Most toxic speeches
Madam Speaker, for months now the Liberals have been dodging questions and making up excuses. They claim it will save money, but it is tens of millions more. They claim it is to expand, but the reality is Vegreville has room for the 32 more staff planned. The Liberals slag the employees, but the department itself says that they are high performers, exemplary workers who always exceed departmental targets. There was no consultation, no transparency, and no honesty.Will the minister admit this is an attack on middle-class rural Canadians and stop it now?
Madam Speaker, the government has cut health transfers. Naturally, this has a direct effect on the sick. The government has abandoned our cheese producers and it refuses to provide loan guarantees for the forestry industry, which is facing a new softwood lumber crisis. It is not going to increase regular EI benefits.Does this government and the Liberal Minister of National Revenue realize that the refusal to take action, this lax attitude, and complacency towards KPMG and tax havens have a direct effect on our sick, our workers, and our unemployed?
Madam Speaker, this government is deploying all of the resources it has at its disposal, both human and financial, in support of fixing these problems that were left to us by the Conservatives.I can assure the hon. member that in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and right across this country, there are hundreds of public servants, hundreds of people working today at this very moment, on resolving these problems which we are all very eager to resolve.
Madam Speaker, when people who have been victims of domestic violence apply for the CRA child tax benefit, they are burdened with an onerous and impossible requirement. CRA expects the victims to return to the abusers to obtain a signature for the application. This is an outrageous and even dangerous requirement for domestic abuse survivors who are trying to build a better, safer life for their families.Will the Liberals do the right thing, drop this unreasonable demand, and support survivors rather than empowering their abusers?
Madam Speaker, this week is National Safe Driving Week. As my colleagues probably already know, impaired driving is a serious crime that injures and kills thousands of Canadians every year. In 2015, the police reported 72,000 incidents of impaired driving, 3,000 of which were drug-related.Could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Justice explain what our government is doing to address this serious issue of impaired driving and to make our roads safer for all Canadians?
Madam Speaker, all men and women who serve their country deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter their sex or background. We are pleased with the progress that is being made by the Canadian Armed Forces in eliminating sexual misconduct. Professional measures are taken to deal with offenders, robust training programs have been implemented, reports of sexual misconduct that were deemed unfounded in the past are currently being reviewed, and most importantly, victims are getting more support.
Madam Speaker, we also learned yesterday that the Prime Minister's closest adviser and long-time friend, Gerry Butts, met with Meilleur before she was even nominated. She admitted that this was an unfair advantage. I guess it is still who you know in the PMO.Officers of Parliament do not work for the Prime Minister, and they certainly do not work for the Prime Minister's Office. They work for all members of Parliament on behalf of Canadians. A watchdog cannot do their job with a cloud of patronage and partisanship hanging over their head.Out of respect for this position, will the Liberals do the right thing and withdraw her name from consideration?
Madam Speaker, the Phoenix fiasco at its core is a scandal about the government not paying its employees. If this were any other workplace, this would have been solved months ago, but instead, the Liberal government's main response is to blame the Conservatives. It was the Liberal government that authorized the implementation of Phoenix and it was the Liberal government that refuses to put in place a permanent solution.While workers are not getting paid, I would ask the government, has the government been paying IBM on time?
Madam Speaker, if the tanker ban was not bad enough, now we are being told to expect fisheries closures off the coast of British Columbia. We have heard from academics, scientists, industry, and fishermen at the fisheries committee. They have all said the same thing. The Liberal consultations are a sham and fail to take into account the economic, social, and environmental impacts of identifying marine protected areas.What does the minister have to say to the numerous witnesses who have all said that the Liberal plan on marine protected areas will be a disastrous failure?
Madam Speaker, yesterday, the chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities sent a letter to the Standing Committee on Finance to confirm that committee members agreed on the infrastructure bank, which is completely false.It gets worse. The chair sent a letter on Wednesday; the committee sat on Thursday; the letter was dated today. If that is not arrogance or contempt, then I do not know what is.When will this government start respecting our institution and give up on this ridiculous infrastructure bank idea?
Madam Speaker, since the Liberal government took office, the people of BeauportLimoilou have been plagued with tax hikes, the cancellation of tax credits for family activities, extra payroll taxes, and new taxes on various consumer goods.Yesterday, the Liberal government confirmed that it will be imposing a carbon tax on all the provinces. By 2022, gas prices at the pump will increase by 12¢, which is really going to drive up the cost of groceries.Will the Liberals put a stop to this situation before it escalates any further, or is this just the beginning?
Madam Speaker, while the Minister of Environment is forcing her carbon tax onto the provinces, the Minister of Transport has introduced a tanker ban, which his own officials acknowledge targets just one industry.This is not a ban on tanker traffic as they will continue to move up and down the coast of British Columbia. It is a ban on Canada's resource development.Why are the Liberals continuing their blatant attacks on western Canada's resource sector?
Madam Speaker, there is a new lottery in town, and for the past 18 months, select Canadians have been hitting jackpots of $500, $700, or even $1,000 per day of work for the luckiest winners.Here are some of the Canadians who have made it to the winner's circle so far: Stéphane Dion, John McCallum, and Madeleine Meilleur. Since this lottery goes until 2019, there will be more. Unfortunately, tickets are available only to the elite. Anyone who wants to enter has to make a hefty donation to the Liberal Party of Canada. The next grand prize is the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. Will the Prime Minister shut down this partisan lottery before the next draw conducted under the supervision of a firm by the name of leader of the government, Butts, and partners?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister decided to appoint Madeleine Meilleur, an individual who made financial contributions to the Prime Minister's leadership race, as commissioner of official languages.As commissioner, Ms. Meilleur will be responsible for investigating the Prime Minister if he ever violates the Official Languages Act.Yesterday Ms. Meilleur herself admitted that she cannot erase 13 years of partisan politics. How can we trust this Liberal to set aside her partisanship when she has to investigate the Prime Minister?
Madam Speaker, for more than a year now Canadian citizens John Chang and his wife Allison Lu have been held in jail by China's general administration of customs. Their company, Lulu Island Winery in B.C., has successfully exported to China for some six years, so they know the system well. The arrest of Mr. Chang and Ms. Lu for a fabricated customs violation is an assault on their basic rights, a breach of China's international trade obligations, and China's own customs laws. This is clearly a trade issue, not a consular issue.Why will the Prime Minister not intervene in this new era of the Canada-China relationship?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised an open and transparent appointment process for the new official languages commissioner, but what they delivered was the most partisan appointment ever. Madeleine Meilleur, who was angling for a Senate seat while at Queen's Park, told the committee quite plainly yesterday that she contacted her former colleagues, Gerald Butts and Katie Telford, the two people in the Prime Minister's Office with the most clout in the selection process. That is what you call coming up with a plan B.Will the government finally admit that this appointment was nothing more than a $315,000 consolation prize to help a good friend
As I said, Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and addressing tax avoidance.We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the CRA. In our first budget, we invested $444 million in the CRA. In budget 2017, we added $524 million to better target high-risk taxpayers and to make sure we have the best tools available at our disposal to close in the tax cheats.
Madam Speaker, privacy has been out the window for the last 13 months.The family and the Changs deserve a lot better from the government. They have been making application after application. Talking about this is a trade issue not a consular issue. They constantly get this consular issue dribble that really gets no results. This is now a matter of timing. One week from today, John Chang faces a closed court in Shanghai that will decide his fate. He has had three visits in the past 13 months from consular officials. That is just not good enough. Canadians deserve and expect a lot better than this from their government when they get in trouble
Madam Speaker, I can tell you that this government takes very seriously the problems with the Phoenix pay system, which we inherited from the opposition party.We are using every financial and human resource possible from one end of the country to the other and across Quebec, including my riding, Gatineau.I thank the public servants working on the system for their work, and I can assure every one of Canada's public servants that, in the end, we will have a pay system that lives up to our expectations.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals say that this is really a simple way to reduce pollution. Let me quote the document. If a Registered Fuel Importer imports fuel for delivery to a Registered Fuel Distributor, the levy will not become payable by the Registered Fuel Importer. The levy will become payable by the Registered Fuel Distributor when it uses the fuel or delivers it to another person in the backstop jurisdiction, unless that other person is also a Registered Fuel Distributor. See, it is simple. How much will it cost small businesses for the red tape of this new scheme and how much will it cost taxpayers for the new bureaucracy needed to implement it?
Madam Speaker, the lengths these Liberals will go to help out their friends: A lifelong Liberal and donor to the Prime Minister's own leadership campaign is their surprise choice for an independent commissioner.This Prime Minister has been under more investigations than any other prime minister in Canadian history, including Harper, Chrétien, and even Brian Mulroney somehow.Yesterday, Madam Meilleur admitted that she may have to recuse herself from investigating the Prime Minister because of these donations. Imagine, a commissioner who cannot investigate. Was this the Liberal plan all along, or just some happy coincidence?
Madam Speaker, we see the results of the government's efforts.A total of $231 billion, or almost two-thirds of Quebec's GDP, was hidden in tax havens. With regard to Ottawa's hard work, former Liberal candidate Marwah Rizqy told Le Journal de Québec that it is a farce, hogwash and that Canada is asleep at the wheel. Why is the government only going after the little fish? In the meantime, it is letting the big financial sharks do what they want.
Madam Speaker, Canada has the third highest beer tax in the world, yet the Liberals' budget contains an escalator tax on beer sales. Thanks to this poorly thought-out scheme to fleece Canadians, every year on April 1 the cost of beer would automatically increase. This tax would hurt consumers, brewers, and many other spinoff industries in Canada. Will the Liberals cancel this ill-thought-out permanently increasing tax hike on beer?
Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the Canada Revenue Agency. In our first budget, we invested $444 million, in addition to $524 million in budget 2017. This is to ensure that our actions are showing tangible results. Last year our offshore and domestic audit activities enabled us to recoup $13 billion.We will continue to work for Canadians. That is what Canadians expect.
We are actively engaging with our partners in the provinces and territories, with indigenous people and people in industry.Also, we can all be proud in British Columbia of the most recent marine protected area, the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound glass sponge reefs MPA, that was designated just this year.
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and ask for forgiveness. I understand that every six days in this country a woman is killed by the hands of an intimate partner. I understand that these issues affect three out of 10 women, and that if we work together, we can address these issues. I will definitely be more mindful of my language, absolutely, but, more importantly, I will continue to be a force with all of my colleagues to ensure that we see tangible change in our generation.
Madam Speaker, Canadians know very well the track record of this government and of our Prime Minister when defending Canadians abroad. We will never turn our backs on Canadians when they need our help abroad. We are very active on this file and we will not stop until we resolve this matter.
Madam Speaker, the Liberal carbon tax is a game of hide-and-go-seek. The cost of the carbon tax is hidden in the price of groceries transported by truck or gasoline that people put in their vehicles, or the cost of heating their homes to stay alive. All of those things are hidden. When we seek the real cost, we find it is again hidden under a mountain of black ink in finance department documents.Yesterday the Liberals released a 26-page technical document on their new carbon tax, but, once again, hidden was the cost to Canadian families. Will they end their game of hide-and-go-seek today and tell average Canadian families what the carbon tax will cost them?
Madam Speaker, I thank the government for that, but it has to be done very quickly.Under the current rules, the Canada Revenue Agency tells domestic abuse survivors that they have to contact their attacker to fill out a form if they want to get the child tax benefit. That is preposterous, not to mention dangerous. This CRA requirement needs to be removed.Will the Minister of National Revenue resolve this matter immediately and apologize to victims of domestic abuse?
Madam Speaker, even the Liberal minister is hesitant to get up to try to defend that, and I do not blame her.The Liberal appointment gravy train is shamefully extending to the judiciary. The latest round of judicial appointments is full of Liberal donors, including an Alberta appointment of a person who has donated to the Liberal Party over 25 times, including twice just this year.When will the Prime Minister admit that he actually does not care about the appearance of conflict of interest and he would rather reward his friends for their generous support of his I will scratch yours if you scratch mine government?
Madam Speaker, the Liberal war on history continues. Groups celebrating our history on the 150th anniversary of Confederation have been told they cannot. The Annapolis Valley project showcasing the region's contribution to Canada's founding has been told no by Ottawa. Instead, Canada 150 funds of half a million dollars went to former Liberal cabinet minister Ken Dryden for his project, a TV show modestly called We Are Canada, described as just tedious TV by The Globe and Mail. It was helpfully broadcast on the taxpayer-funded CBC. Why is the Liberal government taking money from community groups and giving it to former Liberal politicians?
Madam Speaker, LGBTQ Canadians are getting tired of waiting for real action to follow the selfies. Nearly a year ago, the government received briefs from groups representing those who were dishonourably discharged from the military or fired from the public service, asking for an apology. Just before he marched in Toronto Pride last year, the Prime Minister promised a formal apology for the harm done. Now, at the first anniversary of this promise, all we have is a re-promise, and those who have been waiting more than 25 years for justice have been told to wait again. Will the government finally keep this promise? Does the government intend to make the apology or not?
That is precisely why I am wondering if the parliamentary secretary actually read all the documents himself. Every single document released yesterday by the Minister of Environment bears the title of Liberal carbon tax. There are a bunch of numbers and words in there no one can make heads or tails of. As the member for Carleton said so well, there is one number that is missing. How much will this cost Canadian workers?Since the parliamentary secretary just chided us for not reading the document, can he tell us what is the most important number for Canadians in the document? How much is your Liberal carbon tax going to cost?
Madam Speaker, let us talk about the impact of this thoughtful way. In Alberta, foreclosure rates are rising at alarming rates, in fact, more than 25% in the last two years alone. Dismantling the NEB, politicizing infrastructure decisions, and implementing the carbon tax are all Liberal policies that are stifling any ability for Alberta's economic recovery. Canada needs the Trans Mountain pipeline.Will the Prime Minister go to B.C. and champion this vital pipeline project, or will he continue on his quest of eliminating the oil sands and killing jobs in Alberta and the rest of Canada?
Madam Speaker, again and again, the Liberals rise with no clear answer, no number, no money, always through a cost to the Canadian taxpayer.There is another problem. We know that the government always takes pride in stating that the Liberals collaborate with the provinces. Is that so? Three provinces have implemented a carbon lottery, a system that has sadly not worked for Quebec since 2013. Yesterday, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that if it does not work, then the Liberals would impose the Liberal carbon tax on the provinces.Can someone in this government tell us today whether or not the Liberals are going to impose the Liberal carbon tax on all Canadian provinces?
Madam Speaker, CRA continues to take important steps and is making progress in cracking down on tax cheats and ensuring a tax system that is more responsive and fair to all Canadians.In last year's budget, the agency took significant action on several fronts to identify and deal with tax cheats. Building on the previous investment of $444 million, budget 2017 invested an additional $524 million to crack down on tax evasion and improve compliance.
Madam Speaker, our government believes that everyone in Canada should pay his or her fair share of taxes. Budget 2017 proposes to increase taxes on alcohol products. It would be the first increase, I might add, in over 30 years. The 2% increase amounts to about 5¢ per 24 bottles of beer. The inflationary adjustment would provide alcohol producers with greater certainty in the future and follow similar steps taken by many of the provinces.
Madam Speaker, our government is delivering on our promise to formalize a crude oil tanker moratorium along the north coast of British Columbia. This will protect this incredible environment that coastal and indigenous communities call home, ensure clean water for our kids and grandkids. Our proposed legislation would prohibit oil tankers carrying crude and persistent oils as cargo, from stopping, loading, unloading at ports, marinas and installations in northern British Columbia.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals always find a way to take care of their friends. As we have seen this week, no former Liberal cabinet minister is ever left behind. When I commented that it was inappropriate for the CBC to receive Canada 150 funding on top of its annual billion dollars from the taxpayers, the CBC's taxpayer-funded lobbyist corrected me. The Canada 150 money went to Ken Dryden, not the CBC. In fact, the CBC paid even more tax dollars to the former Liberal minister's project. Why is it that the only history that can make it past the Liberal war on history is someone's past history as a Liberal minister?
Madam Speaker, yes, it is on the same subject as my point of order earlier. I am convinced that it is indeed a point of order. I had a conversation with the minister. I know she understands the problem, but I think she needs to apologize out of respect for the women who have been victims of abuse.
Madam Speaker, they are open to anyone who has given a donation to the Liberal Party. That is the only openness that we are seeing.It is clear that with the Prime Minister's patronage appointment scheme, if one is not a Liberal and not giving a donation, there is no use applying. Liberal donors are clearly making their way to the very top of the appointment list. Merit has become secondary to donations to the Liberal Party.How can the Prime Minister expect Canadians to believe it is just a coincidence that all of these Liberal donors are somehow getting these plum appointments?
Madam Speaker, the Minister of Defence would have us believe that the Royal Canadian Air Force does not have the resources to fulfill both its NATO and its NORAD commitments. As it turns out, in 2017, six CF-18s were sent to Iceland for two months for a NATO mission. They were then sent to Romania for even longer.If there really is a capability gap, how can Canada spare six jets for such a long time? Was the Minister of National Defence the architect of the capability gap?
Madam Speaker, Canadians know that polluting is not free. We see the costs of droughts, floods, extreme weather events, but also the effects on our health. Canadians expect polluters to pay, because it is the right thing to do for our children and grandchildren. Ninety-seven per cent of Canadians already live in jurisdictions in Canada that either have a price on carbon pollution or are in the process of putting that into place. The federal plan announced yesterday applies only in jurisdictions that have not moved there themselves. The pricing of carbon pollution will reduce pollution, it creates incentives for companies to innovate, to develop clean solutions, and create
Madam Speaker, the finance committee is currently studying the budget bill, Bill C-44, but this omnibus bill contains the Liberals' so-called infrastructure bank. We have had several witnesses appear before committee who have studied this scheme and are testifying that this bank is being set up to invest in high-risk projects.My question is for the Minister of Finance. Why is he gambling with $35 billion of hard-earned taxpayer dollars?
Madam Speaker, addressing climate change is one of the critical issues of our time. This government is committed to creating a more innovative economy that reduces emissions, while creating good middle-class jobs. If the hon. member would actually take the time to read the backstop paper, he would see that those figures are in that document. This government has been actively working with all provinces and territories, including the Government of Saskatchewan. I was there this week for conversations with large companies. We are working to build a plan that will allow us to move forward in a credible way to reduce carbon emissions and to grow a clean-growth economy.
Madam Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Public Safety wrongly claimed recruitment and expansion justified the closure of CPC Vegreville. Here is the truth. Since 2013, over 600 applications came in for the three hiring drives. Today, the union for the majority of workers said that having permanent positions there, most are not, would help with retention. However, what does it know. It was not even consulted. Nothing is stopping the Liberals from hiring in Edmonton right now.Will the minister do the right thing and reverse this mistake?
Madam Speaker, Canada is refusing to even match the U.S. investments in protecting the Great Lakes. People in my riding of Essex are concerned about the complete silence from the Liberal government when it comes to the water quality of Lake Erie. Algae blooms are negatively impacting the health of the lake, which our communities rely on for commercial fishing, tourism, and drinking water. Lake Erie has been in crisis before and deserves urgent protection to protect it now. The health of our communities is directly tied to the health of our lakes. Will the Liberals step up and take a leadership role in protecting our treasured freshwater Great Lakes?
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for her question and her efforts in supporting this cause.We are proud to have introduced Bill C-46, which will make Canada a world leader in the fight against alcohol- and drug-impaired driving. The proposed legislation will reform the entire impaired-driving regime in the Criminal Code. It will strengthen existing drug- and alcohol-impaired driving laws by creating new offences and by making the law more efficient to enforce, simpler, and more coherent for all Canadians.For this year's national safe driving week, I encourage all members of this House to work with our government
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, I asked a question about women who are victims of domestic violence. The Minister of Status of Women began her response with Happy Friday. I was asking a very serious question that required a very serious answer. Women who heard the minister are going to think that she does not take the problem
Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the opportunity for me to stand and provide a very clear statement. The assertion from the member opposite is categorically false. We took action to create good middle-class jobs for Alberta by approving two pipelines, getting done what the Conservatives could not get done in 10 years. We will continue to support Alberta as an energy hub of Canada.
Madam Speaker, our government's commitment on two fronts is unparalleled in this parliamentary history. One is on the child benefit and the other is on support for victims of violence fleeing and seeking better shelter and protection. On the issue that has been raised, it is a significant issue and I assure the member we will get a specific answer to the specific issues around tax and point of return. That is an issue which has just been raised today and I am happy to sit with the member and get the proper results. On the child benefit, we are raising kids out of poverty. On victims of violence, we are supporting them. We need to make sure those two programs work in concert.
Madam Speaker, although the government keeps telling us that it is working very hard to combat tax avoidance, we learned that $231 billion dollars were sheltered last year in the tax havens of Barbados, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands. Nothing is too good for profiteers.Is the government satisfied with its strategy to crack down on tax havens even though no tax was paid on 231,000 million dollars?
Madam Speaker, once again, our government is committed to making responsible decisions and services to Canadians and to creating jobs. Once again, we have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, outlining the costs requested by the member opposite.The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address the long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of immigration operations, and create more jobs for Albertans.
Madam Speaker, happy Friday to you and all my colleagues in the House. I thank my hon. colleague for bringing this issue to our attention. I can assure members that all policies, programs, and legislation that come through cabinet and eventually to the House are put through a gender-based analysis. Plus this issue is exactly why we need to put that lens on all policies. We will continue to do that.In the meantime, we will make sure that our gender-based violence strategy is implemented, with $100.9 million, so women and girls in Canada can thrive.
Madam Speaker, our government committed to making responsible choices that improve services for Canadians and create jobs. We have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, 2017, containing the very numbers quoted by the member opposite. The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of operations, and create more jobs for Albertans. I repeat that all employees will be able to keep their jobs.
Madam Speaker, I note the member said that the government responds to hundreds of Order Paper questions, and that is true, which is precisely why it is inexplicable that they took the time to insert additional factual errors in this particular response. This was not a mistake of omission, it was a mistake of co-mission. They committed the error of deliberately inserting false information in an Order Paper response, all the more egregious by the fact that they have so many other questions they could be dedicating their time to respond to.
No, Madam Speaker, the previous one.
Madam Speaker, Calgary has been the beating heart of the energy sector for decades. Professionals in Calgary have immense knowledge and experience in pipeline safety, oil and gas exploration, and environmental reclamation. Moving the NEB from Calgary to an ivory tower in Ottawa is not the answer. Will the Liberals commit to keeping the NEB decision making in Calgary, or will they finally admit they do not want the oil and gas energy industry to thrive?
Madam Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member and all Canadians that we are following this case very closely. I had the chance to meet with their daughter and I spoke with their lawyer. Our government is highly engaged on this file. We are in constant contact with Chinese local authorities. We want to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.As the hon. member knows, due to the Privacy Act, we cannot reveal further details about this matter.
Madam Speaker, this week I found out that employees at Drummond Institution received a letter asking them to pay back the emergency pay advances they received during the Phoenix pay system crisis.The employees do not take issue with having to pay back the advances, but the disappointing and shocking thing is the very tight deadline for repayment, not to mention the fact that most of them are still owed money because of the Phoenix fiasco.Can the government take responsibility and show some empathy to its employees who are victims in this scandal?
Madam Speaker, Madeleine Meilleur is a well-connected Liberal partisan and politician who has donated numerous times to the Liberal Party and has even donated to the Prime Minister's leadership campaign. Let us be clear. The reason the Prime Minister wants her to be the next languages commissioner is so that he can thank her for all of her support, and he wants to assure himself that he has somebody friendly in the position. This is really shady, and it is certainly wrong, in every sense of the word.Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and withdraw this patronage appointment?
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to increasing the proportion of marine and coastal areas that are protected to 5% this year, and to 10% by 2020. We are going to achieve these targets with sound science and transparent decision-making. Indeed, we are consulting broadly.
Madam Speaker, I regret that I am not having a happy Friday. As a result, I am rising on a point of order with respect to answer Question No. 954 that was tabled yesterday. Question No. 954 was submitted on April 3, and sought information on how the Guide for Parliamentary Secretaries, published by the Privy Council Office in December 2015, applied to trips made by two parliamentary secretaries. While this was a simple straightforward question, incorporated into the answer was a remark that was totally unrelated to the question. Further, I would argue that this unnecessary insertion had the effect of tarnishing the reputation of a former member of this House of Commons and constitutes an improper use by the government of the process of written questions.In making the case for sponsored travel for parliamentary secretaries, the following appeared in the answer to Question No. 954, which states: Moreover...John Baird, while he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, travelled to Washington...a trip that was sponsored by the American Israel [Political Action] Committee. I suppose the government was trying to make the point that what was good for the Conservative goose is good for Liberal ganders. However, according to the list of sponsored travel submitted to the Speaker himself on March 23, 2016 pursuant to 15(3) of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons, it indicated that Mr. Baird went on this trip on February 28, 2015.On February 3, 2015, a full 25 days before the trip in question took place, Mr. Baird announced in this House his resignation from cabinet effective immediately.This is not just sloppy research. I contend it is an attempt by the government to use a parliamentary tool, not to aid a member as it is intended, but in an unorthodox manner to distort the facts and smear the reputation of a former member of this House. Chapter 3 of Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms, 6th edition, states, More tentative are such traditional features as respect for the rights of the minority, which precludes a Government from using to excess the extensive powers that it has to...proceed in what the public and the Opposition might interpret as unorthodox ways. That is exactly what has happened here. Whether or not someone was a minister of the government at the time is not a debatable fact. Having factually wrong, damaging information about a former member in a response to an Order Paper question does not just happen. These responses are reviewed by top advisers to the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, and in particular the office for the coordination of parliamentary returns. Those parties are all meant to verify that a response is accurate. Normally they do an admirable job, with some notable exceptions that I have brought to your attention in the past. It is not believable that such an erroneous, vindictive, false statement about a former member of the House was drafted or prepared by Privy Council Office officials. They are far too professional in their work to ever have made such an egregious and obviously factual mistake. This was clearly the work of one of the Prime Minister's partisan advisers, who was trying to make a political statement at the expense of a former member, and of the truth.I ask that you look into this serious matter and come back to the House with a ruling. I would also ask that the Prime Minister, who is responsible for the answer, as it was signed by his own personal parliamentary secretary on his behalf, to correct the record, and to apologize to the hon. John Baird.In addition, I would like to reserve my right to raise this matter as a question of privilege in the event that the government insists on misleading the House on this matter.
Madam Speaker, no matter, Ms. Meilleur is too close to the Liberals. She spent 13 years in partisan politics with Ontario's Liberal party. She has donated to not just the Liberal Party of Canada, but to the Prime Minister himself. She admitted having met with the Prime Minister's closest advisors to obtain this position.How can the Minister of Canadian Heritage continue to defend this process, which has resulted in the selection of a longstanding Liberal?
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to growing the economy and supporting the middle class and those working hard to join it.The first thing that our government did was lower taxes for the middle class. We were surprised to see that the party opposite voted against that measure. We also raised taxes for the wealthy, and surprisingly the party opposite also voted against that. We implemented the Canada child benefit, which the party opposite once again voted against.
Madam Speaker, for almost a decade the municipal sector was neglected by the previous government. Our goal is to put forward an infrastructure plan that will help rebuild Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast.The creation of the infrastructure bank would allow us to build more infrastructure by mobilizing private capital. That would help us to build and transform infrastructure that our communities need and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking forward to this important position being filled. Canadians believe in the importance of official languages. They want somebody who has the expertise and experience to hold this important position. I am really surprised to see how much my colleagues support the expertise and experience of Mrs. Meilleur. Therefore, I do not understand why they are not supportive of this important candidacy, because this important position must be fulfilled by an important
Madam Speaker, that is why we are looking at the possibility of acquiring an interim fleet of 18 Super Hornet fighters to supplement the CF-18 fleet until the permanent replacements arrive.With these measures, Canadians can rest assured that our short- and long-term defence needs will always be met.
Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank the NEB expert panel for its hard work in drafting this report. Our government is committed to developing our resources and getting them to market in a responsible way. This requires a regulatory process in which Canadians can have confidence. Modernizing the NEB is part of our government's process to build a better system that is fair, robust, respects the rights of indigenous peoples, is based on scientific evidence, and protects our environment for generations to come. We will review the report in depth, along with other environmental regulatory reviews, and determine next steps.
Madam Speaker, when we started this process, we were looking for the right candidate, because that candidate had to have the qualifications, the expertise, the experience to be the Commissioner of Official Languages in this country.It is not surprising that the two opposition parties are not contesting the qualifications of Madeleine Meilleur, not at all. Even the leader of the second opposition has clearly stated that she has the expertise and the experience for this important position.
Madam Speaker, we believe that the Office of the Official Languages Commissioner has an important role to play in protecting and promoting our country's official languages.We committed to finding the best candidate for that position, but only after a rigorous, open, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple interviews. I even had the opportunity to speak with the Canadian heritage critics of the official opposition and the second opposition party. They recognized that Ms. Meilleur possesses the necessary qualifications considering her experience and expertise.
Madam Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that 97% of Canadians live in jurisdictions that have either put into place a plan to price carbon pollution or are in the process of working to have that in place by the beginning of 2018. We have worked collaboratively with the provinces. This was a central part of the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to which almost all of the provinces subscribed. We are working to ensure this is done in a thoughtful way. We intend to ensure we are addressing climate change and carbon emissions, but doing so in a manner that will help us to grow an innovative and clean-growth economy for the future.
Madam Speaker, we are extremely proud of everything we are doing in line with Canada 150. We believe in the importance of our four themes: youth, environment, reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and diversity and inclusion. We want Canadians to be able to celebrate across the country. We want to make sure that all regions are adequately represented. Of course, we are making sure that this process is non-partisan. Ultimately, this is a year to celebrate, so let us celebrate Canada 150 all together.
Madam Speaker, every member on this side of the House is proud of the appointments we are making within the judiciary. Since being elected, we have appointed 67 judges, including additional appointments which are forthcoming. Under our open, merit-based appointments process, we have attracted top-tier judicial appointments. Budget 2017 provides for additional resources, and we will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, as the hon. member mentioned, I was honoured to visit Nunavut and announce, alongside the territorial government and the hon. member, $230 million in joint funding for nine projects that will help 19 communities deal with waste management systems, improve waste water quality, and make further investments to improve water quality in those communities.We are very proud to be making investments in Nunavut, and we will continue to work with our partners to build stronger communities in the north.
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, in the heat of the moment, I used an inappropriate word, and I would like to correct the record. I talked about the carbon lottery, but I meant to talk about a carbon exchange.
Madam Speaker, I will review the answer that was provided, but I can assure the member that we go through hundreds of questions and attempt to provide the best and fullest answers whenever possible. I will report back after I have had the opportunity to look at what the member put on the record today.
Madam Speaker, we on this side of the House agree very much with many of the comments that were made by the hon. member. The Great Lakes are an incredibly important resource for many, both in Canada and the United States. It is an important recreational area for many people in Canada and the United States. Some of the environmental challenges that exist in the Great Lakes, which have existed for some time, are very significant. In budget 2017, we saw a significant expansion in funding going toward the Great Lakes to address issues such as phosphorus and nitrogen runoff which are causing some of the algae blooms that are particularly problematic in Lake Erie. We are committed to addressing the problems in the Great Lakes.
Madam Speaker, our government believes in the importance of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the protection and promotion of official languages. We are committed to finding the best candidate for this important position through a thorough, rigorous, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple rounds of interviews. I even had the chance to talk with my critics from the two opposition parties. They both acknowledged that she had the experience and expertise, and that is why we are convinced that Madeleine Meilleur is the best-suited candidate for this important position.
Madam Speaker, I can assure the hon. member and the House that we will do the proper due diligence before we undertake any project, by the bank, by the private sector, by the municipal sector, by the provincial sector, people who will be involved in building that infrastructure.Our goal is to make sure that we protect the public interest, to make sure that public dollars are protected, while we build the infrastructure that is required by our Canadian communities.
There's no consultation.
Madam Speaker, we found the best candidate to serve as commissioner of official languages. Why? Because we know that Ms. Meilleur was behind the campaign to save the Montfort, Ottawa's French-language hospital. We also know that Ms. Meilleur played a key role in the creation of the office of the official languages commissioner in Ontario. Her CV clearly demonstrates that she has the expertise and experience needed to serve as Canada's official languages commissioner, and we hope to have the support of the opposition and the Senate in confirming this important appointment.
Madam Speaker, as chair of the innovation, science and technology committee, I was pleased to take our committee to Washington, D.C. earlier this month to meet with business and government. It is so exciting to know that many of our companies have a strong relationship with our neighbours to the south. For most of the last three decades, trade has been an important part of that relationship. Only last year, U.S. goods and services trade with Canada totalled an estimated $627.8 billion U.S. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell the House what he is doing to grow this mutually beneficial relationship on the ground?
Madam Speaker, when searching for the best candidate for the position of Commissioner of Official Languages, we wanted to ensure that they were chosen on the basis of their expertise and experience. That is exactly what we did. We used a rigorous, open, merit-based process, which identified Madeleine Meilleur as the most qualified candidate because she has all the expertise to be an excellent Commissioner of Official Languages.
Madam Speaker, this summer, as we celebrate Canada 150, the national capital region prides itself on welcoming tourists from across Canada and around the world. Be it the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery, restaurants, music festivals, or museums, there is so much to see and do. The tourism industry supports over 13,000 jobs in our region. Will the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism please give the House an update on what our government is doing to support tourism in the national capital region and across the country?
Madam Speaker, I would once again invite my hon. colleagues to read the document. All of the relevant information is contained in that document. I would be happy to actually show the hon. member after question period is over.The net cost to Canadians obviously depends, in significant measure, on what provinces that have implemented these systems choose to do with the revenues. Alberta has returned those through rebates, British Columbia has a carbon-neutral tax and returns the funds through income tax reductions. We have a thoughtful plan. Those of us on this side of the House believe climate change is a real issue. We are planning to address that in a thoughtful way.
Madam Speaker, I will reiterate what I have said before on many occasions. We are proud, on this side of the House, of the open, merit-based appointments process. Not only have we appointed 67 new judges since being elected, there are over 120 public appointments, which again are open, transparent, and merit-based. We will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, the member for Ottawa WestNepean, for her passion and her excellent work in the tourism industry.Canada's rural and urban communities have much to share with the world. Last week, the Minister of Small Business and Tourism announced Canada's new vision. This is our pan-Canadian approach to improving tourism marketing, making it easier to get here, and developing new experiences, such as indigenous tourism, LGBTQ tourism, culinary tourism, and so much more.Canada's tourism industry is vital to our economy. It supports more than 1.7 million jobs and thousands of small businesses. I encourage everyone to explore not only
Madam Speaker, as I already mentioned, we have four important themes in the context of Canada 150, and one of them is engaging with young people. We Are Canada was reviewed by my department and recommended as it met the eligibility criteria as a Canada 150 community project. I invite all members of this House to participate in Canada 150 projects, because this is a great year for Canada.
Madam Speaker, it is important that we recognize that we have in fact put in place a new appointments process which supports an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process. Our aim is to identify high-quality candidates who will help to achieve gender parity and truly reflect Canada's diversity. It is important to note the 140 appointments, of which 63% are women, 13% are visible minorities, and 10% are indigenous. The Conservatives should be applauding the type of appointments we are making.
Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. As highlighted in Mary Simon's recent report, there is a great need to develop criteria for Arctic infrastructure projects that reflect the uniqueness of the north. Improving water and waste water management systems is an urgent infrastructure need that is important for the well-being and prosperity of Nunavut communities.The minister recently visited Iqaluit and Pangnirtung, and I was very pleased to join him in Iqaluit for an important funding announcement. Can the minister inform the House of the government's infrastructure investments in Nunavut?
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his hard work and leadership as the chair of the innovation committee. He is absolutely correct. Our trade is fair and balanced with our U.S. counterparts. Since NAFTA came into force, our economies have more than doubled, so it truly is a win-win situation. We have integrated economies, highly competitive, that allow us to compete globally. I have shared this viewpoint with my counterparts in Michigan, Colorado, California, and Nevada. We will continue to work together, build things together, and create jobs
Madam Speaker, for months now the Liberals have been dodging questions and making up excuses. They claim it will save money, but it is tens of millions more. They claim it is to expand, but the reality is Vegreville has room for the 32 more staff planned. The Liberals slag the employees, but the department itself says that they are high performers, exemplary workers who always exceed departmental targets. There was no consultation, no transparency, and no honesty.Will the minister admit this is an attack on middle-class rural Canadians and stop it now?
Madam Speaker, the government has cut health transfers. Naturally, this has a direct effect on the sick. The government has abandoned our cheese producers and it refuses to provide loan guarantees for the forestry industry, which is facing a new softwood lumber crisis. It is not going to increase regular EI benefits.Does this government and the Liberal Minister of National Revenue realize that the refusal to take action, this lax attitude, and complacency towards KPMG and tax havens have a direct effect on our sick, our workers, and our unemployed?
Madam Speaker, this government is deploying all of the resources it has at its disposal, both human and financial, in support of fixing these problems that were left to us by the Conservatives.I can assure the hon. member that in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and right across this country, there are hundreds of public servants, hundreds of people working today at this very moment, on resolving these problems which we are all very eager to resolve.
Madam Speaker, when people who have been victims of domestic violence apply for the CRA child tax benefit, they are burdened with an onerous and impossible requirement. CRA expects the victims to return to the abusers to obtain a signature for the application. This is an outrageous and even dangerous requirement for domestic abuse survivors who are trying to build a better, safer life for their families.Will the Liberals do the right thing, drop this unreasonable demand, and support survivors rather than empowering their abusers?
Madam Speaker, this week is National Safe Driving Week. As my colleagues probably already know, impaired driving is a serious crime that injures and kills thousands of Canadians every year. In 2015, the police reported 72,000 incidents of impaired driving, 3,000 of which were drug-related.Could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Justice explain what our government is doing to address this serious issue of impaired driving and to make our roads safer for all Canadians?
Madam Speaker, all men and women who serve their country deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter their sex or background. We are pleased with the progress that is being made by the Canadian Armed Forces in eliminating sexual misconduct. Professional measures are taken to deal with offenders, robust training programs have been implemented, reports of sexual misconduct that were deemed unfounded in the past are currently being reviewed, and most importantly, victims are getting more support.
Madam Speaker, we also learned yesterday that the Prime Minister's closest adviser and long-time friend, Gerry Butts, met with Meilleur before she was even nominated. She admitted that this was an unfair advantage. I guess it is still who you know in the PMO.Officers of Parliament do not work for the Prime Minister, and they certainly do not work for the Prime Minister's Office. They work for all members of Parliament on behalf of Canadians. A watchdog cannot do their job with a cloud of patronage and partisanship hanging over their head.Out of respect for this position, will the Liberals do the right thing and withdraw her name from consideration?
Madam Speaker, the Phoenix fiasco at its core is a scandal about the government not paying its employees. If this were any other workplace, this would have been solved months ago, but instead, the Liberal government's main response is to blame the Conservatives. It was the Liberal government that authorized the implementation of Phoenix and it was the Liberal government that refuses to put in place a permanent solution.While workers are not getting paid, I would ask the government, has the government been paying IBM on time?
Madam Speaker, if the tanker ban was not bad enough, now we are being told to expect fisheries closures off the coast of British Columbia. We have heard from academics, scientists, industry, and fishermen at the fisheries committee. They have all said the same thing. The Liberal consultations are a sham and fail to take into account the economic, social, and environmental impacts of identifying marine protected areas.What does the minister have to say to the numerous witnesses who have all said that the Liberal plan on marine protected areas will be a disastrous failure?
Madam Speaker, yesterday, the chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities sent a letter to the Standing Committee on Finance to confirm that committee members agreed on the infrastructure bank, which is completely false.It gets worse. The chair sent a letter on Wednesday; the committee sat on Thursday; the letter was dated today. If that is not arrogance or contempt, then I do not know what is.When will this government start respecting our institution and give up on this ridiculous infrastructure bank idea?
Madam Speaker, since the Liberal government took office, the people of BeauportLimoilou have been plagued with tax hikes, the cancellation of tax credits for family activities, extra payroll taxes, and new taxes on various consumer goods.Yesterday, the Liberal government confirmed that it will be imposing a carbon tax on all the provinces. By 2022, gas prices at the pump will increase by 12¢, which is really going to drive up the cost of groceries.Will the Liberals put a stop to this situation before it escalates any further, or is this just the beginning?
Madam Speaker, while the Minister of Environment is forcing her carbon tax onto the provinces, the Minister of Transport has introduced a tanker ban, which his own officials acknowledge targets just one industry.This is not a ban on tanker traffic as they will continue to move up and down the coast of British Columbia. It is a ban on Canada's resource development.Why are the Liberals continuing their blatant attacks on western Canada's resource sector?
Madam Speaker, there is a new lottery in town, and for the past 18 months, select Canadians have been hitting jackpots of $500, $700, or even $1,000 per day of work for the luckiest winners.Here are some of the Canadians who have made it to the winner's circle so far: Stéphane Dion, John McCallum, and Madeleine Meilleur. Since this lottery goes until 2019, there will be more. Unfortunately, tickets are available only to the elite. Anyone who wants to enter has to make a hefty donation to the Liberal Party of Canada. The next grand prize is the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. Will the Prime Minister shut down this partisan lottery before the next draw conducted under the supervision of a firm by the name of leader of the government, Butts, and partners?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister decided to appoint Madeleine Meilleur, an individual who made financial contributions to the Prime Minister's leadership race, as commissioner of official languages.As commissioner, Ms. Meilleur will be responsible for investigating the Prime Minister if he ever violates the Official Languages Act.Yesterday Ms. Meilleur herself admitted that she cannot erase 13 years of partisan politics. How can we trust this Liberal to set aside her partisanship when she has to investigate the Prime Minister?
Madam Speaker, for more than a year now Canadian citizens John Chang and his wife Allison Lu have been held in jail by China's general administration of customs. Their company, Lulu Island Winery in B.C., has successfully exported to China for some six years, so they know the system well. The arrest of Mr. Chang and Ms. Lu for a fabricated customs violation is an assault on their basic rights, a breach of China's international trade obligations, and China's own customs laws. This is clearly a trade issue, not a consular issue.Why will the Prime Minister not intervene in this new era of the Canada-China relationship?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised an open and transparent appointment process for the new official languages commissioner, but what they delivered was the most partisan appointment ever. Madeleine Meilleur, who was angling for a Senate seat while at Queen's Park, told the committee quite plainly yesterday that she contacted her former colleagues, Gerald Butts and Katie Telford, the two people in the Prime Minister's Office with the most clout in the selection process. That is what you call coming up with a plan B.Will the government finally admit that this appointment was nothing more than a $315,000 consolation prize to help a good friend
As I said, Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and addressing tax avoidance.We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the CRA. In our first budget, we invested $444 million in the CRA. In budget 2017, we added $524 million to better target high-risk taxpayers and to make sure we have the best tools available at our disposal to close in the tax cheats.
Madam Speaker, privacy has been out the window for the last 13 months.The family and the Changs deserve a lot better from the government. They have been making application after application. Talking about this is a trade issue not a consular issue. They constantly get this consular issue dribble that really gets no results. This is now a matter of timing. One week from today, John Chang faces a closed court in Shanghai that will decide his fate. He has had three visits in the past 13 months from consular officials. That is just not good enough. Canadians deserve and expect a lot better than this from their government when they get in trouble
Madam Speaker, I can tell you that this government takes very seriously the problems with the Phoenix pay system, which we inherited from the opposition party.We are using every financial and human resource possible from one end of the country to the other and across Quebec, including my riding, Gatineau.I thank the public servants working on the system for their work, and I can assure every one of Canada's public servants that, in the end, we will have a pay system that lives up to our expectations.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals say that this is really a simple way to reduce pollution. Let me quote the document. If a Registered Fuel Importer imports fuel for delivery to a Registered Fuel Distributor, the levy will not become payable by the Registered Fuel Importer. The levy will become payable by the Registered Fuel Distributor when it uses the fuel or delivers it to another person in the backstop jurisdiction, unless that other person is also a Registered Fuel Distributor. See, it is simple. How much will it cost small businesses for the red tape of this new scheme and how much will it cost taxpayers for the new bureaucracy needed to implement it?
Madam Speaker, the lengths these Liberals will go to help out their friends: A lifelong Liberal and donor to the Prime Minister's own leadership campaign is their surprise choice for an independent commissioner.This Prime Minister has been under more investigations than any other prime minister in Canadian history, including Harper, Chrétien, and even Brian Mulroney somehow.Yesterday, Madam Meilleur admitted that she may have to recuse herself from investigating the Prime Minister because of these donations. Imagine, a commissioner who cannot investigate. Was this the Liberal plan all along, or just some happy coincidence?
Madam Speaker, we see the results of the government's efforts.A total of $231 billion, or almost two-thirds of Quebec's GDP, was hidden in tax havens. With regard to Ottawa's hard work, former Liberal candidate Marwah Rizqy told Le Journal de Québec that it is a farce, hogwash and that Canada is asleep at the wheel. Why is the government only going after the little fish? In the meantime, it is letting the big financial sharks do what they want.
Madam Speaker, Canada has the third highest beer tax in the world, yet the Liberals' budget contains an escalator tax on beer sales. Thanks to this poorly thought-out scheme to fleece Canadians, every year on April 1 the cost of beer would automatically increase. This tax would hurt consumers, brewers, and many other spinoff industries in Canada. Will the Liberals cancel this ill-thought-out permanently increasing tax hike on beer?
Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the Canada Revenue Agency. In our first budget, we invested $444 million, in addition to $524 million in budget 2017. This is to ensure that our actions are showing tangible results. Last year our offshore and domestic audit activities enabled us to recoup $13 billion.We will continue to work for Canadians. That is what Canadians expect.
We are actively engaging with our partners in the provinces and territories, with indigenous people and people in industry.Also, we can all be proud in British Columbia of the most recent marine protected area, the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound glass sponge reefs MPA, that was designated just this year.
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and ask for forgiveness. I understand that every six days in this country a woman is killed by the hands of an intimate partner. I understand that these issues affect three out of 10 women, and that if we work together, we can address these issues. I will definitely be more mindful of my language, absolutely, but, more importantly, I will continue to be a force with all of my colleagues to ensure that we see tangible change in our generation.
Madam Speaker, Canadians know very well the track record of this government and of our Prime Minister when defending Canadians abroad. We will never turn our backs on Canadians when they need our help abroad. We are very active on this file and we will not stop until we resolve this matter.
Madam Speaker, the Liberal carbon tax is a game of hide-and-go-seek. The cost of the carbon tax is hidden in the price of groceries transported by truck or gasoline that people put in their vehicles, or the cost of heating their homes to stay alive. All of those things are hidden. When we seek the real cost, we find it is again hidden under a mountain of black ink in finance department documents.Yesterday the Liberals released a 26-page technical document on their new carbon tax, but, once again, hidden was the cost to Canadian families. Will they end their game of hide-and-go-seek today and tell average Canadian families what the carbon tax will cost them?
Madam Speaker, I thank the government for that, but it has to be done very quickly.Under the current rules, the Canada Revenue Agency tells domestic abuse survivors that they have to contact their attacker to fill out a form if they want to get the child tax benefit. That is preposterous, not to mention dangerous. This CRA requirement needs to be removed.Will the Minister of National Revenue resolve this matter immediately and apologize to victims of domestic abuse?
Madam Speaker, even the Liberal minister is hesitant to get up to try to defend that, and I do not blame her.The Liberal appointment gravy train is shamefully extending to the judiciary. The latest round of judicial appointments is full of Liberal donors, including an Alberta appointment of a person who has donated to the Liberal Party over 25 times, including twice just this year.When will the Prime Minister admit that he actually does not care about the appearance of conflict of interest and he would rather reward his friends for their generous support of his I will scratch yours if you scratch mine government?
Madam Speaker, the Liberal war on history continues. Groups celebrating our history on the 150th anniversary of Confederation have been told they cannot. The Annapolis Valley project showcasing the region's contribution to Canada's founding has been told no by Ottawa. Instead, Canada 150 funds of half a million dollars went to former Liberal cabinet minister Ken Dryden for his project, a TV show modestly called We Are Canada, described as just tedious TV by The Globe and Mail. It was helpfully broadcast on the taxpayer-funded CBC. Why is the Liberal government taking money from community groups and giving it to former Liberal politicians?
Madam Speaker, LGBTQ Canadians are getting tired of waiting for real action to follow the selfies. Nearly a year ago, the government received briefs from groups representing those who were dishonourably discharged from the military or fired from the public service, asking for an apology. Just before he marched in Toronto Pride last year, the Prime Minister promised a formal apology for the harm done. Now, at the first anniversary of this promise, all we have is a re-promise, and those who have been waiting more than 25 years for justice have been told to wait again. Will the government finally keep this promise? Does the government intend to make the apology or not?
That is precisely why I am wondering if the parliamentary secretary actually read all the documents himself. Every single document released yesterday by the Minister of Environment bears the title of Liberal carbon tax. There are a bunch of numbers and words in there no one can make heads or tails of. As the member for Carleton said so well, there is one number that is missing. How much will this cost Canadian workers?Since the parliamentary secretary just chided us for not reading the document, can he tell us what is the most important number for Canadians in the document? How much is your Liberal carbon tax going to cost?
Madam Speaker, let us talk about the impact of this thoughtful way. In Alberta, foreclosure rates are rising at alarming rates, in fact, more than 25% in the last two years alone. Dismantling the NEB, politicizing infrastructure decisions, and implementing the carbon tax are all Liberal policies that are stifling any ability for Alberta's economic recovery. Canada needs the Trans Mountain pipeline.Will the Prime Minister go to B.C. and champion this vital pipeline project, or will he continue on his quest of eliminating the oil sands and killing jobs in Alberta and the rest of Canada?
Madam Speaker, again and again, the Liberals rise with no clear answer, no number, no money, always through a cost to the Canadian taxpayer.There is another problem. We know that the government always takes pride in stating that the Liberals collaborate with the provinces. Is that so? Three provinces have implemented a carbon lottery, a system that has sadly not worked for Quebec since 2013. Yesterday, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that if it does not work, then the Liberals would impose the Liberal carbon tax on the provinces.Can someone in this government tell us today whether or not the Liberals are going to impose the Liberal carbon tax on all Canadian provinces?
Madam Speaker, CRA continues to take important steps and is making progress in cracking down on tax cheats and ensuring a tax system that is more responsive and fair to all Canadians.In last year's budget, the agency took significant action on several fronts to identify and deal with tax cheats. Building on the previous investment of $444 million, budget 2017 invested an additional $524 million to crack down on tax evasion and improve compliance.
Madam Speaker, our government believes that everyone in Canada should pay his or her fair share of taxes. Budget 2017 proposes to increase taxes on alcohol products. It would be the first increase, I might add, in over 30 years. The 2% increase amounts to about 5¢ per 24 bottles of beer. The inflationary adjustment would provide alcohol producers with greater certainty in the future and follow similar steps taken by many of the provinces.
Madam Speaker, our government is delivering on our promise to formalize a crude oil tanker moratorium along the north coast of British Columbia. This will protect this incredible environment that coastal and indigenous communities call home, ensure clean water for our kids and grandkids. Our proposed legislation would prohibit oil tankers carrying crude and persistent oils as cargo, from stopping, loading, unloading at ports, marinas and installations in northern British Columbia.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals always find a way to take care of their friends. As we have seen this week, no former Liberal cabinet minister is ever left behind. When I commented that it was inappropriate for the CBC to receive Canada 150 funding on top of its annual billion dollars from the taxpayers, the CBC's taxpayer-funded lobbyist corrected me. The Canada 150 money went to Ken Dryden, not the CBC. In fact, the CBC paid even more tax dollars to the former Liberal minister's project. Why is it that the only history that can make it past the Liberal war on history is someone's past history as a Liberal minister?
Madam Speaker, yes, it is on the same subject as my point of order earlier. I am convinced that it is indeed a point of order. I had a conversation with the minister. I know she understands the problem, but I think she needs to apologize out of respect for the women who have been victims of abuse.
Madam Speaker, they are open to anyone who has given a donation to the Liberal Party. That is the only openness that we are seeing.It is clear that with the Prime Minister's patronage appointment scheme, if one is not a Liberal and not giving a donation, there is no use applying. Liberal donors are clearly making their way to the very top of the appointment list. Merit has become secondary to donations to the Liberal Party.How can the Prime Minister expect Canadians to believe it is just a coincidence that all of these Liberal donors are somehow getting these plum appointments?
Madam Speaker, the Minister of Defence would have us believe that the Royal Canadian Air Force does not have the resources to fulfill both its NATO and its NORAD commitments. As it turns out, in 2017, six CF-18s were sent to Iceland for two months for a NATO mission. They were then sent to Romania for even longer.If there really is a capability gap, how can Canada spare six jets for such a long time? Was the Minister of National Defence the architect of the capability gap?
Madam Speaker, Canadians know that polluting is not free. We see the costs of droughts, floods, extreme weather events, but also the effects on our health. Canadians expect polluters to pay, because it is the right thing to do for our children and grandchildren. Ninety-seven per cent of Canadians already live in jurisdictions in Canada that either have a price on carbon pollution or are in the process of putting that into place. The federal plan announced yesterday applies only in jurisdictions that have not moved there themselves. The pricing of carbon pollution will reduce pollution, it creates incentives for companies to innovate, to develop clean solutions, and create
Madam Speaker, the finance committee is currently studying the budget bill, Bill C-44, but this omnibus bill contains the Liberals' so-called infrastructure bank. We have had several witnesses appear before committee who have studied this scheme and are testifying that this bank is being set up to invest in high-risk projects.My question is for the Minister of Finance. Why is he gambling with $35 billion of hard-earned taxpayer dollars?
Madam Speaker, addressing climate change is one of the critical issues of our time. This government is committed to creating a more innovative economy that reduces emissions, while creating good middle-class jobs. If the hon. member would actually take the time to read the backstop paper, he would see that those figures are in that document. This government has been actively working with all provinces and territories, including the Government of Saskatchewan. I was there this week for conversations with large companies. We are working to build a plan that will allow us to move forward in a credible way to reduce carbon emissions and to grow a clean-growth economy.
Madam Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Public Safety wrongly claimed recruitment and expansion justified the closure of CPC Vegreville. Here is the truth. Since 2013, over 600 applications came in for the three hiring drives. Today, the union for the majority of workers said that having permanent positions there, most are not, would help with retention. However, what does it know. It was not even consulted. Nothing is stopping the Liberals from hiring in Edmonton right now.Will the minister do the right thing and reverse this mistake?
Madam Speaker, Canada is refusing to even match the U.S. investments in protecting the Great Lakes. People in my riding of Essex are concerned about the complete silence from the Liberal government when it comes to the water quality of Lake Erie. Algae blooms are negatively impacting the health of the lake, which our communities rely on for commercial fishing, tourism, and drinking water. Lake Erie has been in crisis before and deserves urgent protection to protect it now. The health of our communities is directly tied to the health of our lakes. Will the Liberals step up and take a leadership role in protecting our treasured freshwater Great Lakes?
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for her question and her efforts in supporting this cause.We are proud to have introduced Bill C-46, which will make Canada a world leader in the fight against alcohol- and drug-impaired driving. The proposed legislation will reform the entire impaired-driving regime in the Criminal Code. It will strengthen existing drug- and alcohol-impaired driving laws by creating new offences and by making the law more efficient to enforce, simpler, and more coherent for all Canadians.For this year's national safe driving week, I encourage all members of this House to work with our government
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, I asked a question about women who are victims of domestic violence. The Minister of Status of Women began her response with Happy Friday. I was asking a very serious question that required a very serious answer. Women who heard the minister are going to think that she does not take the problem
Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the opportunity for me to stand and provide a very clear statement. The assertion from the member opposite is categorically false. We took action to create good middle-class jobs for Alberta by approving two pipelines, getting done what the Conservatives could not get done in 10 years. We will continue to support Alberta as an energy hub of Canada.
Madam Speaker, our government's commitment on two fronts is unparalleled in this parliamentary history. One is on the child benefit and the other is on support for victims of violence fleeing and seeking better shelter and protection. On the issue that has been raised, it is a significant issue and I assure the member we will get a specific answer to the specific issues around tax and point of return. That is an issue which has just been raised today and I am happy to sit with the member and get the proper results. On the child benefit, we are raising kids out of poverty. On victims of violence, we are supporting them. We need to make sure those two programs work in concert.
Madam Speaker, although the government keeps telling us that it is working very hard to combat tax avoidance, we learned that $231 billion dollars were sheltered last year in the tax havens of Barbados, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands. Nothing is too good for profiteers.Is the government satisfied with its strategy to crack down on tax havens even though no tax was paid on 231,000 million dollars?
Madam Speaker, once again, our government is committed to making responsible decisions and services to Canadians and to creating jobs. Once again, we have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, outlining the costs requested by the member opposite.The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address the long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of immigration operations, and create more jobs for Albertans.
Madam Speaker, happy Friday to you and all my colleagues in the House. I thank my hon. colleague for bringing this issue to our attention. I can assure members that all policies, programs, and legislation that come through cabinet and eventually to the House are put through a gender-based analysis. Plus this issue is exactly why we need to put that lens on all policies. We will continue to do that.In the meantime, we will make sure that our gender-based violence strategy is implemented, with $100.9 million, so women and girls in Canada can thrive.
Madam Speaker, our government committed to making responsible choices that improve services for Canadians and create jobs. We have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, 2017, containing the very numbers quoted by the member opposite. The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of operations, and create more jobs for Albertans. I repeat that all employees will be able to keep their jobs.
Madam Speaker, I note the member said that the government responds to hundreds of Order Paper questions, and that is true, which is precisely why it is inexplicable that they took the time to insert additional factual errors in this particular response. This was not a mistake of omission, it was a mistake of co-mission. They committed the error of deliberately inserting false information in an Order Paper response, all the more egregious by the fact that they have so many other questions they could be dedicating their time to respond to.
No, Madam Speaker, the previous one.
Madam Speaker, Calgary has been the beating heart of the energy sector for decades. Professionals in Calgary have immense knowledge and experience in pipeline safety, oil and gas exploration, and environmental reclamation. Moving the NEB from Calgary to an ivory tower in Ottawa is not the answer. Will the Liberals commit to keeping the NEB decision making in Calgary, or will they finally admit they do not want the oil and gas energy industry to thrive?
Madam Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member and all Canadians that we are following this case very closely. I had the chance to meet with their daughter and I spoke with their lawyer. Our government is highly engaged on this file. We are in constant contact with Chinese local authorities. We want to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.As the hon. member knows, due to the Privacy Act, we cannot reveal further details about this matter.
Madam Speaker, this week I found out that employees at Drummond Institution received a letter asking them to pay back the emergency pay advances they received during the Phoenix pay system crisis.The employees do not take issue with having to pay back the advances, but the disappointing and shocking thing is the very tight deadline for repayment, not to mention the fact that most of them are still owed money because of the Phoenix fiasco.Can the government take responsibility and show some empathy to its employees who are victims in this scandal?
Madam Speaker, Madeleine Meilleur is a well-connected Liberal partisan and politician who has donated numerous times to the Liberal Party and has even donated to the Prime Minister's leadership campaign. Let us be clear. The reason the Prime Minister wants her to be the next languages commissioner is so that he can thank her for all of her support, and he wants to assure himself that he has somebody friendly in the position. This is really shady, and it is certainly wrong, in every sense of the word.Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and withdraw this patronage appointment?
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to increasing the proportion of marine and coastal areas that are protected to 5% this year, and to 10% by 2020. We are going to achieve these targets with sound science and transparent decision-making. Indeed, we are consulting broadly.
Madam Speaker, I regret that I am not having a happy Friday. As a result, I am rising on a point of order with respect to answer Question No. 954 that was tabled yesterday. Question No. 954 was submitted on April 3, and sought information on how the Guide for Parliamentary Secretaries, published by the Privy Council Office in December 2015, applied to trips made by two parliamentary secretaries. While this was a simple straightforward question, incorporated into the answer was a remark that was totally unrelated to the question. Further, I would argue that this unnecessary insertion had the effect of tarnishing the reputation of a former member of this House of Commons and constitutes an improper use by the government of the process of written questions.In making the case for sponsored travel for parliamentary secretaries, the following appeared in the answer to Question No. 954, which states: Moreover...John Baird, while he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, travelled to Washington...a trip that was sponsored by the American Israel [Political Action] Committee. I suppose the government was trying to make the point that what was good for the Conservative goose is good for Liberal ganders. However, according to the list of sponsored travel submitted to the Speaker himself on March 23, 2016 pursuant to 15(3) of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons, it indicated that Mr. Baird went on this trip on February 28, 2015.On February 3, 2015, a full 25 days before the trip in question took place, Mr. Baird announced in this House his resignation from cabinet effective immediately.This is not just sloppy research. I contend it is an attempt by the government to use a parliamentary tool, not to aid a member as it is intended, but in an unorthodox manner to distort the facts and smear the reputation of a former member of this House. Chapter 3 of Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms, 6th edition, states, More tentative are such traditional features as respect for the rights of the minority, which precludes a Government from using to excess the extensive powers that it has to...proceed in what the public and the Opposition might interpret as unorthodox ways. That is exactly what has happened here. Whether or not someone was a minister of the government at the time is not a debatable fact. Having factually wrong, damaging information about a former member in a response to an Order Paper question does not just happen. These responses are reviewed by top advisers to the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, and in particular the office for the coordination of parliamentary returns. Those parties are all meant to verify that a response is accurate. Normally they do an admirable job, with some notable exceptions that I have brought to your attention in the past. It is not believable that such an erroneous, vindictive, false statement about a former member of the House was drafted or prepared by Privy Council Office officials. They are far too professional in their work to ever have made such an egregious and obviously factual mistake. This was clearly the work of one of the Prime Minister's partisan advisers, who was trying to make a political statement at the expense of a former member, and of the truth.I ask that you look into this serious matter and come back to the House with a ruling. I would also ask that the Prime Minister, who is responsible for the answer, as it was signed by his own personal parliamentary secretary on his behalf, to correct the record, and to apologize to the hon. John Baird.In addition, I would like to reserve my right to raise this matter as a question of privilege in the event that the government insists on misleading the House on this matter.
Madam Speaker, no matter, Ms. Meilleur is too close to the Liberals. She spent 13 years in partisan politics with Ontario's Liberal party. She has donated to not just the Liberal Party of Canada, but to the Prime Minister himself. She admitted having met with the Prime Minister's closest advisors to obtain this position.How can the Minister of Canadian Heritage continue to defend this process, which has resulted in the selection of a longstanding Liberal?
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to growing the economy and supporting the middle class and those working hard to join it.The first thing that our government did was lower taxes for the middle class. We were surprised to see that the party opposite voted against that measure. We also raised taxes for the wealthy, and surprisingly the party opposite also voted against that. We implemented the Canada child benefit, which the party opposite once again voted against.
Madam Speaker, for almost a decade the municipal sector was neglected by the previous government. Our goal is to put forward an infrastructure plan that will help rebuild Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast.The creation of the infrastructure bank would allow us to build more infrastructure by mobilizing private capital. That would help us to build and transform infrastructure that our communities need and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking forward to this important position being filled. Canadians believe in the importance of official languages. They want somebody who has the expertise and experience to hold this important position. I am really surprised to see how much my colleagues support the expertise and experience of Mrs. Meilleur. Therefore, I do not understand why they are not supportive of this important candidacy, because this important position must be fulfilled by an important
Madam Speaker, that is why we are looking at the possibility of acquiring an interim fleet of 18 Super Hornet fighters to supplement the CF-18 fleet until the permanent replacements arrive.With these measures, Canadians can rest assured that our short- and long-term defence needs will always be met.
Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank the NEB expert panel for its hard work in drafting this report. Our government is committed to developing our resources and getting them to market in a responsible way. This requires a regulatory process in which Canadians can have confidence. Modernizing the NEB is part of our government's process to build a better system that is fair, robust, respects the rights of indigenous peoples, is based on scientific evidence, and protects our environment for generations to come. We will review the report in depth, along with other environmental regulatory reviews, and determine next steps.
Madam Speaker, when we started this process, we were looking for the right candidate, because that candidate had to have the qualifications, the expertise, the experience to be the Commissioner of Official Languages in this country.It is not surprising that the two opposition parties are not contesting the qualifications of Madeleine Meilleur, not at all. Even the leader of the second opposition has clearly stated that she has the expertise and the experience for this important position.
Madam Speaker, we believe that the Office of the Official Languages Commissioner has an important role to play in protecting and promoting our country's official languages.We committed to finding the best candidate for that position, but only after a rigorous, open, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple interviews. I even had the opportunity to speak with the Canadian heritage critics of the official opposition and the second opposition party. They recognized that Ms. Meilleur possesses the necessary qualifications considering her experience and expertise.
Madam Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that 97% of Canadians live in jurisdictions that have either put into place a plan to price carbon pollution or are in the process of working to have that in place by the beginning of 2018. We have worked collaboratively with the provinces. This was a central part of the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to which almost all of the provinces subscribed. We are working to ensure this is done in a thoughtful way. We intend to ensure we are addressing climate change and carbon emissions, but doing so in a manner that will help us to grow an innovative and clean-growth economy for the future.
Madam Speaker, we are extremely proud of everything we are doing in line with Canada 150. We believe in the importance of our four themes: youth, environment, reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and diversity and inclusion. We want Canadians to be able to celebrate across the country. We want to make sure that all regions are adequately represented. Of course, we are making sure that this process is non-partisan. Ultimately, this is a year to celebrate, so let us celebrate Canada 150 all together.
Madam Speaker, every member on this side of the House is proud of the appointments we are making within the judiciary. Since being elected, we have appointed 67 judges, including additional appointments which are forthcoming. Under our open, merit-based appointments process, we have attracted top-tier judicial appointments. Budget 2017 provides for additional resources, and we will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, as the hon. member mentioned, I was honoured to visit Nunavut and announce, alongside the territorial government and the hon. member, $230 million in joint funding for nine projects that will help 19 communities deal with waste management systems, improve waste water quality, and make further investments to improve water quality in those communities.We are very proud to be making investments in Nunavut, and we will continue to work with our partners to build stronger communities in the north.
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, in the heat of the moment, I used an inappropriate word, and I would like to correct the record. I talked about the carbon lottery, but I meant to talk about a carbon exchange.
Madam Speaker, I will review the answer that was provided, but I can assure the member that we go through hundreds of questions and attempt to provide the best and fullest answers whenever possible. I will report back after I have had the opportunity to look at what the member put on the record today.
Madam Speaker, we on this side of the House agree very much with many of the comments that were made by the hon. member. The Great Lakes are an incredibly important resource for many, both in Canada and the United States. It is an important recreational area for many people in Canada and the United States. Some of the environmental challenges that exist in the Great Lakes, which have existed for some time, are very significant. In budget 2017, we saw a significant expansion in funding going toward the Great Lakes to address issues such as phosphorus and nitrogen runoff which are causing some of the algae blooms that are particularly problematic in Lake Erie. We are committed to addressing the problems in the Great Lakes.
Madam Speaker, our government believes in the importance of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the protection and promotion of official languages. We are committed to finding the best candidate for this important position through a thorough, rigorous, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple rounds of interviews. I even had the chance to talk with my critics from the two opposition parties. They both acknowledged that she had the experience and expertise, and that is why we are convinced that Madeleine Meilleur is the best-suited candidate for this important position.
Madam Speaker, I can assure the hon. member and the House that we will do the proper due diligence before we undertake any project, by the bank, by the private sector, by the municipal sector, by the provincial sector, people who will be involved in building that infrastructure.Our goal is to make sure that we protect the public interest, to make sure that public dollars are protected, while we build the infrastructure that is required by our Canadian communities.
There's no consultation.
Madam Speaker, we found the best candidate to serve as commissioner of official languages. Why? Because we know that Ms. Meilleur was behind the campaign to save the Montfort, Ottawa's French-language hospital. We also know that Ms. Meilleur played a key role in the creation of the office of the official languages commissioner in Ontario. Her CV clearly demonstrates that she has the expertise and experience needed to serve as Canada's official languages commissioner, and we hope to have the support of the opposition and the Senate in confirming this important appointment.
Madam Speaker, as chair of the innovation, science and technology committee, I was pleased to take our committee to Washington, D.C. earlier this month to meet with business and government. It is so exciting to know that many of our companies have a strong relationship with our neighbours to the south. For most of the last three decades, trade has been an important part of that relationship. Only last year, U.S. goods and services trade with Canada totalled an estimated $627.8 billion U.S. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell the House what he is doing to grow this mutually beneficial relationship on the ground?
Madam Speaker, when searching for the best candidate for the position of Commissioner of Official Languages, we wanted to ensure that they were chosen on the basis of their expertise and experience. That is exactly what we did. We used a rigorous, open, merit-based process, which identified Madeleine Meilleur as the most qualified candidate because she has all the expertise to be an excellent Commissioner of Official Languages.
Madam Speaker, this summer, as we celebrate Canada 150, the national capital region prides itself on welcoming tourists from across Canada and around the world. Be it the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery, restaurants, music festivals, or museums, there is so much to see and do. The tourism industry supports over 13,000 jobs in our region. Will the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism please give the House an update on what our government is doing to support tourism in the national capital region and across the country?
Madam Speaker, I would once again invite my hon. colleagues to read the document. All of the relevant information is contained in that document. I would be happy to actually show the hon. member after question period is over.The net cost to Canadians obviously depends, in significant measure, on what provinces that have implemented these systems choose to do with the revenues. Alberta has returned those through rebates, British Columbia has a carbon-neutral tax and returns the funds through income tax reductions. We have a thoughtful plan. Those of us on this side of the House believe climate change is a real issue. We are planning to address that in a thoughtful way.
Madam Speaker, I will reiterate what I have said before on many occasions. We are proud, on this side of the House, of the open, merit-based appointments process. Not only have we appointed 67 new judges since being elected, there are over 120 public appointments, which again are open, transparent, and merit-based. We will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, the member for Ottawa WestNepean, for her passion and her excellent work in the tourism industry.Canada's rural and urban communities have much to share with the world. Last week, the Minister of Small Business and Tourism announced Canada's new vision. This is our pan-Canadian approach to improving tourism marketing, making it easier to get here, and developing new experiences, such as indigenous tourism, LGBTQ tourism, culinary tourism, and so much more.Canada's tourism industry is vital to our economy. It supports more than 1.7 million jobs and thousands of small businesses. I encourage everyone to explore not only
Madam Speaker, as I already mentioned, we have four important themes in the context of Canada 150, and one of them is engaging with young people. We Are Canada was reviewed by my department and recommended as it met the eligibility criteria as a Canada 150 community project. I invite all members of this House to participate in Canada 150 projects, because this is a great year for Canada.
Madam Speaker, it is important that we recognize that we have in fact put in place a new appointments process which supports an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process. Our aim is to identify high-quality candidates who will help to achieve gender parity and truly reflect Canada's diversity. It is important to note the 140 appointments, of which 63% are women, 13% are visible minorities, and 10% are indigenous. The Conservatives should be applauding the type of appointments we are making.
Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. As highlighted in Mary Simon's recent report, there is a great need to develop criteria for Arctic infrastructure projects that reflect the uniqueness of the north. Improving water and waste water management systems is an urgent infrastructure need that is important for the well-being and prosperity of Nunavut communities.The minister recently visited Iqaluit and Pangnirtung, and I was very pleased to join him in Iqaluit for an important funding announcement. Can the minister inform the House of the government's infrastructure investments in Nunavut?
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his hard work and leadership as the chair of the innovation committee. He is absolutely correct. Our trade is fair and balanced with our U.S. counterparts. Since NAFTA came into force, our economies have more than doubled, so it truly is a win-win situation. We have integrated economies, highly competitive, that allow us to compete globally. I have shared this viewpoint with my counterparts in Michigan, Colorado, California, and Nevada. We will continue to work together, build things together, and create jobs
Most negative speeches
Madam Speaker, this week I found out that employees at Drummond Institution received a letter asking them to pay back the emergency pay advances they received during the Phoenix pay system crisis.The employees do not take issue with having to pay back the advances, but the disappointing and shocking thing is the very tight deadline for repayment, not to mention the fact that most of them are still owed money because of the Phoenix fiasco.Can the government take responsibility and show some empathy to its employees who are victims in this scandal?
Madam Speaker, when people who have been victims of domestic violence apply for the CRA child tax benefit, they are burdened with an onerous and impossible requirement. CRA expects the victims to return to the abusers to obtain a signature for the application. This is an outrageous and even dangerous requirement for domestic abuse survivors who are trying to build a better, safer life for their families.Will the Liberals do the right thing, drop this unreasonable demand, and support survivors rather than empowering their abusers?
Madam Speaker, yesterday, the chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities sent a letter to the Standing Committee on Finance to confirm that committee members agreed on the infrastructure bank, which is completely false.It gets worse. The chair sent a letter on Wednesday; the committee sat on Thursday; the letter was dated today. If that is not arrogance or contempt, then I do not know what is.When will this government start respecting our institution and give up on this ridiculous infrastructure bank idea?
No, Madam Speaker, the previous one.
Madam Speaker, we see the results of the government's efforts.A total of $231 billion, or almost two-thirds of Quebec's GDP, was hidden in tax havens. With regard to Ottawa's hard work, former Liberal candidate Marwah Rizqy told Le Journal de Québec that it is a farce, hogwash and that Canada is asleep at the wheel. Why is the government only going after the little fish? In the meantime, it is letting the big financial sharks do what they want.
Madam Speaker, the Liberal war on history continues. Groups celebrating our history on the 150th anniversary of Confederation have been told they cannot. The Annapolis Valley project showcasing the region's contribution to Canada's founding has been told no by Ottawa. Instead, Canada 150 funds of half a million dollars went to former Liberal cabinet minister Ken Dryden for his project, a TV show modestly called We Are Canada, described as just tedious TV by The Globe and Mail. It was helpfully broadcast on the taxpayer-funded CBC. Why is the Liberal government taking money from community groups and giving it to former Liberal politicians?
Madam Speaker, the Liberal carbon tax is a game of hide-and-go-seek. The cost of the carbon tax is hidden in the price of groceries transported by truck or gasoline that people put in their vehicles, or the cost of heating their homes to stay alive. All of those things are hidden. When we seek the real cost, we find it is again hidden under a mountain of black ink in finance department documents.Yesterday the Liberals released a 26-page technical document on their new carbon tax, but, once again, hidden was the cost to Canadian families. Will they end their game of hide-and-go-seek today and tell average Canadian families what the carbon tax will cost them?
Madam Speaker, the government has cut health transfers. Naturally, this has a direct effect on the sick. The government has abandoned our cheese producers and it refuses to provide loan guarantees for the forestry industry, which is facing a new softwood lumber crisis. It is not going to increase regular EI benefits.Does this government and the Liberal Minister of National Revenue realize that the refusal to take action, this lax attitude, and complacency towards KPMG and tax havens have a direct effect on our sick, our workers, and our unemployed?
Madam Speaker, we also learned yesterday that the Prime Minister's closest adviser and long-time friend, Gerry Butts, met with Meilleur before she was even nominated. She admitted that this was an unfair advantage. I guess it is still who you know in the PMO.Officers of Parliament do not work for the Prime Minister, and they certainly do not work for the Prime Minister's Office. They work for all members of Parliament on behalf of Canadians. A watchdog cannot do their job with a cloud of patronage and partisanship hanging over their head.Out of respect for this position, will the Liberals do the right thing and withdraw her name from consideration?
Madam Speaker, if the tanker ban was not bad enough, now we are being told to expect fisheries closures off the coast of British Columbia. We have heard from academics, scientists, industry, and fishermen at the fisheries committee. They have all said the same thing. The Liberal consultations are a sham and fail to take into account the economic, social, and environmental impacts of identifying marine protected areas.What does the minister have to say to the numerous witnesses who have all said that the Liberal plan on marine protected areas will be a disastrous failure?
Madam Speaker, no matter, Ms. Meilleur is too close to the Liberals. She spent 13 years in partisan politics with Ontario's Liberal party. She has donated to not just the Liberal Party of Canada, but to the Prime Minister himself. She admitted having met with the Prime Minister's closest advisors to obtain this position.How can the Minister of Canadian Heritage continue to defend this process, which has resulted in the selection of a longstanding Liberal?
Madam Speaker, I thank the government for that, but it has to be done very quickly.Under the current rules, the Canada Revenue Agency tells domestic abuse survivors that they have to contact their attacker to fill out a form if they want to get the child tax benefit. That is preposterous, not to mention dangerous. This CRA requirement needs to be removed.Will the Minister of National Revenue resolve this matter immediately and apologize to victims of domestic abuse?
Madam Speaker, I can tell you that this government takes very seriously the problems with the Phoenix pay system, which we inherited from the opposition party.We are using every financial and human resource possible from one end of the country to the other and across Quebec, including my riding, Gatineau.I thank the public servants working on the system for their work, and I can assure every one of Canada's public servants that, in the end, we will have a pay system that lives up to our expectations.
Madam Speaker, this week is National Safe Driving Week. As my colleagues probably already know, impaired driving is a serious crime that injures and kills thousands of Canadians every year. In 2015, the police reported 72,000 incidents of impaired driving, 3,000 of which were drug-related.Could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Justice explain what our government is doing to address this serious issue of impaired driving and to make our roads safer for all Canadians?
Madam Speaker, yes, it is on the same subject as my point of order earlier. I am convinced that it is indeed a point of order. I had a conversation with the minister. I know she understands the problem, but I think she needs to apologize out of respect for the women who have been victims of abuse.
Madam Speaker, this summer, as we celebrate Canada 150, the national capital region prides itself on welcoming tourists from across Canada and around the world. Be it the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery, restaurants, music festivals, or museums, there is so much to see and do. The tourism industry supports over 13,000 jobs in our region. Will the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism please give the House an update on what our government is doing to support tourism in the national capital region and across the country?
Madam Speaker, our government is delivering on our promise to formalize a crude oil tanker moratorium along the north coast of British Columbia. This will protect this incredible environment that coastal and indigenous communities call home, ensure clean water for our kids and grandkids. Our proposed legislation would prohibit oil tankers carrying crude and persistent oils as cargo, from stopping, loading, unloading at ports, marinas and installations in northern British Columbia.
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, I asked a question about women who are victims of domestic violence. The Minister of Status of Women began her response with Happy Friday. I was asking a very serious question that required a very serious answer. Women who heard the minister are going to think that she does not take the problem
Madam Speaker, while the Minister of Environment is forcing her carbon tax onto the provinces, the Minister of Transport has introduced a tanker ban, which his own officials acknowledge targets just one industry.This is not a ban on tanker traffic as they will continue to move up and down the coast of British Columbia. It is a ban on Canada's resource development.Why are the Liberals continuing their blatant attacks on western Canada's resource sector?
Madam Speaker, Calgary has been the beating heart of the energy sector for decades. Professionals in Calgary have immense knowledge and experience in pipeline safety, oil and gas exploration, and environmental reclamation. Moving the NEB from Calgary to an ivory tower in Ottawa is not the answer. Will the Liberals commit to keeping the NEB decision making in Calgary, or will they finally admit they do not want the oil and gas energy industry to thrive?
There's no consultation.
Madam Speaker, the finance committee is currently studying the budget bill, Bill C-44, but this omnibus bill contains the Liberals' so-called infrastructure bank. We have had several witnesses appear before committee who have studied this scheme and are testifying that this bank is being set up to invest in high-risk projects.My question is for the Minister of Finance. Why is he gambling with $35 billion of hard-earned taxpayer dollars?
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, in the heat of the moment, I used an inappropriate word, and I would like to correct the record. I talked about the carbon lottery, but I meant to talk about a carbon exchange.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals always find a way to take care of their friends. As we have seen this week, no former Liberal cabinet minister is ever left behind. When I commented that it was inappropriate for the CBC to receive Canada 150 funding on top of its annual billion dollars from the taxpayers, the CBC's taxpayer-funded lobbyist corrected me. The Canada 150 money went to Ken Dryden, not the CBC. In fact, the CBC paid even more tax dollars to the former Liberal minister's project. Why is it that the only history that can make it past the Liberal war on history is someone's past history as a Liberal minister?
Madam Speaker, Canadians know very well the track record of this government and of our Prime Minister when defending Canadians abroad. We will never turn our backs on Canadians when they need our help abroad. We are very active on this file and we will not stop until we resolve this matter.
Madam Speaker, the Phoenix fiasco at its core is a scandal about the government not paying its employees. If this were any other workplace, this would have been solved months ago, but instead, the Liberal government's main response is to blame the Conservatives. It was the Liberal government that authorized the implementation of Phoenix and it was the Liberal government that refuses to put in place a permanent solution.While workers are not getting paid, I would ask the government, has the government been paying IBM on time?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals say that this is really a simple way to reduce pollution. Let me quote the document. If a Registered Fuel Importer imports fuel for delivery to a Registered Fuel Distributor, the levy will not become payable by the Registered Fuel Importer. The levy will become payable by the Registered Fuel Distributor when it uses the fuel or delivers it to another person in the backstop jurisdiction, unless that other person is also a Registered Fuel Distributor. See, it is simple. How much will it cost small businesses for the red tape of this new scheme and how much will it cost taxpayers for the new bureaucracy needed to implement it?
Madam Speaker, Canada has the third highest beer tax in the world, yet the Liberals' budget contains an escalator tax on beer sales. Thanks to this poorly thought-out scheme to fleece Canadians, every year on April 1 the cost of beer would automatically increase. This tax would hurt consumers, brewers, and many other spinoff industries in Canada. Will the Liberals cancel this ill-thought-out permanently increasing tax hike on beer?
Madam Speaker, Madeleine Meilleur is a well-connected Liberal partisan and politician who has donated numerous times to the Liberal Party and has even donated to the Prime Minister's leadership campaign. Let us be clear. The reason the Prime Minister wants her to be the next languages commissioner is so that he can thank her for all of her support, and he wants to assure himself that he has somebody friendly in the position. This is really shady, and it is certainly wrong, in every sense of the word.Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and withdraw this patronage appointment?
Madam Speaker, the Minister of Defence would have us believe that the Royal Canadian Air Force does not have the resources to fulfill both its NATO and its NORAD commitments. As it turns out, in 2017, six CF-18s were sent to Iceland for two months for a NATO mission. They were then sent to Romania for even longer.If there really is a capability gap, how can Canada spare six jets for such a long time? Was the Minister of National Defence the architect of the capability gap?
Madam Speaker, LGBTQ Canadians are getting tired of waiting for real action to follow the selfies. Nearly a year ago, the government received briefs from groups representing those who were dishonourably discharged from the military or fired from the public service, asking for an apology. Just before he marched in Toronto Pride last year, the Prime Minister promised a formal apology for the harm done. Now, at the first anniversary of this promise, all we have is a re-promise, and those who have been waiting more than 25 years for justice have been told to wait again. Will the government finally keep this promise? Does the government intend to make the apology or not?
Madam Speaker, privacy has been out the window for the last 13 months.The family and the Changs deserve a lot better from the government. They have been making application after application. Talking about this is a trade issue not a consular issue. They constantly get this consular issue dribble that really gets no results. This is now a matter of timing. One week from today, John Chang faces a closed court in Shanghai that will decide his fate. He has had three visits in the past 13 months from consular officials. That is just not good enough. Canadians deserve and expect a lot better than this from their government when they get in trouble
Madam Speaker, there is a new lottery in town, and for the past 18 months, select Canadians have been hitting jackpots of $500, $700, or even $1,000 per day of work for the luckiest winners.Here are some of the Canadians who have made it to the winner's circle so far: Stéphane Dion, John McCallum, and Madeleine Meilleur. Since this lottery goes until 2019, there will be more. Unfortunately, tickets are available only to the elite. Anyone who wants to enter has to make a hefty donation to the Liberal Party of Canada. The next grand prize is the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. Will the Prime Minister shut down this partisan lottery before the next draw conducted under the supervision of a firm by the name of leader of the government, Butts, and partners?
Madam Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member and all Canadians that we are following this case very closely. I had the chance to meet with their daughter and I spoke with their lawyer. Our government is highly engaged on this file. We are in constant contact with Chinese local authorities. We want to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.As the hon. member knows, due to the Privacy Act, we cannot reveal further details about this matter.
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister decided to appoint Madeleine Meilleur, an individual who made financial contributions to the Prime Minister's leadership race, as commissioner of official languages.As commissioner, Ms. Meilleur will be responsible for investigating the Prime Minister if he ever violates the Official Languages Act.Yesterday Ms. Meilleur herself admitted that she cannot erase 13 years of partisan politics. How can we trust this Liberal to set aside her partisanship when she has to investigate the Prime Minister?
Madam Speaker, Canadians know that polluting is not free. We see the costs of droughts, floods, extreme weather events, but also the effects on our health. Canadians expect polluters to pay, because it is the right thing to do for our children and grandchildren. Ninety-seven per cent of Canadians already live in jurisdictions in Canada that either have a price on carbon pollution or are in the process of putting that into place. The federal plan announced yesterday applies only in jurisdictions that have not moved there themselves. The pricing of carbon pollution will reduce pollution, it creates incentives for companies to innovate, to develop clean solutions, and create
Madam Speaker, I regret that I am not having a happy Friday. As a result, I am rising on a point of order with respect to answer Question No. 954 that was tabled yesterday. Question No. 954 was submitted on April 3, and sought information on how the Guide for Parliamentary Secretaries, published by the Privy Council Office in December 2015, applied to trips made by two parliamentary secretaries. While this was a simple straightforward question, incorporated into the answer was a remark that was totally unrelated to the question. Further, I would argue that this unnecessary insertion had the effect of tarnishing the reputation of a former member of this House of Commons and constitutes an improper use by the government of the process of written questions.In making the case for sponsored travel for parliamentary secretaries, the following appeared in the answer to Question No. 954, which states: Moreover...John Baird, while he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, travelled to Washington...a trip that was sponsored by the American Israel [Political Action] Committee. I suppose the government was trying to make the point that what was good for the Conservative goose is good for Liberal ganders. However, according to the list of sponsored travel submitted to the Speaker himself on March 23, 2016 pursuant to 15(3) of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons, it indicated that Mr. Baird went on this trip on February 28, 2015.On February 3, 2015, a full 25 days before the trip in question took place, Mr. Baird announced in this House his resignation from cabinet effective immediately.This is not just sloppy research. I contend it is an attempt by the government to use a parliamentary tool, not to aid a member as it is intended, but in an unorthodox manner to distort the facts and smear the reputation of a former member of this House. Chapter 3 of Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms, 6th edition, states, More tentative are such traditional features as respect for the rights of the minority, which precludes a Government from using to excess the extensive powers that it has to...proceed in what the public and the Opposition might interpret as unorthodox ways. That is exactly what has happened here. Whether or not someone was a minister of the government at the time is not a debatable fact. Having factually wrong, damaging information about a former member in a response to an Order Paper question does not just happen. These responses are reviewed by top advisers to the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, and in particular the office for the coordination of parliamentary returns. Those parties are all meant to verify that a response is accurate. Normally they do an admirable job, with some notable exceptions that I have brought to your attention in the past. It is not believable that such an erroneous, vindictive, false statement about a former member of the House was drafted or prepared by Privy Council Office officials. They are far too professional in their work to ever have made such an egregious and obviously factual mistake. This was clearly the work of one of the Prime Minister's partisan advisers, who was trying to make a political statement at the expense of a former member, and of the truth.I ask that you look into this serious matter and come back to the House with a ruling. I would also ask that the Prime Minister, who is responsible for the answer, as it was signed by his own personal parliamentary secretary on his behalf, to correct the record, and to apologize to the hon. John Baird.In addition, I would like to reserve my right to raise this matter as a question of privilege in the event that the government insists on misleading the House on this matter.
Madam Speaker, when we started this process, we were looking for the right candidate, because that candidate had to have the qualifications, the expertise, the experience to be the Commissioner of Official Languages in this country.It is not surprising that the two opposition parties are not contesting the qualifications of Madeleine Meilleur, not at all. Even the leader of the second opposition has clearly stated that she has the expertise and the experience for this important position.
Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the opportunity for me to stand and provide a very clear statement. The assertion from the member opposite is categorically false. We took action to create good middle-class jobs for Alberta by approving two pipelines, getting done what the Conservatives could not get done in 10 years. We will continue to support Alberta as an energy hub of Canada.
Madam Speaker, they are open to anyone who has given a donation to the Liberal Party. That is the only openness that we are seeing.It is clear that with the Prime Minister's patronage appointment scheme, if one is not a Liberal and not giving a donation, there is no use applying. Liberal donors are clearly making their way to the very top of the appointment list. Merit has become secondary to donations to the Liberal Party.How can the Prime Minister expect Canadians to believe it is just a coincidence that all of these Liberal donors are somehow getting these plum appointments?
Madam Speaker, this government is deploying all of the resources it has at its disposal, both human and financial, in support of fixing these problems that were left to us by the Conservatives.I can assure the hon. member that in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and right across this country, there are hundreds of public servants, hundreds of people working today at this very moment, on resolving these problems which we are all very eager to resolve.
Madam Speaker, I note the member said that the government responds to hundreds of Order Paper questions, and that is true, which is precisely why it is inexplicable that they took the time to insert additional factual errors in this particular response. This was not a mistake of omission, it was a mistake of co-mission. They committed the error of deliberately inserting false information in an Order Paper response, all the more egregious by the fact that they have so many other questions they could be dedicating their time to respond to.
Madam Speaker, again and again, the Liberals rise with no clear answer, no number, no money, always through a cost to the Canadian taxpayer.There is another problem. We know that the government always takes pride in stating that the Liberals collaborate with the provinces. Is that so? Three provinces have implemented a carbon lottery, a system that has sadly not worked for Quebec since 2013. Yesterday, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that if it does not work, then the Liberals would impose the Liberal carbon tax on the provinces.Can someone in this government tell us today whether or not the Liberals are going to impose the Liberal carbon tax on all Canadian provinces?
Madam Speaker, for almost a decade the municipal sector was neglected by the previous government. Our goal is to put forward an infrastructure plan that will help rebuild Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast.The creation of the infrastructure bank would allow us to build more infrastructure by mobilizing private capital. That would help us to build and transform infrastructure that our communities need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, since the Liberal government took office, the people of BeauportLimoilou have been plagued with tax hikes, the cancellation of tax credits for family activities, extra payroll taxes, and new taxes on various consumer goods.Yesterday, the Liberal government confirmed that it will be imposing a carbon tax on all the provinces. By 2022, gas prices at the pump will increase by 12¢, which is really going to drive up the cost of groceries.Will the Liberals put a stop to this situation before it escalates any further, or is this just the beginning?
Madam Speaker, I can assure the hon. member and the House that we will do the proper due diligence before we undertake any project, by the bank, by the private sector, by the municipal sector, by the provincial sector, people who will be involved in building that infrastructure.Our goal is to make sure that we protect the public interest, to make sure that public dollars are protected, while we build the infrastructure that is required by our Canadian communities.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, the member for Ottawa WestNepean, for her passion and her excellent work in the tourism industry.Canada's rural and urban communities have much to share with the world. Last week, the Minister of Small Business and Tourism announced Canada's new vision. This is our pan-Canadian approach to improving tourism marketing, making it easier to get here, and developing new experiences, such as indigenous tourism, LGBTQ tourism, culinary tourism, and so much more.Canada's tourism industry is vital to our economy. It supports more than 1.7 million jobs and thousands of small businesses. I encourage everyone to explore not only
Madam Speaker, although the government keeps telling us that it is working very hard to combat tax avoidance, we learned that $231 billion dollars were sheltered last year in the tax havens of Barbados, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands. Nothing is too good for profiteers.Is the government satisfied with its strategy to crack down on tax havens even though no tax was paid on 231,000 million dollars?
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to growing the economy and supporting the middle class and those working hard to join it.The first thing that our government did was lower taxes for the middle class. We were surprised to see that the party opposite voted against that measure. We also raised taxes for the wealthy, and surprisingly the party opposite also voted against that. We implemented the Canada child benefit, which the party opposite once again voted against.
Madam Speaker, as the hon. member mentioned, I was honoured to visit Nunavut and announce, alongside the territorial government and the hon. member, $230 million in joint funding for nine projects that will help 19 communities deal with waste management systems, improve waste water quality, and make further investments to improve water quality in those communities.We are very proud to be making investments in Nunavut, and we will continue to work with our partners to build stronger communities in the north.
Madam Speaker, CRA continues to take important steps and is making progress in cracking down on tax cheats and ensuring a tax system that is more responsive and fair to all Canadians.In last year's budget, the agency took significant action on several fronts to identify and deal with tax cheats. Building on the previous investment of $444 million, budget 2017 invested an additional $524 million to crack down on tax evasion and improve compliance.
Madam Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Public Safety wrongly claimed recruitment and expansion justified the closure of CPC Vegreville. Here is the truth. Since 2013, over 600 applications came in for the three hiring drives. Today, the union for the majority of workers said that having permanent positions there, most are not, would help with retention. However, what does it know. It was not even consulted. Nothing is stopping the Liberals from hiring in Edmonton right now.Will the minister do the right thing and reverse this mistake?
Madam Speaker, even the Liberal minister is hesitant to get up to try to defend that, and I do not blame her.The Liberal appointment gravy train is shamefully extending to the judiciary. The latest round of judicial appointments is full of Liberal donors, including an Alberta appointment of a person who has donated to the Liberal Party over 25 times, including twice just this year.When will the Prime Minister admit that he actually does not care about the appearance of conflict of interest and he would rather reward his friends for their generous support of his I will scratch yours if you scratch mine government?
Madam Speaker, that is why we are looking at the possibility of acquiring an interim fleet of 18 Super Hornet fighters to supplement the CF-18 fleet until the permanent replacements arrive.With these measures, Canadians can rest assured that our short- and long-term defence needs will always be met.
Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank the NEB expert panel for its hard work in drafting this report. Our government is committed to developing our resources and getting them to market in a responsible way. This requires a regulatory process in which Canadians can have confidence. Modernizing the NEB is part of our government's process to build a better system that is fair, robust, respects the rights of indigenous peoples, is based on scientific evidence, and protects our environment for generations to come. We will review the report in depth, along with other environmental regulatory reviews, and determine next steps.
That is precisely why I am wondering if the parliamentary secretary actually read all the documents himself. Every single document released yesterday by the Minister of Environment bears the title of Liberal carbon tax. There are a bunch of numbers and words in there no one can make heads or tails of. As the member for Carleton said so well, there is one number that is missing. How much will this cost Canadian workers?Since the parliamentary secretary just chided us for not reading the document, can he tell us what is the most important number for Canadians in the document? How much is your Liberal carbon tax going to cost?
Madam Speaker, for more than a year now Canadian citizens John Chang and his wife Allison Lu have been held in jail by China's general administration of customs. Their company, Lulu Island Winery in B.C., has successfully exported to China for some six years, so they know the system well. The arrest of Mr. Chang and Ms. Lu for a fabricated customs violation is an assault on their basic rights, a breach of China's international trade obligations, and China's own customs laws. This is clearly a trade issue, not a consular issue.Why will the Prime Minister not intervene in this new era of the Canada-China relationship?
Madam Speaker, let us talk about the impact of this thoughtful way. In Alberta, foreclosure rates are rising at alarming rates, in fact, more than 25% in the last two years alone. Dismantling the NEB, politicizing infrastructure decisions, and implementing the carbon tax are all Liberal policies that are stifling any ability for Alberta's economic recovery. Canada needs the Trans Mountain pipeline.Will the Prime Minister go to B.C. and champion this vital pipeline project, or will he continue on his quest of eliminating the oil sands and killing jobs in Alberta and the rest of Canada?
Madam Speaker, we believe that the Office of the Official Languages Commissioner has an important role to play in protecting and promoting our country's official languages.We committed to finding the best candidate for that position, but only after a rigorous, open, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple interviews. I even had the opportunity to speak with the Canadian heritage critics of the official opposition and the second opposition party. They recognized that Ms. Meilleur possesses the necessary qualifications considering her experience and expertise.
Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the Canada Revenue Agency. In our first budget, we invested $444 million, in addition to $524 million in budget 2017. This is to ensure that our actions are showing tangible results. Last year our offshore and domestic audit activities enabled us to recoup $13 billion.We will continue to work for Canadians. That is what Canadians expect.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his hard work and leadership as the chair of the innovation committee. He is absolutely correct. Our trade is fair and balanced with our U.S. counterparts. Since NAFTA came into force, our economies have more than doubled, so it truly is a win-win situation. We have integrated economies, highly competitive, that allow us to compete globally. I have shared this viewpoint with my counterparts in Michigan, Colorado, California, and Nevada. We will continue to work together, build things together, and create jobs
Madam Speaker, we found the best candidate to serve as commissioner of official languages. Why? Because we know that Ms. Meilleur was behind the campaign to save the Montfort, Ottawa's French-language hospital. We also know that Ms. Meilleur played a key role in the creation of the office of the official languages commissioner in Ontario. Her CV clearly demonstrates that she has the expertise and experience needed to serve as Canada's official languages commissioner, and we hope to have the support of the opposition and the Senate in confirming this important appointment.
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to increasing the proportion of marine and coastal areas that are protected to 5% this year, and to 10% by 2020. We are going to achieve these targets with sound science and transparent decision-making. Indeed, we are consulting broadly.
Madam Speaker, it is important that we recognize that we have in fact put in place a new appointments process which supports an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process. Our aim is to identify high-quality candidates who will help to achieve gender parity and truly reflect Canada's diversity. It is important to note the 140 appointments, of which 63% are women, 13% are visible minorities, and 10% are indigenous. The Conservatives should be applauding the type of appointments we are making.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised an open and transparent appointment process for the new official languages commissioner, but what they delivered was the most partisan appointment ever. Madeleine Meilleur, who was angling for a Senate seat while at Queen's Park, told the committee quite plainly yesterday that she contacted her former colleagues, Gerald Butts and Katie Telford, the two people in the Prime Minister's Office with the most clout in the selection process. That is what you call coming up with a plan B.Will the government finally admit that this appointment was nothing more than a $315,000 consolation prize to help a good friend
Madam Speaker, Canada is refusing to even match the U.S. investments in protecting the Great Lakes. People in my riding of Essex are concerned about the complete silence from the Liberal government when it comes to the water quality of Lake Erie. Algae blooms are negatively impacting the health of the lake, which our communities rely on for commercial fishing, tourism, and drinking water. Lake Erie has been in crisis before and deserves urgent protection to protect it now. The health of our communities is directly tied to the health of our lakes. Will the Liberals step up and take a leadership role in protecting our treasured freshwater Great Lakes?
Madam Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that 97% of Canadians live in jurisdictions that have either put into place a plan to price carbon pollution or are in the process of working to have that in place by the beginning of 2018. We have worked collaboratively with the provinces. This was a central part of the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to which almost all of the provinces subscribed. We are working to ensure this is done in a thoughtful way. We intend to ensure we are addressing climate change and carbon emissions, but doing so in a manner that will help us to grow an innovative and clean-growth economy for the future.
Madam Speaker, our government's commitment on two fronts is unparalleled in this parliamentary history. One is on the child benefit and the other is on support for victims of violence fleeing and seeking better shelter and protection. On the issue that has been raised, it is a significant issue and I assure the member we will get a specific answer to the specific issues around tax and point of return. That is an issue which has just been raised today and I am happy to sit with the member and get the proper results. On the child benefit, we are raising kids out of poverty. On victims of violence, we are supporting them. We need to make sure those two programs work in concert.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking forward to this important position being filled. Canadians believe in the importance of official languages. They want somebody who has the expertise and experience to hold this important position. I am really surprised to see how much my colleagues support the expertise and experience of Mrs. Meilleur. Therefore, I do not understand why they are not supportive of this important candidacy, because this important position must be fulfilled by an important
Madam Speaker, our government committed to making responsible choices that improve services for Canadians and create jobs. We have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, 2017, containing the very numbers quoted by the member opposite. The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of operations, and create more jobs for Albertans. I repeat that all employees will be able to keep their jobs.
Madam Speaker, I would once again invite my hon. colleagues to read the document. All of the relevant information is contained in that document. I would be happy to actually show the hon. member after question period is over.The net cost to Canadians obviously depends, in significant measure, on what provinces that have implemented these systems choose to do with the revenues. Alberta has returned those through rebates, British Columbia has a carbon-neutral tax and returns the funds through income tax reductions. We have a thoughtful plan. Those of us on this side of the House believe climate change is a real issue. We are planning to address that in a thoughtful way.
Madam Speaker, as chair of the innovation, science and technology committee, I was pleased to take our committee to Washington, D.C. earlier this month to meet with business and government. It is so exciting to know that many of our companies have a strong relationship with our neighbours to the south. For most of the last three decades, trade has been an important part of that relationship. Only last year, U.S. goods and services trade with Canada totalled an estimated $627.8 billion U.S. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell the House what he is doing to grow this mutually beneficial relationship on the ground?
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and ask for forgiveness. I understand that every six days in this country a woman is killed by the hands of an intimate partner. I understand that these issues affect three out of 10 women, and that if we work together, we can address these issues. I will definitely be more mindful of my language, absolutely, but, more importantly, I will continue to be a force with all of my colleagues to ensure that we see tangible change in our generation.
Madam Speaker, addressing climate change is one of the critical issues of our time. This government is committed to creating a more innovative economy that reduces emissions, while creating good middle-class jobs. If the hon. member would actually take the time to read the backstop paper, he would see that those figures are in that document. This government has been actively working with all provinces and territories, including the Government of Saskatchewan. I was there this week for conversations with large companies. We are working to build a plan that will allow us to move forward in a credible way to reduce carbon emissions and to grow a clean-growth economy.
Madam Speaker, once again, our government is committed to making responsible decisions and services to Canadians and to creating jobs. Once again, we have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, outlining the costs requested by the member opposite.The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address the long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of immigration operations, and create more jobs for Albertans.
Madam Speaker, the lengths these Liberals will go to help out their friends: A lifelong Liberal and donor to the Prime Minister's own leadership campaign is their surprise choice for an independent commissioner.This Prime Minister has been under more investigations than any other prime minister in Canadian history, including Harper, Chrétien, and even Brian Mulroney somehow.Yesterday, Madam Meilleur admitted that she may have to recuse herself from investigating the Prime Minister because of these donations. Imagine, a commissioner who cannot investigate. Was this the Liberal plan all along, or just some happy coincidence?
Madam Speaker, I will reiterate what I have said before on many occasions. We are proud, on this side of the House, of the open, merit-based appointments process. Not only have we appointed 67 new judges since being elected, there are over 120 public appointments, which again are open, transparent, and merit-based. We will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, for months now the Liberals have been dodging questions and making up excuses. They claim it will save money, but it is tens of millions more. They claim it is to expand, but the reality is Vegreville has room for the 32 more staff planned. The Liberals slag the employees, but the department itself says that they are high performers, exemplary workers who always exceed departmental targets. There was no consultation, no transparency, and no honesty.Will the minister admit this is an attack on middle-class rural Canadians and stop it now?
Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. As highlighted in Mary Simon's recent report, there is a great need to develop criteria for Arctic infrastructure projects that reflect the uniqueness of the north. Improving water and waste water management systems is an urgent infrastructure need that is important for the well-being and prosperity of Nunavut communities.The minister recently visited Iqaluit and Pangnirtung, and I was very pleased to join him in Iqaluit for an important funding announcement. Can the minister inform the House of the government's infrastructure investments in Nunavut?
Madam Speaker, all men and women who serve their country deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter their sex or background. We are pleased with the progress that is being made by the Canadian Armed Forces in eliminating sexual misconduct. Professional measures are taken to deal with offenders, robust training programs have been implemented, reports of sexual misconduct that were deemed unfounded in the past are currently being reviewed, and most importantly, victims are getting more support.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for her question and her efforts in supporting this cause.We are proud to have introduced Bill C-46, which will make Canada a world leader in the fight against alcohol- and drug-impaired driving. The proposed legislation will reform the entire impaired-driving regime in the Criminal Code. It will strengthen existing drug- and alcohol-impaired driving laws by creating new offences and by making the law more efficient to enforce, simpler, and more coherent for all Canadians.For this year's national safe driving week, I encourage all members of this House to work with our government
Madam Speaker, our government believes that everyone in Canada should pay his or her fair share of taxes. Budget 2017 proposes to increase taxes on alcohol products. It would be the first increase, I might add, in over 30 years. The 2% increase amounts to about 5¢ per 24 bottles of beer. The inflationary adjustment would provide alcohol producers with greater certainty in the future and follow similar steps taken by many of the provinces.
Madam Speaker, I will review the answer that was provided, but I can assure the member that we go through hundreds of questions and attempt to provide the best and fullest answers whenever possible. I will report back after I have had the opportunity to look at what the member put on the record today.
We are actively engaging with our partners in the provinces and territories, with indigenous people and people in industry.Also, we can all be proud in British Columbia of the most recent marine protected area, the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound glass sponge reefs MPA, that was designated just this year.
Madam Speaker, as I already mentioned, we have four important themes in the context of Canada 150, and one of them is engaging with young people. We Are Canada was reviewed by my department and recommended as it met the eligibility criteria as a Canada 150 community project. I invite all members of this House to participate in Canada 150 projects, because this is a great year for Canada.
Madam Speaker, we are extremely proud of everything we are doing in line with Canada 150. We believe in the importance of our four themes: youth, environment, reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and diversity and inclusion. We want Canadians to be able to celebrate across the country. We want to make sure that all regions are adequately represented. Of course, we are making sure that this process is non-partisan. Ultimately, this is a year to celebrate, so let us celebrate Canada 150 all together.
Madam Speaker, our government believes in the importance of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the protection and promotion of official languages. We are committed to finding the best candidate for this important position through a thorough, rigorous, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple rounds of interviews. I even had the chance to talk with my critics from the two opposition parties. They both acknowledged that she had the experience and expertise, and that is why we are convinced that Madeleine Meilleur is the best-suited candidate for this important position.
As I said, Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and addressing tax avoidance.We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the CRA. In our first budget, we invested $444 million in the CRA. In budget 2017, we added $524 million to better target high-risk taxpayers and to make sure we have the best tools available at our disposal to close in the tax cheats.
Madam Speaker, we on this side of the House agree very much with many of the comments that were made by the hon. member. The Great Lakes are an incredibly important resource for many, both in Canada and the United States. It is an important recreational area for many people in Canada and the United States. Some of the environmental challenges that exist in the Great Lakes, which have existed for some time, are very significant. In budget 2017, we saw a significant expansion in funding going toward the Great Lakes to address issues such as phosphorus and nitrogen runoff which are causing some of the algae blooms that are particularly problematic in Lake Erie. We are committed to addressing the problems in the Great Lakes.
Madam Speaker, happy Friday to you and all my colleagues in the House. I thank my hon. colleague for bringing this issue to our attention. I can assure members that all policies, programs, and legislation that come through cabinet and eventually to the House are put through a gender-based analysis. Plus this issue is exactly why we need to put that lens on all policies. We will continue to do that.In the meantime, we will make sure that our gender-based violence strategy is implemented, with $100.9 million, so women and girls in Canada can thrive.
Madam Speaker, every member on this side of the House is proud of the appointments we are making within the judiciary. Since being elected, we have appointed 67 judges, including additional appointments which are forthcoming. Under our open, merit-based appointments process, we have attracted top-tier judicial appointments. Budget 2017 provides for additional resources, and we will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, when searching for the best candidate for the position of Commissioner of Official Languages, we wanted to ensure that they were chosen on the basis of their expertise and experience. That is exactly what we did. We used a rigorous, open, merit-based process, which identified Madeleine Meilleur as the most qualified candidate because she has all the expertise to be an excellent Commissioner of Official Languages.
Madam Speaker, this week I found out that employees at Drummond Institution received a letter asking them to pay back the emergency pay advances they received during the Phoenix pay system crisis.The employees do not take issue with having to pay back the advances, but the disappointing and shocking thing is the very tight deadline for repayment, not to mention the fact that most of them are still owed money because of the Phoenix fiasco.Can the government take responsibility and show some empathy to its employees who are victims in this scandal?
Madam Speaker, when people who have been victims of domestic violence apply for the CRA child tax benefit, they are burdened with an onerous and impossible requirement. CRA expects the victims to return to the abusers to obtain a signature for the application. This is an outrageous and even dangerous requirement for domestic abuse survivors who are trying to build a better, safer life for their families.Will the Liberals do the right thing, drop this unreasonable demand, and support survivors rather than empowering their abusers?
Madam Speaker, yesterday, the chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities sent a letter to the Standing Committee on Finance to confirm that committee members agreed on the infrastructure bank, which is completely false.It gets worse. The chair sent a letter on Wednesday; the committee sat on Thursday; the letter was dated today. If that is not arrogance or contempt, then I do not know what is.When will this government start respecting our institution and give up on this ridiculous infrastructure bank idea?
No, Madam Speaker, the previous one.
Madam Speaker, we see the results of the government's efforts.A total of $231 billion, or almost two-thirds of Quebec's GDP, was hidden in tax havens. With regard to Ottawa's hard work, former Liberal candidate Marwah Rizqy told Le Journal de Québec that it is a farce, hogwash and that Canada is asleep at the wheel. Why is the government only going after the little fish? In the meantime, it is letting the big financial sharks do what they want.
Madam Speaker, the Liberal war on history continues. Groups celebrating our history on the 150th anniversary of Confederation have been told they cannot. The Annapolis Valley project showcasing the region's contribution to Canada's founding has been told no by Ottawa. Instead, Canada 150 funds of half a million dollars went to former Liberal cabinet minister Ken Dryden for his project, a TV show modestly called We Are Canada, described as just tedious TV by The Globe and Mail. It was helpfully broadcast on the taxpayer-funded CBC. Why is the Liberal government taking money from community groups and giving it to former Liberal politicians?
Madam Speaker, the Liberal carbon tax is a game of hide-and-go-seek. The cost of the carbon tax is hidden in the price of groceries transported by truck or gasoline that people put in their vehicles, or the cost of heating their homes to stay alive. All of those things are hidden. When we seek the real cost, we find it is again hidden under a mountain of black ink in finance department documents.Yesterday the Liberals released a 26-page technical document on their new carbon tax, but, once again, hidden was the cost to Canadian families. Will they end their game of hide-and-go-seek today and tell average Canadian families what the carbon tax will cost them?
Madam Speaker, the government has cut health transfers. Naturally, this has a direct effect on the sick. The government has abandoned our cheese producers and it refuses to provide loan guarantees for the forestry industry, which is facing a new softwood lumber crisis. It is not going to increase regular EI benefits.Does this government and the Liberal Minister of National Revenue realize that the refusal to take action, this lax attitude, and complacency towards KPMG and tax havens have a direct effect on our sick, our workers, and our unemployed?
Madam Speaker, we also learned yesterday that the Prime Minister's closest adviser and long-time friend, Gerry Butts, met with Meilleur before she was even nominated. She admitted that this was an unfair advantage. I guess it is still who you know in the PMO.Officers of Parliament do not work for the Prime Minister, and they certainly do not work for the Prime Minister's Office. They work for all members of Parliament on behalf of Canadians. A watchdog cannot do their job with a cloud of patronage and partisanship hanging over their head.Out of respect for this position, will the Liberals do the right thing and withdraw her name from consideration?
Madam Speaker, if the tanker ban was not bad enough, now we are being told to expect fisheries closures off the coast of British Columbia. We have heard from academics, scientists, industry, and fishermen at the fisheries committee. They have all said the same thing. The Liberal consultations are a sham and fail to take into account the economic, social, and environmental impacts of identifying marine protected areas.What does the minister have to say to the numerous witnesses who have all said that the Liberal plan on marine protected areas will be a disastrous failure?
Madam Speaker, no matter, Ms. Meilleur is too close to the Liberals. She spent 13 years in partisan politics with Ontario's Liberal party. She has donated to not just the Liberal Party of Canada, but to the Prime Minister himself. She admitted having met with the Prime Minister's closest advisors to obtain this position.How can the Minister of Canadian Heritage continue to defend this process, which has resulted in the selection of a longstanding Liberal?
Madam Speaker, I thank the government for that, but it has to be done very quickly.Under the current rules, the Canada Revenue Agency tells domestic abuse survivors that they have to contact their attacker to fill out a form if they want to get the child tax benefit. That is preposterous, not to mention dangerous. This CRA requirement needs to be removed.Will the Minister of National Revenue resolve this matter immediately and apologize to victims of domestic abuse?
Madam Speaker, I can tell you that this government takes very seriously the problems with the Phoenix pay system, which we inherited from the opposition party.We are using every financial and human resource possible from one end of the country to the other and across Quebec, including my riding, Gatineau.I thank the public servants working on the system for their work, and I can assure every one of Canada's public servants that, in the end, we will have a pay system that lives up to our expectations.
Madam Speaker, this week is National Safe Driving Week. As my colleagues probably already know, impaired driving is a serious crime that injures and kills thousands of Canadians every year. In 2015, the police reported 72,000 incidents of impaired driving, 3,000 of which were drug-related.Could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Justice explain what our government is doing to address this serious issue of impaired driving and to make our roads safer for all Canadians?
Madam Speaker, yes, it is on the same subject as my point of order earlier. I am convinced that it is indeed a point of order. I had a conversation with the minister. I know she understands the problem, but I think she needs to apologize out of respect for the women who have been victims of abuse.
Madam Speaker, this summer, as we celebrate Canada 150, the national capital region prides itself on welcoming tourists from across Canada and around the world. Be it the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery, restaurants, music festivals, or museums, there is so much to see and do. The tourism industry supports over 13,000 jobs in our region. Will the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism please give the House an update on what our government is doing to support tourism in the national capital region and across the country?
Madam Speaker, our government is delivering on our promise to formalize a crude oil tanker moratorium along the north coast of British Columbia. This will protect this incredible environment that coastal and indigenous communities call home, ensure clean water for our kids and grandkids. Our proposed legislation would prohibit oil tankers carrying crude and persistent oils as cargo, from stopping, loading, unloading at ports, marinas and installations in northern British Columbia.
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, I asked a question about women who are victims of domestic violence. The Minister of Status of Women began her response with Happy Friday. I was asking a very serious question that required a very serious answer. Women who heard the minister are going to think that she does not take the problem
Madam Speaker, while the Minister of Environment is forcing her carbon tax onto the provinces, the Minister of Transport has introduced a tanker ban, which his own officials acknowledge targets just one industry.This is not a ban on tanker traffic as they will continue to move up and down the coast of British Columbia. It is a ban on Canada's resource development.Why are the Liberals continuing their blatant attacks on western Canada's resource sector?
Madam Speaker, Calgary has been the beating heart of the energy sector for decades. Professionals in Calgary have immense knowledge and experience in pipeline safety, oil and gas exploration, and environmental reclamation. Moving the NEB from Calgary to an ivory tower in Ottawa is not the answer. Will the Liberals commit to keeping the NEB decision making in Calgary, or will they finally admit they do not want the oil and gas energy industry to thrive?
There's no consultation.
Madam Speaker, the finance committee is currently studying the budget bill, Bill C-44, but this omnibus bill contains the Liberals' so-called infrastructure bank. We have had several witnesses appear before committee who have studied this scheme and are testifying that this bank is being set up to invest in high-risk projects.My question is for the Minister of Finance. Why is he gambling with $35 billion of hard-earned taxpayer dollars?
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, in the heat of the moment, I used an inappropriate word, and I would like to correct the record. I talked about the carbon lottery, but I meant to talk about a carbon exchange.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals always find a way to take care of their friends. As we have seen this week, no former Liberal cabinet minister is ever left behind. When I commented that it was inappropriate for the CBC to receive Canada 150 funding on top of its annual billion dollars from the taxpayers, the CBC's taxpayer-funded lobbyist corrected me. The Canada 150 money went to Ken Dryden, not the CBC. In fact, the CBC paid even more tax dollars to the former Liberal minister's project. Why is it that the only history that can make it past the Liberal war on history is someone's past history as a Liberal minister?
Madam Speaker, Canadians know very well the track record of this government and of our Prime Minister when defending Canadians abroad. We will never turn our backs on Canadians when they need our help abroad. We are very active on this file and we will not stop until we resolve this matter.
Madam Speaker, the Phoenix fiasco at its core is a scandal about the government not paying its employees. If this were any other workplace, this would have been solved months ago, but instead, the Liberal government's main response is to blame the Conservatives. It was the Liberal government that authorized the implementation of Phoenix and it was the Liberal government that refuses to put in place a permanent solution.While workers are not getting paid, I would ask the government, has the government been paying IBM on time?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals say that this is really a simple way to reduce pollution. Let me quote the document. If a Registered Fuel Importer imports fuel for delivery to a Registered Fuel Distributor, the levy will not become payable by the Registered Fuel Importer. The levy will become payable by the Registered Fuel Distributor when it uses the fuel or delivers it to another person in the backstop jurisdiction, unless that other person is also a Registered Fuel Distributor. See, it is simple. How much will it cost small businesses for the red tape of this new scheme and how much will it cost taxpayers for the new bureaucracy needed to implement it?
Madam Speaker, Canada has the third highest beer tax in the world, yet the Liberals' budget contains an escalator tax on beer sales. Thanks to this poorly thought-out scheme to fleece Canadians, every year on April 1 the cost of beer would automatically increase. This tax would hurt consumers, brewers, and many other spinoff industries in Canada. Will the Liberals cancel this ill-thought-out permanently increasing tax hike on beer?
Madam Speaker, Madeleine Meilleur is a well-connected Liberal partisan and politician who has donated numerous times to the Liberal Party and has even donated to the Prime Minister's leadership campaign. Let us be clear. The reason the Prime Minister wants her to be the next languages commissioner is so that he can thank her for all of her support, and he wants to assure himself that he has somebody friendly in the position. This is really shady, and it is certainly wrong, in every sense of the word.Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and withdraw this patronage appointment?
Madam Speaker, the Minister of Defence would have us believe that the Royal Canadian Air Force does not have the resources to fulfill both its NATO and its NORAD commitments. As it turns out, in 2017, six CF-18s were sent to Iceland for two months for a NATO mission. They were then sent to Romania for even longer.If there really is a capability gap, how can Canada spare six jets for such a long time? Was the Minister of National Defence the architect of the capability gap?
Madam Speaker, LGBTQ Canadians are getting tired of waiting for real action to follow the selfies. Nearly a year ago, the government received briefs from groups representing those who were dishonourably discharged from the military or fired from the public service, asking for an apology. Just before he marched in Toronto Pride last year, the Prime Minister promised a formal apology for the harm done. Now, at the first anniversary of this promise, all we have is a re-promise, and those who have been waiting more than 25 years for justice have been told to wait again. Will the government finally keep this promise? Does the government intend to make the apology or not?
Madam Speaker, privacy has been out the window for the last 13 months.The family and the Changs deserve a lot better from the government. They have been making application after application. Talking about this is a trade issue not a consular issue. They constantly get this consular issue dribble that really gets no results. This is now a matter of timing. One week from today, John Chang faces a closed court in Shanghai that will decide his fate. He has had three visits in the past 13 months from consular officials. That is just not good enough. Canadians deserve and expect a lot better than this from their government when they get in trouble
Madam Speaker, there is a new lottery in town, and for the past 18 months, select Canadians have been hitting jackpots of $500, $700, or even $1,000 per day of work for the luckiest winners.Here are some of the Canadians who have made it to the winner's circle so far: Stéphane Dion, John McCallum, and Madeleine Meilleur. Since this lottery goes until 2019, there will be more. Unfortunately, tickets are available only to the elite. Anyone who wants to enter has to make a hefty donation to the Liberal Party of Canada. The next grand prize is the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. Will the Prime Minister shut down this partisan lottery before the next draw conducted under the supervision of a firm by the name of leader of the government, Butts, and partners?
Madam Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member and all Canadians that we are following this case very closely. I had the chance to meet with their daughter and I spoke with their lawyer. Our government is highly engaged on this file. We are in constant contact with Chinese local authorities. We want to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.As the hon. member knows, due to the Privacy Act, we cannot reveal further details about this matter.
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister decided to appoint Madeleine Meilleur, an individual who made financial contributions to the Prime Minister's leadership race, as commissioner of official languages.As commissioner, Ms. Meilleur will be responsible for investigating the Prime Minister if he ever violates the Official Languages Act.Yesterday Ms. Meilleur herself admitted that she cannot erase 13 years of partisan politics. How can we trust this Liberal to set aside her partisanship when she has to investigate the Prime Minister?
Madam Speaker, Canadians know that polluting is not free. We see the costs of droughts, floods, extreme weather events, but also the effects on our health. Canadians expect polluters to pay, because it is the right thing to do for our children and grandchildren. Ninety-seven per cent of Canadians already live in jurisdictions in Canada that either have a price on carbon pollution or are in the process of putting that into place. The federal plan announced yesterday applies only in jurisdictions that have not moved there themselves. The pricing of carbon pollution will reduce pollution, it creates incentives for companies to innovate, to develop clean solutions, and create
Madam Speaker, I regret that I am not having a happy Friday. As a result, I am rising on a point of order with respect to answer Question No. 954 that was tabled yesterday. Question No. 954 was submitted on April 3, and sought information on how the Guide for Parliamentary Secretaries, published by the Privy Council Office in December 2015, applied to trips made by two parliamentary secretaries. While this was a simple straightforward question, incorporated into the answer was a remark that was totally unrelated to the question. Further, I would argue that this unnecessary insertion had the effect of tarnishing the reputation of a former member of this House of Commons and constitutes an improper use by the government of the process of written questions.In making the case for sponsored travel for parliamentary secretaries, the following appeared in the answer to Question No. 954, which states: Moreover...John Baird, while he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, travelled to Washington...a trip that was sponsored by the American Israel [Political Action] Committee. I suppose the government was trying to make the point that what was good for the Conservative goose is good for Liberal ganders. However, according to the list of sponsored travel submitted to the Speaker himself on March 23, 2016 pursuant to 15(3) of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons, it indicated that Mr. Baird went on this trip on February 28, 2015.On February 3, 2015, a full 25 days before the trip in question took place, Mr. Baird announced in this House his resignation from cabinet effective immediately.This is not just sloppy research. I contend it is an attempt by the government to use a parliamentary tool, not to aid a member as it is intended, but in an unorthodox manner to distort the facts and smear the reputation of a former member of this House. Chapter 3 of Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms, 6th edition, states, More tentative are such traditional features as respect for the rights of the minority, which precludes a Government from using to excess the extensive powers that it has to...proceed in what the public and the Opposition might interpret as unorthodox ways. That is exactly what has happened here. Whether or not someone was a minister of the government at the time is not a debatable fact. Having factually wrong, damaging information about a former member in a response to an Order Paper question does not just happen. These responses are reviewed by top advisers to the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, and in particular the office for the coordination of parliamentary returns. Those parties are all meant to verify that a response is accurate. Normally they do an admirable job, with some notable exceptions that I have brought to your attention in the past. It is not believable that such an erroneous, vindictive, false statement about a former member of the House was drafted or prepared by Privy Council Office officials. They are far too professional in their work to ever have made such an egregious and obviously factual mistake. This was clearly the work of one of the Prime Minister's partisan advisers, who was trying to make a political statement at the expense of a former member, and of the truth.I ask that you look into this serious matter and come back to the House with a ruling. I would also ask that the Prime Minister, who is responsible for the answer, as it was signed by his own personal parliamentary secretary on his behalf, to correct the record, and to apologize to the hon. John Baird.In addition, I would like to reserve my right to raise this matter as a question of privilege in the event that the government insists on misleading the House on this matter.
Madam Speaker, when we started this process, we were looking for the right candidate, because that candidate had to have the qualifications, the expertise, the experience to be the Commissioner of Official Languages in this country.It is not surprising that the two opposition parties are not contesting the qualifications of Madeleine Meilleur, not at all. Even the leader of the second opposition has clearly stated that she has the expertise and the experience for this important position.
Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the opportunity for me to stand and provide a very clear statement. The assertion from the member opposite is categorically false. We took action to create good middle-class jobs for Alberta by approving two pipelines, getting done what the Conservatives could not get done in 10 years. We will continue to support Alberta as an energy hub of Canada.
Madam Speaker, they are open to anyone who has given a donation to the Liberal Party. That is the only openness that we are seeing.It is clear that with the Prime Minister's patronage appointment scheme, if one is not a Liberal and not giving a donation, there is no use applying. Liberal donors are clearly making their way to the very top of the appointment list. Merit has become secondary to donations to the Liberal Party.How can the Prime Minister expect Canadians to believe it is just a coincidence that all of these Liberal donors are somehow getting these plum appointments?
Madam Speaker, this government is deploying all of the resources it has at its disposal, both human and financial, in support of fixing these problems that were left to us by the Conservatives.I can assure the hon. member that in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and right across this country, there are hundreds of public servants, hundreds of people working today at this very moment, on resolving these problems which we are all very eager to resolve.
Madam Speaker, I note the member said that the government responds to hundreds of Order Paper questions, and that is true, which is precisely why it is inexplicable that they took the time to insert additional factual errors in this particular response. This was not a mistake of omission, it was a mistake of co-mission. They committed the error of deliberately inserting false information in an Order Paper response, all the more egregious by the fact that they have so many other questions they could be dedicating their time to respond to.
Madam Speaker, again and again, the Liberals rise with no clear answer, no number, no money, always through a cost to the Canadian taxpayer.There is another problem. We know that the government always takes pride in stating that the Liberals collaborate with the provinces. Is that so? Three provinces have implemented a carbon lottery, a system that has sadly not worked for Quebec since 2013. Yesterday, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that if it does not work, then the Liberals would impose the Liberal carbon tax on the provinces.Can someone in this government tell us today whether or not the Liberals are going to impose the Liberal carbon tax on all Canadian provinces?
Madam Speaker, for almost a decade the municipal sector was neglected by the previous government. Our goal is to put forward an infrastructure plan that will help rebuild Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast.The creation of the infrastructure bank would allow us to build more infrastructure by mobilizing private capital. That would help us to build and transform infrastructure that our communities need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, since the Liberal government took office, the people of BeauportLimoilou have been plagued with tax hikes, the cancellation of tax credits for family activities, extra payroll taxes, and new taxes on various consumer goods.Yesterday, the Liberal government confirmed that it will be imposing a carbon tax on all the provinces. By 2022, gas prices at the pump will increase by 12¢, which is really going to drive up the cost of groceries.Will the Liberals put a stop to this situation before it escalates any further, or is this just the beginning?
Madam Speaker, I can assure the hon. member and the House that we will do the proper due diligence before we undertake any project, by the bank, by the private sector, by the municipal sector, by the provincial sector, people who will be involved in building that infrastructure.Our goal is to make sure that we protect the public interest, to make sure that public dollars are protected, while we build the infrastructure that is required by our Canadian communities.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, the member for Ottawa WestNepean, for her passion and her excellent work in the tourism industry.Canada's rural and urban communities have much to share with the world. Last week, the Minister of Small Business and Tourism announced Canada's new vision. This is our pan-Canadian approach to improving tourism marketing, making it easier to get here, and developing new experiences, such as indigenous tourism, LGBTQ tourism, culinary tourism, and so much more.Canada's tourism industry is vital to our economy. It supports more than 1.7 million jobs and thousands of small businesses. I encourage everyone to explore not only
Madam Speaker, although the government keeps telling us that it is working very hard to combat tax avoidance, we learned that $231 billion dollars were sheltered last year in the tax havens of Barbados, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands. Nothing is too good for profiteers.Is the government satisfied with its strategy to crack down on tax havens even though no tax was paid on 231,000 million dollars?
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to growing the economy and supporting the middle class and those working hard to join it.The first thing that our government did was lower taxes for the middle class. We were surprised to see that the party opposite voted against that measure. We also raised taxes for the wealthy, and surprisingly the party opposite also voted against that. We implemented the Canada child benefit, which the party opposite once again voted against.
Madam Speaker, as the hon. member mentioned, I was honoured to visit Nunavut and announce, alongside the territorial government and the hon. member, $230 million in joint funding for nine projects that will help 19 communities deal with waste management systems, improve waste water quality, and make further investments to improve water quality in those communities.We are very proud to be making investments in Nunavut, and we will continue to work with our partners to build stronger communities in the north.
Madam Speaker, CRA continues to take important steps and is making progress in cracking down on tax cheats and ensuring a tax system that is more responsive and fair to all Canadians.In last year's budget, the agency took significant action on several fronts to identify and deal with tax cheats. Building on the previous investment of $444 million, budget 2017 invested an additional $524 million to crack down on tax evasion and improve compliance.
Madam Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Public Safety wrongly claimed recruitment and expansion justified the closure of CPC Vegreville. Here is the truth. Since 2013, over 600 applications came in for the three hiring drives. Today, the union for the majority of workers said that having permanent positions there, most are not, would help with retention. However, what does it know. It was not even consulted. Nothing is stopping the Liberals from hiring in Edmonton right now.Will the minister do the right thing and reverse this mistake?
Madam Speaker, even the Liberal minister is hesitant to get up to try to defend that, and I do not blame her.The Liberal appointment gravy train is shamefully extending to the judiciary. The latest round of judicial appointments is full of Liberal donors, including an Alberta appointment of a person who has donated to the Liberal Party over 25 times, including twice just this year.When will the Prime Minister admit that he actually does not care about the appearance of conflict of interest and he would rather reward his friends for their generous support of his I will scratch yours if you scratch mine government?
Madam Speaker, that is why we are looking at the possibility of acquiring an interim fleet of 18 Super Hornet fighters to supplement the CF-18 fleet until the permanent replacements arrive.With these measures, Canadians can rest assured that our short- and long-term defence needs will always be met.
Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank the NEB expert panel for its hard work in drafting this report. Our government is committed to developing our resources and getting them to market in a responsible way. This requires a regulatory process in which Canadians can have confidence. Modernizing the NEB is part of our government's process to build a better system that is fair, robust, respects the rights of indigenous peoples, is based on scientific evidence, and protects our environment for generations to come. We will review the report in depth, along with other environmental regulatory reviews, and determine next steps.
That is precisely why I am wondering if the parliamentary secretary actually read all the documents himself. Every single document released yesterday by the Minister of Environment bears the title of Liberal carbon tax. There are a bunch of numbers and words in there no one can make heads or tails of. As the member for Carleton said so well, there is one number that is missing. How much will this cost Canadian workers?Since the parliamentary secretary just chided us for not reading the document, can he tell us what is the most important number for Canadians in the document? How much is your Liberal carbon tax going to cost?
Madam Speaker, for more than a year now Canadian citizens John Chang and his wife Allison Lu have been held in jail by China's general administration of customs. Their company, Lulu Island Winery in B.C., has successfully exported to China for some six years, so they know the system well. The arrest of Mr. Chang and Ms. Lu for a fabricated customs violation is an assault on their basic rights, a breach of China's international trade obligations, and China's own customs laws. This is clearly a trade issue, not a consular issue.Why will the Prime Minister not intervene in this new era of the Canada-China relationship?
Madam Speaker, let us talk about the impact of this thoughtful way. In Alberta, foreclosure rates are rising at alarming rates, in fact, more than 25% in the last two years alone. Dismantling the NEB, politicizing infrastructure decisions, and implementing the carbon tax are all Liberal policies that are stifling any ability for Alberta's economic recovery. Canada needs the Trans Mountain pipeline.Will the Prime Minister go to B.C. and champion this vital pipeline project, or will he continue on his quest of eliminating the oil sands and killing jobs in Alberta and the rest of Canada?
Madam Speaker, we believe that the Office of the Official Languages Commissioner has an important role to play in protecting and promoting our country's official languages.We committed to finding the best candidate for that position, but only after a rigorous, open, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple interviews. I even had the opportunity to speak with the Canadian heritage critics of the official opposition and the second opposition party. They recognized that Ms. Meilleur possesses the necessary qualifications considering her experience and expertise.
Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the Canada Revenue Agency. In our first budget, we invested $444 million, in addition to $524 million in budget 2017. This is to ensure that our actions are showing tangible results. Last year our offshore and domestic audit activities enabled us to recoup $13 billion.We will continue to work for Canadians. That is what Canadians expect.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his hard work and leadership as the chair of the innovation committee. He is absolutely correct. Our trade is fair and balanced with our U.S. counterparts. Since NAFTA came into force, our economies have more than doubled, so it truly is a win-win situation. We have integrated economies, highly competitive, that allow us to compete globally. I have shared this viewpoint with my counterparts in Michigan, Colorado, California, and Nevada. We will continue to work together, build things together, and create jobs
Madam Speaker, we found the best candidate to serve as commissioner of official languages. Why? Because we know that Ms. Meilleur was behind the campaign to save the Montfort, Ottawa's French-language hospital. We also know that Ms. Meilleur played a key role in the creation of the office of the official languages commissioner in Ontario. Her CV clearly demonstrates that she has the expertise and experience needed to serve as Canada's official languages commissioner, and we hope to have the support of the opposition and the Senate in confirming this important appointment.
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to increasing the proportion of marine and coastal areas that are protected to 5% this year, and to 10% by 2020. We are going to achieve these targets with sound science and transparent decision-making. Indeed, we are consulting broadly.
Madam Speaker, it is important that we recognize that we have in fact put in place a new appointments process which supports an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process. Our aim is to identify high-quality candidates who will help to achieve gender parity and truly reflect Canada's diversity. It is important to note the 140 appointments, of which 63% are women, 13% are visible minorities, and 10% are indigenous. The Conservatives should be applauding the type of appointments we are making.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised an open and transparent appointment process for the new official languages commissioner, but what they delivered was the most partisan appointment ever. Madeleine Meilleur, who was angling for a Senate seat while at Queen's Park, told the committee quite plainly yesterday that she contacted her former colleagues, Gerald Butts and Katie Telford, the two people in the Prime Minister's Office with the most clout in the selection process. That is what you call coming up with a plan B.Will the government finally admit that this appointment was nothing more than a $315,000 consolation prize to help a good friend
Madam Speaker, Canada is refusing to even match the U.S. investments in protecting the Great Lakes. People in my riding of Essex are concerned about the complete silence from the Liberal government when it comes to the water quality of Lake Erie. Algae blooms are negatively impacting the health of the lake, which our communities rely on for commercial fishing, tourism, and drinking water. Lake Erie has been in crisis before and deserves urgent protection to protect it now. The health of our communities is directly tied to the health of our lakes. Will the Liberals step up and take a leadership role in protecting our treasured freshwater Great Lakes?
Madam Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that 97% of Canadians live in jurisdictions that have either put into place a plan to price carbon pollution or are in the process of working to have that in place by the beginning of 2018. We have worked collaboratively with the provinces. This was a central part of the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to which almost all of the provinces subscribed. We are working to ensure this is done in a thoughtful way. We intend to ensure we are addressing climate change and carbon emissions, but doing so in a manner that will help us to grow an innovative and clean-growth economy for the future.
Madam Speaker, our government's commitment on two fronts is unparalleled in this parliamentary history. One is on the child benefit and the other is on support for victims of violence fleeing and seeking better shelter and protection. On the issue that has been raised, it is a significant issue and I assure the member we will get a specific answer to the specific issues around tax and point of return. That is an issue which has just been raised today and I am happy to sit with the member and get the proper results. On the child benefit, we are raising kids out of poverty. On victims of violence, we are supporting them. We need to make sure those two programs work in concert.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking forward to this important position being filled. Canadians believe in the importance of official languages. They want somebody who has the expertise and experience to hold this important position. I am really surprised to see how much my colleagues support the expertise and experience of Mrs. Meilleur. Therefore, I do not understand why they are not supportive of this important candidacy, because this important position must be fulfilled by an important
Madam Speaker, our government committed to making responsible choices that improve services for Canadians and create jobs. We have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, 2017, containing the very numbers quoted by the member opposite. The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of operations, and create more jobs for Albertans. I repeat that all employees will be able to keep their jobs.
Madam Speaker, I would once again invite my hon. colleagues to read the document. All of the relevant information is contained in that document. I would be happy to actually show the hon. member after question period is over.The net cost to Canadians obviously depends, in significant measure, on what provinces that have implemented these systems choose to do with the revenues. Alberta has returned those through rebates, British Columbia has a carbon-neutral tax and returns the funds through income tax reductions. We have a thoughtful plan. Those of us on this side of the House believe climate change is a real issue. We are planning to address that in a thoughtful way.
Madam Speaker, as chair of the innovation, science and technology committee, I was pleased to take our committee to Washington, D.C. earlier this month to meet with business and government. It is so exciting to know that many of our companies have a strong relationship with our neighbours to the south. For most of the last three decades, trade has been an important part of that relationship. Only last year, U.S. goods and services trade with Canada totalled an estimated $627.8 billion U.S. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell the House what he is doing to grow this mutually beneficial relationship on the ground?
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and ask for forgiveness. I understand that every six days in this country a woman is killed by the hands of an intimate partner. I understand that these issues affect three out of 10 women, and that if we work together, we can address these issues. I will definitely be more mindful of my language, absolutely, but, more importantly, I will continue to be a force with all of my colleagues to ensure that we see tangible change in our generation.
Madam Speaker, addressing climate change is one of the critical issues of our time. This government is committed to creating a more innovative economy that reduces emissions, while creating good middle-class jobs. If the hon. member would actually take the time to read the backstop paper, he would see that those figures are in that document. This government has been actively working with all provinces and territories, including the Government of Saskatchewan. I was there this week for conversations with large companies. We are working to build a plan that will allow us to move forward in a credible way to reduce carbon emissions and to grow a clean-growth economy.
Madam Speaker, once again, our government is committed to making responsible decisions and services to Canadians and to creating jobs. Once again, we have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, outlining the costs requested by the member opposite.The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address the long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of immigration operations, and create more jobs for Albertans.
Madam Speaker, the lengths these Liberals will go to help out their friends: A lifelong Liberal and donor to the Prime Minister's own leadership campaign is their surprise choice for an independent commissioner.This Prime Minister has been under more investigations than any other prime minister in Canadian history, including Harper, Chrétien, and even Brian Mulroney somehow.Yesterday, Madam Meilleur admitted that she may have to recuse herself from investigating the Prime Minister because of these donations. Imagine, a commissioner who cannot investigate. Was this the Liberal plan all along, or just some happy coincidence?
Madam Speaker, I will reiterate what I have said before on many occasions. We are proud, on this side of the House, of the open, merit-based appointments process. Not only have we appointed 67 new judges since being elected, there are over 120 public appointments, which again are open, transparent, and merit-based. We will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, for months now the Liberals have been dodging questions and making up excuses. They claim it will save money, but it is tens of millions more. They claim it is to expand, but the reality is Vegreville has room for the 32 more staff planned. The Liberals slag the employees, but the department itself says that they are high performers, exemplary workers who always exceed departmental targets. There was no consultation, no transparency, and no honesty.Will the minister admit this is an attack on middle-class rural Canadians and stop it now?
Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. As highlighted in Mary Simon's recent report, there is a great need to develop criteria for Arctic infrastructure projects that reflect the uniqueness of the north. Improving water and waste water management systems is an urgent infrastructure need that is important for the well-being and prosperity of Nunavut communities.The minister recently visited Iqaluit and Pangnirtung, and I was very pleased to join him in Iqaluit for an important funding announcement. Can the minister inform the House of the government's infrastructure investments in Nunavut?
Madam Speaker, all men and women who serve their country deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter their sex or background. We are pleased with the progress that is being made by the Canadian Armed Forces in eliminating sexual misconduct. Professional measures are taken to deal with offenders, robust training programs have been implemented, reports of sexual misconduct that were deemed unfounded in the past are currently being reviewed, and most importantly, victims are getting more support.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for her question and her efforts in supporting this cause.We are proud to have introduced Bill C-46, which will make Canada a world leader in the fight against alcohol- and drug-impaired driving. The proposed legislation will reform the entire impaired-driving regime in the Criminal Code. It will strengthen existing drug- and alcohol-impaired driving laws by creating new offences and by making the law more efficient to enforce, simpler, and more coherent for all Canadians.For this year's national safe driving week, I encourage all members of this House to work with our government
Madam Speaker, our government believes that everyone in Canada should pay his or her fair share of taxes. Budget 2017 proposes to increase taxes on alcohol products. It would be the first increase, I might add, in over 30 years. The 2% increase amounts to about 5¢ per 24 bottles of beer. The inflationary adjustment would provide alcohol producers with greater certainty in the future and follow similar steps taken by many of the provinces.
Madam Speaker, I will review the answer that was provided, but I can assure the member that we go through hundreds of questions and attempt to provide the best and fullest answers whenever possible. I will report back after I have had the opportunity to look at what the member put on the record today.
We are actively engaging with our partners in the provinces and territories, with indigenous people and people in industry.Also, we can all be proud in British Columbia of the most recent marine protected area, the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound glass sponge reefs MPA, that was designated just this year.
Madam Speaker, as I already mentioned, we have four important themes in the context of Canada 150, and one of them is engaging with young people. We Are Canada was reviewed by my department and recommended as it met the eligibility criteria as a Canada 150 community project. I invite all members of this House to participate in Canada 150 projects, because this is a great year for Canada.
Madam Speaker, we are extremely proud of everything we are doing in line with Canada 150. We believe in the importance of our four themes: youth, environment, reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and diversity and inclusion. We want Canadians to be able to celebrate across the country. We want to make sure that all regions are adequately represented. Of course, we are making sure that this process is non-partisan. Ultimately, this is a year to celebrate, so let us celebrate Canada 150 all together.
Madam Speaker, our government believes in the importance of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the protection and promotion of official languages. We are committed to finding the best candidate for this important position through a thorough, rigorous, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple rounds of interviews. I even had the chance to talk with my critics from the two opposition parties. They both acknowledged that she had the experience and expertise, and that is why we are convinced that Madeleine Meilleur is the best-suited candidate for this important position.
As I said, Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and addressing tax avoidance.We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the CRA. In our first budget, we invested $444 million in the CRA. In budget 2017, we added $524 million to better target high-risk taxpayers and to make sure we have the best tools available at our disposal to close in the tax cheats.
Madam Speaker, we on this side of the House agree very much with many of the comments that were made by the hon. member. The Great Lakes are an incredibly important resource for many, both in Canada and the United States. It is an important recreational area for many people in Canada and the United States. Some of the environmental challenges that exist in the Great Lakes, which have existed for some time, are very significant. In budget 2017, we saw a significant expansion in funding going toward the Great Lakes to address issues such as phosphorus and nitrogen runoff which are causing some of the algae blooms that are particularly problematic in Lake Erie. We are committed to addressing the problems in the Great Lakes.
Madam Speaker, happy Friday to you and all my colleagues in the House. I thank my hon. colleague for bringing this issue to our attention. I can assure members that all policies, programs, and legislation that come through cabinet and eventually to the House are put through a gender-based analysis. Plus this issue is exactly why we need to put that lens on all policies. We will continue to do that.In the meantime, we will make sure that our gender-based violence strategy is implemented, with $100.9 million, so women and girls in Canada can thrive.
Madam Speaker, every member on this side of the House is proud of the appointments we are making within the judiciary. Since being elected, we have appointed 67 judges, including additional appointments which are forthcoming. Under our open, merit-based appointments process, we have attracted top-tier judicial appointments. Budget 2017 provides for additional resources, and we will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, when searching for the best candidate for the position of Commissioner of Official Languages, we wanted to ensure that they were chosen on the basis of their expertise and experience. That is exactly what we did. We used a rigorous, open, merit-based process, which identified Madeleine Meilleur as the most qualified candidate because she has all the expertise to be an excellent Commissioner of Official Languages.
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Madam Speaker, when searching for the best candidate for the position of Commissioner of Official Languages, we wanted to ensure that they were chosen on the basis of their expertise and experience. That is exactly what we did. We used a rigorous, open, merit-based process, which identified Madeleine Meilleur as the most qualified candidate because she has all the expertise to be an excellent Commissioner of Official Languages.
Madam Speaker, every member on this side of the House is proud of the appointments we are making within the judiciary. Since being elected, we have appointed 67 judges, including additional appointments which are forthcoming. Under our open, merit-based appointments process, we have attracted top-tier judicial appointments. Budget 2017 provides for additional resources, and we will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, happy Friday to you and all my colleagues in the House. I thank my hon. colleague for bringing this issue to our attention. I can assure members that all policies, programs, and legislation that come through cabinet and eventually to the House are put through a gender-based analysis. Plus this issue is exactly why we need to put that lens on all policies. We will continue to do that.In the meantime, we will make sure that our gender-based violence strategy is implemented, with $100.9 million, so women and girls in Canada can thrive.
Madam Speaker, we on this side of the House agree very much with many of the comments that were made by the hon. member. The Great Lakes are an incredibly important resource for many, both in Canada and the United States. It is an important recreational area for many people in Canada and the United States. Some of the environmental challenges that exist in the Great Lakes, which have existed for some time, are very significant. In budget 2017, we saw a significant expansion in funding going toward the Great Lakes to address issues such as phosphorus and nitrogen runoff which are causing some of the algae blooms that are particularly problematic in Lake Erie. We are committed to addressing the problems in the Great Lakes.
As I said, Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and addressing tax avoidance.We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the CRA. In our first budget, we invested $444 million in the CRA. In budget 2017, we added $524 million to better target high-risk taxpayers and to make sure we have the best tools available at our disposal to close in the tax cheats.
Madam Speaker, our government believes in the importance of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the protection and promotion of official languages. We are committed to finding the best candidate for this important position through a thorough, rigorous, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple rounds of interviews. I even had the chance to talk with my critics from the two opposition parties. They both acknowledged that she had the experience and expertise, and that is why we are convinced that Madeleine Meilleur is the best-suited candidate for this important position.
Madam Speaker, we are extremely proud of everything we are doing in line with Canada 150. We believe in the importance of our four themes: youth, environment, reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and diversity and inclusion. We want Canadians to be able to celebrate across the country. We want to make sure that all regions are adequately represented. Of course, we are making sure that this process is non-partisan. Ultimately, this is a year to celebrate, so let us celebrate Canada 150 all together.
Madam Speaker, as I already mentioned, we have four important themes in the context of Canada 150, and one of them is engaging with young people. We Are Canada was reviewed by my department and recommended as it met the eligibility criteria as a Canada 150 community project. I invite all members of this House to participate in Canada 150 projects, because this is a great year for Canada.
We are actively engaging with our partners in the provinces and territories, with indigenous people and people in industry.Also, we can all be proud in British Columbia of the most recent marine protected area, the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound glass sponge reefs MPA, that was designated just this year.
Madam Speaker, I will review the answer that was provided, but I can assure the member that we go through hundreds of questions and attempt to provide the best and fullest answers whenever possible. I will report back after I have had the opportunity to look at what the member put on the record today.
Madam Speaker, our government believes that everyone in Canada should pay his or her fair share of taxes. Budget 2017 proposes to increase taxes on alcohol products. It would be the first increase, I might add, in over 30 years. The 2% increase amounts to about 5¢ per 24 bottles of beer. The inflationary adjustment would provide alcohol producers with greater certainty in the future and follow similar steps taken by many of the provinces.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for her question and her efforts in supporting this cause.We are proud to have introduced Bill C-46, which will make Canada a world leader in the fight against alcohol- and drug-impaired driving. The proposed legislation will reform the entire impaired-driving regime in the Criminal Code. It will strengthen existing drug- and alcohol-impaired driving laws by creating new offences and by making the law more efficient to enforce, simpler, and more coherent for all Canadians.For this year's national safe driving week, I encourage all members of this House to work with our government
Madam Speaker, all men and women who serve their country deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter their sex or background. We are pleased with the progress that is being made by the Canadian Armed Forces in eliminating sexual misconduct. Professional measures are taken to deal with offenders, robust training programs have been implemented, reports of sexual misconduct that were deemed unfounded in the past are currently being reviewed, and most importantly, victims are getting more support.
Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. As highlighted in Mary Simon's recent report, there is a great need to develop criteria for Arctic infrastructure projects that reflect the uniqueness of the north. Improving water and waste water management systems is an urgent infrastructure need that is important for the well-being and prosperity of Nunavut communities.The minister recently visited Iqaluit and Pangnirtung, and I was very pleased to join him in Iqaluit for an important funding announcement. Can the minister inform the House of the government's infrastructure investments in Nunavut?
Madam Speaker, for months now the Liberals have been dodging questions and making up excuses. They claim it will save money, but it is tens of millions more. They claim it is to expand, but the reality is Vegreville has room for the 32 more staff planned. The Liberals slag the employees, but the department itself says that they are high performers, exemplary workers who always exceed departmental targets. There was no consultation, no transparency, and no honesty.Will the minister admit this is an attack on middle-class rural Canadians and stop it now?
Madam Speaker, I will reiterate what I have said before on many occasions. We are proud, on this side of the House, of the open, merit-based appointments process. Not only have we appointed 67 new judges since being elected, there are over 120 public appointments, which again are open, transparent, and merit-based. We will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, the lengths these Liberals will go to help out their friends: A lifelong Liberal and donor to the Prime Minister's own leadership campaign is their surprise choice for an independent commissioner.This Prime Minister has been under more investigations than any other prime minister in Canadian history, including Harper, Chrétien, and even Brian Mulroney somehow.Yesterday, Madam Meilleur admitted that she may have to recuse herself from investigating the Prime Minister because of these donations. Imagine, a commissioner who cannot investigate. Was this the Liberal plan all along, or just some happy coincidence?
Madam Speaker, once again, our government is committed to making responsible decisions and services to Canadians and to creating jobs. Once again, we have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, outlining the costs requested by the member opposite.The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address the long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of immigration operations, and create more jobs for Albertans.
Madam Speaker, addressing climate change is one of the critical issues of our time. This government is committed to creating a more innovative economy that reduces emissions, while creating good middle-class jobs. If the hon. member would actually take the time to read the backstop paper, he would see that those figures are in that document. This government has been actively working with all provinces and territories, including the Government of Saskatchewan. I was there this week for conversations with large companies. We are working to build a plan that will allow us to move forward in a credible way to reduce carbon emissions and to grow a clean-growth economy.
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and ask for forgiveness. I understand that every six days in this country a woman is killed by the hands of an intimate partner. I understand that these issues affect three out of 10 women, and that if we work together, we can address these issues. I will definitely be more mindful of my language, absolutely, but, more importantly, I will continue to be a force with all of my colleagues to ensure that we see tangible change in our generation.
Madam Speaker, as chair of the innovation, science and technology committee, I was pleased to take our committee to Washington, D.C. earlier this month to meet with business and government. It is so exciting to know that many of our companies have a strong relationship with our neighbours to the south. For most of the last three decades, trade has been an important part of that relationship. Only last year, U.S. goods and services trade with Canada totalled an estimated $627.8 billion U.S. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell the House what he is doing to grow this mutually beneficial relationship on the ground?
Madam Speaker, I would once again invite my hon. colleagues to read the document. All of the relevant information is contained in that document. I would be happy to actually show the hon. member after question period is over.The net cost to Canadians obviously depends, in significant measure, on what provinces that have implemented these systems choose to do with the revenues. Alberta has returned those through rebates, British Columbia has a carbon-neutral tax and returns the funds through income tax reductions. We have a thoughtful plan. Those of us on this side of the House believe climate change is a real issue. We are planning to address that in a thoughtful way.
Madam Speaker, our government committed to making responsible choices that improve services for Canadians and create jobs. We have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, 2017, containing the very numbers quoted by the member opposite. The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of operations, and create more jobs for Albertans. I repeat that all employees will be able to keep their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking forward to this important position being filled. Canadians believe in the importance of official languages. They want somebody who has the expertise and experience to hold this important position. I am really surprised to see how much my colleagues support the expertise and experience of Mrs. Meilleur. Therefore, I do not understand why they are not supportive of this important candidacy, because this important position must be fulfilled by an important
Madam Speaker, our government's commitment on two fronts is unparalleled in this parliamentary history. One is on the child benefit and the other is on support for victims of violence fleeing and seeking better shelter and protection. On the issue that has been raised, it is a significant issue and I assure the member we will get a specific answer to the specific issues around tax and point of return. That is an issue which has just been raised today and I am happy to sit with the member and get the proper results. On the child benefit, we are raising kids out of poverty. On victims of violence, we are supporting them. We need to make sure those two programs work in concert.
Madam Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that 97% of Canadians live in jurisdictions that have either put into place a plan to price carbon pollution or are in the process of working to have that in place by the beginning of 2018. We have worked collaboratively with the provinces. This was a central part of the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to which almost all of the provinces subscribed. We are working to ensure this is done in a thoughtful way. We intend to ensure we are addressing climate change and carbon emissions, but doing so in a manner that will help us to grow an innovative and clean-growth economy for the future.
Madam Speaker, Canada is refusing to even match the U.S. investments in protecting the Great Lakes. People in my riding of Essex are concerned about the complete silence from the Liberal government when it comes to the water quality of Lake Erie. Algae blooms are negatively impacting the health of the lake, which our communities rely on for commercial fishing, tourism, and drinking water. Lake Erie has been in crisis before and deserves urgent protection to protect it now. The health of our communities is directly tied to the health of our lakes. Will the Liberals step up and take a leadership role in protecting our treasured freshwater Great Lakes?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised an open and transparent appointment process for the new official languages commissioner, but what they delivered was the most partisan appointment ever. Madeleine Meilleur, who was angling for a Senate seat while at Queen's Park, told the committee quite plainly yesterday that she contacted her former colleagues, Gerald Butts and Katie Telford, the two people in the Prime Minister's Office with the most clout in the selection process. That is what you call coming up with a plan B.Will the government finally admit that this appointment was nothing more than a $315,000 consolation prize to help a good friend
Madam Speaker, it is important that we recognize that we have in fact put in place a new appointments process which supports an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process. Our aim is to identify high-quality candidates who will help to achieve gender parity and truly reflect Canada's diversity. It is important to note the 140 appointments, of which 63% are women, 13% are visible minorities, and 10% are indigenous. The Conservatives should be applauding the type of appointments we are making.
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to increasing the proportion of marine and coastal areas that are protected to 5% this year, and to 10% by 2020. We are going to achieve these targets with sound science and transparent decision-making. Indeed, we are consulting broadly.
Madam Speaker, we found the best candidate to serve as commissioner of official languages. Why? Because we know that Ms. Meilleur was behind the campaign to save the Montfort, Ottawa's French-language hospital. We also know that Ms. Meilleur played a key role in the creation of the office of the official languages commissioner in Ontario. Her CV clearly demonstrates that she has the expertise and experience needed to serve as Canada's official languages commissioner, and we hope to have the support of the opposition and the Senate in confirming this important appointment.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his hard work and leadership as the chair of the innovation committee. He is absolutely correct. Our trade is fair and balanced with our U.S. counterparts. Since NAFTA came into force, our economies have more than doubled, so it truly is a win-win situation. We have integrated economies, highly competitive, that allow us to compete globally. I have shared this viewpoint with my counterparts in Michigan, Colorado, California, and Nevada. We will continue to work together, build things together, and create jobs
Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the Canada Revenue Agency. In our first budget, we invested $444 million, in addition to $524 million in budget 2017. This is to ensure that our actions are showing tangible results. Last year our offshore and domestic audit activities enabled us to recoup $13 billion.We will continue to work for Canadians. That is what Canadians expect.
Madam Speaker, we believe that the Office of the Official Languages Commissioner has an important role to play in protecting and promoting our country's official languages.We committed to finding the best candidate for that position, but only after a rigorous, open, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple interviews. I even had the opportunity to speak with the Canadian heritage critics of the official opposition and the second opposition party. They recognized that Ms. Meilleur possesses the necessary qualifications considering her experience and expertise.
Madam Speaker, let us talk about the impact of this thoughtful way. In Alberta, foreclosure rates are rising at alarming rates, in fact, more than 25% in the last two years alone. Dismantling the NEB, politicizing infrastructure decisions, and implementing the carbon tax are all Liberal policies that are stifling any ability for Alberta's economic recovery. Canada needs the Trans Mountain pipeline.Will the Prime Minister go to B.C. and champion this vital pipeline project, or will he continue on his quest of eliminating the oil sands and killing jobs in Alberta and the rest of Canada?
Madam Speaker, for more than a year now Canadian citizens John Chang and his wife Allison Lu have been held in jail by China's general administration of customs. Their company, Lulu Island Winery in B.C., has successfully exported to China for some six years, so they know the system well. The arrest of Mr. Chang and Ms. Lu for a fabricated customs violation is an assault on their basic rights, a breach of China's international trade obligations, and China's own customs laws. This is clearly a trade issue, not a consular issue.Why will the Prime Minister not intervene in this new era of the Canada-China relationship?
That is precisely why I am wondering if the parliamentary secretary actually read all the documents himself. Every single document released yesterday by the Minister of Environment bears the title of Liberal carbon tax. There are a bunch of numbers and words in there no one can make heads or tails of. As the member for Carleton said so well, there is one number that is missing. How much will this cost Canadian workers?Since the parliamentary secretary just chided us for not reading the document, can he tell us what is the most important number for Canadians in the document? How much is your Liberal carbon tax going to cost?
Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank the NEB expert panel for its hard work in drafting this report. Our government is committed to developing our resources and getting them to market in a responsible way. This requires a regulatory process in which Canadians can have confidence. Modernizing the NEB is part of our government's process to build a better system that is fair, robust, respects the rights of indigenous peoples, is based on scientific evidence, and protects our environment for generations to come. We will review the report in depth, along with other environmental regulatory reviews, and determine next steps.
Madam Speaker, that is why we are looking at the possibility of acquiring an interim fleet of 18 Super Hornet fighters to supplement the CF-18 fleet until the permanent replacements arrive.With these measures, Canadians can rest assured that our short- and long-term defence needs will always be met.
Madam Speaker, even the Liberal minister is hesitant to get up to try to defend that, and I do not blame her.The Liberal appointment gravy train is shamefully extending to the judiciary. The latest round of judicial appointments is full of Liberal donors, including an Alberta appointment of a person who has donated to the Liberal Party over 25 times, including twice just this year.When will the Prime Minister admit that he actually does not care about the appearance of conflict of interest and he would rather reward his friends for their generous support of his I will scratch yours if you scratch mine government?
Madam Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Public Safety wrongly claimed recruitment and expansion justified the closure of CPC Vegreville. Here is the truth. Since 2013, over 600 applications came in for the three hiring drives. Today, the union for the majority of workers said that having permanent positions there, most are not, would help with retention. However, what does it know. It was not even consulted. Nothing is stopping the Liberals from hiring in Edmonton right now.Will the minister do the right thing and reverse this mistake?
Madam Speaker, CRA continues to take important steps and is making progress in cracking down on tax cheats and ensuring a tax system that is more responsive and fair to all Canadians.In last year's budget, the agency took significant action on several fronts to identify and deal with tax cheats. Building on the previous investment of $444 million, budget 2017 invested an additional $524 million to crack down on tax evasion and improve compliance.
Madam Speaker, as the hon. member mentioned, I was honoured to visit Nunavut and announce, alongside the territorial government and the hon. member, $230 million in joint funding for nine projects that will help 19 communities deal with waste management systems, improve waste water quality, and make further investments to improve water quality in those communities.We are very proud to be making investments in Nunavut, and we will continue to work with our partners to build stronger communities in the north.
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to growing the economy and supporting the middle class and those working hard to join it.The first thing that our government did was lower taxes for the middle class. We were surprised to see that the party opposite voted against that measure. We also raised taxes for the wealthy, and surprisingly the party opposite also voted against that. We implemented the Canada child benefit, which the party opposite once again voted against.
Madam Speaker, although the government keeps telling us that it is working very hard to combat tax avoidance, we learned that $231 billion dollars were sheltered last year in the tax havens of Barbados, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands. Nothing is too good for profiteers.Is the government satisfied with its strategy to crack down on tax havens even though no tax was paid on 231,000 million dollars?
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, the member for Ottawa WestNepean, for her passion and her excellent work in the tourism industry.Canada's rural and urban communities have much to share with the world. Last week, the Minister of Small Business and Tourism announced Canada's new vision. This is our pan-Canadian approach to improving tourism marketing, making it easier to get here, and developing new experiences, such as indigenous tourism, LGBTQ tourism, culinary tourism, and so much more.Canada's tourism industry is vital to our economy. It supports more than 1.7 million jobs and thousands of small businesses. I encourage everyone to explore not only
Madam Speaker, I can assure the hon. member and the House that we will do the proper due diligence before we undertake any project, by the bank, by the private sector, by the municipal sector, by the provincial sector, people who will be involved in building that infrastructure.Our goal is to make sure that we protect the public interest, to make sure that public dollars are protected, while we build the infrastructure that is required by our Canadian communities.
Madam Speaker, since the Liberal government took office, the people of BeauportLimoilou have been plagued with tax hikes, the cancellation of tax credits for family activities, extra payroll taxes, and new taxes on various consumer goods.Yesterday, the Liberal government confirmed that it will be imposing a carbon tax on all the provinces. By 2022, gas prices at the pump will increase by 12¢, which is really going to drive up the cost of groceries.Will the Liberals put a stop to this situation before it escalates any further, or is this just the beginning?
Madam Speaker, for almost a decade the municipal sector was neglected by the previous government. Our goal is to put forward an infrastructure plan that will help rebuild Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast.The creation of the infrastructure bank would allow us to build more infrastructure by mobilizing private capital. That would help us to build and transform infrastructure that our communities need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, again and again, the Liberals rise with no clear answer, no number, no money, always through a cost to the Canadian taxpayer.There is another problem. We know that the government always takes pride in stating that the Liberals collaborate with the provinces. Is that so? Three provinces have implemented a carbon lottery, a system that has sadly not worked for Quebec since 2013. Yesterday, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that if it does not work, then the Liberals would impose the Liberal carbon tax on the provinces.Can someone in this government tell us today whether or not the Liberals are going to impose the Liberal carbon tax on all Canadian provinces?
Madam Speaker, I note the member said that the government responds to hundreds of Order Paper questions, and that is true, which is precisely why it is inexplicable that they took the time to insert additional factual errors in this particular response. This was not a mistake of omission, it was a mistake of co-mission. They committed the error of deliberately inserting false information in an Order Paper response, all the more egregious by the fact that they have so many other questions they could be dedicating their time to respond to.
Madam Speaker, this government is deploying all of the resources it has at its disposal, both human and financial, in support of fixing these problems that were left to us by the Conservatives.I can assure the hon. member that in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and right across this country, there are hundreds of public servants, hundreds of people working today at this very moment, on resolving these problems which we are all very eager to resolve.
Madam Speaker, they are open to anyone who has given a donation to the Liberal Party. That is the only openness that we are seeing.It is clear that with the Prime Minister's patronage appointment scheme, if one is not a Liberal and not giving a donation, there is no use applying. Liberal donors are clearly making their way to the very top of the appointment list. Merit has become secondary to donations to the Liberal Party.How can the Prime Minister expect Canadians to believe it is just a coincidence that all of these Liberal donors are somehow getting these plum appointments?
Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the opportunity for me to stand and provide a very clear statement. The assertion from the member opposite is categorically false. We took action to create good middle-class jobs for Alberta by approving two pipelines, getting done what the Conservatives could not get done in 10 years. We will continue to support Alberta as an energy hub of Canada.
Madam Speaker, when we started this process, we were looking for the right candidate, because that candidate had to have the qualifications, the expertise, the experience to be the Commissioner of Official Languages in this country.It is not surprising that the two opposition parties are not contesting the qualifications of Madeleine Meilleur, not at all. Even the leader of the second opposition has clearly stated that she has the expertise and the experience for this important position.
Madam Speaker, I regret that I am not having a happy Friday. As a result, I am rising on a point of order with respect to answer Question No. 954 that was tabled yesterday. Question No. 954 was submitted on April 3, and sought information on how the Guide for Parliamentary Secretaries, published by the Privy Council Office in December 2015, applied to trips made by two parliamentary secretaries. While this was a simple straightforward question, incorporated into the answer was a remark that was totally unrelated to the question. Further, I would argue that this unnecessary insertion had the effect of tarnishing the reputation of a former member of this House of Commons and constitutes an improper use by the government of the process of written questions.In making the case for sponsored travel for parliamentary secretaries, the following appeared in the answer to Question No. 954, which states: Moreover...John Baird, while he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, travelled to Washington...a trip that was sponsored by the American Israel [Political Action] Committee. I suppose the government was trying to make the point that what was good for the Conservative goose is good for Liberal ganders. However, according to the list of sponsored travel submitted to the Speaker himself on March 23, 2016 pursuant to 15(3) of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons, it indicated that Mr. Baird went on this trip on February 28, 2015.On February 3, 2015, a full 25 days before the trip in question took place, Mr. Baird announced in this House his resignation from cabinet effective immediately.This is not just sloppy research. I contend it is an attempt by the government to use a parliamentary tool, not to aid a member as it is intended, but in an unorthodox manner to distort the facts and smear the reputation of a former member of this House. Chapter 3 of Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms, 6th edition, states, More tentative are such traditional features as respect for the rights of the minority, which precludes a Government from using to excess the extensive powers that it has to...proceed in what the public and the Opposition might interpret as unorthodox ways. That is exactly what has happened here. Whether or not someone was a minister of the government at the time is not a debatable fact. Having factually wrong, damaging information about a former member in a response to an Order Paper question does not just happen. These responses are reviewed by top advisers to the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, and in particular the office for the coordination of parliamentary returns. Those parties are all meant to verify that a response is accurate. Normally they do an admirable job, with some notable exceptions that I have brought to your attention in the past. It is not believable that such an erroneous, vindictive, false statement about a former member of the House was drafted or prepared by Privy Council Office officials. They are far too professional in their work to ever have made such an egregious and obviously factual mistake. This was clearly the work of one of the Prime Minister's partisan advisers, who was trying to make a political statement at the expense of a former member, and of the truth.I ask that you look into this serious matter and come back to the House with a ruling. I would also ask that the Prime Minister, who is responsible for the answer, as it was signed by his own personal parliamentary secretary on his behalf, to correct the record, and to apologize to the hon. John Baird.In addition, I would like to reserve my right to raise this matter as a question of privilege in the event that the government insists on misleading the House on this matter.
Madam Speaker, Canadians know that polluting is not free. We see the costs of droughts, floods, extreme weather events, but also the effects on our health. Canadians expect polluters to pay, because it is the right thing to do for our children and grandchildren. Ninety-seven per cent of Canadians already live in jurisdictions in Canada that either have a price on carbon pollution or are in the process of putting that into place. The federal plan announced yesterday applies only in jurisdictions that have not moved there themselves. The pricing of carbon pollution will reduce pollution, it creates incentives for companies to innovate, to develop clean solutions, and create
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister decided to appoint Madeleine Meilleur, an individual who made financial contributions to the Prime Minister's leadership race, as commissioner of official languages.As commissioner, Ms. Meilleur will be responsible for investigating the Prime Minister if he ever violates the Official Languages Act.Yesterday Ms. Meilleur herself admitted that she cannot erase 13 years of partisan politics. How can we trust this Liberal to set aside her partisanship when she has to investigate the Prime Minister?
Madam Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member and all Canadians that we are following this case very closely. I had the chance to meet with their daughter and I spoke with their lawyer. Our government is highly engaged on this file. We are in constant contact with Chinese local authorities. We want to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.As the hon. member knows, due to the Privacy Act, we cannot reveal further details about this matter.
Madam Speaker, there is a new lottery in town, and for the past 18 months, select Canadians have been hitting jackpots of $500, $700, or even $1,000 per day of work for the luckiest winners.Here are some of the Canadians who have made it to the winner's circle so far: Stéphane Dion, John McCallum, and Madeleine Meilleur. Since this lottery goes until 2019, there will be more. Unfortunately, tickets are available only to the elite. Anyone who wants to enter has to make a hefty donation to the Liberal Party of Canada. The next grand prize is the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. Will the Prime Minister shut down this partisan lottery before the next draw conducted under the supervision of a firm by the name of leader of the government, Butts, and partners?
Madam Speaker, LGBTQ Canadians are getting tired of waiting for real action to follow the selfies. Nearly a year ago, the government received briefs from groups representing those who were dishonourably discharged from the military or fired from the public service, asking for an apology. Just before he marched in Toronto Pride last year, the Prime Minister promised a formal apology for the harm done. Now, at the first anniversary of this promise, all we have is a re-promise, and those who have been waiting more than 25 years for justice have been told to wait again. Will the government finally keep this promise? Does the government intend to make the apology or not?
Madam Speaker, privacy has been out the window for the last 13 months.The family and the Changs deserve a lot better from the government. They have been making application after application. Talking about this is a trade issue not a consular issue. They constantly get this consular issue dribble that really gets no results. This is now a matter of timing. One week from today, John Chang faces a closed court in Shanghai that will decide his fate. He has had three visits in the past 13 months from consular officials. That is just not good enough. Canadians deserve and expect a lot better than this from their government when they get in trouble
Madam Speaker, the Minister of Defence would have us believe that the Royal Canadian Air Force does not have the resources to fulfill both its NATO and its NORAD commitments. As it turns out, in 2017, six CF-18s were sent to Iceland for two months for a NATO mission. They were then sent to Romania for even longer.If there really is a capability gap, how can Canada spare six jets for such a long time? Was the Minister of National Defence the architect of the capability gap?
Madam Speaker, Madeleine Meilleur is a well-connected Liberal partisan and politician who has donated numerous times to the Liberal Party and has even donated to the Prime Minister's leadership campaign. Let us be clear. The reason the Prime Minister wants her to be the next languages commissioner is so that he can thank her for all of her support, and he wants to assure himself that he has somebody friendly in the position. This is really shady, and it is certainly wrong, in every sense of the word.Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and withdraw this patronage appointment?
Madam Speaker, Canada has the third highest beer tax in the world, yet the Liberals' budget contains an escalator tax on beer sales. Thanks to this poorly thought-out scheme to fleece Canadians, every year on April 1 the cost of beer would automatically increase. This tax would hurt consumers, brewers, and many other spinoff industries in Canada. Will the Liberals cancel this ill-thought-out permanently increasing tax hike on beer?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals say that this is really a simple way to reduce pollution. Let me quote the document. If a Registered Fuel Importer imports fuel for delivery to a Registered Fuel Distributor, the levy will not become payable by the Registered Fuel Importer. The levy will become payable by the Registered Fuel Distributor when it uses the fuel or delivers it to another person in the backstop jurisdiction, unless that other person is also a Registered Fuel Distributor. See, it is simple. How much will it cost small businesses for the red tape of this new scheme and how much will it cost taxpayers for the new bureaucracy needed to implement it?
Madam Speaker, the Phoenix fiasco at its core is a scandal about the government not paying its employees. If this were any other workplace, this would have been solved months ago, but instead, the Liberal government's main response is to blame the Conservatives. It was the Liberal government that authorized the implementation of Phoenix and it was the Liberal government that refuses to put in place a permanent solution.While workers are not getting paid, I would ask the government, has the government been paying IBM on time?
Madam Speaker, Canadians know very well the track record of this government and of our Prime Minister when defending Canadians abroad. We will never turn our backs on Canadians when they need our help abroad. We are very active on this file and we will not stop until we resolve this matter.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals always find a way to take care of their friends. As we have seen this week, no former Liberal cabinet minister is ever left behind. When I commented that it was inappropriate for the CBC to receive Canada 150 funding on top of its annual billion dollars from the taxpayers, the CBC's taxpayer-funded lobbyist corrected me. The Canada 150 money went to Ken Dryden, not the CBC. In fact, the CBC paid even more tax dollars to the former Liberal minister's project. Why is it that the only history that can make it past the Liberal war on history is someone's past history as a Liberal minister?
Madam Speaker, Calgary has been the beating heart of the energy sector for decades. Professionals in Calgary have immense knowledge and experience in pipeline safety, oil and gas exploration, and environmental reclamation. Moving the NEB from Calgary to an ivory tower in Ottawa is not the answer. Will the Liberals commit to keeping the NEB decision making in Calgary, or will they finally admit they do not want the oil and gas energy industry to thrive?
There's no consultation.
Madam Speaker, the finance committee is currently studying the budget bill, Bill C-44, but this omnibus bill contains the Liberals' so-called infrastructure bank. We have had several witnesses appear before committee who have studied this scheme and are testifying that this bank is being set up to invest in high-risk projects.My question is for the Minister of Finance. Why is he gambling with $35 billion of hard-earned taxpayer dollars?
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, in the heat of the moment, I used an inappropriate word, and I would like to correct the record. I talked about the carbon lottery, but I meant to talk about a carbon exchange.
Madam Speaker, while the Minister of Environment is forcing her carbon tax onto the provinces, the Minister of Transport has introduced a tanker ban, which his own officials acknowledge targets just one industry.This is not a ban on tanker traffic as they will continue to move up and down the coast of British Columbia. It is a ban on Canada's resource development.Why are the Liberals continuing their blatant attacks on western Canada's resource sector?
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, I asked a question about women who are victims of domestic violence. The Minister of Status of Women began her response with Happy Friday. I was asking a very serious question that required a very serious answer. Women who heard the minister are going to think that she does not take the problem
Madam Speaker, our government is delivering on our promise to formalize a crude oil tanker moratorium along the north coast of British Columbia. This will protect this incredible environment that coastal and indigenous communities call home, ensure clean water for our kids and grandkids. Our proposed legislation would prohibit oil tankers carrying crude and persistent oils as cargo, from stopping, loading, unloading at ports, marinas and installations in northern British Columbia.
Madam Speaker, this summer, as we celebrate Canada 150, the national capital region prides itself on welcoming tourists from across Canada and around the world. Be it the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery, restaurants, music festivals, or museums, there is so much to see and do. The tourism industry supports over 13,000 jobs in our region. Will the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism please give the House an update on what our government is doing to support tourism in the national capital region and across the country?
Madam Speaker, this week is National Safe Driving Week. As my colleagues probably already know, impaired driving is a serious crime that injures and kills thousands of Canadians every year. In 2015, the police reported 72,000 incidents of impaired driving, 3,000 of which were drug-related.Could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Justice explain what our government is doing to address this serious issue of impaired driving and to make our roads safer for all Canadians?
Madam Speaker, yes, it is on the same subject as my point of order earlier. I am convinced that it is indeed a point of order. I had a conversation with the minister. I know she understands the problem, but I think she needs to apologize out of respect for the women who have been victims of abuse.
Madam Speaker, I can tell you that this government takes very seriously the problems with the Phoenix pay system, which we inherited from the opposition party.We are using every financial and human resource possible from one end of the country to the other and across Quebec, including my riding, Gatineau.I thank the public servants working on the system for their work, and I can assure every one of Canada's public servants that, in the end, we will have a pay system that lives up to our expectations.
Madam Speaker, I thank the government for that, but it has to be done very quickly.Under the current rules, the Canada Revenue Agency tells domestic abuse survivors that they have to contact their attacker to fill out a form if they want to get the child tax benefit. That is preposterous, not to mention dangerous. This CRA requirement needs to be removed.Will the Minister of National Revenue resolve this matter immediately and apologize to victims of domestic abuse?
Madam Speaker, no matter, Ms. Meilleur is too close to the Liberals. She spent 13 years in partisan politics with Ontario's Liberal party. She has donated to not just the Liberal Party of Canada, but to the Prime Minister himself. She admitted having met with the Prime Minister's closest advisors to obtain this position.How can the Minister of Canadian Heritage continue to defend this process, which has resulted in the selection of a longstanding Liberal?
Madam Speaker, if the tanker ban was not bad enough, now we are being told to expect fisheries closures off the coast of British Columbia. We have heard from academics, scientists, industry, and fishermen at the fisheries committee. They have all said the same thing. The Liberal consultations are a sham and fail to take into account the economic, social, and environmental impacts of identifying marine protected areas.What does the minister have to say to the numerous witnesses who have all said that the Liberal plan on marine protected areas will be a disastrous failure?
Madam Speaker, we also learned yesterday that the Prime Minister's closest adviser and long-time friend, Gerry Butts, met with Meilleur before she was even nominated. She admitted that this was an unfair advantage. I guess it is still who you know in the PMO.Officers of Parliament do not work for the Prime Minister, and they certainly do not work for the Prime Minister's Office. They work for all members of Parliament on behalf of Canadians. A watchdog cannot do their job with a cloud of patronage and partisanship hanging over their head.Out of respect for this position, will the Liberals do the right thing and withdraw her name from consideration?
Madam Speaker, the government has cut health transfers. Naturally, this has a direct effect on the sick. The government has abandoned our cheese producers and it refuses to provide loan guarantees for the forestry industry, which is facing a new softwood lumber crisis. It is not going to increase regular EI benefits.Does this government and the Liberal Minister of National Revenue realize that the refusal to take action, this lax attitude, and complacency towards KPMG and tax havens have a direct effect on our sick, our workers, and our unemployed?
Madam Speaker, the Liberal carbon tax is a game of hide-and-go-seek. The cost of the carbon tax is hidden in the price of groceries transported by truck or gasoline that people put in their vehicles, or the cost of heating their homes to stay alive. All of those things are hidden. When we seek the real cost, we find it is again hidden under a mountain of black ink in finance department documents.Yesterday the Liberals released a 26-page technical document on their new carbon tax, but, once again, hidden was the cost to Canadian families. Will they end their game of hide-and-go-seek today and tell average Canadian families what the carbon tax will cost them?
Madam Speaker, the Liberal war on history continues. Groups celebrating our history on the 150th anniversary of Confederation have been told they cannot. The Annapolis Valley project showcasing the region's contribution to Canada's founding has been told no by Ottawa. Instead, Canada 150 funds of half a million dollars went to former Liberal cabinet minister Ken Dryden for his project, a TV show modestly called We Are Canada, described as just tedious TV by The Globe and Mail. It was helpfully broadcast on the taxpayer-funded CBC. Why is the Liberal government taking money from community groups and giving it to former Liberal politicians?
Madam Speaker, we see the results of the government's efforts.A total of $231 billion, or almost two-thirds of Quebec's GDP, was hidden in tax havens. With regard to Ottawa's hard work, former Liberal candidate Marwah Rizqy told Le Journal de Québec that it is a farce, hogwash and that Canada is asleep at the wheel. Why is the government only going after the little fish? In the meantime, it is letting the big financial sharks do what they want.
No, Madam Speaker, the previous one.
Madam Speaker, yesterday, the chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities sent a letter to the Standing Committee on Finance to confirm that committee members agreed on the infrastructure bank, which is completely false.It gets worse. The chair sent a letter on Wednesday; the committee sat on Thursday; the letter was dated today. If that is not arrogance or contempt, then I do not know what is.When will this government start respecting our institution and give up on this ridiculous infrastructure bank idea?
Madam Speaker, when people who have been victims of domestic violence apply for the CRA child tax benefit, they are burdened with an onerous and impossible requirement. CRA expects the victims to return to the abusers to obtain a signature for the application. This is an outrageous and even dangerous requirement for domestic abuse survivors who are trying to build a better, safer life for their families.Will the Liberals do the right thing, drop this unreasonable demand, and support survivors rather than empowering their abusers?
Madam Speaker, this week I found out that employees at Drummond Institution received a letter asking them to pay back the emergency pay advances they received during the Phoenix pay system crisis.The employees do not take issue with having to pay back the advances, but the disappointing and shocking thing is the very tight deadline for repayment, not to mention the fact that most of them are still owed money because of the Phoenix fiasco.Can the government take responsibility and show some empathy to its employees who are victims in this scandal?
Madam Speaker, when searching for the best candidate for the position of Commissioner of Official Languages, we wanted to ensure that they were chosen on the basis of their expertise and experience. That is exactly what we did. We used a rigorous, open, merit-based process, which identified Madeleine Meilleur as the most qualified candidate because she has all the expertise to be an excellent Commissioner of Official Languages.
Madam Speaker, every member on this side of the House is proud of the appointments we are making within the judiciary. Since being elected, we have appointed 67 judges, including additional appointments which are forthcoming. Under our open, merit-based appointments process, we have attracted top-tier judicial appointments. Budget 2017 provides for additional resources, and we will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, happy Friday to you and all my colleagues in the House. I thank my hon. colleague for bringing this issue to our attention. I can assure members that all policies, programs, and legislation that come through cabinet and eventually to the House are put through a gender-based analysis. Plus this issue is exactly why we need to put that lens on all policies. We will continue to do that.In the meantime, we will make sure that our gender-based violence strategy is implemented, with $100.9 million, so women and girls in Canada can thrive.
Madam Speaker, we on this side of the House agree very much with many of the comments that were made by the hon. member. The Great Lakes are an incredibly important resource for many, both in Canada and the United States. It is an important recreational area for many people in Canada and the United States. Some of the environmental challenges that exist in the Great Lakes, which have existed for some time, are very significant. In budget 2017, we saw a significant expansion in funding going toward the Great Lakes to address issues such as phosphorus and nitrogen runoff which are causing some of the algae blooms that are particularly problematic in Lake Erie. We are committed to addressing the problems in the Great Lakes.
As I said, Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and addressing tax avoidance.We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the CRA. In our first budget, we invested $444 million in the CRA. In budget 2017, we added $524 million to better target high-risk taxpayers and to make sure we have the best tools available at our disposal to close in the tax cheats.
Madam Speaker, our government believes in the importance of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the protection and promotion of official languages. We are committed to finding the best candidate for this important position through a thorough, rigorous, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple rounds of interviews. I even had the chance to talk with my critics from the two opposition parties. They both acknowledged that she had the experience and expertise, and that is why we are convinced that Madeleine Meilleur is the best-suited candidate for this important position.
Madam Speaker, we are extremely proud of everything we are doing in line with Canada 150. We believe in the importance of our four themes: youth, environment, reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and diversity and inclusion. We want Canadians to be able to celebrate across the country. We want to make sure that all regions are adequately represented. Of course, we are making sure that this process is non-partisan. Ultimately, this is a year to celebrate, so let us celebrate Canada 150 all together.
Madam Speaker, as I already mentioned, we have four important themes in the context of Canada 150, and one of them is engaging with young people. We Are Canada was reviewed by my department and recommended as it met the eligibility criteria as a Canada 150 community project. I invite all members of this House to participate in Canada 150 projects, because this is a great year for Canada.
We are actively engaging with our partners in the provinces and territories, with indigenous people and people in industry.Also, we can all be proud in British Columbia of the most recent marine protected area, the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound glass sponge reefs MPA, that was designated just this year.
Madam Speaker, I will review the answer that was provided, but I can assure the member that we go through hundreds of questions and attempt to provide the best and fullest answers whenever possible. I will report back after I have had the opportunity to look at what the member put on the record today.
Madam Speaker, our government believes that everyone in Canada should pay his or her fair share of taxes. Budget 2017 proposes to increase taxes on alcohol products. It would be the first increase, I might add, in over 30 years. The 2% increase amounts to about 5¢ per 24 bottles of beer. The inflationary adjustment would provide alcohol producers with greater certainty in the future and follow similar steps taken by many of the provinces.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for her question and her efforts in supporting this cause.We are proud to have introduced Bill C-46, which will make Canada a world leader in the fight against alcohol- and drug-impaired driving. The proposed legislation will reform the entire impaired-driving regime in the Criminal Code. It will strengthen existing drug- and alcohol-impaired driving laws by creating new offences and by making the law more efficient to enforce, simpler, and more coherent for all Canadians.For this year's national safe driving week, I encourage all members of this House to work with our government
Madam Speaker, all men and women who serve their country deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter their sex or background. We are pleased with the progress that is being made by the Canadian Armed Forces in eliminating sexual misconduct. Professional measures are taken to deal with offenders, robust training programs have been implemented, reports of sexual misconduct that were deemed unfounded in the past are currently being reviewed, and most importantly, victims are getting more support.
Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities. As highlighted in Mary Simon's recent report, there is a great need to develop criteria for Arctic infrastructure projects that reflect the uniqueness of the north. Improving water and waste water management systems is an urgent infrastructure need that is important for the well-being and prosperity of Nunavut communities.The minister recently visited Iqaluit and Pangnirtung, and I was very pleased to join him in Iqaluit for an important funding announcement. Can the minister inform the House of the government's infrastructure investments in Nunavut?
Madam Speaker, for months now the Liberals have been dodging questions and making up excuses. They claim it will save money, but it is tens of millions more. They claim it is to expand, but the reality is Vegreville has room for the 32 more staff planned. The Liberals slag the employees, but the department itself says that they are high performers, exemplary workers who always exceed departmental targets. There was no consultation, no transparency, and no honesty.Will the minister admit this is an attack on middle-class rural Canadians and stop it now?
Madam Speaker, I will reiterate what I have said before on many occasions. We are proud, on this side of the House, of the open, merit-based appointments process. Not only have we appointed 67 new judges since being elected, there are over 120 public appointments, which again are open, transparent, and merit-based. We will continue to make those appointments with great dispatch.
Madam Speaker, the lengths these Liberals will go to help out their friends: A lifelong Liberal and donor to the Prime Minister's own leadership campaign is their surprise choice for an independent commissioner.This Prime Minister has been under more investigations than any other prime minister in Canadian history, including Harper, Chrétien, and even Brian Mulroney somehow.Yesterday, Madam Meilleur admitted that she may have to recuse herself from investigating the Prime Minister because of these donations. Imagine, a commissioner who cannot investigate. Was this the Liberal plan all along, or just some happy coincidence?
Madam Speaker, once again, our government is committed to making responsible decisions and services to Canadians and to creating jobs. Once again, we have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, outlining the costs requested by the member opposite.The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address the long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of immigration operations, and create more jobs for Albertans.
Madam Speaker, addressing climate change is one of the critical issues of our time. This government is committed to creating a more innovative economy that reduces emissions, while creating good middle-class jobs. If the hon. member would actually take the time to read the backstop paper, he would see that those figures are in that document. This government has been actively working with all provinces and territories, including the Government of Saskatchewan. I was there this week for conversations with large companies. We are working to build a plan that will allow us to move forward in a credible way to reduce carbon emissions and to grow a clean-growth economy.
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and ask for forgiveness. I understand that every six days in this country a woman is killed by the hands of an intimate partner. I understand that these issues affect three out of 10 women, and that if we work together, we can address these issues. I will definitely be more mindful of my language, absolutely, but, more importantly, I will continue to be a force with all of my colleagues to ensure that we see tangible change in our generation.
Madam Speaker, as chair of the innovation, science and technology committee, I was pleased to take our committee to Washington, D.C. earlier this month to meet with business and government. It is so exciting to know that many of our companies have a strong relationship with our neighbours to the south. For most of the last three decades, trade has been an important part of that relationship. Only last year, U.S. goods and services trade with Canada totalled an estimated $627.8 billion U.S. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell the House what he is doing to grow this mutually beneficial relationship on the ground?
Madam Speaker, I would once again invite my hon. colleagues to read the document. All of the relevant information is contained in that document. I would be happy to actually show the hon. member after question period is over.The net cost to Canadians obviously depends, in significant measure, on what provinces that have implemented these systems choose to do with the revenues. Alberta has returned those through rebates, British Columbia has a carbon-neutral tax and returns the funds through income tax reductions. We have a thoughtful plan. Those of us on this side of the House believe climate change is a real issue. We are planning to address that in a thoughtful way.
Madam Speaker, our government committed to making responsible choices that improve services for Canadians and create jobs. We have always been upfront and transparent about the costs of the relocation. In fact, a letter was sent from our department to the union, dated March 1, 2017, containing the very numbers quoted by the member opposite. The reality is that about 20% of available positions are currently vacant. This move will address long-standing staffing challenges, allow for an expansion of operations, and create more jobs for Albertans. I repeat that all employees will be able to keep their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking forward to this important position being filled. Canadians believe in the importance of official languages. They want somebody who has the expertise and experience to hold this important position. I am really surprised to see how much my colleagues support the expertise and experience of Mrs. Meilleur. Therefore, I do not understand why they are not supportive of this important candidacy, because this important position must be fulfilled by an important
Madam Speaker, our government's commitment on two fronts is unparalleled in this parliamentary history. One is on the child benefit and the other is on support for victims of violence fleeing and seeking better shelter and protection. On the issue that has been raised, it is a significant issue and I assure the member we will get a specific answer to the specific issues around tax and point of return. That is an issue which has just been raised today and I am happy to sit with the member and get the proper results. On the child benefit, we are raising kids out of poverty. On victims of violence, we are supporting them. We need to make sure those two programs work in concert.
Madam Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that 97% of Canadians live in jurisdictions that have either put into place a plan to price carbon pollution or are in the process of working to have that in place by the beginning of 2018. We have worked collaboratively with the provinces. This was a central part of the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to which almost all of the provinces subscribed. We are working to ensure this is done in a thoughtful way. We intend to ensure we are addressing climate change and carbon emissions, but doing so in a manner that will help us to grow an innovative and clean-growth economy for the future.
Madam Speaker, Canada is refusing to even match the U.S. investments in protecting the Great Lakes. People in my riding of Essex are concerned about the complete silence from the Liberal government when it comes to the water quality of Lake Erie. Algae blooms are negatively impacting the health of the lake, which our communities rely on for commercial fishing, tourism, and drinking water. Lake Erie has been in crisis before and deserves urgent protection to protect it now. The health of our communities is directly tied to the health of our lakes. Will the Liberals step up and take a leadership role in protecting our treasured freshwater Great Lakes?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised an open and transparent appointment process for the new official languages commissioner, but what they delivered was the most partisan appointment ever. Madeleine Meilleur, who was angling for a Senate seat while at Queen's Park, told the committee quite plainly yesterday that she contacted her former colleagues, Gerald Butts and Katie Telford, the two people in the Prime Minister's Office with the most clout in the selection process. That is what you call coming up with a plan B.Will the government finally admit that this appointment was nothing more than a $315,000 consolation prize to help a good friend
Madam Speaker, it is important that we recognize that we have in fact put in place a new appointments process which supports an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process. Our aim is to identify high-quality candidates who will help to achieve gender parity and truly reflect Canada's diversity. It is important to note the 140 appointments, of which 63% are women, 13% are visible minorities, and 10% are indigenous. The Conservatives should be applauding the type of appointments we are making.
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to increasing the proportion of marine and coastal areas that are protected to 5% this year, and to 10% by 2020. We are going to achieve these targets with sound science and transparent decision-making. Indeed, we are consulting broadly.
Madam Speaker, we found the best candidate to serve as commissioner of official languages. Why? Because we know that Ms. Meilleur was behind the campaign to save the Montfort, Ottawa's French-language hospital. We also know that Ms. Meilleur played a key role in the creation of the office of the official languages commissioner in Ontario. Her CV clearly demonstrates that she has the expertise and experience needed to serve as Canada's official languages commissioner, and we hope to have the support of the opposition and the Senate in confirming this important appointment.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Pitt MeadowsMaple Ridge for his hard work and leadership as the chair of the innovation committee. He is absolutely correct. Our trade is fair and balanced with our U.S. counterparts. Since NAFTA came into force, our economies have more than doubled, so it truly is a win-win situation. We have integrated economies, highly competitive, that allow us to compete globally. I have shared this viewpoint with my counterparts in Michigan, Colorado, California, and Nevada. We will continue to work together, build things together, and create jobs
Madam Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. We know that we must work hard to ensure that our tax system is fair and responsive to all Canadians. That is why our government has made unprecedented investments in the Canada Revenue Agency. In our first budget, we invested $444 million, in addition to $524 million in budget 2017. This is to ensure that our actions are showing tangible results. Last year our offshore and domestic audit activities enabled us to recoup $13 billion.We will continue to work for Canadians. That is what Canadians expect.
Madam Speaker, we believe that the Office of the Official Languages Commissioner has an important role to play in protecting and promoting our country's official languages.We committed to finding the best candidate for that position, but only after a rigorous, open, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple interviews. I even had the opportunity to speak with the Canadian heritage critics of the official opposition and the second opposition party. They recognized that Ms. Meilleur possesses the necessary qualifications considering her experience and expertise.
Madam Speaker, let us talk about the impact of this thoughtful way. In Alberta, foreclosure rates are rising at alarming rates, in fact, more than 25% in the last two years alone. Dismantling the NEB, politicizing infrastructure decisions, and implementing the carbon tax are all Liberal policies that are stifling any ability for Alberta's economic recovery. Canada needs the Trans Mountain pipeline.Will the Prime Minister go to B.C. and champion this vital pipeline project, or will he continue on his quest of eliminating the oil sands and killing jobs in Alberta and the rest of Canada?
Madam Speaker, for more than a year now Canadian citizens John Chang and his wife Allison Lu have been held in jail by China's general administration of customs. Their company, Lulu Island Winery in B.C., has successfully exported to China for some six years, so they know the system well. The arrest of Mr. Chang and Ms. Lu for a fabricated customs violation is an assault on their basic rights, a breach of China's international trade obligations, and China's own customs laws. This is clearly a trade issue, not a consular issue.Why will the Prime Minister not intervene in this new era of the Canada-China relationship?
That is precisely why I am wondering if the parliamentary secretary actually read all the documents himself. Every single document released yesterday by the Minister of Environment bears the title of Liberal carbon tax. There are a bunch of numbers and words in there no one can make heads or tails of. As the member for Carleton said so well, there is one number that is missing. How much will this cost Canadian workers?Since the parliamentary secretary just chided us for not reading the document, can he tell us what is the most important number for Canadians in the document? How much is your Liberal carbon tax going to cost?
Madam Speaker, first, I would like to thank the NEB expert panel for its hard work in drafting this report. Our government is committed to developing our resources and getting them to market in a responsible way. This requires a regulatory process in which Canadians can have confidence. Modernizing the NEB is part of our government's process to build a better system that is fair, robust, respects the rights of indigenous peoples, is based on scientific evidence, and protects our environment for generations to come. We will review the report in depth, along with other environmental regulatory reviews, and determine next steps.
Madam Speaker, that is why we are looking at the possibility of acquiring an interim fleet of 18 Super Hornet fighters to supplement the CF-18 fleet until the permanent replacements arrive.With these measures, Canadians can rest assured that our short- and long-term defence needs will always be met.
Madam Speaker, even the Liberal minister is hesitant to get up to try to defend that, and I do not blame her.The Liberal appointment gravy train is shamefully extending to the judiciary. The latest round of judicial appointments is full of Liberal donors, including an Alberta appointment of a person who has donated to the Liberal Party over 25 times, including twice just this year.When will the Prime Minister admit that he actually does not care about the appearance of conflict of interest and he would rather reward his friends for their generous support of his I will scratch yours if you scratch mine government?
Madam Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Public Safety wrongly claimed recruitment and expansion justified the closure of CPC Vegreville. Here is the truth. Since 2013, over 600 applications came in for the three hiring drives. Today, the union for the majority of workers said that having permanent positions there, most are not, would help with retention. However, what does it know. It was not even consulted. Nothing is stopping the Liberals from hiring in Edmonton right now.Will the minister do the right thing and reverse this mistake?
Madam Speaker, CRA continues to take important steps and is making progress in cracking down on tax cheats and ensuring a tax system that is more responsive and fair to all Canadians.In last year's budget, the agency took significant action on several fronts to identify and deal with tax cheats. Building on the previous investment of $444 million, budget 2017 invested an additional $524 million to crack down on tax evasion and improve compliance.
Madam Speaker, as the hon. member mentioned, I was honoured to visit Nunavut and announce, alongside the territorial government and the hon. member, $230 million in joint funding for nine projects that will help 19 communities deal with waste management systems, improve waste water quality, and make further investments to improve water quality in those communities.We are very proud to be making investments in Nunavut, and we will continue to work with our partners to build stronger communities in the north.
Madam Speaker, our government is committed to growing the economy and supporting the middle class and those working hard to join it.The first thing that our government did was lower taxes for the middle class. We were surprised to see that the party opposite voted against that measure. We also raised taxes for the wealthy, and surprisingly the party opposite also voted against that. We implemented the Canada child benefit, which the party opposite once again voted against.
Madam Speaker, although the government keeps telling us that it is working very hard to combat tax avoidance, we learned that $231 billion dollars were sheltered last year in the tax havens of Barbados, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands. Nothing is too good for profiteers.Is the government satisfied with its strategy to crack down on tax havens even though no tax was paid on 231,000 million dollars?
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend, the member for Ottawa WestNepean, for her passion and her excellent work in the tourism industry.Canada's rural and urban communities have much to share with the world. Last week, the Minister of Small Business and Tourism announced Canada's new vision. This is our pan-Canadian approach to improving tourism marketing, making it easier to get here, and developing new experiences, such as indigenous tourism, LGBTQ tourism, culinary tourism, and so much more.Canada's tourism industry is vital to our economy. It supports more than 1.7 million jobs and thousands of small businesses. I encourage everyone to explore not only
Madam Speaker, I can assure the hon. member and the House that we will do the proper due diligence before we undertake any project, by the bank, by the private sector, by the municipal sector, by the provincial sector, people who will be involved in building that infrastructure.Our goal is to make sure that we protect the public interest, to make sure that public dollars are protected, while we build the infrastructure that is required by our Canadian communities.
Madam Speaker, since the Liberal government took office, the people of BeauportLimoilou have been plagued with tax hikes, the cancellation of tax credits for family activities, extra payroll taxes, and new taxes on various consumer goods.Yesterday, the Liberal government confirmed that it will be imposing a carbon tax on all the provinces. By 2022, gas prices at the pump will increase by 12¢, which is really going to drive up the cost of groceries.Will the Liberals put a stop to this situation before it escalates any further, or is this just the beginning?
Madam Speaker, for almost a decade the municipal sector was neglected by the previous government. Our goal is to put forward an infrastructure plan that will help rebuild Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast.The creation of the infrastructure bank would allow us to build more infrastructure by mobilizing private capital. That would help us to build and transform infrastructure that our communities need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, again and again, the Liberals rise with no clear answer, no number, no money, always through a cost to the Canadian taxpayer.There is another problem. We know that the government always takes pride in stating that the Liberals collaborate with the provinces. Is that so? Three provinces have implemented a carbon lottery, a system that has sadly not worked for Quebec since 2013. Yesterday, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that if it does not work, then the Liberals would impose the Liberal carbon tax on the provinces.Can someone in this government tell us today whether or not the Liberals are going to impose the Liberal carbon tax on all Canadian provinces?
Madam Speaker, I note the member said that the government responds to hundreds of Order Paper questions, and that is true, which is precisely why it is inexplicable that they took the time to insert additional factual errors in this particular response. This was not a mistake of omission, it was a mistake of co-mission. They committed the error of deliberately inserting false information in an Order Paper response, all the more egregious by the fact that they have so many other questions they could be dedicating their time to respond to.
Madam Speaker, this government is deploying all of the resources it has at its disposal, both human and financial, in support of fixing these problems that were left to us by the Conservatives.I can assure the hon. member that in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and right across this country, there are hundreds of public servants, hundreds of people working today at this very moment, on resolving these problems which we are all very eager to resolve.
Madam Speaker, they are open to anyone who has given a donation to the Liberal Party. That is the only openness that we are seeing.It is clear that with the Prime Minister's patronage appointment scheme, if one is not a Liberal and not giving a donation, there is no use applying. Liberal donors are clearly making their way to the very top of the appointment list. Merit has become secondary to donations to the Liberal Party.How can the Prime Minister expect Canadians to believe it is just a coincidence that all of these Liberal donors are somehow getting these plum appointments?
Madam Speaker, I thank the member opposite for the opportunity for me to stand and provide a very clear statement. The assertion from the member opposite is categorically false. We took action to create good middle-class jobs for Alberta by approving two pipelines, getting done what the Conservatives could not get done in 10 years. We will continue to support Alberta as an energy hub of Canada.
Madam Speaker, when we started this process, we were looking for the right candidate, because that candidate had to have the qualifications, the expertise, the experience to be the Commissioner of Official Languages in this country.It is not surprising that the two opposition parties are not contesting the qualifications of Madeleine Meilleur, not at all. Even the leader of the second opposition has clearly stated that she has the expertise and the experience for this important position.
Madam Speaker, I regret that I am not having a happy Friday. As a result, I am rising on a point of order with respect to answer Question No. 954 that was tabled yesterday. Question No. 954 was submitted on April 3, and sought information on how the Guide for Parliamentary Secretaries, published by the Privy Council Office in December 2015, applied to trips made by two parliamentary secretaries. While this was a simple straightforward question, incorporated into the answer was a remark that was totally unrelated to the question. Further, I would argue that this unnecessary insertion had the effect of tarnishing the reputation of a former member of this House of Commons and constitutes an improper use by the government of the process of written questions.In making the case for sponsored travel for parliamentary secretaries, the following appeared in the answer to Question No. 954, which states: Moreover...John Baird, while he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, travelled to Washington...a trip that was sponsored by the American Israel [Political Action] Committee. I suppose the government was trying to make the point that what was good for the Conservative goose is good for Liberal ganders. However, according to the list of sponsored travel submitted to the Speaker himself on March 23, 2016 pursuant to 15(3) of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons, it indicated that Mr. Baird went on this trip on February 28, 2015.On February 3, 2015, a full 25 days before the trip in question took place, Mr. Baird announced in this House his resignation from cabinet effective immediately.This is not just sloppy research. I contend it is an attempt by the government to use a parliamentary tool, not to aid a member as it is intended, but in an unorthodox manner to distort the facts and smear the reputation of a former member of this House. Chapter 3 of Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms, 6th edition, states, More tentative are such traditional features as respect for the rights of the minority, which precludes a Government from using to excess the extensive powers that it has to...proceed in what the public and the Opposition might interpret as unorthodox ways. That is exactly what has happened here. Whether or not someone was a minister of the government at the time is not a debatable fact. Having factually wrong, damaging information about a former member in a response to an Order Paper question does not just happen. These responses are reviewed by top advisers to the Prime Minister, the Privy Council Office, and in particular the office for the coordination of parliamentary returns. Those parties are all meant to verify that a response is accurate. Normally they do an admirable job, with some notable exceptions that I have brought to your attention in the past. It is not believable that such an erroneous, vindictive, false statement about a former member of the House was drafted or prepared by Privy Council Office officials. They are far too professional in their work to ever have made such an egregious and obviously factual mistake. This was clearly the work of one of the Prime Minister's partisan advisers, who was trying to make a political statement at the expense of a former member, and of the truth.I ask that you look into this serious matter and come back to the House with a ruling. I would also ask that the Prime Minister, who is responsible for the answer, as it was signed by his own personal parliamentary secretary on his behalf, to correct the record, and to apologize to the hon. John Baird.In addition, I would like to reserve my right to raise this matter as a question of privilege in the event that the government insists on misleading the House on this matter.
Madam Speaker, Canadians know that polluting is not free. We see the costs of droughts, floods, extreme weather events, but also the effects on our health. Canadians expect polluters to pay, because it is the right thing to do for our children and grandchildren. Ninety-seven per cent of Canadians already live in jurisdictions in Canada that either have a price on carbon pollution or are in the process of putting that into place. The federal plan announced yesterday applies only in jurisdictions that have not moved there themselves. The pricing of carbon pollution will reduce pollution, it creates incentives for companies to innovate, to develop clean solutions, and create
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister decided to appoint Madeleine Meilleur, an individual who made financial contributions to the Prime Minister's leadership race, as commissioner of official languages.As commissioner, Ms. Meilleur will be responsible for investigating the Prime Minister if he ever violates the Official Languages Act.Yesterday Ms. Meilleur herself admitted that she cannot erase 13 years of partisan politics. How can we trust this Liberal to set aside her partisanship when she has to investigate the Prime Minister?
Madam Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member and all Canadians that we are following this case very closely. I had the chance to meet with their daughter and I spoke with their lawyer. Our government is highly engaged on this file. We are in constant contact with Chinese local authorities. We want to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.As the hon. member knows, due to the Privacy Act, we cannot reveal further details about this matter.
Madam Speaker, there is a new lottery in town, and for the past 18 months, select Canadians have been hitting jackpots of $500, $700, or even $1,000 per day of work for the luckiest winners.Here are some of the Canadians who have made it to the winner's circle so far: Stéphane Dion, John McCallum, and Madeleine Meilleur. Since this lottery goes until 2019, there will be more. Unfortunately, tickets are available only to the elite. Anyone who wants to enter has to make a hefty donation to the Liberal Party of Canada. The next grand prize is the position of Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. Will the Prime Minister shut down this partisan lottery before the next draw conducted under the supervision of a firm by the name of leader of the government, Butts, and partners?
Madam Speaker, LGBTQ Canadians are getting tired of waiting for real action to follow the selfies. Nearly a year ago, the government received briefs from groups representing those who were dishonourably discharged from the military or fired from the public service, asking for an apology. Just before he marched in Toronto Pride last year, the Prime Minister promised a formal apology for the harm done. Now, at the first anniversary of this promise, all we have is a re-promise, and those who have been waiting more than 25 years for justice have been told to wait again. Will the government finally keep this promise? Does the government intend to make the apology or not?
Madam Speaker, privacy has been out the window for the last 13 months.The family and the Changs deserve a lot better from the government. They have been making application after application. Talking about this is a trade issue not a consular issue. They constantly get this consular issue dribble that really gets no results. This is now a matter of timing. One week from today, John Chang faces a closed court in Shanghai that will decide his fate. He has had three visits in the past 13 months from consular officials. That is just not good enough. Canadians deserve and expect a lot better than this from their government when they get in trouble
Madam Speaker, the Minister of Defence would have us believe that the Royal Canadian Air Force does not have the resources to fulfill both its NATO and its NORAD commitments. As it turns out, in 2017, six CF-18s were sent to Iceland for two months for a NATO mission. They were then sent to Romania for even longer.If there really is a capability gap, how can Canada spare six jets for such a long time? Was the Minister of National Defence the architect of the capability gap?
Madam Speaker, Madeleine Meilleur is a well-connected Liberal partisan and politician who has donated numerous times to the Liberal Party and has even donated to the Prime Minister's leadership campaign. Let us be clear. The reason the Prime Minister wants her to be the next languages commissioner is so that he can thank her for all of her support, and he wants to assure himself that he has somebody friendly in the position. This is really shady, and it is certainly wrong, in every sense of the word.Will the Prime Minister do the right thing and withdraw this patronage appointment?
Madam Speaker, Canada has the third highest beer tax in the world, yet the Liberals' budget contains an escalator tax on beer sales. Thanks to this poorly thought-out scheme to fleece Canadians, every year on April 1 the cost of beer would automatically increase. This tax would hurt consumers, brewers, and many other spinoff industries in Canada. Will the Liberals cancel this ill-thought-out permanently increasing tax hike on beer?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals say that this is really a simple way to reduce pollution. Let me quote the document. If a Registered Fuel Importer imports fuel for delivery to a Registered Fuel Distributor, the levy will not become payable by the Registered Fuel Importer. The levy will become payable by the Registered Fuel Distributor when it uses the fuel or delivers it to another person in the backstop jurisdiction, unless that other person is also a Registered Fuel Distributor. See, it is simple. How much will it cost small businesses for the red tape of this new scheme and how much will it cost taxpayers for the new bureaucracy needed to implement it?
Madam Speaker, the Phoenix fiasco at its core is a scandal about the government not paying its employees. If this were any other workplace, this would have been solved months ago, but instead, the Liberal government's main response is to blame the Conservatives. It was the Liberal government that authorized the implementation of Phoenix and it was the Liberal government that refuses to put in place a permanent solution.While workers are not getting paid, I would ask the government, has the government been paying IBM on time?
Madam Speaker, Canadians know very well the track record of this government and of our Prime Minister when defending Canadians abroad. We will never turn our backs on Canadians when they need our help abroad. We are very active on this file and we will not stop until we resolve this matter.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals always find a way to take care of their friends. As we have seen this week, no former Liberal cabinet minister is ever left behind. When I commented that it was inappropriate for the CBC to receive Canada 150 funding on top of its annual billion dollars from the taxpayers, the CBC's taxpayer-funded lobbyist corrected me. The Canada 150 money went to Ken Dryden, not the CBC. In fact, the CBC paid even more tax dollars to the former Liberal minister's project. Why is it that the only history that can make it past the Liberal war on history is someone's past history as a Liberal minister?
Madam Speaker, Calgary has been the beating heart of the energy sector for decades. Professionals in Calgary have immense knowledge and experience in pipeline safety, oil and gas exploration, and environmental reclamation. Moving the NEB from Calgary to an ivory tower in Ottawa is not the answer. Will the Liberals commit to keeping the NEB decision making in Calgary, or will they finally admit they do not want the oil and gas energy industry to thrive?
There's no consultation.
Madam Speaker, the finance committee is currently studying the budget bill, Bill C-44, but this omnibus bill contains the Liberals' so-called infrastructure bank. We have had several witnesses appear before committee who have studied this scheme and are testifying that this bank is being set up to invest in high-risk projects.My question is for the Minister of Finance. Why is he gambling with $35 billion of hard-earned taxpayer dollars?
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, in the heat of the moment, I used an inappropriate word, and I would like to correct the record. I talked about the carbon lottery, but I meant to talk about a carbon exchange.
Madam Speaker, while the Minister of Environment is forcing her carbon tax onto the provinces, the Minister of Transport has introduced a tanker ban, which his own officials acknowledge targets just one industry.This is not a ban on tanker traffic as they will continue to move up and down the coast of British Columbia. It is a ban on Canada's resource development.Why are the Liberals continuing their blatant attacks on western Canada's resource sector?
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.During question period, I asked a question about women who are victims of domestic violence. The Minister of Status of Women began her response with Happy Friday. I was asking a very serious question that required a very serious answer. Women who heard the minister are going to think that she does not take the problem
Madam Speaker, our government is delivering on our promise to formalize a crude oil tanker moratorium along the north coast of British Columbia. This will protect this incredible environment that coastal and indigenous communities call home, ensure clean water for our kids and grandkids. Our proposed legislation would prohibit oil tankers carrying crude and persistent oils as cargo, from stopping, loading, unloading at ports, marinas and installations in northern British Columbia.
Madam Speaker, this summer, as we celebrate Canada 150, the national capital region prides itself on welcoming tourists from across Canada and around the world. Be it the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery, restaurants, music festivals, or museums, there is so much to see and do. The tourism industry supports over 13,000 jobs in our region. Will the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism please give the House an update on what our government is doing to support tourism in the national capital region and across the country?
Madam Speaker, this week is National Safe Driving Week. As my colleagues probably already know, impaired driving is a serious crime that injures and kills thousands of Canadians every year. In 2015, the police reported 72,000 incidents of impaired driving, 3,000 of which were drug-related.Could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Justice explain what our government is doing to address this serious issue of impaired driving and to make our roads safer for all Canadians?
Madam Speaker, yes, it is on the same subject as my point of order earlier. I am convinced that it is indeed a point of order. I had a conversation with the minister. I know she understands the problem, but I think she needs to apologize out of respect for the women who have been victims of abuse.
Madam Speaker, I can tell you that this government takes very seriously the problems with the Phoenix pay system, which we inherited from the opposition party.We are using every financial and human resource possible from one end of the country to the other and across Quebec, including my riding, Gatineau.I thank the public servants working on the system for their work, and I can assure every one of Canada's public servants that, in the end, we will have a pay system that lives up to our expectations.
Madam Speaker, I thank the government for that, but it has to be done very quickly.Under the current rules, the Canada Revenue Agency tells domestic abuse survivors that they have to contact their attacker to fill out a form if they want to get the child tax benefit. That is preposterous, not to mention dangerous. This CRA requirement needs to be removed.Will the Minister of National Revenue resolve this matter immediately and apologize to victims of domestic abuse?
Madam Speaker, no matter, Ms. Meilleur is too close to the Liberals. She spent 13 years in partisan politics with Ontario's Liberal party. She has donated to not just the Liberal Party of Canada, but to the Prime Minister himself. She admitted having met with the Prime Minister's closest advisors to obtain this position.How can the Minister of Canadian Heritage continue to defend this process, which has resulted in the selection of a longstanding Liberal?
Madam Speaker, if the tanker ban was not bad enough, now we are being told to expect fisheries closures off the coast of British Columbia. We have heard from academics, scientists, industry, and fishermen at the fisheries committee. They have all said the same thing. The Liberal consultations are a sham and fail to take into account the economic, social, and environmental impacts of identifying marine protected areas.What does the minister have to say to the numerous witnesses who have all said that the Liberal plan on marine protected areas will be a disastrous failure?
Madam Speaker, we also learned yesterday that the Prime Minister's closest adviser and long-time friend, Gerry Butts, met with Meilleur before she was even nominated. She admitted that this was an unfair advantage. I guess it is still who you know in the PMO.Officers of Parliament do not work for the Prime Minister, and they certainly do not work for the Prime Minister's Office. They work for all members of Parliament on behalf of Canadians. A watchdog cannot do their job with a cloud of patronage and partisanship hanging over their head.Out of respect for this position, will the Liberals do the right thing and withdraw her name from consideration?
Madam Speaker, the government has cut health transfers. Naturally, this has a direct effect on the sick. The government has abandoned our cheese producers and it refuses to provide loan guarantees for the forestry industry, which is facing a new softwood lumber crisis. It is not going to increase regular EI benefits.Does this government and the Liberal Minister of National Revenue realize that the refusal to take action, this lax attitude, and complacency towards KPMG and tax havens have a direct effect on our sick, our workers, and our unemployed?
Madam Speaker, the Liberal carbon tax is a game of hide-and-go-seek. The cost of the carbon tax is hidden in the price of groceries transported by truck or gasoline that people put in their vehicles, or the cost of heating their homes to stay alive. All of those things are hidden. When we seek the real cost, we find it is again hidden under a mountain of black ink in finance department documents.Yesterday the Liberals released a 26-page technical document on their new carbon tax, but, once again, hidden was the cost to Canadian families. Will they end their game of hide-and-go-seek today and tell average Canadian families what the carbon tax will cost them?
Madam Speaker, the Liberal war on history continues. Groups celebrating our history on the 150th anniversary of Confederation have been told they cannot. The Annapolis Valley project showcasing the region's contribution to Canada's founding has been told no by Ottawa. Instead, Canada 150 funds of half a million dollars went to former Liberal cabinet minister Ken Dryden for his project, a TV show modestly called We Are Canada, described as just tedious TV by The Globe and Mail. It was helpfully broadcast on the taxpayer-funded CBC. Why is the Liberal government taking money from community groups and giving it to former Liberal politicians?
Madam Speaker, we see the results of the government's efforts.A total of $231 billion, or almost two-thirds of Quebec's GDP, was hidden in tax havens. With regard to Ottawa's hard work, former Liberal candidate Marwah Rizqy told Le Journal de Québec that it is a farce, hogwash and that Canada is asleep at the wheel. Why is the government only going after the little fish? In the meantime, it is letting the big financial sharks do what they want.
No, Madam Speaker, the previous one.
Madam Speaker, yesterday, the chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities sent a letter to the Standing Committee on Finance to confirm that committee members agreed on the infrastructure bank, which is completely false.It gets worse. The chair sent a letter on Wednesday; the committee sat on Thursday; the letter was dated today. If that is not arrogance or contempt, then I do not know what is.When will this government start respecting our institution and give up on this ridiculous infrastructure bank idea?
Madam Speaker, when people who have been victims of domestic violence apply for the CRA child tax benefit, they are burdened with an onerous and impossible requirement. CRA expects the victims to return to the abusers to obtain a signature for the application. This is an outrageous and even dangerous requirement for domestic abuse survivors who are trying to build a better, safer life for their families.Will the Liberals do the right thing, drop this unreasonable demand, and support survivors rather than empowering their abusers?
Madam Speaker, this week I found out that employees at Drummond Institution received a letter asking them to pay back the emergency pay advances they received during the Phoenix pay system crisis.The employees do not take issue with having to pay back the advances, but the disappointing and shocking thing is the very tight deadline for repayment, not to mention the fact that most of them are still owed money because of the Phoenix fiasco.Can the government take responsibility and show some empathy to its employees who are victims in this scandal?