though we were independents, which we are not.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister purports to be a feminist, yet when a strong, confident woman dares to question his arrogance and unilaterally changing the fundamentals of Canadian democracy, he tried to stare her down and yell at her. Will this so-called feminist stand up and apologize to my colleague, or will he once again make a woman do his dirty work?
Mr. Speaker, decisions such as this are made by the Public Prosecution Service, which is independent of government. I will say that there are still charges pending in this case. Further to that, I will use this opportunity to again talk about the reforms that we are making and the comprehensive review of the criminal justice system that we are undertaking, including sentencing reform and looking at bail reform. We introduced an open and transparent process for judges to ensure public safety, respect for victims, and respect for the charter. I look forward to continuing this work.
Mr. Speaker, as is the custom for previous prime ministers, we repaid the cost of equivalent commercial flights, but for the first time, we actually put in place a system of rules that oversee that because there was never that in previous Parliaments or under previous prime ministers.The other fact is the RCMP makes determinations on how to protect the prime minister and we will not second-guess the decisions that the RCMP makes.
Mr. Speaker, when a minister breaches that trust, what is the penalty? Instead of going around in circles, the Prime Minister would do well to respond soon.To be clear, Canadians believe that there is no problem with the Prime Minister taking a vacation, but Canadians do have a problem with the Prime Minister accepting illegal gifts, breaking the law, and then charging the taxpayers over $125,000.Does the Prime Minister honestly believe that paying back a mere $4,000 is enough when he blew over $125,000 of hard-earned taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, if he gets his way, we really never will get to second-guess the Prime Minister.The Prime Minister would put everybody's mind at ease if he would just agree that he will not use his majority to ram through changes to the Standing Orders without all-party consent. Unanimity has always been sought for changes to the rules that divide power between government and opposition. For example, the committee that Jean Chrétien set up to review the Standing Orders had unanimous consent written into its mandate, but the current Prime Minister seems to feel that decades of precedents count for nothing.Why the fuddle duddle will he not commit to the long-standing practice that we do not change the rules without unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, I will reply in our other official language this time. The use of the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our Canadian missions in the United States. They have been asked to no longer use it for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion Canadian values. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, our international friend and ally.
Mr. Speaker, the Calgary Olympic bid exploration committee is making plans to include Banff's Lake Louise ski area in its 2026 bid. Putting the Olympic Games in Canada's oldest national park would require expanding the resort into protected natural areas. The environment minister has been silent on whether she would permit Olympic expansion in this UNESCO world heritage site.Will she stand today and firmly reject any further development in Banff National Park?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers get up every morning and go to work to earn a living. Now the government is considering cutting back our hours of work here in Ottawa. Spending more and working less: what kind of example is that setting for society? Merely thinking up the idea is immoral. The Liberals say this is just a consultation. Can the Liberal government work to create a prosperous Canada? Can the government respect all members and commit to changing the rules only if there is unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, the government House leader introduced a discussion paper, and then mere days later tried to ram that, and is currently ramming that discussion paper, through Parliament. This is not a discussion. This is not a conversation. This is a dictatorship. I implore the House leader. I implore the government. All we are asking for is that we all be able to come to agreement, as precedent has set, before any major changes are made. I am asking the government to reset this horrid mess it has created and listen to all of us before any changes are made.
Mr. Speaker, it was about a year ago the Prime Minister tried to push through changes to Parliament's rules to silence the opposition. That attempt ended in complete failure and he had to back down, but yet, here he is again, at it again, wanting to centralize his power. This time he wants to shut down debate and he only wants to show up for question period one day a week.Why is the Prime Minister so determined to avoid accountability?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected our government on a plan to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class, and we are delivering on that very commitment. Over the last six months, almost 220,000 jobs were created, the majority of which were full-time jobs. This is the strongest six months of job growth in almost a decade. This is evidence that the plan we have put in place is working. We will continue to make the necessary investments in budget 2017 to continue to strengthen the middle class and those working hard to join it and to create the conditions for growth of our economy.
Mr. Speaker, an organization in my riding, Projet Harmonie, has been receiving funding since 1999 from the community action program for children. The organization offers services to extremely vulnerable young people, including some struggling with problems related to street gangs.As a result of a serious internal crisis and administrative management problems, which it has recognized, the organization's funding was cut. Project Harmonie has gotten back on track and would like to restore its partnership with the Public Health Agency.Will the minister step up and support this important organization?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's plan undermines the very principles of responsible and accountable government. The fact that the Prime Minister does not want to show up to answer questions more than once a week shows what little respect he has for Canada's Parliament. As inconvenient as he thinks it is, Parliament is actually the seat of our democracy, and central to that is the role of the opposition. Can the Prime Minister explain to us why he is willing to undermine our system of democracy simply to get out of answering tough questions?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is proposing to change the rules so he can actually silence the opposition. His plan is to restrict debate, shorten the work week, and limit his attendance at question period to one day a week. No one has ever attempted gutting accountability like this.I would like to ask him a simple question. What would he have done if former prime minister Stephen Harper had proposed the same thing?
Again, Mr. Speaker, the way we are going about this is by opening a discussion, having an open conversation with the members opposite about how to
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected
Mr. Speaker, it is not just a question of role and money. It is a question of principle and honour, and the government has none.A prime minister must adhere to three guiding principles: he must show humility, show restraint, and manage finances carefully.When will this Prime Minister finally act with honour, lead by example, and stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our missions in the United States. The missions have been asked to no longer use these for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion the values Canadians hold dear, both here and abroad. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, Canada's partner and ally.
Mr. Speaker, now that the Minister of Canadian Heritage is not denying that 87% of the projects approved for Canada 150 are in Liberal ridings in Quebec, can she explain to the House why the objectives and criteria for the Canada 150 program were changed in the summer of 2016? Does the Prime Minister think it is acceptable to change the criteria and objectives of a program that is already under way?
Mr. Speaker, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the International Energy Agency have all urged governments around the world to do two things, at a minimum: to put in place a carbon price and to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies.I wonder if the Prime Minister could update us on where we are. We know progress is being made on the carbon price. Where are we on eliminating fossil fuel subsidies?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Our purpose during question period is to question the government and hold it to account. After asking the question today, the government House leader looked at me and said, I'm going to get you for this. In that sense, I believe my privilege, and others here, has been violated. As such, I ask you to look into this matter.
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to add that this is the only democracy in the western world that has a double standard for members. We do not see this in any Canadian province or in any western democracy. It is time to address this injustice.
Mr. Speaker, in an unprecedented act, the federal government is dropping its judicial case against 36 individuals arrested in the largest anti-Mafia sting since the Rizzuto case. Thanks to Liberal dithering, serious criminal charges are being either stayed or withdrawn. Is this the reason that the Liberal government is abandoning this case? Is the Minister of Justice going to throw six years of anti-Mafia investigations in the trash because they refuse to provide proper resources to our justice system?
Mr. Speaker, four months ago, a South Korean cargo ship lost 35 containers at sea, and potentially harmful debris is still arriving every day on Vancouver Island's west coast. Large pieces of metal and chunks of styrofoam are contaminating our sensitive ecosystems. The Liberal government continues to delay and refuses to act. Community volunteers have been forced to start cleanup efforts themselves. Now we learn that the government received $72,000 from the company to clean up the mess, but it still has not released the funds. Will the government finally step up, do its job, and clean up the mess?
Mr. Speaker, as is often the case, we did not actually get an answer to the question asked by the Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister is going further than Stephen Harper would have ever dared to do in telling Canadians he only wants to show up in question period once a week.I am going to ask the question again. What would the Prime Minister's reaction have been if Stephen Harper had dared to propose what he is proposing?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her statement and support. We were all saddened to learn about today's incident near the British Parliament in London. I express my deepest condolences to the victims of this cowardly attack. The scene unfolding in London is one that is all too familiar to members of this House who were here two and a half years ago.Today's attack on the United Kingdom Parliament is an attack on the world's democracies.An attack on the symbol and the seat of democracy is a cowardly and reprehensible act that we condemn in the strongest terms. Canada and the U.K. are close friends and allies and our message to the citizens of the United Kingdom and our colleagues in the British Parliament is simple: We stand with you.
Mr. Speaker, the spectacle in the House today was not a good one for the Prime Minister. He was there laughing and heckling and over-talking the Conservative House leader when she was trying to make a pertinent point about the future of parliamentary democracy in this country. The Prime Minister treats this chamber as his personal chew toy. We are going to stand in our place, we are going to fight for democracy, and we are going to fight for Canadians' rights. When is the Prime Minister going to be on our side and live up to his promises in the last election, rather than throwing it all out the window for his own personal gain?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise to respond to the member's question and to remind all Canadians that we have shared a discussion paper with members of Parliament as well as the public. This government, including myself, respects the work of the committee and I believe that members have the opportunity to have an honest conversation. I actually appreciate a lot of the work that the member opposite has done. I know the committee sat late last night and I know that conversation is starting. All we are asking is let us have a constructive conversation to really modernize the way this place works.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that the work members do here in the House and in their ridings is important.During the election campaign, we vowed to modernize Parliament and turn it into a 21st-century workplace. Our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is relevant to Canadians and that the House is accountable, predictable, efficient, and transparent.
Mr. Speaker, as we speak, opposition MPs continue to stand up to defend Canadians from the Liberals' attack on democracy. Not only does the Prime Minister only want to show up and be accountable to Canadians one day a week, but I have never seen a more pathetic display of arrogance than I saw in question period today as he laughed and smirked as opposition MPs tried to hold him accountable for his actions.I can assure him that in the next election, Canadians will wipe that smirk right off his face.
Mr. Speaker, it is no wonder the Prime Minister only wants to be here one day a week. When someone thinks he is elected royalty, he does not have to work, and the average Canadian can pick up the tab for caviar and champagne, but when the Prime Minister wants to fire up the old Challenger, jet off to an island, and get away to entertain his friends, he just pulls out the old taxpayer credit card.Can the Prime Minister justify to Canadians why they are on the hook for his $127,000 vacation and his $1,700 snack bill?
Mr. Speaker, budget day brings with it high expectations about the future of thousands of jobs in the softwood lumber sector in the Saguenay and across Quebec.We are still waiting for the government to share information about its plan for the forestry industry. The government has a unique opportunity to show that it is taking the possibility of a trade war with the United States seriously by proposing a plan B that involves loan guarantees.Will the government step up once and for all and show that it is ready to act on behalf of workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, the Service alimentaire communautaire, the SAC, has been providing a unique food assistance program to the families of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield since 2001. It may have to close its doors in June, leaving many vulnerable families with nowhere to turn unless the federal government takes urgent action. A letter was sent to the minister one month ago, but the organization and my constituents have not received a response. A growing number of families in the region are having difficulty putting food on the table. Last December alone, the use of food banks skyrocketed following a 300% increase in demand.When will the minister take action?
Mr. Speaker, as was the case for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister, for security reasons the RCMP accompanies the Prime Minister, whether for personal or business purposes. It was this government that recognized that there was not a policy in place and asked the Clerk of the Privy Council office to help set some guidelines.I would also like to remind the member that it was this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. Conservatives voted against that measure, but I am sure the member would agree that the middle-class tax cut has benefited hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, what exactly was the protocol for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister? The RCMP always accompanies the Prime Minister when he travels, whether for business or pleasure.One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council to put guidelines in place regarding the travel expenses of the sitting Prime Minister, his family, and their guests.
Mr. Speaker, with answers like that, we really could replace him with a cardboard cutout, and his peanut gallery would never notice the difference.If the Prime Minister was serious when he said that he wanted to work with the other parties, will he agree to set up a proportional committee where no party can impose changes solely to their own advantage?If he is worried about the reaction of the students who are here today, will he act democratically for once in his life?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on much the same point.I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague. This is a problem, but I believe that there is a solution.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud that their government takes openness and transparency seriously. They appreciate the fact that their government gets them involved in finding solutions to their problems.Now, it is the international community's turn to demonstrate its confidence in Canada's leadership and openness. Can the minister explain to the House Canada's new role on the global stage, now that we have been elected to a seat on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for the question, especially on budget day, because it gives us the chance to reflect back to budget 2016. The commitments that were made included $81 billion over 11 years in public transit, green infrastructure, transportation, and smart cities. We are committed to transitioning to a low-carbon economy, while encouraging businesses to innovate, grow, and create good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. I am sure all members will be very anxious to hear what the Minister of Finance will have to say on the subject only minutes from now.
Mr. Speaker, it turns out that the cut-outs became an international embarrassment to the Liberals because of inappropriate things people were doing and posting on social media.Global Affairs ordered the life-sized effigies taken down, as Liberals knew that they were tarnishing the Prime Minister's celebrity persona. Now the government is refusing to tell Canadians how much they cost.In just over an hour, Canadians will find out how much more will be lifted from their wallets to pay for frivolous and out-of-control Liberal spending.Who authorized this half-baked idea, and what were they smoking?
Mr. Speaker, I am interested to know how much the finance minister will put in the budget for the Prime Minister's future vacations to billionaire islands. We just learned it cost taxpayers $127,000 the last time, and that is before we add the cost of the Ethics Commissioner's investigation. When will the Prime Minister realize that real Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, and they cannot afford, and do not want to pay for, his lavish lifestyle?
Mr. Speaker, this is unbelievable. There can only be one conclusion drawn. This a quote with which I am sure the Prime Minister is very familiar: Solutions to important problems are decided not by Party committee...but by one individual. Do members know who said that? It was Chinese dictator Chairman Mao. Canada is not China. Canada is not a dictatorship. The Prime Minister is not the supreme emperor, so maybe he could do Canadians a favour, take another vacation, and not come back until he is ready to stop acting like those dictators he so admires.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they want to make Parliament more predictable. The only thing predictable around here is that the Liberals will do whatever it takes, including rigging the rules, to avoid accountability. Predictably, the Prime Minister only likes to show up to places where it is all selfies, slogans, and superficiality, so when he finds an opposition instead of an audience, he predictably heads for the exit.Since he loves to be loved, will the Liberal whip demand his MPs start applauding the Prime Minister more often so that he could be predicted to maybe show up here for question period more than once a week?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship of China. Now it turns out he is trying to bring that dictatorship to life right here in Canada. He is trying to avoid any accountability to Canadians by eliminating debate and by giving the Liberals unprecedented control over the House of Commons and its committees. On top of this, he wants to give all his Liberal MPs Fridays off, and it turns out he, himself, only wants to show up to work one day a week. Why does the Prime Minister have such a blatant disregard for being held accountable to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House time and time again, I have the utmost respect for this place. No such comment was made. If the member feels that was the case, I have no problem having a conversation with her. I personally was surprised after their response of what we were getting, but I do believe we can work better in this place.
Mr. Speaker, when a parliamentarian is deeply hurt and wronged by comments and debates in the House that undermine the very essence of his work, he must immediately stand up and say so. I therefore rise on a question of privilege.I humbly address all my colleagues. I heard the House Leader of the Official Opposition refer to the government's approach to procedural reform as dictatorial. I heard the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons say that she wanted to hold a discussion and have all parliamentarians take part in it. I would humbly submit to the House that we have had to witness this exchange even though we cannot sit on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs or any other committee. Indeed, since October 19, 2015, we have been banned from this type of debate and thus ostracized as parliamentarians.What I am humbly stating today is that if we want to reform the Standing Orders, I imagine that we want to do so for the good of parliamentary democracy. Therefore, no one would oppose our right to speak, which we had in the case in the Special Committee on Electoral Reform. It is an affront to hear people who have millions of dollars, and so much the better for them, to spend on being heard and having their constituents' voices heard. I was legitimately elected by people who pay their taxes to the federal government and I have the right to sit on the committee that will study parliamentary reforms.
Mr. Speaker, I am always pleased to be here in this House to answer tough questions, and easy ones like the member just asked me.The fact is that we are always looking for ways to improve things, and today, as we reflect upon the seat of democracy in London, the fact is that we are putting forward a broad range of proposals, including one
Mr. Speaker, I do believe that this is actually demonstrating more of a reason why this conversation and discussion is necessary. Every single member of Parliament is elected by their constituents to represent their voice in this place. It is important for us to have these conversations so that we can better serve the Canadians that we are here to represent. These are tough conversations, I agree, but I think they are important conversations for us to have, and that is why I released a discussion paper not only for members of Parliament but for the public to also participate in so that we can have the important conversations that we need to have.
Mr. Speaker, occasionally incidents such as this do happen, and we have made it clear to the owner of the ship that it is responsible for the cleanup, and we will make sure that it does happen.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Canada was elected by its international partners to hold one of the four seats on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership.The Open Government Partnership is an international organization that brings together 75 countries and hundreds of civil society organizations. We are going to help promote the global movement towards more open and accountable government.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has been playing fast and loose with the truth. First, there was the Liberals' fabricated fighter jet capability gap, which is really a Liberal credibility gap. Then the minister put an unprecedented gag order on DND officials and stifled debate right here in Parliament. Now the defence minister says it was not him who cut danger pay from our troops fighting ISIS, but I have a document right here with his signature on it that proves that it was.Will the minister come clean and apologize for misleading Canadians, or is he going to double down on his alternate facts?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect all parliamentarians to have the highest ethical standards and behaviour that is beyond reproach. It is essential that we maintain Canadians' trust and demonstrate an approach that is worthy of the trust that Canadians have in us.
Mr. Speaker, the government was elected because it promised to grow the economy and the middle class and to help more Canadians join the middle class. With that in mind, today's budget will introduce an even more solid program to make our society more inclusive and to ensure that Canadian families that are struggling have a better chance to flourish and succeed.I would ask the member to listen very carefully to what will be said in just a few minutes.
Mr. Speaker, a discussion paper that I released was made available for members of Parliament as well as Canadians. I believe it is a reasonable discussion paper, encouraging members in this place to have a conversation, to have a discussion. The member opposite is misrepresenting the document, as there are many ideas being shared. We would like to see people actually having a thoughtful conversation where we can have opposing views but really come to modernizing this place and bringing it into the 21st century.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that the member opposite might be feeling a bit of guilt from the time when he was the parliamentary secretary sending our troops overseas without the tax exemption. That was his original question from yesterday. As I told him very openly, we looked at the problem in February 2016 and sent a letter to the finance minister to get this changed. There are rules that were placed in 2014 that we are now reviewing so that we can make sure that when we send troops, they do not have to deal with this issue ever again.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question.It is a shame, but our young people are already seeing the impact of climate change in their communities. I am very happy to see them be part of the solution by buying reusable products, reducing waste, using public transit, and preserving natural spaces. I also strongly encourage young Canadians to submit their bold ideas for clean growth to the North American youth innovation challenge. Winners will receive $5,000 and will have a chance to pitch their innovations to me and my counterparts from Mexico and the United States.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals campaigned on a promise of real change. This is real change, a move from democracy to what? A dictatorship? The Chinese style of dictatorship the Prime Minister seems to prefer is creeping its way into committees. Discussions are more like directives. I would like to ask the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, what is the schedule, what is the agenda, and what are the priorities of the committee on procedure and house affairs?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are very excited about the 150th anniversary celebrations. This is obvious from the thousands of projects we received, all totalling nearly $2 billion, when we have only $200 million in available funds.My colleagues and Canadians know that the celebrations will feature four main themes: youth, the environment, inclusiveness and diversity, and reconciliation with indigenous peoples. I am very pleased to say that Canadians will come through, there will be equitable regional distribution, and when all is said and done, 2017 will be a big year.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to talk about some young leaders in my community. Some of them belong to my riding's community group. These young people are very interested in the environment and want to know how they can get more involved in protecting the environment.I would like to ask the Minister of Environment and Climate Change if she could share with the House how young people in Canada can get more involved and play a bigger role in climate change.
Mr. Speaker, I assume that the member opposite is speaking about the community action fund. I have heard from several members of the House about the importance of the community action fund. The Public Health Agency of Canada is making sure that all programs that are doing this good and important work have the resources necessary for them and is working with the provinces and territories in that regard. We look forward to continuing to support this kind of work.
Mr. Speaker, at festivals and events, at consulates and the Canadian embassy in the U.S., cardboard cut-outs of the Prime Minister have started appearing. Much like the real-life version of the Prime Minister, there were plenty of selfies but not much in the way of substance. The cut-outs are so vain that the Prime Minister probably thinks a certain Carly Simon song was about him.When Canadian seniors and families are paying for the Liberals' tax-and-spend agenda, who thought a cut-out was a good idea, and how much did it cost? What was the Prime Minister thinking?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his leadership on this file.Last week, I was in beautiful British Columbia and saw first hand the diversity of this innovative economy, especially the vibrant clean tech sector. The member opposite has highlighted the leadership role that B.C. is playing in clean tech, with the number of companies, the number of jobs, and these are good-quality jobs that, on average, pay $84,000. That is why our government invested $58 million in clean tech jobs. This is about addressing the problems of tomorrow and creating good-quality jobs today.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are worried about their future. That is why we are pleased to present a budget that invests in their future and that helps the middle class.I look forward to answering questions about what we are doing for Canadians, because that is what our job requires, that is, serving Canadians to the best of our ability.
Mr. Speaker, my question is simple. In the Prime Minister's opinion, what would be an appropriate penalty for ministers who violate the Conflict of Interest Act?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Commissioner of Official Languages tabled a report denouncing the shortage of bilingual agents at Canadian airports. Only 9% of employees in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto speak French.The Official Languages Act stipulates that all Canadians flying through an airport in Canada should be able to be served in the official language of their choice. Complying with legislation is mandatory, not optional.When will the Minister of Transport enforce the use of official languages by the employees in question?
Mr. Speaker, I wonder about the schoolchildren in the gallery who are wondering how effective this Parliament actually is right now.We are proposing a way to discuss how to improve the quality of debate and allow the government to be held to account in a thoughtful, responsible way, and this kind of shouting is what they get. That is not worthy of this Parliament. It is not worthy of the people they serve.
Mr. Speaker, the previous government would not have put out an open discussion paper nor would it have engaged with the opposition in proposed months of discussion in committee on the best way to move forward.We are happy to be launching an open conversation on how to improve the functioning of this Parliament in a way that meets the needs of Canadian families and Canadian members of Parliament. The fact is we are happy that we are launching in an open way an important conversation that apparently the members opposite really do not want to have.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to welcome all the young people in the gallery. We are going to present a budget that will help the middle class and assure its future. That is the type of thing that we should be discussing. The fact that we are proposing
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister thinks he is elected royalty and Canadians should lavish him with exotic island vacations, nannies, and a jet-setting lifestyle. The Prime Minister spent $127,000 on his island excursion with the famjam and his BFFs. Seventeen hundred dollars were spent on food and drinks alone for a three-hour flight. There are people in my riding who are struggling to pay the mortgage, but the Prime Minister thinks he is entitled to his caviar and champagne.Why does this wealthy trust-fund Prime Minister think he can abuse taxpayers' dollars entertaining himself this way?
Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge, I see more and more entrepreneurs and businesses either starting up something new in the clean-tech sector or creating a business line that offers clean-tech innovation. In a recent report on B.C.'s clean-tech sector, it was reported that there are now 273 clean-tech companies with 8,650 jobs based in B.C. These companies are diversified and operate in everything from transportation to agriculture. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please share with us what the government is doing to support this sector and to create good, quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, Canada has a rich and proud history of hosting both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Any bid from any city and province will definitely be looked at within the context of this submission, including under our international hosting sports strategy and policy. We will make a decision once we have all the information, once we have government guarantees, and certainly taking into consideration where this event is supposed to be hosted.
Mr. Speaker, all members of the House were delighted with the introduction of the Canada child benefit, which is the most important social policy innovation in a generation. It is because we are not sending benefits and cheques to families of millionaires anymore that we are able to help nine families out of 10, families with six million children across Canada who receive on average $200 per month, non-taxable, unlike the earlier inequitable tax system.
On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, we were pleased to put out a broad discussion paper on how we can make improvements to the functioning of this House of Commons so that members can better hold the government to account, so we can move forward on legislation, so we can make for a better work-life balance for the many individuals in this House with young families. This is so that members can do a better job of working efficiently here in Ottawa while serving their constituents back at home.I am excited to be launching an open conversation for all members of this House to participate in. I encourage the members opposite to continue to contribute their thoughtful ideas to this process.
Mr. Speaker, when I was a young officer in the army, I was taught to be honest, but from what I can see, not everyone received that training.The minister distorts the facts whenever it suits him. He has made up a capability gap because that will allow him to purchase Super Hornets and please his friends at Boeing. Secondly, to justify the fact that he has not done anything to improve protection for cadets, he is saying that they no longer handle weapons, even though many cadet corps participate in shooting competitions.Will the minister stop misleading the House and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to highlight that we are always open to improvements and ways to be able to hold this government to account. That includes looking at how things are done elsewhere, including in the U.K., where the prime minister has an entire question period devoted to answering questions.
Mr. Speaker, as I have shared with members in the House as well as with Canadians, our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is more relevant for Canadians, to ensure that we can make this place more efficient, more predictable, more transparent, and more accountable. That is the purpose of the discussion paper. It is a conversation we would like to have with all colleagues in this place. I am also encouraging Canadians to be part of this conversation. As we all know, this place belongs to Canadians and that is exactly whom we are here to serve.
Mr. Speaker, it is a discussion paper, and I encourage all members, as well as the public, to read it in its entirety. There are many great ideas, and we are asking the committee to actually broaden the scope of its study. We know that many ideas have already been presented. I have made myself part of that conversation. Every single member of Parliament is here to do important work for Canadians. We would like to make this place more relevant to Canadians, and I am sure all members would agree that we can work better together.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate once again the opportunity to rise in the House to talk about the important discussion paper I presented to members of Parliament as well as the public. An important conversation needs to take place. It is important that we read the document in its entirety. I remember when I was growing up that I talked about change and the importance of change. I remember a good friend of mine saying to me that change starts with me. Every single one of us has a responsibility to Canadians to be part of this conversation. I know we can have a good conversation, a meaningful, constructive conversation, and I encourage all members to be part of it.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be a strong woman who has been empowered by a government to have a voice and to help create the change we were elected to create.It is clear that this House needs modernization. The House needs this conversation. The House needs a solid, substantial discussion, and that is exactly what I am encouraging all of us to do. Each of us has a role. Each of us represents a riding. We represent Canadians all together. Let us work better together.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is extraordinarily fortunate because we have citizens who understand that a strong immigration policy is a benefit to the country, but also requires a rigorous process and protected borders. That is why we are ensuring that all Canadian laws are being followed. We continue to make sure that our police agencies and border services have all the resources they need to deal with situations that arise, as, for example, are arising in Manitoba and in Quebec. We continue to make sure that Canadians are confident that our system is strong and solid.
Mr. Speaker, it is this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. It was this government that introduced the Canada child benefit to help families with children who need help the most, to ensure that they get the most. It was this government that took unprecedented levels of public consultation so that we could respond to the very real challenges that Canadians are facing.In regard to the member's question, when we took office, there were no guidelines in place. One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council office to put guidelines in place, and we will continue to do the good work Canadians expect us to do.
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, we recognize the importance of Canada's forestry sector. We have initiated a very good dialogue with the provinces that could be affected by new measures. We will absolutely have a plan to work together to protect jobs in this country. Canadians can count on us.
Mr. Speaker, for decades, Canada has had one of the strongest and most successful immigration and refugee programs in the world. That is because we have detailed laws, passport requirements, borders, and visas, all to ensure that our system is fair and rules based. This actually ensures the integrity and the success of our system.Will the Prime Minister strongly signal to all those who want to make Canada their home that they must follow the rules?
Mr. Speaker, today in London, the U.K. Parliament is the scene of an attack, an attack all too familiar to many members of the House and those who work here. While there are still many questions yet to be answered around the circumstances, on behalf of the official opposition, I offer my sincere condolences and prayers to all of those who are affected.Will the Prime Minister join me in condemning these attacks and offer any and all support to our U.K. friends?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals love to talk up the Canada child benefit. It was supposed to help nine million children out of poverty, but in my riding, there are many families that have to jump through one hoop after another just to submit a claim. What good is a benefit if families that really need it are not getting it? How many eligible parents have yet to receive the Canada child benefit, and when will the government shift its priorities from protecting the wealthiest to making life more affordable for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of my service in the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist. I am proud of my combat time. Every time I make a decision, it is about thinking about when I had boots on the ground. That is how I will take every future decision.
Mr. Speaker, bilingualism is very important to our government, as is respect for official languages. Federal services must be provided in accordance with the Official Languages Act. Airport security is important and CATSA does good work, but it must also do so by providing service in both languages with courtesy and respect, of course.
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Mr. Speaker, bilingualism is very important to our government, as is respect for official languages. Federal services must be provided in accordance with the Official Languages Act. Airport security is important and CATSA does good work, but it must also do so by providing service in both languages with courtesy and respect, of course.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of my service in the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist. I am proud of my combat time. Every time I make a decision, it is about thinking about when I had boots on the ground. That is how I will take every future decision.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals love to talk up the Canada child benefit. It was supposed to help nine million children out of poverty, but in my riding, there are many families that have to jump through one hoop after another just to submit a claim. What good is a benefit if families that really need it are not getting it? How many eligible parents have yet to receive the Canada child benefit, and when will the government shift its priorities from protecting the wealthiest to making life more affordable for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, today in London, the U.K. Parliament is the scene of an attack, an attack all too familiar to many members of the House and those who work here. While there are still many questions yet to be answered around the circumstances, on behalf of the official opposition, I offer my sincere condolences and prayers to all of those who are affected.Will the Prime Minister join me in condemning these attacks and offer any and all support to our U.K. friends?
Mr. Speaker, for decades, Canada has had one of the strongest and most successful immigration and refugee programs in the world. That is because we have detailed laws, passport requirements, borders, and visas, all to ensure that our system is fair and rules based. This actually ensures the integrity and the success of our system.Will the Prime Minister strongly signal to all those who want to make Canada their home that they must follow the rules?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, we recognize the importance of Canada's forestry sector. We have initiated a very good dialogue with the provinces that could be affected by new measures. We will absolutely have a plan to work together to protect jobs in this country. Canadians can count on us.
Mr. Speaker, it is this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. It was this government that introduced the Canada child benefit to help families with children who need help the most, to ensure that they get the most. It was this government that took unprecedented levels of public consultation so that we could respond to the very real challenges that Canadians are facing.In regard to the member's question, when we took office, there were no guidelines in place. One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council office to put guidelines in place, and we will continue to do the good work Canadians expect us to do.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is extraordinarily fortunate because we have citizens who understand that a strong immigration policy is a benefit to the country, but also requires a rigorous process and protected borders. That is why we are ensuring that all Canadian laws are being followed. We continue to make sure that our police agencies and border services have all the resources they need to deal with situations that arise, as, for example, are arising in Manitoba and in Quebec. We continue to make sure that Canadians are confident that our system is strong and solid.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be a strong woman who has been empowered by a government to have a voice and to help create the change we were elected to create.It is clear that this House needs modernization. The House needs this conversation. The House needs a solid, substantial discussion, and that is exactly what I am encouraging all of us to do. Each of us has a role. Each of us represents a riding. We represent Canadians all together. Let us work better together.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate once again the opportunity to rise in the House to talk about the important discussion paper I presented to members of Parliament as well as the public. An important conversation needs to take place. It is important that we read the document in its entirety. I remember when I was growing up that I talked about change and the importance of change. I remember a good friend of mine saying to me that change starts with me. Every single one of us has a responsibility to Canadians to be part of this conversation. I know we can have a good conversation, a meaningful, constructive conversation, and I encourage all members to be part of it.
Mr. Speaker, it is a discussion paper, and I encourage all members, as well as the public, to read it in its entirety. There are many great ideas, and we are asking the committee to actually broaden the scope of its study. We know that many ideas have already been presented. I have made myself part of that conversation. Every single member of Parliament is here to do important work for Canadians. We would like to make this place more relevant to Canadians, and I am sure all members would agree that we can work better together.
Mr. Speaker, as I have shared with members in the House as well as with Canadians, our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is more relevant for Canadians, to ensure that we can make this place more efficient, more predictable, more transparent, and more accountable. That is the purpose of the discussion paper. It is a conversation we would like to have with all colleagues in this place. I am also encouraging Canadians to be part of this conversation. As we all know, this place belongs to Canadians and that is exactly whom we are here to serve.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to highlight that we are always open to improvements and ways to be able to hold this government to account. That includes looking at how things are done elsewhere, including in the U.K., where the prime minister has an entire question period devoted to answering questions.
Mr. Speaker, when I was a young officer in the army, I was taught to be honest, but from what I can see, not everyone received that training.The minister distorts the facts whenever it suits him. He has made up a capability gap because that will allow him to purchase Super Hornets and please his friends at Boeing. Secondly, to justify the fact that he has not done anything to improve protection for cadets, he is saying that they no longer handle weapons, even though many cadet corps participate in shooting competitions.Will the minister stop misleading the House and apologize?
On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, we were pleased to put out a broad discussion paper on how we can make improvements to the functioning of this House of Commons so that members can better hold the government to account, so we can move forward on legislation, so we can make for a better work-life balance for the many individuals in this House with young families. This is so that members can do a better job of working efficiently here in Ottawa while serving their constituents back at home.I am excited to be launching an open conversation for all members of this House to participate in. I encourage the members opposite to continue to contribute their thoughtful ideas to this process.
Mr. Speaker, all members of the House were delighted with the introduction of the Canada child benefit, which is the most important social policy innovation in a generation. It is because we are not sending benefits and cheques to families of millionaires anymore that we are able to help nine families out of 10, families with six million children across Canada who receive on average $200 per month, non-taxable, unlike the earlier inequitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, Canada has a rich and proud history of hosting both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Any bid from any city and province will definitely be looked at within the context of this submission, including under our international hosting sports strategy and policy. We will make a decision once we have all the information, once we have government guarantees, and certainly taking into consideration where this event is supposed to be hosted.
Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge, I see more and more entrepreneurs and businesses either starting up something new in the clean-tech sector or creating a business line that offers clean-tech innovation. In a recent report on B.C.'s clean-tech sector, it was reported that there are now 273 clean-tech companies with 8,650 jobs based in B.C. These companies are diversified and operate in everything from transportation to agriculture. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please share with us what the government is doing to support this sector and to create good, quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister thinks he is elected royalty and Canadians should lavish him with exotic island vacations, nannies, and a jet-setting lifestyle. The Prime Minister spent $127,000 on his island excursion with the famjam and his BFFs. Seventeen hundred dollars were spent on food and drinks alone for a three-hour flight. There are people in my riding who are struggling to pay the mortgage, but the Prime Minister thinks he is entitled to his caviar and champagne.Why does this wealthy trust-fund Prime Minister think he can abuse taxpayers' dollars entertaining himself this way?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to welcome all the young people in the gallery. We are going to present a budget that will help the middle class and assure its future. That is the type of thing that we should be discussing. The fact that we are proposing
Mr. Speaker, the previous government would not have put out an open discussion paper nor would it have engaged with the opposition in proposed months of discussion in committee on the best way to move forward.We are happy to be launching an open conversation on how to improve the functioning of this Parliament in a way that meets the needs of Canadian families and Canadian members of Parliament. The fact is we are happy that we are launching in an open way an important conversation that apparently the members opposite really do not want to have.
Mr. Speaker, I wonder about the schoolchildren in the gallery who are wondering how effective this Parliament actually is right now.We are proposing a way to discuss how to improve the quality of debate and allow the government to be held to account in a thoughtful, responsible way, and this kind of shouting is what they get. That is not worthy of this Parliament. It is not worthy of the people they serve.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are worried about their future. That is why we are pleased to present a budget that invests in their future and that helps the middle class.I look forward to answering questions about what we are doing for Canadians, because that is what our job requires, that is, serving Canadians to the best of our ability.
Mr. Speaker, my question is simple. In the Prime Minister's opinion, what would be an appropriate penalty for ministers who violate the Conflict of Interest Act?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Commissioner of Official Languages tabled a report denouncing the shortage of bilingual agents at Canadian airports. Only 9% of employees in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto speak French.The Official Languages Act stipulates that all Canadians flying through an airport in Canada should be able to be served in the official language of their choice. Complying with legislation is mandatory, not optional.When will the Minister of Transport enforce the use of official languages by the employees in question?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his leadership on this file.Last week, I was in beautiful British Columbia and saw first hand the diversity of this innovative economy, especially the vibrant clean tech sector. The member opposite has highlighted the leadership role that B.C. is playing in clean tech, with the number of companies, the number of jobs, and these are good-quality jobs that, on average, pay $84,000. That is why our government invested $58 million in clean tech jobs. This is about addressing the problems of tomorrow and creating good-quality jobs today.
Mr. Speaker, at festivals and events, at consulates and the Canadian embassy in the U.S., cardboard cut-outs of the Prime Minister have started appearing. Much like the real-life version of the Prime Minister, there were plenty of selfies but not much in the way of substance. The cut-outs are so vain that the Prime Minister probably thinks a certain Carly Simon song was about him.When Canadian seniors and families are paying for the Liberals' tax-and-spend agenda, who thought a cut-out was a good idea, and how much did it cost? What was the Prime Minister thinking?
Mr. Speaker, I assume that the member opposite is speaking about the community action fund. I have heard from several members of the House about the importance of the community action fund. The Public Health Agency of Canada is making sure that all programs that are doing this good and important work have the resources necessary for them and is working with the provinces and territories in that regard. We look forward to continuing to support this kind of work.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to talk about some young leaders in my community. Some of them belong to my riding's community group. These young people are very interested in the environment and want to know how they can get more involved in protecting the environment.I would like to ask the Minister of Environment and Climate Change if she could share with the House how young people in Canada can get more involved and play a bigger role in climate change.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are very excited about the 150th anniversary celebrations. This is obvious from the thousands of projects we received, all totalling nearly $2 billion, when we have only $200 million in available funds.My colleagues and Canadians know that the celebrations will feature four main themes: youth, the environment, inclusiveness and diversity, and reconciliation with indigenous peoples. I am very pleased to say that Canadians will come through, there will be equitable regional distribution, and when all is said and done, 2017 will be a big year.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals campaigned on a promise of real change. This is real change, a move from democracy to what? A dictatorship? The Chinese style of dictatorship the Prime Minister seems to prefer is creeping its way into committees. Discussions are more like directives. I would like to ask the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, what is the schedule, what is the agenda, and what are the priorities of the committee on procedure and house affairs?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question.It is a shame, but our young people are already seeing the impact of climate change in their communities. I am very happy to see them be part of the solution by buying reusable products, reducing waste, using public transit, and preserving natural spaces. I also strongly encourage young Canadians to submit their bold ideas for clean growth to the North American youth innovation challenge. Winners will receive $5,000 and will have a chance to pitch their innovations to me and my counterparts from Mexico and the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that the member opposite might be feeling a bit of guilt from the time when he was the parliamentary secretary sending our troops overseas without the tax exemption. That was his original question from yesterday. As I told him very openly, we looked at the problem in February 2016 and sent a letter to the finance minister to get this changed. There are rules that were placed in 2014 that we are now reviewing so that we can make sure that when we send troops, they do not have to deal with this issue ever again.
Mr. Speaker, a discussion paper that I released was made available for members of Parliament as well as Canadians. I believe it is a reasonable discussion paper, encouraging members in this place to have a conversation, to have a discussion. The member opposite is misrepresenting the document, as there are many ideas being shared. We would like to see people actually having a thoughtful conversation where we can have opposing views but really come to modernizing this place and bringing it into the 21st century.
Mr. Speaker, the government was elected because it promised to grow the economy and the middle class and to help more Canadians join the middle class. With that in mind, today's budget will introduce an even more solid program to make our society more inclusive and to ensure that Canadian families that are struggling have a better chance to flourish and succeed.I would ask the member to listen very carefully to what will be said in just a few minutes.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect all parliamentarians to have the highest ethical standards and behaviour that is beyond reproach. It is essential that we maintain Canadians' trust and demonstrate an approach that is worthy of the trust that Canadians have in us.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has been playing fast and loose with the truth. First, there was the Liberals' fabricated fighter jet capability gap, which is really a Liberal credibility gap. Then the minister put an unprecedented gag order on DND officials and stifled debate right here in Parliament. Now the defence minister says it was not him who cut danger pay from our troops fighting ISIS, but I have a document right here with his signature on it that proves that it was.Will the minister come clean and apologize for misleading Canadians, or is he going to double down on his alternate facts?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Canada was elected by its international partners to hold one of the four seats on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership.The Open Government Partnership is an international organization that brings together 75 countries and hundreds of civil society organizations. We are going to help promote the global movement towards more open and accountable government.
Mr. Speaker, occasionally incidents such as this do happen, and we have made it clear to the owner of the ship that it is responsible for the cleanup, and we will make sure that it does happen.
Mr. Speaker, I do believe that this is actually demonstrating more of a reason why this conversation and discussion is necessary. Every single member of Parliament is elected by their constituents to represent their voice in this place. It is important for us to have these conversations so that we can better serve the Canadians that we are here to represent. These are tough conversations, I agree, but I think they are important conversations for us to have, and that is why I released a discussion paper not only for members of Parliament but for the public to also participate in so that we can have the important conversations that we need to have.
Mr. Speaker, I am always pleased to be here in this House to answer tough questions, and easy ones like the member just asked me.The fact is that we are always looking for ways to improve things, and today, as we reflect upon the seat of democracy in London, the fact is that we are putting forward a broad range of proposals, including one
Mr. Speaker, when a parliamentarian is deeply hurt and wronged by comments and debates in the House that undermine the very essence of his work, he must immediately stand up and say so. I therefore rise on a question of privilege.I humbly address all my colleagues. I heard the House Leader of the Official Opposition refer to the government's approach to procedural reform as dictatorial. I heard the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons say that she wanted to hold a discussion and have all parliamentarians take part in it. I would humbly submit to the House that we have had to witness this exchange even though we cannot sit on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs or any other committee. Indeed, since October 19, 2015, we have been banned from this type of debate and thus ostracized as parliamentarians.What I am humbly stating today is that if we want to reform the Standing Orders, I imagine that we want to do so for the good of parliamentary democracy. Therefore, no one would oppose our right to speak, which we had in the case in the Special Committee on Electoral Reform. It is an affront to hear people who have millions of dollars, and so much the better for them, to spend on being heard and having their constituents' voices heard. I was legitimately elected by people who pay their taxes to the federal government and I have the right to sit on the committee that will study parliamentary reforms.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House time and time again, I have the utmost respect for this place. No such comment was made. If the member feels that was the case, I have no problem having a conversation with her. I personally was surprised after their response of what we were getting, but I do believe we can work better in this place.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship of China. Now it turns out he is trying to bring that dictatorship to life right here in Canada. He is trying to avoid any accountability to Canadians by eliminating debate and by giving the Liberals unprecedented control over the House of Commons and its committees. On top of this, he wants to give all his Liberal MPs Fridays off, and it turns out he, himself, only wants to show up to work one day a week. Why does the Prime Minister have such a blatant disregard for being held accountable to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they want to make Parliament more predictable. The only thing predictable around here is that the Liberals will do whatever it takes, including rigging the rules, to avoid accountability. Predictably, the Prime Minister only likes to show up to places where it is all selfies, slogans, and superficiality, so when he finds an opposition instead of an audience, he predictably heads for the exit.Since he loves to be loved, will the Liberal whip demand his MPs start applauding the Prime Minister more often so that he could be predicted to maybe show up here for question period more than once a week?
Mr. Speaker, this is unbelievable. There can only be one conclusion drawn. This a quote with which I am sure the Prime Minister is very familiar: Solutions to important problems are decided not by Party committee...but by one individual. Do members know who said that? It was Chinese dictator Chairman Mao. Canada is not China. Canada is not a dictatorship. The Prime Minister is not the supreme emperor, so maybe he could do Canadians a favour, take another vacation, and not come back until he is ready to stop acting like those dictators he so admires.
Mr. Speaker, I am interested to know how much the finance minister will put in the budget for the Prime Minister's future vacations to billionaire islands. We just learned it cost taxpayers $127,000 the last time, and that is before we add the cost of the Ethics Commissioner's investigation. When will the Prime Minister realize that real Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, and they cannot afford, and do not want to pay for, his lavish lifestyle?
Mr. Speaker, it turns out that the cut-outs became an international embarrassment to the Liberals because of inappropriate things people were doing and posting on social media.Global Affairs ordered the life-sized effigies taken down, as Liberals knew that they were tarnishing the Prime Minister's celebrity persona. Now the government is refusing to tell Canadians how much they cost.In just over an hour, Canadians will find out how much more will be lifted from their wallets to pay for frivolous and out-of-control Liberal spending.Who authorized this half-baked idea, and what were they smoking?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for the question, especially on budget day, because it gives us the chance to reflect back to budget 2016. The commitments that were made included $81 billion over 11 years in public transit, green infrastructure, transportation, and smart cities. We are committed to transitioning to a low-carbon economy, while encouraging businesses to innovate, grow, and create good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. I am sure all members will be very anxious to hear what the Minister of Finance will have to say on the subject only minutes from now.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud that their government takes openness and transparency seriously. They appreciate the fact that their government gets them involved in finding solutions to their problems.Now, it is the international community's turn to demonstrate its confidence in Canada's leadership and openness. Can the minister explain to the House Canada's new role on the global stage, now that we have been elected to a seat on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on much the same point.I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague. This is a problem, but I believe that there is a solution.
Mr. Speaker, with answers like that, we really could replace him with a cardboard cutout, and his peanut gallery would never notice the difference.If the Prime Minister was serious when he said that he wanted to work with the other parties, will he agree to set up a proportional committee where no party can impose changes solely to their own advantage?If he is worried about the reaction of the students who are here today, will he act democratically for once in his life?
Mr. Speaker, as was the case for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister, for security reasons the RCMP accompanies the Prime Minister, whether for personal or business purposes. It was this government that recognized that there was not a policy in place and asked the Clerk of the Privy Council office to help set some guidelines.I would also like to remind the member that it was this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. Conservatives voted against that measure, but I am sure the member would agree that the middle-class tax cut has benefited hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, what exactly was the protocol for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister? The RCMP always accompanies the Prime Minister when he travels, whether for business or pleasure.One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council to put guidelines in place regarding the travel expenses of the sitting Prime Minister, his family, and their guests.
Mr. Speaker, the Service alimentaire communautaire, the SAC, has been providing a unique food assistance program to the families of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield since 2001. It may have to close its doors in June, leaving many vulnerable families with nowhere to turn unless the federal government takes urgent action. A letter was sent to the minister one month ago, but the organization and my constituents have not received a response. A growing number of families in the region are having difficulty putting food on the table. Last December alone, the use of food banks skyrocketed following a 300% increase in demand.When will the minister take action?
Mr. Speaker, budget day brings with it high expectations about the future of thousands of jobs in the softwood lumber sector in the Saguenay and across Quebec.We are still waiting for the government to share information about its plan for the forestry industry. The government has a unique opportunity to show that it is taking the possibility of a trade war with the United States seriously by proposing a plan B that involves loan guarantees.Will the government step up once and for all and show that it is ready to act on behalf of workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, it is no wonder the Prime Minister only wants to be here one day a week. When someone thinks he is elected royalty, he does not have to work, and the average Canadian can pick up the tab for caviar and champagne, but when the Prime Minister wants to fire up the old Challenger, jet off to an island, and get away to entertain his friends, he just pulls out the old taxpayer credit card.Can the Prime Minister justify to Canadians why they are on the hook for his $127,000 vacation and his $1,700 snack bill?
Mr. Speaker, as we speak, opposition MPs continue to stand up to defend Canadians from the Liberals' attack on democracy. Not only does the Prime Minister only want to show up and be accountable to Canadians one day a week, but I have never seen a more pathetic display of arrogance than I saw in question period today as he laughed and smirked as opposition MPs tried to hold him accountable for his actions.I can assure him that in the next election, Canadians will wipe that smirk right off his face.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that the work members do here in the House and in their ridings is important.During the election campaign, we vowed to modernize Parliament and turn it into a 21st-century workplace. Our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is relevant to Canadians and that the House is accountable, predictable, efficient, and transparent.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise to respond to the member's question and to remind all Canadians that we have shared a discussion paper with members of Parliament as well as the public. This government, including myself, respects the work of the committee and I believe that members have the opportunity to have an honest conversation. I actually appreciate a lot of the work that the member opposite has done. I know the committee sat late last night and I know that conversation is starting. All we are asking is let us have a constructive conversation to really modernize the way this place works.
Mr. Speaker, the spectacle in the House today was not a good one for the Prime Minister. He was there laughing and heckling and over-talking the Conservative House leader when she was trying to make a pertinent point about the future of parliamentary democracy in this country. The Prime Minister treats this chamber as his personal chew toy. We are going to stand in our place, we are going to fight for democracy, and we are going to fight for Canadians' rights. When is the Prime Minister going to be on our side and live up to his promises in the last election, rather than throwing it all out the window for his own personal gain?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her statement and support. We were all saddened to learn about today's incident near the British Parliament in London. I express my deepest condolences to the victims of this cowardly attack. The scene unfolding in London is one that is all too familiar to members of this House who were here two and a half years ago.Today's attack on the United Kingdom Parliament is an attack on the world's democracies.An attack on the symbol and the seat of democracy is a cowardly and reprehensible act that we condemn in the strongest terms. Canada and the U.K. are close friends and allies and our message to the citizens of the United Kingdom and our colleagues in the British Parliament is simple: We stand with you.
Mr. Speaker, as is often the case, we did not actually get an answer to the question asked by the Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister is going further than Stephen Harper would have ever dared to do in telling Canadians he only wants to show up in question period once a week.I am going to ask the question again. What would the Prime Minister's reaction have been if Stephen Harper had dared to propose what he is proposing?
Mr. Speaker, four months ago, a South Korean cargo ship lost 35 containers at sea, and potentially harmful debris is still arriving every day on Vancouver Island's west coast. Large pieces of metal and chunks of styrofoam are contaminating our sensitive ecosystems. The Liberal government continues to delay and refuses to act. Community volunteers have been forced to start cleanup efforts themselves. Now we learn that the government received $72,000 from the company to clean up the mess, but it still has not released the funds. Will the government finally step up, do its job, and clean up the mess?
Mr. Speaker, in an unprecedented act, the federal government is dropping its judicial case against 36 individuals arrested in the largest anti-Mafia sting since the Rizzuto case. Thanks to Liberal dithering, serious criminal charges are being either stayed or withdrawn. Is this the reason that the Liberal government is abandoning this case? Is the Minister of Justice going to throw six years of anti-Mafia investigations in the trash because they refuse to provide proper resources to our justice system?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is proposing to change the rules so he can actually silence the opposition. His plan is to restrict debate, shorten the work week, and limit his attendance at question period to one day a week. No one has ever attempted gutting accountability like this.I would like to ask him a simple question. What would he have done if former prime minister Stephen Harper had proposed the same thing?
Again, Mr. Speaker, the way we are going about this is by opening a discussion, having an open conversation with the members opposite about how to
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected
Mr. Speaker, it is not just a question of role and money. It is a question of principle and honour, and the government has none.A prime minister must adhere to three guiding principles: he must show humility, show restraint, and manage finances carefully.When will this Prime Minister finally act with honour, lead by example, and stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our missions in the United States. The missions have been asked to no longer use these for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion the values Canadians hold dear, both here and abroad. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, Canada's partner and ally.
Mr. Speaker, now that the Minister of Canadian Heritage is not denying that 87% of the projects approved for Canada 150 are in Liberal ridings in Quebec, can she explain to the House why the objectives and criteria for the Canada 150 program were changed in the summer of 2016? Does the Prime Minister think it is acceptable to change the criteria and objectives of a program that is already under way?
Mr. Speaker, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the International Energy Agency have all urged governments around the world to do two things, at a minimum: to put in place a carbon price and to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies.I wonder if the Prime Minister could update us on where we are. We know progress is being made on the carbon price. Where are we on eliminating fossil fuel subsidies?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Our purpose during question period is to question the government and hold it to account. After asking the question today, the government House leader looked at me and said, I'm going to get you for this. In that sense, I believe my privilege, and others here, has been violated. As such, I ask you to look into this matter.
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to add that this is the only democracy in the western world that has a double standard for members. We do not see this in any Canadian province or in any western democracy. It is time to address this injustice.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's plan undermines the very principles of responsible and accountable government. The fact that the Prime Minister does not want to show up to answer questions more than once a week shows what little respect he has for Canada's Parliament. As inconvenient as he thinks it is, Parliament is actually the seat of our democracy, and central to that is the role of the opposition. Can the Prime Minister explain to us why he is willing to undermine our system of democracy simply to get out of answering tough questions?
Mr. Speaker, an organization in my riding, Projet Harmonie, has been receiving funding since 1999 from the community action program for children. The organization offers services to extremely vulnerable young people, including some struggling with problems related to street gangs.As a result of a serious internal crisis and administrative management problems, which it has recognized, the organization's funding was cut. Project Harmonie has gotten back on track and would like to restore its partnership with the Public Health Agency.Will the minister step up and support this important organization?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected our government on a plan to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class, and we are delivering on that very commitment. Over the last six months, almost 220,000 jobs were created, the majority of which were full-time jobs. This is the strongest six months of job growth in almost a decade. This is evidence that the plan we have put in place is working. We will continue to make the necessary investments in budget 2017 to continue to strengthen the middle class and those working hard to join it and to create the conditions for growth of our economy.
Mr. Speaker, it was about a year ago the Prime Minister tried to push through changes to Parliament's rules to silence the opposition. That attempt ended in complete failure and he had to back down, but yet, here he is again, at it again, wanting to centralize his power. This time he wants to shut down debate and he only wants to show up for question period one day a week.Why is the Prime Minister so determined to avoid accountability?
Mr. Speaker, the government House leader introduced a discussion paper, and then mere days later tried to ram that, and is currently ramming that discussion paper, through Parliament. This is not a discussion. This is not a conversation. This is a dictatorship. I implore the House leader. I implore the government. All we are asking for is that we all be able to come to agreement, as precedent has set, before any major changes are made. I am asking the government to reset this horrid mess it has created and listen to all of us before any changes are made.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers get up every morning and go to work to earn a living. Now the government is considering cutting back our hours of work here in Ottawa. Spending more and working less: what kind of example is that setting for society? Merely thinking up the idea is immoral. The Liberals say this is just a consultation. Can the Liberal government work to create a prosperous Canada? Can the government respect all members and commit to changing the rules only if there is unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, the Calgary Olympic bid exploration committee is making plans to include Banff's Lake Louise ski area in its 2026 bid. Putting the Olympic Games in Canada's oldest national park would require expanding the resort into protected natural areas. The environment minister has been silent on whether she would permit Olympic expansion in this UNESCO world heritage site.Will she stand today and firmly reject any further development in Banff National Park?
Mr. Speaker, I will reply in our other official language this time. The use of the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our Canadian missions in the United States. They have been asked to no longer use it for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion Canadian values. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, our international friend and ally.
Mr. Speaker, when a minister breaches that trust, what is the penalty? Instead of going around in circles, the Prime Minister would do well to respond soon.To be clear, Canadians believe that there is no problem with the Prime Minister taking a vacation, but Canadians do have a problem with the Prime Minister accepting illegal gifts, breaking the law, and then charging the taxpayers over $125,000.Does the Prime Minister honestly believe that paying back a mere $4,000 is enough when he blew over $125,000 of hard-earned taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, if he gets his way, we really never will get to second-guess the Prime Minister.The Prime Minister would put everybody's mind at ease if he would just agree that he will not use his majority to ram through changes to the Standing Orders without all-party consent. Unanimity has always been sought for changes to the rules that divide power between government and opposition. For example, the committee that Jean Chrétien set up to review the Standing Orders had unanimous consent written into its mandate, but the current Prime Minister seems to feel that decades of precedents count for nothing.Why the fuddle duddle will he not commit to the long-standing practice that we do not change the rules without unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, as is the custom for previous prime ministers, we repaid the cost of equivalent commercial flights, but for the first time, we actually put in place a system of rules that oversee that because there was never that in previous Parliaments or under previous prime ministers.The other fact is the RCMP makes determinations on how to protect the prime minister and we will not second-guess the decisions that the RCMP makes.
Mr. Speaker, decisions such as this are made by the Public Prosecution Service, which is independent of government. I will say that there are still charges pending in this case. Further to that, I will use this opportunity to again talk about the reforms that we are making and the comprehensive review of the criminal justice system that we are undertaking, including sentencing reform and looking at bail reform. We introduced an open and transparent process for judges to ensure public safety, respect for victims, and respect for the charter. I look forward to continuing this work.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister purports to be a feminist, yet when a strong, confident woman dares to question his arrogance and unilaterally changing the fundamentals of Canadian democracy, he tried to stare her down and yell at her. Will this so-called feminist stand up and apologize to my colleague, or will he once again make a woman do his dirty work?
Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague because we have the same problem. Of course I am the only member of the Green Party, but the Green Party is a parliamentary party.We recognize that the motion before the committee at the moment recognizes that parties that do not sit on the committee as a caucus have some ability to participate, but we are not, at this point, informed as to what that ability would be. And, unfortunately, the discussion paper itself makes a large mistake in vocabulary in describing members of the Bloc and members of the Green Party as though we were independents, which we are not.
Mr. Speaker, bilingualism is very important to our government, as is respect for official languages. Federal services must be provided in accordance with the Official Languages Act. Airport security is important and CATSA does good work, but it must also do so by providing service in both languages with courtesy and respect, of course.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of my service in the Canadian Armed Forces as a reservist. I am proud of my combat time. Every time I make a decision, it is about thinking about when I had boots on the ground. That is how I will take every future decision.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals love to talk up the Canada child benefit. It was supposed to help nine million children out of poverty, but in my riding, there are many families that have to jump through one hoop after another just to submit a claim. What good is a benefit if families that really need it are not getting it? How many eligible parents have yet to receive the Canada child benefit, and when will the government shift its priorities from protecting the wealthiest to making life more affordable for all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, today in London, the U.K. Parliament is the scene of an attack, an attack all too familiar to many members of the House and those who work here. While there are still many questions yet to be answered around the circumstances, on behalf of the official opposition, I offer my sincere condolences and prayers to all of those who are affected.Will the Prime Minister join me in condemning these attacks and offer any and all support to our U.K. friends?
Mr. Speaker, for decades, Canada has had one of the strongest and most successful immigration and refugee programs in the world. That is because we have detailed laws, passport requirements, borders, and visas, all to ensure that our system is fair and rules based. This actually ensures the integrity and the success of our system.Will the Prime Minister strongly signal to all those who want to make Canada their home that they must follow the rules?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, we recognize the importance of Canada's forestry sector. We have initiated a very good dialogue with the provinces that could be affected by new measures. We will absolutely have a plan to work together to protect jobs in this country. Canadians can count on us.
Mr. Speaker, it is this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. It was this government that introduced the Canada child benefit to help families with children who need help the most, to ensure that they get the most. It was this government that took unprecedented levels of public consultation so that we could respond to the very real challenges that Canadians are facing.In regard to the member's question, when we took office, there were no guidelines in place. One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council office to put guidelines in place, and we will continue to do the good work Canadians expect us to do.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is extraordinarily fortunate because we have citizens who understand that a strong immigration policy is a benefit to the country, but also requires a rigorous process and protected borders. That is why we are ensuring that all Canadian laws are being followed. We continue to make sure that our police agencies and border services have all the resources they need to deal with situations that arise, as, for example, are arising in Manitoba and in Quebec. We continue to make sure that Canadians are confident that our system is strong and solid.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be a strong woman who has been empowered by a government to have a voice and to help create the change we were elected to create.It is clear that this House needs modernization. The House needs this conversation. The House needs a solid, substantial discussion, and that is exactly what I am encouraging all of us to do. Each of us has a role. Each of us represents a riding. We represent Canadians all together. Let us work better together.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate once again the opportunity to rise in the House to talk about the important discussion paper I presented to members of Parliament as well as the public. An important conversation needs to take place. It is important that we read the document in its entirety. I remember when I was growing up that I talked about change and the importance of change. I remember a good friend of mine saying to me that change starts with me. Every single one of us has a responsibility to Canadians to be part of this conversation. I know we can have a good conversation, a meaningful, constructive conversation, and I encourage all members to be part of it.
Mr. Speaker, it is a discussion paper, and I encourage all members, as well as the public, to read it in its entirety. There are many great ideas, and we are asking the committee to actually broaden the scope of its study. We know that many ideas have already been presented. I have made myself part of that conversation. Every single member of Parliament is here to do important work for Canadians. We would like to make this place more relevant to Canadians, and I am sure all members would agree that we can work better together.
Mr. Speaker, as I have shared with members in the House as well as with Canadians, our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is more relevant for Canadians, to ensure that we can make this place more efficient, more predictable, more transparent, and more accountable. That is the purpose of the discussion paper. It is a conversation we would like to have with all colleagues in this place. I am also encouraging Canadians to be part of this conversation. As we all know, this place belongs to Canadians and that is exactly whom we are here to serve.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to highlight that we are always open to improvements and ways to be able to hold this government to account. That includes looking at how things are done elsewhere, including in the U.K., where the prime minister has an entire question period devoted to answering questions.
Mr. Speaker, when I was a young officer in the army, I was taught to be honest, but from what I can see, not everyone received that training.The minister distorts the facts whenever it suits him. He has made up a capability gap because that will allow him to purchase Super Hornets and please his friends at Boeing. Secondly, to justify the fact that he has not done anything to improve protection for cadets, he is saying that they no longer handle weapons, even though many cadet corps participate in shooting competitions.Will the minister stop misleading the House and apologize?
On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, we were pleased to put out a broad discussion paper on how we can make improvements to the functioning of this House of Commons so that members can better hold the government to account, so we can move forward on legislation, so we can make for a better work-life balance for the many individuals in this House with young families. This is so that members can do a better job of working efficiently here in Ottawa while serving their constituents back at home.I am excited to be launching an open conversation for all members of this House to participate in. I encourage the members opposite to continue to contribute their thoughtful ideas to this process.
Mr. Speaker, all members of the House were delighted with the introduction of the Canada child benefit, which is the most important social policy innovation in a generation. It is because we are not sending benefits and cheques to families of millionaires anymore that we are able to help nine families out of 10, families with six million children across Canada who receive on average $200 per month, non-taxable, unlike the earlier inequitable tax system.
Mr. Speaker, Canada has a rich and proud history of hosting both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Any bid from any city and province will definitely be looked at within the context of this submission, including under our international hosting sports strategy and policy. We will make a decision once we have all the information, once we have government guarantees, and certainly taking into consideration where this event is supposed to be hosted.
Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge, I see more and more entrepreneurs and businesses either starting up something new in the clean-tech sector or creating a business line that offers clean-tech innovation. In a recent report on B.C.'s clean-tech sector, it was reported that there are now 273 clean-tech companies with 8,650 jobs based in B.C. These companies are diversified and operate in everything from transportation to agriculture. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development please share with us what the government is doing to support this sector and to create good, quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister thinks he is elected royalty and Canadians should lavish him with exotic island vacations, nannies, and a jet-setting lifestyle. The Prime Minister spent $127,000 on his island excursion with the famjam and his BFFs. Seventeen hundred dollars were spent on food and drinks alone for a three-hour flight. There are people in my riding who are struggling to pay the mortgage, but the Prime Minister thinks he is entitled to his caviar and champagne.Why does this wealthy trust-fund Prime Minister think he can abuse taxpayers' dollars entertaining himself this way?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to welcome all the young people in the gallery. We are going to present a budget that will help the middle class and assure its future. That is the type of thing that we should be discussing. The fact that we are proposing
Mr. Speaker, the previous government would not have put out an open discussion paper nor would it have engaged with the opposition in proposed months of discussion in committee on the best way to move forward.We are happy to be launching an open conversation on how to improve the functioning of this Parliament in a way that meets the needs of Canadian families and Canadian members of Parliament. The fact is we are happy that we are launching in an open way an important conversation that apparently the members opposite really do not want to have.
Mr. Speaker, I wonder about the schoolchildren in the gallery who are wondering how effective this Parliament actually is right now.We are proposing a way to discuss how to improve the quality of debate and allow the government to be held to account in a thoughtful, responsible way, and this kind of shouting is what they get. That is not worthy of this Parliament. It is not worthy of the people they serve.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are worried about their future. That is why we are pleased to present a budget that invests in their future and that helps the middle class.I look forward to answering questions about what we are doing for Canadians, because that is what our job requires, that is, serving Canadians to the best of our ability.
Mr. Speaker, my question is simple. In the Prime Minister's opinion, what would be an appropriate penalty for ministers who violate the Conflict of Interest Act?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Commissioner of Official Languages tabled a report denouncing the shortage of bilingual agents at Canadian airports. Only 9% of employees in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto speak French.The Official Languages Act stipulates that all Canadians flying through an airport in Canada should be able to be served in the official language of their choice. Complying with legislation is mandatory, not optional.When will the Minister of Transport enforce the use of official languages by the employees in question?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his leadership on this file.Last week, I was in beautiful British Columbia and saw first hand the diversity of this innovative economy, especially the vibrant clean tech sector. The member opposite has highlighted the leadership role that B.C. is playing in clean tech, with the number of companies, the number of jobs, and these are good-quality jobs that, on average, pay $84,000. That is why our government invested $58 million in clean tech jobs. This is about addressing the problems of tomorrow and creating good-quality jobs today.
Mr. Speaker, at festivals and events, at consulates and the Canadian embassy in the U.S., cardboard cut-outs of the Prime Minister have started appearing. Much like the real-life version of the Prime Minister, there were plenty of selfies but not much in the way of substance. The cut-outs are so vain that the Prime Minister probably thinks a certain Carly Simon song was about him.When Canadian seniors and families are paying for the Liberals' tax-and-spend agenda, who thought a cut-out was a good idea, and how much did it cost? What was the Prime Minister thinking?
Mr. Speaker, I assume that the member opposite is speaking about the community action fund. I have heard from several members of the House about the importance of the community action fund. The Public Health Agency of Canada is making sure that all programs that are doing this good and important work have the resources necessary for them and is working with the provinces and territories in that regard. We look forward to continuing to support this kind of work.
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to talk about some young leaders in my community. Some of them belong to my riding's community group. These young people are very interested in the environment and want to know how they can get more involved in protecting the environment.I would like to ask the Minister of Environment and Climate Change if she could share with the House how young people in Canada can get more involved and play a bigger role in climate change.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are very excited about the 150th anniversary celebrations. This is obvious from the thousands of projects we received, all totalling nearly $2 billion, when we have only $200 million in available funds.My colleagues and Canadians know that the celebrations will feature four main themes: youth, the environment, inclusiveness and diversity, and reconciliation with indigenous peoples. I am very pleased to say that Canadians will come through, there will be equitable regional distribution, and when all is said and done, 2017 will be a big year.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals campaigned on a promise of real change. This is real change, a move from democracy to what? A dictatorship? The Chinese style of dictatorship the Prime Minister seems to prefer is creeping its way into committees. Discussions are more like directives. I would like to ask the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, what is the schedule, what is the agenda, and what are the priorities of the committee on procedure and house affairs?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question.It is a shame, but our young people are already seeing the impact of climate change in their communities. I am very happy to see them be part of the solution by buying reusable products, reducing waste, using public transit, and preserving natural spaces. I also strongly encourage young Canadians to submit their bold ideas for clean growth to the North American youth innovation challenge. Winners will receive $5,000 and will have a chance to pitch their innovations to me and my counterparts from Mexico and the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that the member opposite might be feeling a bit of guilt from the time when he was the parliamentary secretary sending our troops overseas without the tax exemption. That was his original question from yesterday. As I told him very openly, we looked at the problem in February 2016 and sent a letter to the finance minister to get this changed. There are rules that were placed in 2014 that we are now reviewing so that we can make sure that when we send troops, they do not have to deal with this issue ever again.
Mr. Speaker, a discussion paper that I released was made available for members of Parliament as well as Canadians. I believe it is a reasonable discussion paper, encouraging members in this place to have a conversation, to have a discussion. The member opposite is misrepresenting the document, as there are many ideas being shared. We would like to see people actually having a thoughtful conversation where we can have opposing views but really come to modernizing this place and bringing it into the 21st century.
Mr. Speaker, the government was elected because it promised to grow the economy and the middle class and to help more Canadians join the middle class. With that in mind, today's budget will introduce an even more solid program to make our society more inclusive and to ensure that Canadian families that are struggling have a better chance to flourish and succeed.I would ask the member to listen very carefully to what will be said in just a few minutes.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect all parliamentarians to have the highest ethical standards and behaviour that is beyond reproach. It is essential that we maintain Canadians' trust and demonstrate an approach that is worthy of the trust that Canadians have in us.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has been playing fast and loose with the truth. First, there was the Liberals' fabricated fighter jet capability gap, which is really a Liberal credibility gap. Then the minister put an unprecedented gag order on DND officials and stifled debate right here in Parliament. Now the defence minister says it was not him who cut danger pay from our troops fighting ISIS, but I have a document right here with his signature on it that proves that it was.Will the minister come clean and apologize for misleading Canadians, or is he going to double down on his alternate facts?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that Canada was elected by its international partners to hold one of the four seats on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership.The Open Government Partnership is an international organization that brings together 75 countries and hundreds of civil society organizations. We are going to help promote the global movement towards more open and accountable government.
Mr. Speaker, occasionally incidents such as this do happen, and we have made it clear to the owner of the ship that it is responsible for the cleanup, and we will make sure that it does happen.
Mr. Speaker, I do believe that this is actually demonstrating more of a reason why this conversation and discussion is necessary. Every single member of Parliament is elected by their constituents to represent their voice in this place. It is important for us to have these conversations so that we can better serve the Canadians that we are here to represent. These are tough conversations, I agree, but I think they are important conversations for us to have, and that is why I released a discussion paper not only for members of Parliament but for the public to also participate in so that we can have the important conversations that we need to have.
Mr. Speaker, I am always pleased to be here in this House to answer tough questions, and easy ones like the member just asked me.The fact is that we are always looking for ways to improve things, and today, as we reflect upon the seat of democracy in London, the fact is that we are putting forward a broad range of proposals, including one
Mr. Speaker, when a parliamentarian is deeply hurt and wronged by comments and debates in the House that undermine the very essence of his work, he must immediately stand up and say so. I therefore rise on a question of privilege.I humbly address all my colleagues. I heard the House Leader of the Official Opposition refer to the government's approach to procedural reform as dictatorial. I heard the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons say that she wanted to hold a discussion and have all parliamentarians take part in it. I would humbly submit to the House that we have had to witness this exchange even though we cannot sit on the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs or any other committee. Indeed, since October 19, 2015, we have been banned from this type of debate and thus ostracized as parliamentarians.What I am humbly stating today is that if we want to reform the Standing Orders, I imagine that we want to do so for the good of parliamentary democracy. Therefore, no one would oppose our right to speak, which we had in the case in the Special Committee on Electoral Reform. It is an affront to hear people who have millions of dollars, and so much the better for them, to spend on being heard and having their constituents' voices heard. I was legitimately elected by people who pay their taxes to the federal government and I have the right to sit on the committee that will study parliamentary reforms.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House time and time again, I have the utmost respect for this place. No such comment was made. If the member feels that was the case, I have no problem having a conversation with her. I personally was surprised after their response of what we were getting, but I do believe we can work better in this place.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship of China. Now it turns out he is trying to bring that dictatorship to life right here in Canada. He is trying to avoid any accountability to Canadians by eliminating debate and by giving the Liberals unprecedented control over the House of Commons and its committees. On top of this, he wants to give all his Liberal MPs Fridays off, and it turns out he, himself, only wants to show up to work one day a week. Why does the Prime Minister have such a blatant disregard for being held accountable to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals say they want to make Parliament more predictable. The only thing predictable around here is that the Liberals will do whatever it takes, including rigging the rules, to avoid accountability. Predictably, the Prime Minister only likes to show up to places where it is all selfies, slogans, and superficiality, so when he finds an opposition instead of an audience, he predictably heads for the exit.Since he loves to be loved, will the Liberal whip demand his MPs start applauding the Prime Minister more often so that he could be predicted to maybe show up here for question period more than once a week?
Mr. Speaker, this is unbelievable. There can only be one conclusion drawn. This a quote with which I am sure the Prime Minister is very familiar: Solutions to important problems are decided not by Party committee...but by one individual. Do members know who said that? It was Chinese dictator Chairman Mao. Canada is not China. Canada is not a dictatorship. The Prime Minister is not the supreme emperor, so maybe he could do Canadians a favour, take another vacation, and not come back until he is ready to stop acting like those dictators he so admires.
Mr. Speaker, I am interested to know how much the finance minister will put in the budget for the Prime Minister's future vacations to billionaire islands. We just learned it cost taxpayers $127,000 the last time, and that is before we add the cost of the Ethics Commissioner's investigation. When will the Prime Minister realize that real Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, and they cannot afford, and do not want to pay for, his lavish lifestyle?
Mr. Speaker, it turns out that the cut-outs became an international embarrassment to the Liberals because of inappropriate things people were doing and posting on social media.Global Affairs ordered the life-sized effigies taken down, as Liberals knew that they were tarnishing the Prime Minister's celebrity persona. Now the government is refusing to tell Canadians how much they cost.In just over an hour, Canadians will find out how much more will be lifted from their wallets to pay for frivolous and out-of-control Liberal spending.Who authorized this half-baked idea, and what were they smoking?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad for the question, especially on budget day, because it gives us the chance to reflect back to budget 2016. The commitments that were made included $81 billion over 11 years in public transit, green infrastructure, transportation, and smart cities. We are committed to transitioning to a low-carbon economy, while encouraging businesses to innovate, grow, and create good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. I am sure all members will be very anxious to hear what the Minister of Finance will have to say on the subject only minutes from now.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud that their government takes openness and transparency seriously. They appreciate the fact that their government gets them involved in finding solutions to their problems.Now, it is the international community's turn to demonstrate its confidence in Canada's leadership and openness. Can the minister explain to the House Canada's new role on the global stage, now that we have been elected to a seat on the steering committee of the Open Government Partnership?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on much the same point.I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague. This is a problem, but I believe that there is a solution.
Mr. Speaker, with answers like that, we really could replace him with a cardboard cutout, and his peanut gallery would never notice the difference.If the Prime Minister was serious when he said that he wanted to work with the other parties, will he agree to set up a proportional committee where no party can impose changes solely to their own advantage?If he is worried about the reaction of the students who are here today, will he act democratically for once in his life?
Mr. Speaker, as was the case for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister, for security reasons the RCMP accompanies the Prime Minister, whether for personal or business purposes. It was this government that recognized that there was not a policy in place and asked the Clerk of the Privy Council office to help set some guidelines.I would also like to remind the member that it was this government that lowered taxes on middle-class Canadians by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. Conservatives voted against that measure, but I am sure the member would agree that the middle-class tax cut has benefited hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, what exactly was the protocol for previous prime ministers, including the former prime minister? The RCMP always accompanies the Prime Minister when he travels, whether for business or pleasure.One of the first things we did was ask the Clerk of the Privy Council to put guidelines in place regarding the travel expenses of the sitting Prime Minister, his family, and their guests.
Mr. Speaker, the Service alimentaire communautaire, the SAC, has been providing a unique food assistance program to the families of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield since 2001. It may have to close its doors in June, leaving many vulnerable families with nowhere to turn unless the federal government takes urgent action. A letter was sent to the minister one month ago, but the organization and my constituents have not received a response. A growing number of families in the region are having difficulty putting food on the table. Last December alone, the use of food banks skyrocketed following a 300% increase in demand.When will the minister take action?
Mr. Speaker, budget day brings with it high expectations about the future of thousands of jobs in the softwood lumber sector in the Saguenay and across Quebec.We are still waiting for the government to share information about its plan for the forestry industry. The government has a unique opportunity to show that it is taking the possibility of a trade war with the United States seriously by proposing a plan B that involves loan guarantees.Will the government step up once and for all and show that it is ready to act on behalf of workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, it is no wonder the Prime Minister only wants to be here one day a week. When someone thinks he is elected royalty, he does not have to work, and the average Canadian can pick up the tab for caviar and champagne, but when the Prime Minister wants to fire up the old Challenger, jet off to an island, and get away to entertain his friends, he just pulls out the old taxpayer credit card.Can the Prime Minister justify to Canadians why they are on the hook for his $127,000 vacation and his $1,700 snack bill?
Mr. Speaker, as we speak, opposition MPs continue to stand up to defend Canadians from the Liberals' attack on democracy. Not only does the Prime Minister only want to show up and be accountable to Canadians one day a week, but I have never seen a more pathetic display of arrogance than I saw in question period today as he laughed and smirked as opposition MPs tried to hold him accountable for his actions.I can assure him that in the next election, Canadians will wipe that smirk right off his face.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that the work members do here in the House and in their ridings is important.During the election campaign, we vowed to modernize Parliament and turn it into a 21st-century workplace. Our objective has always been to ensure that Parliament is relevant to Canadians and that the House is accountable, predictable, efficient, and transparent.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise to respond to the member's question and to remind all Canadians that we have shared a discussion paper with members of Parliament as well as the public. This government, including myself, respects the work of the committee and I believe that members have the opportunity to have an honest conversation. I actually appreciate a lot of the work that the member opposite has done. I know the committee sat late last night and I know that conversation is starting. All we are asking is let us have a constructive conversation to really modernize the way this place works.
Mr. Speaker, the spectacle in the House today was not a good one for the Prime Minister. He was there laughing and heckling and over-talking the Conservative House leader when she was trying to make a pertinent point about the future of parliamentary democracy in this country. The Prime Minister treats this chamber as his personal chew toy. We are going to stand in our place, we are going to fight for democracy, and we are going to fight for Canadians' rights. When is the Prime Minister going to be on our side and live up to his promises in the last election, rather than throwing it all out the window for his own personal gain?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her statement and support. We were all saddened to learn about today's incident near the British Parliament in London. I express my deepest condolences to the victims of this cowardly attack. The scene unfolding in London is one that is all too familiar to members of this House who were here two and a half years ago.Today's attack on the United Kingdom Parliament is an attack on the world's democracies.An attack on the symbol and the seat of democracy is a cowardly and reprehensible act that we condemn in the strongest terms. Canada and the U.K. are close friends and allies and our message to the citizens of the United Kingdom and our colleagues in the British Parliament is simple: We stand with you.
Mr. Speaker, as is often the case, we did not actually get an answer to the question asked by the Leader of the Opposition. The Prime Minister is going further than Stephen Harper would have ever dared to do in telling Canadians he only wants to show up in question period once a week.I am going to ask the question again. What would the Prime Minister's reaction have been if Stephen Harper had dared to propose what he is proposing?
Mr. Speaker, four months ago, a South Korean cargo ship lost 35 containers at sea, and potentially harmful debris is still arriving every day on Vancouver Island's west coast. Large pieces of metal and chunks of styrofoam are contaminating our sensitive ecosystems. The Liberal government continues to delay and refuses to act. Community volunteers have been forced to start cleanup efforts themselves. Now we learn that the government received $72,000 from the company to clean up the mess, but it still has not released the funds. Will the government finally step up, do its job, and clean up the mess?
Mr. Speaker, in an unprecedented act, the federal government is dropping its judicial case against 36 individuals arrested in the largest anti-Mafia sting since the Rizzuto case. Thanks to Liberal dithering, serious criminal charges are being either stayed or withdrawn. Is this the reason that the Liberal government is abandoning this case? Is the Minister of Justice going to throw six years of anti-Mafia investigations in the trash because they refuse to provide proper resources to our justice system?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is proposing to change the rules so he can actually silence the opposition. His plan is to restrict debate, shorten the work week, and limit his attendance at question period to one day a week. No one has ever attempted gutting accountability like this.I would like to ask him a simple question. What would he have done if former prime minister Stephen Harper had proposed the same thing?
Again, Mr. Speaker, the way we are going about this is by opening a discussion, having an open conversation with the members opposite about how to
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected
Mr. Speaker, it is not just a question of role and money. It is a question of principle and honour, and the government has none.A prime minister must adhere to three guiding principles: he must show humility, show restraint, and manage finances carefully.When will this Prime Minister finally act with honour, lead by example, and stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our missions in the United States. The missions have been asked to no longer use these for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion the values Canadians hold dear, both here and abroad. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, Canada's partner and ally.
Mr. Speaker, now that the Minister of Canadian Heritage is not denying that 87% of the projects approved for Canada 150 are in Liberal ridings in Quebec, can she explain to the House why the objectives and criteria for the Canada 150 program were changed in the summer of 2016? Does the Prime Minister think it is acceptable to change the criteria and objectives of a program that is already under way?
Mr. Speaker, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the International Energy Agency have all urged governments around the world to do two things, at a minimum: to put in place a carbon price and to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies.I wonder if the Prime Minister could update us on where we are. We know progress is being made on the carbon price. Where are we on eliminating fossil fuel subsidies?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Our purpose during question period is to question the government and hold it to account. After asking the question today, the government House leader looked at me and said, I'm going to get you for this. In that sense, I believe my privilege, and others here, has been violated. As such, I ask you to look into this matter.
Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to add that this is the only democracy in the western world that has a double standard for members. We do not see this in any Canadian province or in any western democracy. It is time to address this injustice.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's plan undermines the very principles of responsible and accountable government. The fact that the Prime Minister does not want to show up to answer questions more than once a week shows what little respect he has for Canada's Parliament. As inconvenient as he thinks it is, Parliament is actually the seat of our democracy, and central to that is the role of the opposition. Can the Prime Minister explain to us why he is willing to undermine our system of democracy simply to get out of answering tough questions?
Mr. Speaker, an organization in my riding, Projet Harmonie, has been receiving funding since 1999 from the community action program for children. The organization offers services to extremely vulnerable young people, including some struggling with problems related to street gangs.As a result of a serious internal crisis and administrative management problems, which it has recognized, the organization's funding was cut. Project Harmonie has gotten back on track and would like to restore its partnership with the Public Health Agency.Will the minister step up and support this important organization?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected our government on a plan to grow the economy and strengthen the middle class, and we are delivering on that very commitment. Over the last six months, almost 220,000 jobs were created, the majority of which were full-time jobs. This is the strongest six months of job growth in almost a decade. This is evidence that the plan we have put in place is working. We will continue to make the necessary investments in budget 2017 to continue to strengthen the middle class and those working hard to join it and to create the conditions for growth of our economy.
Mr. Speaker, it was about a year ago the Prime Minister tried to push through changes to Parliament's rules to silence the opposition. That attempt ended in complete failure and he had to back down, but yet, here he is again, at it again, wanting to centralize his power. This time he wants to shut down debate and he only wants to show up for question period one day a week.Why is the Prime Minister so determined to avoid accountability?
Mr. Speaker, the government House leader introduced a discussion paper, and then mere days later tried to ram that, and is currently ramming that discussion paper, through Parliament. This is not a discussion. This is not a conversation. This is a dictatorship. I implore the House leader. I implore the government. All we are asking for is that we all be able to come to agreement, as precedent has set, before any major changes are made. I am asking the government to reset this horrid mess it has created and listen to all of us before any changes are made.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers get up every morning and go to work to earn a living. Now the government is considering cutting back our hours of work here in Ottawa. Spending more and working less: what kind of example is that setting for society? Merely thinking up the idea is immoral. The Liberals say this is just a consultation. Can the Liberal government work to create a prosperous Canada? Can the government respect all members and commit to changing the rules only if there is unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, the Calgary Olympic bid exploration committee is making plans to include Banff's Lake Louise ski area in its 2026 bid. Putting the Olympic Games in Canada's oldest national park would require expanding the resort into protected natural areas. The environment minister has been silent on whether she would permit Olympic expansion in this UNESCO world heritage site.Will she stand today and firmly reject any further development in Banff National Park?
Mr. Speaker, I will reply in our other official language this time. The use of the promotional item in question was at the discretion of our Canadian missions in the United States. They have been asked to no longer use it for their events.Regardless, under this government, Canada is re-engaging in the world to champion Canadian values. This includes taking all opportunities to engage with our international counterparts, including the United States, our international friend and ally.
Mr. Speaker, when a minister breaches that trust, what is the penalty? Instead of going around in circles, the Prime Minister would do well to respond soon.To be clear, Canadians believe that there is no problem with the Prime Minister taking a vacation, but Canadians do have a problem with the Prime Minister accepting illegal gifts, breaking the law, and then charging the taxpayers over $125,000.Does the Prime Minister honestly believe that paying back a mere $4,000 is enough when he blew over $125,000 of hard-earned taxpayers' money?
Mr. Speaker, if he gets his way, we really never will get to second-guess the Prime Minister.The Prime Minister would put everybody's mind at ease if he would just agree that he will not use his majority to ram through changes to the Standing Orders without all-party consent. Unanimity has always been sought for changes to the rules that divide power between government and opposition. For example, the committee that Jean Chrétien set up to review the Standing Orders had unanimous consent written into its mandate, but the current Prime Minister seems to feel that decades of precedents count for nothing.Why the fuddle duddle will he not commit to the long-standing practice that we do not change the rules without unanimous consent?
Mr. Speaker, as is the custom for previous prime ministers, we repaid the cost of equivalent commercial flights, but for the first time, we actually put in place a system of rules that oversee that because there was never that in previous Parliaments or under previous prime ministers.The other fact is the RCMP makes determinations on how to protect the prime minister and we will not second-guess the decisions that the RCMP makes.
Mr. Speaker, decisions such as this are made by the Public Prosecution Service, which is independent of government. I will say that there are still charges pending in this case. Further to that, I will use this opportunity to again talk about the reforms that we are making and the comprehensive review of the criminal justice system that we are undertaking, including sentencing reform and looking at bail reform. We introduced an open and transparent process for judges to ensure public safety, respect for victims, and respect for the charter. I look forward to continuing this work.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister purports to be a feminist, yet when a strong, confident woman dares to question his arrogance and unilaterally changing the fundamentals of Canadian democracy, he tried to stare her down and yell at her. Will this so-called feminist stand up and apologize to my colleague, or will he once again make a woman do his dirty work?
Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with my Bloc Québécois colleague because we have the same problem. Of course I am the only member of the Green Party, but the Green Party is a parliamentary party.We recognize that the motion before the committee at the moment recognizes that parties that do not sit on the committee as a caucus have some ability to participate, but we are not, at this point, informed as to what that ability would be. And, unfortunately, the discussion paper itself makes a large mistake in vocabulary in describing members of the Bloc and members of the Green Party as though we were independents, which we are not.