Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's refusal to answer that question shows why this infrastructure bank is a complete disaster. Over the weekend, when asked a direct question, the Prime Minister refused to say when, if ever, he plans on balancing the budget. Given that our children and our grandchildren will be the ones stuck paying off his excessive spending habits and his multi-billion-dollar tab, they deserve an honest answer to a simple question. In what year does the Prime Minister plan on balancing the budget? Will it be the year that pigs fly or the year that hell freezes over?
Mr. Speaker, because that answer was so gosh darn convincing, I have another one for the minister.Her Liberal government is refusing to reveal to Canadians important information about tax cheats, even after the minister's promise to reveal important information about tax cheats. The minister's office now says that it is not its responsibility to release this information. Really? It is not the responsibility of the minister's office to tackle tax evasion and keep the minister's own promises?If the minister is not running her department, could she tell us who the heck is? If she will not do her job, will she at least find somebody who can?
Mr. Speaker, we are calling on the Prime Minister to tell us when we will return to a balanced budget and he has nothing intelligent to say to us. He is asking taxpayers to sign a $35-billion cheque for the infrastructure bank. It makes no sense. The Liberals are irresponsible and improvising across the board with taxpayers' money.When will the Prime Minister respect this institution and allow us to take a more thorough look at this bank?
Mr. Speaker, nobody trusts the Liberals to deliver on that promise.The Liberals unveiled their defence and foreign policies, and surprise, surprise, there were no details of a UN peacekeeping mission in either of them. It has been almost a year since the Prime Minister naively promised 600 troops to a vague UN peacekeeping mission. Documents show that the Liberals have turned down five UN leadership roles and will not commit to a single UN mission.The Prime Minister has said that Canada is back. Now he is backing away from UN peacekeeping missions after stepping back from the fight against ISIS. When will the Prime Minister finally step up and quit embarrassing Canada on the world stage?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep telling us that they take judicial appointments seriously, yet to date there are still judicial vacancies right across the country. Under our Conservative government, we appointed more than 500 judicial appointments. If the Liberals are incapable of doing their job, the opposition would be more than happy to do it for them. These delays in the criminal justice system must end and criminals must be prosecuted. When are the Liberals going to start taking this job seriously and fill all the judicial vacancies without excuses?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' mismanagement of the fighter jet replacement has gone from a national scandal to an international embarrassment.Over the weekend, officials were instructed to meet with aerospace companies in Paris, then they were told to cancel those meetings, and then they were told to reschedule them. The Minister of National Defence has made a complete mess of this file.Is there anyone on the Liberal benches, anyone at all, who can fix this comedy of errors and actually hold an open competition to replace our aging fighter jets now?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister announced during the election campaign that he would run small deficits of $10 billion a year. At the current rate, the deficits will be $25 billion a year. Initially, that was supposed to be for only two years, but now we are told that it will be for an indefinite period.The Prime Minister is showing yet again that he is utterly incapable of managing taxpayers' money responsibly, and it is our children and grandchildren who will pay the price. My question is simple. Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians, once and for all, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot help themselves. They love picking winners and losers by imposing big-government regulations. Now the Liberals are targeting credit unions by prohibiting their use of the terms bank and banking. This means if a credit union uses a term like personal banking or online banking in their promotions, they run afoul of the rules and could face penalties between $500,000 and $5 million.Could the finance minister explain to Canadians why his government is being so petty in the targeting of credit unions? Is it because all of his friends on Bay Street are telling him to do this?
Mr. Speaker, that was an inquiry my colleague called for.Today, the minister unveiled a strategy on gender-based violence. While we do need data and RCMP training, there is absolutely nothing for front-line services to support survivors of sexual assault. Every night, 500 women and kids are turned away from domestic violence shelters in Canada500 of them.Why does this so-called anti-violence strategy have absolutely nothing for women fleeing violence and for the front-line workers who support them?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan to replace Canada's fighter jets has become a real farce, and the farce has even spread to the international stage. That side of the House cannot even organize a simple meeting with representatives from the aerospace industry. On top of that, most stakeholders have lost all confidence in the Minister of National Defence, so this file has become a massive boondoggle.Does the Prime Minister understand the magnitude of the problem? Will he bring his minister into line and immediately launch an open and transparent process?
Mr. Speaker, senators are calling for an independent review of the infrastructure bank. Members on this side of the House are calling for the same. Every expert who has studied this infrastructure bank is concerned about the risks and fears that taxpayers will ultimately have to pay for this bank.If the Prime Minister has nothing to hide and the bank is as white as snow, then why is he afraid to have it thoroughly reviewed?
Mr. Speaker, with respect to offshore-related files, the CRA is currently conducting audits on over 820 taxpayers and criminally investigating over 20 cases of tax evasion. Information shared under tax information sharing agreements and tax treaties is yielding results. I want to make it very clear that we will ensure our tax system is fair by ferreting out tax cheats and making them pay.
Mr. Speaker, I take my responsibility to appoint superior court justices in the country incredibly seriously. I am very pleased to have introduced a new appointments process that is open and transparent. I am very happy to have appointed 77 justices across the country to the superior courts. I will continue to appoint justices to the superior courts to fill the vacancies.We will continue to work collaboratively with the provinces and territories to ensure we have substantive solutions to address the realities of the delays that exist in the criminal justice system across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are hiding how dangerous this deal is for both Canada and the U.S. Nobody buys that.Michael Wessel from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said, the sale of Norsat to a Chinese entity raises significant national-security concerns for the United States as the company is a supplier to our military.The Liberals claim they have consulted the U.S., but will not say who, why, how, or when. Nothing adds up.Will the minister finally tell Canadians which U.S. officials they consulted and if they agreed to this deal?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to stop repeating his talking points and reassure Canadians once and for all.The Liberals cannot continue to hold Canadians in the dark when it comes to the renegotiation of NAFTA. Workers throughout the country are quickly losing confidence in the Liberal government and its ability to negotiate a good trade deal in their interest. In less than a month, the U.S. will reveal its final priorities, and still, deafening silence from the government side. Canadians deserve a government that will stand up and fight for their jobs, so when will the government release its plans on the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, I recently met with executive members of the BC Fruit Growers' Association and the Canadian Horticultural Council, representing produce growers in my riding of KootenayColumbia. They told me that Canadian growers suffer greatly when their buyer fails to pay them due to bankruptcy. The Standing Committee on Agriculture unanimously urged the minister to develop a payment protection model for Canada's growers, but nothing has happened. It has been a year. When will the government take action to protect our fruit and vegetable growers?
Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Quebec will be in Washington today to talk about the NAFTA negotiations, and many Quebec mayors have already done likewise. Elected officials in Quebec no longer have any confidence in the federal government to conduct these negotiations.I do not blame them after the government's failure to properly address the softwood lumber and diafiltered milk issues. Unlike those of the federal government, Quebec's priorities are clear: protect good jobs, protect supply management, and resolve the softwood lumber issue.When will the government tell us what its priorities are for the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure bank needs to be split off from Bill C-44. Enough with these massive bills and poison pills hidden in 500-page tomes. The infrastructure bank is a bad idea that is going to weaken Quebec to the benefit of wealthy investors. Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebec, the farmers, and even the Senate and remove the infrastructure bank from Bill C-44?
Mr. Speaker, I wish to point out that my parliamentary privileges, and those of the other members of the House, have been violated. The Commissioner of Official Languages reports not only to the government, but also to Parliament. As a result, Parliament must know who the Commissioner of Official Languages is so it can address this individual, ask questions, and receive information. Today, I asked the Minister of Canadian Heritage who the current Commissioner of Official Languages is and at what time we will know when a new Commissioner of Official Languages is appointed.We currently do not know who the official languages commissioner is. Perhaps the government knows, but if we parliamentarians do not know, then this is a violation of our rights as parliamentarians, because commissioners do not report to the government, but to Parliament as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, the innovation minister assured the House that the government had done its homework and there was no reason for Canadians to be concerned. He passed the buck to B.C. to regulate these homes. Anbang is a company with murky ownership built on risky investments. U.S. and Chinese regulators have raised serious concerns over its dealings. When the wolves of Wall Street will not touch Anbang, how could the Liberals use vulnerable seniors as pawns for the Prime Minister's insatiable appetite to cozy up to China?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' approach to official languages is a joke.The Minister of Canadian Heritage forgot to extend the interim commissioner's mandate. As of Saturday, we no longer have an official languages watchdog. Before that, the Liberals announced the partisan appointment of Madeleine Meilleur with absolutely no regard for the law or Parliament. This is all the doing of a minister who tells us every day that official languages are a priority for the government. Really?When will the government get serious and respect the Official Languages Act?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is fighting with his new independent Senate over splitting the infrastructure bank from the omnibus budget bill, but if the Liberals had kept their promises and worked with parliamentarians and not used budget omnibus bills, they would not be in this awkward, difficult situation. The finance minister revealed his hand last week at committee, when he said it would be absurd to tell a private company to move a project from Montreal to Winnipeg. Why are the Liberals putting corporate profit ahead of the interests of Canadians, and why will they not allow us to properly study this bill?
Mr. Speaker, our government has raised the case of Mr. Badawi at the highest levels of the Saudi government.We continue to ask for clemency, so he can be reunited with his family. I have had the opportunity and the privilege of meeting with his wife on multiple occasions. I have reassured her that our government, our Prime Minister, and our Minister of Foreign Affairs are engaged on this case. We will continue to appeal for clemency for Mr. Badawi.
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in the House and talk about the good work our government is doing. The first thing we did when we took office was lower taxes for middle-class Canadians, while raising them for the wealthiest 1%. We also put in place the Canada child benefit program, which has lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. We also increased the guaranteed income supplement by 10% for low-income seniors.We will keep on working for Canadians. That is exactly what we will be doing.
Mr. Speaker, deaths from suicide devastate our community. There are too many unanswered questions regarding why so many veterans turn to self-harm. Mr. Lionel Desmond not only ended his own life but also the lives of his daughter, his partner, and his mother. This terrible tragedy needs to be examined. Will the minister take responsibility and call an inquiry into the triple murder-suicide of Lionel Desmond, to shed some light and find a remedy for our veterans who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming clear that the Prime Minister's approval to sell Canadian senior care facilities to Anbang Insurance of China has placed our seniors at risk. Questions went unanswered when the deal was first inked, but the Liberals said everything would be just fine. Now Anbang's chairman, Mr. Wu, has been arrested by Chinese officials on corruption charges. Anbang's assets, including the B.C. retirement homes, are now at risk of being taken over by the Chinese government. With so many warning signs, why did the Prime Minister not do any due diligence before he approved this deal?
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, I am incredibly proud of the 77 substantive, meritorious Superior Court justices who I have been able to appoint thus far. More appointments are going to be coming.The appointees represent the diversity that is our great country. I am going to continue to make these appointments. Likewise, I am going to continue to substantively work with my counterparts in the provinces and territories to address the call of the Supreme Court of Canada to ensure that there is a culture change among all actors in the criminal justice system. There is no one solution to this. We are working
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has attended cash-for-access fundraisers with Chinese billionaires. He has publicly expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship in China. Chinese interests are funding a statue of his father. Now the Prime Minister is fast-tracking the sale of Canadian businesses to China without full security reviews. Our former ambassador to China has called the Prime Minister's approach naive and worrying. I agree.Has the government House leader asked the Ethics Commissioner about possible conflicts of interest with respect to the Prime Minister and transactions involving China?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the Norsat scandal, the Liberals just cannot keep their story straight. First, the Prime Minister claimed the U.S. was on board, but it was not. Then he said the deal was subject to a strict, national security review, but it was not. In fact, the Prime Minister's own cabinet decided to skip that review. This deal puts Canada and the U.S. at risk. Without rigid security checks, the Liberals still gave it the green light.Will the Liberals listen to the concerns of the U.S., our closet friend and ally, and put Canadian safety first?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we learned that search warrants had been executed in the Toronto area and in the United Kingdom in connection with a criminal investigation into a transatlantic GST/HST fraud scheme. Reports indicate that this carousel scheme netted $52 million in fraudulent tax refunds and credits. Would the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what she is doing to combat fraud?
Mr. Speaker, last week the courts ruled that Onion Lake Cree Nation must post its financial transparency information in accordance with the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. This is a great victory for Charmaine Stick and those across the country. We now have a judgment that clearly states the minister was irresponsible and wrong in not enforcing the act. Will she commit today that she will empower band members and that no other people will have to take their band to court for transparency, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, nearly one year after the Prime Minister made the ill-advised promise to send 600 Canadian soldiers on some sort of peacekeeping mission, we are still in the dark.The Liberals could have given us the details of this mission in their defence or foreign affairs policies, but once again, it is radio silence. We have now learned that Canada has refused five interesting offers from the UN.Could the Prime Minister finally tell our soldiers what is going on, rather than using them as pawns to try to win a seat on the UN Security Council?
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment over a year and a half ago to create the infrastructure bank. It was a clear campaign promise. We will continue to invest in the infrastructure that Canadians need.I understand that the members opposite want to spend all their time negotiating and examining everything that happens in the House, but sooner or later, we have to deliver on the commitments made to Canadians. We need to keep our promises regarding the public transit Canadians need, as well as social infrastructure. That is exactly what our government is doing for Quebec, for Quebeckers, and for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect and admiration for the parliamentary secretary. The problem is that my question was for the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the one who needs to answer to Canadians on issues of national security.If the government insists everything was done by the book, then there is just one more thing for the Prime Minister to do to reassure Canadians and our NATO, American, and European allies who are questioning Canada's national security.Why is the government refusing to table all of the documents relating to the Norsat scandal?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's proposed $35-billion slush fund, also known as the Liberal infrastructure bank, is a disaster in the making. Even worse, we have learned, according to what the finance minister said last week, that the slush fund will not be run by Canadians. Can the Prime Minister please explain why he will be appointing foreigners, who do not have Canada's best interests in mind, to the board of the Liberal infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, our government pledged to fight tax evasion and tax havens to ensure that our tax system is fair for all Canadians. I am proud of the leadership we have shown internationally by enhancing our collaboration with international partners. We are working hard to make sure our tax system is fair.Our government will continue to inform Canadians about our efforts to fight tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard all these arguments before. They were the core of the member opposite's re-election campaign. It was the core of the Conservative platform in the 2015 election, a platform soundly rejected by Canadians, because it focused on balancing the budget at all costs through cuts to services and investments for Canadians. We made a commitment to invest in a brighter future through investing in infrastructure for Canadians and by putting more money in the pockets of the middle class by raising taxes on the wealthiest one per cent, all things those members stood against.
Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, I am surprised the party opposite does not trust our national security agencies and does not trust the opinions they give.We have a process in place under the Investment Canada Act. We followed that process. Our security agencies are required to consult, investigate, and to have all the facts in front of them. They did that. They gave us their opinion; we followed that opinion. Our national security has never been put at risk.
Mr. Speaker, we very much look forward to sitting down with the American side after August 18, when the Americans have permission to sit down and start negotiating. Until then, we have made it very clear that our priorities are defending Canada's interests. Whether it be in softwood, whether it be in auto, or whether it be in dairy and supply management, we will always stand up and defend Canada's interests. We will not, however, talk in great detail about our negotiation strategy. Canadians know we will defend their interests. We will continue to fight hard for Canadian jobs and for growth for the middle class, because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, with Canada's 150th anniversary just around the corner, Canadians have much to celebrate. We will be celebrating with an amazing craft beer, wine, and spirits. However, in typical Liberal fashion, as we raise a glass to celebrate Canada, they are finding new ways to raise taxes to pay for their out-of-control spending. This year and every following year, the Liberals will be raising taxes on beer, wine, and spirits, despite the fact that we already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. Could the minister please explain that the only promise he is willing to keep is a promise to raise taxes and tax the fun out of our Canada Day celebrations?
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, Canada did announce that it was back in the world and will play a significant role in international and multilateral institutions, including as a determined peace-builder returning to peace support operations. That was a commitment of our government, and we will restore Canada's role in peace support missions. We are taking our time, thoughtfully, to decide what mission Canada will lead in. We are doing that because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, we know that the Prime Minister thinks highly of the Chinese dictatorship. We also know that the Prime Minister invested hundreds of millions of taxpayers' dollars in an Asian bank. We also know that the Prime Minister met with Chinese billionaires who made very generous contributions to his father's foundation. None of that, however, gives the Prime Minister permission to put Canada's national security at risk.Why did the Prime Minister waive the requisite security review of the Norsat deal?
Mr. Speaker, I do not understand what the Liberals are missing. The way Bill C-44 is drafted, the infrastructure bank can ignore the laws of Quebec and circumvent municipal bylaws. No agricultural zoning, and the power to expropriate: that is what will come out of Bill C-44. We have said it, the constitutionalists have said it, the National Assembly has said it, the farmers have said it, and even the Senate has said it. When will this government listen to us and split its bill to have a second look at its infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of words that say that the minister is refusing to enforce the law. Why can she not just stand up and say, I am refusing to enforce the law here, and does she realize that, as a result of her negligence, band members are having to go to court to get information to which they are rightfully entitled? Why is the member defending the status quo instead of doing what is right for first nations communities?
Mr. Speaker, it has been 18 months, and they are doing nothing to enforce a law that is on our books. Her excuses have never held water. Let me read from the court judgment, which states: There is no evidence before me as to the political or economic reasons why Onion Lake has refused to provide and post specified information. There is, for example, no evidence that Onion Lake's commercial interests would be negatively affected. Will the minister follow the direction of the judge, or is she going to force more band members to plead their cases in front of the courts, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice likes to say that she is proud of her record. Is the minister proud of the near-historic number of judicial vacancies? Is the minister proud of the fact that nearly half of the judicial advisory committees remain vacant? Is the minister proud of the dozens of serious criminal cases that have been thrown out of court due to her inaction, with thousands more at risk? How can the minister say she is proud of that record with a straight face?
Mr. Speaker, far too many Canadians still face violence every day simply because of their gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. Our status of women committee, of which I am vice-chair, studied this issue, and I think we would all agree it is time for us to take action.Budget 2017 committed $100.9 million for a gender-based violence strategy. Could the parliamentary secretary to the minister of status of women update the House on the status of this strategy?
Mr. Speaker, Canada and our allies depend on satellite communications to safely perform peace and security operations around the world. The news that the Liberal government has fast-tracked the sale of Norsat is causing the U.S. government to review its use of Norsat components. Why? Because the U.S. feels it could put its operations and its people at risk.My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Why is the Liberal government putting the security of Canada and allies at risk all to appease the Chinese government?
Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. We are not compromising our national security. We are not compromising our national interests. We are in fact trying to balance our national interests. We relied on a process that put our national security first and foremost. That process was followed. Our national security agencies did their due diligence. They investigated the transaction. They had all the facts in front of them. They gave us their opinion. We are following that opinion. We trust our national security agencies. We will never put our security at risk.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to build the best public transit to reduce the gridlock facing our communities. They want us to invest in more affordable housing to create opportunities for Canadians. They want to invest in recreational and cultural infrastructure. That is exactly what our infrastructure plan, an ambitious $186-billion plan, will do. With respect to the jurisdictions of provinces and municipalities, the bank will do that.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, Canadians had a very simple choice to make. Two parties wanted to make cuts to balance the budget at all costs, while we proposed investing in our communities, in growing the middle class, in science and technology research, and in the economic growth that Canadians needed after 10 years of mismanagement under that opposition party. The fact is that we are investing in our future together, just as we promised Canadians we would do.
Mr. Speaker, while millions of Canadian children were celebrating Father's Day yesterday, Raif Badawi's children Najwa, Myriyam and Doudi lamented their father's absence, which is going on five years now. Last week, Raif Badawi's three children appealed directly to the Prime Minister when they said, quote, Mr. [Prime Minister], pick up the phone, call the king of Saudi Arabia, so our father comes back." In 2015, before his election of course, the hon. member for Papineau urged Mr. Harper to intervene personally in this case.What does the Prime Minister have to say today to the children of Raif Badawi?
Mr. Speaker, the suicide of a veteran is always a tragedy.We are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to update our practices in order to provide better support to veterans and their families and to ensure that we are not only doing the right things, but also becoming a leader in the area.In budget 2017, we announced the opening of a centre of excellence on mental health for post-traumatic stress disorder in order to encourage the use of best practices and reduce stigma.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to conducting an open and transparent competition for the permanent replacement of the fleet of fighter jets. This competitive process will help ensure that the members of the Canadian Armed Forces have the best aircraft for the long term, while getting the best value for money and generating the most economic benefits for Canadians. We have begun to develop the bid solicitation process. The initial consultations with the industry will begin in 2017.
Mr. Speaker, the members across the way are proving once again that they do not understand how the Canadian economy works or what Canadians need.Canadians need investment in infrastructure for things like public transit, affordable housing, and green infrastructure. For 10 years, the former government of the members across the way under-invested in our communities. We know that we have to make immediate and innovative investments, and that is exactly what we are doing for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the application by Cedar Tree to acquire Retirement Concepts has been approved under the Investment Canada Act. The acquisition will result in a net economic benefit to Canada. As a result of that review, Cedar Tree has agreed to maintain the current level of full-time and part-time employees, maintain a current Canadian operator, Retirement Concepts, to continue to manage the business, not close or repurpose any of the existing residences, and to financially support the expansion of business. This will remain in place for a significant period of time.We reviewed the transaction under the Investment Canada Act. The Government of British Columbia is doing its part
Mr. Speaker, at the OECD's instigation, Canada signed dozens of information sharing agreements with tax havens. Those agreements were supposed to increase transparency, but all they did was facilitate tax evasion. What began as a solution to a problem became a massive gift to big corporations.Over the past five years, at least $55 billion in profit has not been taxed by the Canada Revenue Agency. We have no way of knowing if the Liberals have even used the agreements because they are refusing to tell us and will not answer journalists' questions. What do they have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, forestry workers are demonstrating across Quebec today to call on the government to negotiate a fair and balanced agreement on softwood lumber. That may seem obvious, but the forestry sector has learned not to trust Ottawa.Arguing over guarantees has cost weeks of work for workers, who are more than ready for a bit of stability.Will the government make a solemn promise to refuse to sign any sellout agreement that could hurt forestry workers?
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend Philippe Couillard, the Premier of Quebec, who, like all of the other provincial premiers, has committed to working with the American government.We emphasized how important it is for all levels of government to work together to make the United States understand that Canadians stand united, that we are concerned about its approach, and that we are prepared to strongly defend Canada's interests. That is what we are all going to do, and I commend Premier Couillard for his initiative today in Washington.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the work our government is doing.In Canada we embrace diversity and inclusion. We have to ensure that everybody has the freedom to be who they are. That is why I am incredibly proud that the Senate passed Bill C-16 last week. I look forward to it receiving royal assent and adding to the Canadian Human Rights Code a prohibition against gender identity and gender expression. We are doing more. We are looking at historic records and the expungement of them for unjust laws. In this month of pride, I want to celebrate and applaud the
Mr. Speaker, our government is open to investments that create jobs, growth, and long-term prosperity for Canadians. While the official opposition continues with its scare tactics and fearmongering, let us talk about the facts. The day-to-day operations of the residences will continue to be managed by Retirement Concepts, the same management that was there before. Rules are not changing. The residents will continue to be subject to the same robust provincial health regulations that have always applied to them. The residents and health care workers will continue to be protected by the same legislation.We did our homework on this transaction. We assured what we had to make certain, and we have done it.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oakville NorthBurlington for the question, and for her leadership on gender equality. I was pleased to join the Minister of Status of Women this morning as she announced our government's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. Our strategy is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems. Our approach will build a solid foundation for action.It is time for Canada's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to the financial success of the fruit and vegetable industry. We are looking at ways we can support this important Canadian industry by collaborating on a national nutrition policy as part of the next strategic framework. We support the industry in our budget and will continue to marshal science, innovation, and competition for the benefit of all agricultural sectors and producers across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the issue here is about respect for Parliament and passing a fundamental change to how we fund infrastructure projects. Without proper study is not the way to do it.Clearly, there were not enough consultations, and the most blatant example relates to Quebec, since the infrastructure bank is going to ignore Quebec laws. A more thorough study of the bill would have allowed us to examine these kinds of issues related to the infrastructure bank. There is no time for that under the leadership of this Prime Minister.Why is the government so determined to move ahead with this plan for the infrastructure bank? Why is it so determined to keep us from giving it the consideration it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment to Canadians to improve the way this place works, and that is exactly what we are doing. The budget legislation we put forward contains only elements that were actually in the budget, unlike the previous government's attempts at getting around the parliamentary process.As for the work done by the Senate, we respect tremendously the hard work senators are doing to examine and make recommendations on bills, but we certainly expect budget bills passed in this House of Commons to be passed by the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from HullAylmer for his question.Our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. That is why we invested close to $1 billion in our last two budgets to ensure we have the tools we need tackle this problem effectively.Preliminary results indicate that we will recover over $13 billion during the fiscal year ending March 31.Our government is committed to cracking down on tax cheats and bringing them to justice with the help of our international partners.
Mr. Speaker, national security is our priority, and we take it very seriously. All investments reviewed under the Canada Investment Act are subject to a multi-stage national security review process conducted by our security agencies. That process was followed. The national security community conducted a review, consulted, had the facts in front of it. It gave us the recommendation that this transaction did not put into jeopardy national security. No transaction would take place if it did not uphold and satisfy this criterion.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we need investments in public transit. We need investments in social infrastructure. We need investments in green infrastructure to grow our communities, to grow our economy, and to create good jobs for the middle class today and for our children and grandchildren tomorrow. That is the vision of our government. This is what we put forward in the election campaign, and this is what we continue to work on. We know that global investment can lead to better outcomes for Canadians. That is what we are focusing on drawing in.
Mr. Speaker, our government takes mutual accountability seriously. All contribution agreements between our government and first nations contain strong reporting provisions to ensure that funds are used as intended. We remain committed to establishing a new fiscal relationship with first nations, including to strengthen mutual accountability measures. In support of this commitment, my department is currently engaging, from coast to coast to coast, with first nations leadership and community members.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be working with our Quebec caucus to deliver on the commitment that we made to all Canadians, including the Province of Quebec. A $1.3 billion investment in Montreal's transit system will create 34,000 jobs in that region.That is delivering for Canadians. That is delivering for the Province of Quebec. As far as the legislation is concerned, we are very confident that the way it is being done will respect the local jurisdictions in Quebec and in other provinces.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all women and girls can live free from violence. This is why we are investing $100.9 million in a strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. The strategy we released today is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems; and it will build a solid foundation for action and fill important gaps in support for survivors of gender-based violence. Today was a very good day in the fight against gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that official languages are important to our government and that the official languages commissioner is, too.We will have an official languages commissioner. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is fully operational and I will be making some announcements soon.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that in the policy statement, the chief of the defence staff said that it was a great day for our men and women in uniform.Yes, we will ensure that our military personnel have the right equipment to carry out their mission. First and foremost, we have commitments to our NORAD and NATO allies. That is why we want to replace our aging equipment, so that our men and women in uniform can properly carry out their missions at home and abroad.
Mr. Speaker, we have been talking about this infrastructure bank for years. It was one of our core election promises.We know that we need to invest in infrastructure. After a decade under the previous government, we have made record investments of up to $180 billion.However, we also have to be innovative. That is why we are setting up this infrastructure bank, in order to build more infrastructure, whether for public transit, roads, or ports, things that Canadians need to create economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, we listened to our national security experts. We listened to their advice. They reviewed the transaction and the facts. We authorized this transaction based on their advice and recommendations.I want to reassure the House and all Canadians that we will never compromise on national security and we will always work to advance our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the 77 meritorious, diverse
Mr. Speaker, national security is a top priority for our government. All transactions reviewed under the act are subject to a multi-stage security review process. We can assure the House that the process was followed to the letter and that no risk to national security was identified. Throughout the process, our security agencies had access to all the information they needed.We have never compromised on national security, and we never will.
Mr. Speaker, we all agree. The government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have launched a national mutual accountability engagement with first nations, including in-person and online engagements. Everyone, including first nations, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this by working in close collaboration with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, for decades the Canadian government actively discriminated against gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer Canadians. Thousands of public servants and military personnel were fired for their sexual orientation, forced to live double lives or risk loss of employment or even criminal conviction. I am proud of our government's efforts to build stronger ties with my community, working for rights at home and abroad. However, still more remains to be done. Could the Minister of Justice update us on steps the government is taking to heal the wounds in the LGBTQ2 community?
Mr. Speaker, the credit union system is an important part of the Canadian economy and contributes to competition in financial services. Credit unions are key suppliers of financing for small and medium-sized businesses, and also for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have encouraged the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions to get in touch with the credit unions and to work collaboratively to ensure they come up with a solution that can work for both.
Mr. Speaker, there is a very clear process envisioned under the Investment Canada Act. It is a multi-step process that requires our national security agencies to look at the facts, get the facts in front of them, and make a national security recommendation. We followed that process to the letter. We followed their advice. We trust our national security agencies, which have done their due diligence. We have undertaken this multi-step process, as it should have been undertaken.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is steadfast in renewing its commitment to the United Nations. Maintaining international peace and stability, including within the United Nations, is one of the core missions assigned to the Canadian Armed Forces in Strong, Secure, Engaged. The new policy reiterates Canada's determination to make a meaningful contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping operations and add value to them.
Mr. Speaker, the government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have already launched national mutual accountability engagements with first nations, community leaders, and members, including both in-person and online engagements. We have also been working on mutual accountability for almost a year with the AFN and the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association. Everyone, including first nations governments, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this in the coming months, working in partnership with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it is a chance to remind the House of the significance of the measures that we have undertaken to make sure, both in the short term and in the long term, that the forestry industry is respected in Canada. That includes $605 million from the Export Development Corporation. It includes very timely measures to expand export markets. That includes taking the leaders of the industry in Quebec to China to begin to make the argument that our wood is the best wood in the world.We are very proud of that initiative. We are very proud of how we have stood up for the forestry
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's refusal to answer that question shows why this infrastructure bank is a complete disaster. Over the weekend, when asked a direct question, the Prime Minister refused to say when, if ever, he plans on balancing the budget. Given that our children and our grandchildren will be the ones stuck paying off his excessive spending habits and his multi-billion-dollar tab, they deserve an honest answer to a simple question. In what year does the Prime Minister plan on balancing the budget? Will it be the year that pigs fly or the year that hell freezes over?
Mr. Speaker, because that answer was so gosh darn convincing, I have another one for the minister.Her Liberal government is refusing to reveal to Canadians important information about tax cheats, even after the minister's promise to reveal important information about tax cheats. The minister's office now says that it is not its responsibility to release this information. Really? It is not the responsibility of the minister's office to tackle tax evasion and keep the minister's own promises?If the minister is not running her department, could she tell us who the heck is? If she will not do her job, will she at least find somebody who can?
Mr. Speaker, we are calling on the Prime Minister to tell us when we will return to a balanced budget and he has nothing intelligent to say to us. He is asking taxpayers to sign a $35-billion cheque for the infrastructure bank. It makes no sense. The Liberals are irresponsible and improvising across the board with taxpayers' money.When will the Prime Minister respect this institution and allow us to take a more thorough look at this bank?
Mr. Speaker, nobody trusts the Liberals to deliver on that promise.The Liberals unveiled their defence and foreign policies, and surprise, surprise, there were no details of a UN peacekeeping mission in either of them. It has been almost a year since the Prime Minister naively promised 600 troops to a vague UN peacekeeping mission. Documents show that the Liberals have turned down five UN leadership roles and will not commit to a single UN mission.The Prime Minister has said that Canada is back. Now he is backing away from UN peacekeeping missions after stepping back from the fight against ISIS. When will the Prime Minister finally step up and quit embarrassing Canada on the world stage?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep telling us that they take judicial appointments seriously, yet to date there are still judicial vacancies right across the country. Under our Conservative government, we appointed more than 500 judicial appointments. If the Liberals are incapable of doing their job, the opposition would be more than happy to do it for them. These delays in the criminal justice system must end and criminals must be prosecuted. When are the Liberals going to start taking this job seriously and fill all the judicial vacancies without excuses?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' mismanagement of the fighter jet replacement has gone from a national scandal to an international embarrassment.Over the weekend, officials were instructed to meet with aerospace companies in Paris, then they were told to cancel those meetings, and then they were told to reschedule them. The Minister of National Defence has made a complete mess of this file.Is there anyone on the Liberal benches, anyone at all, who can fix this comedy of errors and actually hold an open competition to replace our aging fighter jets now?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister announced during the election campaign that he would run small deficits of $10 billion a year. At the current rate, the deficits will be $25 billion a year. Initially, that was supposed to be for only two years, but now we are told that it will be for an indefinite period.The Prime Minister is showing yet again that he is utterly incapable of managing taxpayers' money responsibly, and it is our children and grandchildren who will pay the price. My question is simple. Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians, once and for all, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot help themselves. They love picking winners and losers by imposing big-government regulations. Now the Liberals are targeting credit unions by prohibiting their use of the terms bank and banking. This means if a credit union uses a term like personal banking or online banking in their promotions, they run afoul of the rules and could face penalties between $500,000 and $5 million.Could the finance minister explain to Canadians why his government is being so petty in the targeting of credit unions? Is it because all of his friends on Bay Street are telling him to do this?
Mr. Speaker, that was an inquiry my colleague called for.Today, the minister unveiled a strategy on gender-based violence. While we do need data and RCMP training, there is absolutely nothing for front-line services to support survivors of sexual assault. Every night, 500 women and kids are turned away from domestic violence shelters in Canada500 of them.Why does this so-called anti-violence strategy have absolutely nothing for women fleeing violence and for the front-line workers who support them?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan to replace Canada's fighter jets has become a real farce, and the farce has even spread to the international stage. That side of the House cannot even organize a simple meeting with representatives from the aerospace industry. On top of that, most stakeholders have lost all confidence in the Minister of National Defence, so this file has become a massive boondoggle.Does the Prime Minister understand the magnitude of the problem? Will he bring his minister into line and immediately launch an open and transparent process?
Mr. Speaker, senators are calling for an independent review of the infrastructure bank. Members on this side of the House are calling for the same. Every expert who has studied this infrastructure bank is concerned about the risks and fears that taxpayers will ultimately have to pay for this bank.If the Prime Minister has nothing to hide and the bank is as white as snow, then why is he afraid to have it thoroughly reviewed?
Mr. Speaker, with respect to offshore-related files, the CRA is currently conducting audits on over 820 taxpayers and criminally investigating over 20 cases of tax evasion. Information shared under tax information sharing agreements and tax treaties is yielding results. I want to make it very clear that we will ensure our tax system is fair by ferreting out tax cheats and making them pay.
Mr. Speaker, I take my responsibility to appoint superior court justices in the country incredibly seriously. I am very pleased to have introduced a new appointments process that is open and transparent. I am very happy to have appointed 77 justices across the country to the superior courts. I will continue to appoint justices to the superior courts to fill the vacancies.We will continue to work collaboratively with the provinces and territories to ensure we have substantive solutions to address the realities of the delays that exist in the criminal justice system across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are hiding how dangerous this deal is for both Canada and the U.S. Nobody buys that.Michael Wessel from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said, the sale of Norsat to a Chinese entity raises significant national-security concerns for the United States as the company is a supplier to our military.The Liberals claim they have consulted the U.S., but will not say who, why, how, or when. Nothing adds up.Will the minister finally tell Canadians which U.S. officials they consulted and if they agreed to this deal?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to stop repeating his talking points and reassure Canadians once and for all.The Liberals cannot continue to hold Canadians in the dark when it comes to the renegotiation of NAFTA. Workers throughout the country are quickly losing confidence in the Liberal government and its ability to negotiate a good trade deal in their interest. In less than a month, the U.S. will reveal its final priorities, and still, deafening silence from the government side. Canadians deserve a government that will stand up and fight for their jobs, so when will the government release its plans on the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, I recently met with executive members of the BC Fruit Growers' Association and the Canadian Horticultural Council, representing produce growers in my riding of KootenayColumbia. They told me that Canadian growers suffer greatly when their buyer fails to pay them due to bankruptcy. The Standing Committee on Agriculture unanimously urged the minister to develop a payment protection model for Canada's growers, but nothing has happened. It has been a year. When will the government take action to protect our fruit and vegetable growers?
Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Quebec will be in Washington today to talk about the NAFTA negotiations, and many Quebec mayors have already done likewise. Elected officials in Quebec no longer have any confidence in the federal government to conduct these negotiations.I do not blame them after the government's failure to properly address the softwood lumber and diafiltered milk issues. Unlike those of the federal government, Quebec's priorities are clear: protect good jobs, protect supply management, and resolve the softwood lumber issue.When will the government tell us what its priorities are for the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure bank needs to be split off from Bill C-44. Enough with these massive bills and poison pills hidden in 500-page tomes. The infrastructure bank is a bad idea that is going to weaken Quebec to the benefit of wealthy investors. Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebec, the farmers, and even the Senate and remove the infrastructure bank from Bill C-44?
Mr. Speaker, I wish to point out that my parliamentary privileges, and those of the other members of the House, have been violated. The Commissioner of Official Languages reports not only to the government, but also to Parliament. As a result, Parliament must know who the Commissioner of Official Languages is so it can address this individual, ask questions, and receive information. Today, I asked the Minister of Canadian Heritage who the current Commissioner of Official Languages is and at what time we will know when a new Commissioner of Official Languages is appointed.We currently do not know who the official languages commissioner is. Perhaps the government knows, but if we parliamentarians do not know, then this is a violation of our rights as parliamentarians, because commissioners do not report to the government, but to Parliament as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, the innovation minister assured the House that the government had done its homework and there was no reason for Canadians to be concerned. He passed the buck to B.C. to regulate these homes. Anbang is a company with murky ownership built on risky investments. U.S. and Chinese regulators have raised serious concerns over its dealings. When the wolves of Wall Street will not touch Anbang, how could the Liberals use vulnerable seniors as pawns for the Prime Minister's insatiable appetite to cozy up to China?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' approach to official languages is a joke.The Minister of Canadian Heritage forgot to extend the interim commissioner's mandate. As of Saturday, we no longer have an official languages watchdog. Before that, the Liberals announced the partisan appointment of Madeleine Meilleur with absolutely no regard for the law or Parliament. This is all the doing of a minister who tells us every day that official languages are a priority for the government. Really?When will the government get serious and respect the Official Languages Act?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is fighting with his new independent Senate over splitting the infrastructure bank from the omnibus budget bill, but if the Liberals had kept their promises and worked with parliamentarians and not used budget omnibus bills, they would not be in this awkward, difficult situation. The finance minister revealed his hand last week at committee, when he said it would be absurd to tell a private company to move a project from Montreal to Winnipeg. Why are the Liberals putting corporate profit ahead of the interests of Canadians, and why will they not allow us to properly study this bill?
Mr. Speaker, our government has raised the case of Mr. Badawi at the highest levels of the Saudi government.We continue to ask for clemency, so he can be reunited with his family. I have had the opportunity and the privilege of meeting with his wife on multiple occasions. I have reassured her that our government, our Prime Minister, and our Minister of Foreign Affairs are engaged on this case. We will continue to appeal for clemency for Mr. Badawi.
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in the House and talk about the good work our government is doing. The first thing we did when we took office was lower taxes for middle-class Canadians, while raising them for the wealthiest 1%. We also put in place the Canada child benefit program, which has lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. We also increased the guaranteed income supplement by 10% for low-income seniors.We will keep on working for Canadians. That is exactly what we will be doing.
Mr. Speaker, deaths from suicide devastate our community. There are too many unanswered questions regarding why so many veterans turn to self-harm. Mr. Lionel Desmond not only ended his own life but also the lives of his daughter, his partner, and his mother. This terrible tragedy needs to be examined. Will the minister take responsibility and call an inquiry into the triple murder-suicide of Lionel Desmond, to shed some light and find a remedy for our veterans who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming clear that the Prime Minister's approval to sell Canadian senior care facilities to Anbang Insurance of China has placed our seniors at risk. Questions went unanswered when the deal was first inked, but the Liberals said everything would be just fine. Now Anbang's chairman, Mr. Wu, has been arrested by Chinese officials on corruption charges. Anbang's assets, including the B.C. retirement homes, are now at risk of being taken over by the Chinese government. With so many warning signs, why did the Prime Minister not do any due diligence before he approved this deal?
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, I am incredibly proud of the 77 substantive, meritorious Superior Court justices who I have been able to appoint thus far. More appointments are going to be coming.The appointees represent the diversity that is our great country. I am going to continue to make these appointments. Likewise, I am going to continue to substantively work with my counterparts in the provinces and territories to address the call of the Supreme Court of Canada to ensure that there is a culture change among all actors in the criminal justice system. There is no one solution to this. We are working
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has attended cash-for-access fundraisers with Chinese billionaires. He has publicly expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship in China. Chinese interests are funding a statue of his father. Now the Prime Minister is fast-tracking the sale of Canadian businesses to China without full security reviews. Our former ambassador to China has called the Prime Minister's approach naive and worrying. I agree.Has the government House leader asked the Ethics Commissioner about possible conflicts of interest with respect to the Prime Minister and transactions involving China?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the Norsat scandal, the Liberals just cannot keep their story straight. First, the Prime Minister claimed the U.S. was on board, but it was not. Then he said the deal was subject to a strict, national security review, but it was not. In fact, the Prime Minister's own cabinet decided to skip that review. This deal puts Canada and the U.S. at risk. Without rigid security checks, the Liberals still gave it the green light.Will the Liberals listen to the concerns of the U.S., our closet friend and ally, and put Canadian safety first?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we learned that search warrants had been executed in the Toronto area and in the United Kingdom in connection with a criminal investigation into a transatlantic GST/HST fraud scheme. Reports indicate that this carousel scheme netted $52 million in fraudulent tax refunds and credits. Would the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what she is doing to combat fraud?
Mr. Speaker, last week the courts ruled that Onion Lake Cree Nation must post its financial transparency information in accordance with the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. This is a great victory for Charmaine Stick and those across the country. We now have a judgment that clearly states the minister was irresponsible and wrong in not enforcing the act. Will she commit today that she will empower band members and that no other people will have to take their band to court for transparency, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, nearly one year after the Prime Minister made the ill-advised promise to send 600 Canadian soldiers on some sort of peacekeeping mission, we are still in the dark.The Liberals could have given us the details of this mission in their defence or foreign affairs policies, but once again, it is radio silence. We have now learned that Canada has refused five interesting offers from the UN.Could the Prime Minister finally tell our soldiers what is going on, rather than using them as pawns to try to win a seat on the UN Security Council?
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment over a year and a half ago to create the infrastructure bank. It was a clear campaign promise. We will continue to invest in the infrastructure that Canadians need.I understand that the members opposite want to spend all their time negotiating and examining everything that happens in the House, but sooner or later, we have to deliver on the commitments made to Canadians. We need to keep our promises regarding the public transit Canadians need, as well as social infrastructure. That is exactly what our government is doing for Quebec, for Quebeckers, and for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect and admiration for the parliamentary secretary. The problem is that my question was for the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the one who needs to answer to Canadians on issues of national security.If the government insists everything was done by the book, then there is just one more thing for the Prime Minister to do to reassure Canadians and our NATO, American, and European allies who are questioning Canada's national security.Why is the government refusing to table all of the documents relating to the Norsat scandal?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's proposed $35-billion slush fund, also known as the Liberal infrastructure bank, is a disaster in the making. Even worse, we have learned, according to what the finance minister said last week, that the slush fund will not be run by Canadians. Can the Prime Minister please explain why he will be appointing foreigners, who do not have Canada's best interests in mind, to the board of the Liberal infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, our government pledged to fight tax evasion and tax havens to ensure that our tax system is fair for all Canadians. I am proud of the leadership we have shown internationally by enhancing our collaboration with international partners. We are working hard to make sure our tax system is fair.Our government will continue to inform Canadians about our efforts to fight tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard all these arguments before. They were the core of the member opposite's re-election campaign. It was the core of the Conservative platform in the 2015 election, a platform soundly rejected by Canadians, because it focused on balancing the budget at all costs through cuts to services and investments for Canadians. We made a commitment to invest in a brighter future through investing in infrastructure for Canadians and by putting more money in the pockets of the middle class by raising taxes on the wealthiest one per cent, all things those members stood against.
Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, I am surprised the party opposite does not trust our national security agencies and does not trust the opinions they give.We have a process in place under the Investment Canada Act. We followed that process. Our security agencies are required to consult, investigate, and to have all the facts in front of them. They did that. They gave us their opinion; we followed that opinion. Our national security has never been put at risk.
Mr. Speaker, we very much look forward to sitting down with the American side after August 18, when the Americans have permission to sit down and start negotiating. Until then, we have made it very clear that our priorities are defending Canada's interests. Whether it be in softwood, whether it be in auto, or whether it be in dairy and supply management, we will always stand up and defend Canada's interests. We will not, however, talk in great detail about our negotiation strategy. Canadians know we will defend their interests. We will continue to fight hard for Canadian jobs and for growth for the middle class, because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, with Canada's 150th anniversary just around the corner, Canadians have much to celebrate. We will be celebrating with an amazing craft beer, wine, and spirits. However, in typical Liberal fashion, as we raise a glass to celebrate Canada, they are finding new ways to raise taxes to pay for their out-of-control spending. This year and every following year, the Liberals will be raising taxes on beer, wine, and spirits, despite the fact that we already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. Could the minister please explain that the only promise he is willing to keep is a promise to raise taxes and tax the fun out of our Canada Day celebrations?
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, Canada did announce that it was back in the world and will play a significant role in international and multilateral institutions, including as a determined peace-builder returning to peace support operations. That was a commitment of our government, and we will restore Canada's role in peace support missions. We are taking our time, thoughtfully, to decide what mission Canada will lead in. We are doing that because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, we know that the Prime Minister thinks highly of the Chinese dictatorship. We also know that the Prime Minister invested hundreds of millions of taxpayers' dollars in an Asian bank. We also know that the Prime Minister met with Chinese billionaires who made very generous contributions to his father's foundation. None of that, however, gives the Prime Minister permission to put Canada's national security at risk.Why did the Prime Minister waive the requisite security review of the Norsat deal?
Mr. Speaker, I do not understand what the Liberals are missing. The way Bill C-44 is drafted, the infrastructure bank can ignore the laws of Quebec and circumvent municipal bylaws. No agricultural zoning, and the power to expropriate: that is what will come out of Bill C-44. We have said it, the constitutionalists have said it, the National Assembly has said it, the farmers have said it, and even the Senate has said it. When will this government listen to us and split its bill to have a second look at its infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of words that say that the minister is refusing to enforce the law. Why can she not just stand up and say, I am refusing to enforce the law here, and does she realize that, as a result of her negligence, band members are having to go to court to get information to which they are rightfully entitled? Why is the member defending the status quo instead of doing what is right for first nations communities?
Mr. Speaker, it has been 18 months, and they are doing nothing to enforce a law that is on our books. Her excuses have never held water. Let me read from the court judgment, which states: There is no evidence before me as to the political or economic reasons why Onion Lake has refused to provide and post specified information. There is, for example, no evidence that Onion Lake's commercial interests would be negatively affected. Will the minister follow the direction of the judge, or is she going to force more band members to plead their cases in front of the courts, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice likes to say that she is proud of her record. Is the minister proud of the near-historic number of judicial vacancies? Is the minister proud of the fact that nearly half of the judicial advisory committees remain vacant? Is the minister proud of the dozens of serious criminal cases that have been thrown out of court due to her inaction, with thousands more at risk? How can the minister say she is proud of that record with a straight face?
Mr. Speaker, far too many Canadians still face violence every day simply because of their gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. Our status of women committee, of which I am vice-chair, studied this issue, and I think we would all agree it is time for us to take action.Budget 2017 committed $100.9 million for a gender-based violence strategy. Could the parliamentary secretary to the minister of status of women update the House on the status of this strategy?
Mr. Speaker, Canada and our allies depend on satellite communications to safely perform peace and security operations around the world. The news that the Liberal government has fast-tracked the sale of Norsat is causing the U.S. government to review its use of Norsat components. Why? Because the U.S. feels it could put its operations and its people at risk.My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Why is the Liberal government putting the security of Canada and allies at risk all to appease the Chinese government?
Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. We are not compromising our national security. We are not compromising our national interests. We are in fact trying to balance our national interests. We relied on a process that put our national security first and foremost. That process was followed. Our national security agencies did their due diligence. They investigated the transaction. They had all the facts in front of them. They gave us their opinion. We are following that opinion. We trust our national security agencies. We will never put our security at risk.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to build the best public transit to reduce the gridlock facing our communities. They want us to invest in more affordable housing to create opportunities for Canadians. They want to invest in recreational and cultural infrastructure. That is exactly what our infrastructure plan, an ambitious $186-billion plan, will do. With respect to the jurisdictions of provinces and municipalities, the bank will do that.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, Canadians had a very simple choice to make. Two parties wanted to make cuts to balance the budget at all costs, while we proposed investing in our communities, in growing the middle class, in science and technology research, and in the economic growth that Canadians needed after 10 years of mismanagement under that opposition party. The fact is that we are investing in our future together, just as we promised Canadians we would do.
Mr. Speaker, while millions of Canadian children were celebrating Father's Day yesterday, Raif Badawi's children Najwa, Myriyam and Doudi lamented their father's absence, which is going on five years now. Last week, Raif Badawi's three children appealed directly to the Prime Minister when they said, quote, Mr. [Prime Minister], pick up the phone, call the king of Saudi Arabia, so our father comes back." In 2015, before his election of course, the hon. member for Papineau urged Mr. Harper to intervene personally in this case.What does the Prime Minister have to say today to the children of Raif Badawi?
Mr. Speaker, the suicide of a veteran is always a tragedy.We are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to update our practices in order to provide better support to veterans and their families and to ensure that we are not only doing the right things, but also becoming a leader in the area.In budget 2017, we announced the opening of a centre of excellence on mental health for post-traumatic stress disorder in order to encourage the use of best practices and reduce stigma.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to conducting an open and transparent competition for the permanent replacement of the fleet of fighter jets. This competitive process will help ensure that the members of the Canadian Armed Forces have the best aircraft for the long term, while getting the best value for money and generating the most economic benefits for Canadians. We have begun to develop the bid solicitation process. The initial consultations with the industry will begin in 2017.
Mr. Speaker, the members across the way are proving once again that they do not understand how the Canadian economy works or what Canadians need.Canadians need investment in infrastructure for things like public transit, affordable housing, and green infrastructure. For 10 years, the former government of the members across the way under-invested in our communities. We know that we have to make immediate and innovative investments, and that is exactly what we are doing for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the application by Cedar Tree to acquire Retirement Concepts has been approved under the Investment Canada Act. The acquisition will result in a net economic benefit to Canada. As a result of that review, Cedar Tree has agreed to maintain the current level of full-time and part-time employees, maintain a current Canadian operator, Retirement Concepts, to continue to manage the business, not close or repurpose any of the existing residences, and to financially support the expansion of business. This will remain in place for a significant period of time.We reviewed the transaction under the Investment Canada Act. The Government of British Columbia is doing its part
Mr. Speaker, at the OECD's instigation, Canada signed dozens of information sharing agreements with tax havens. Those agreements were supposed to increase transparency, but all they did was facilitate tax evasion. What began as a solution to a problem became a massive gift to big corporations.Over the past five years, at least $55 billion in profit has not been taxed by the Canada Revenue Agency. We have no way of knowing if the Liberals have even used the agreements because they are refusing to tell us and will not answer journalists' questions. What do they have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, forestry workers are demonstrating across Quebec today to call on the government to negotiate a fair and balanced agreement on softwood lumber. That may seem obvious, but the forestry sector has learned not to trust Ottawa.Arguing over guarantees has cost weeks of work for workers, who are more than ready for a bit of stability.Will the government make a solemn promise to refuse to sign any sellout agreement that could hurt forestry workers?
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend Philippe Couillard, the Premier of Quebec, who, like all of the other provincial premiers, has committed to working with the American government.We emphasized how important it is for all levels of government to work together to make the United States understand that Canadians stand united, that we are concerned about its approach, and that we are prepared to strongly defend Canada's interests. That is what we are all going to do, and I commend Premier Couillard for his initiative today in Washington.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the work our government is doing.In Canada we embrace diversity and inclusion. We have to ensure that everybody has the freedom to be who they are. That is why I am incredibly proud that the Senate passed Bill C-16 last week. I look forward to it receiving royal assent and adding to the Canadian Human Rights Code a prohibition against gender identity and gender expression. We are doing more. We are looking at historic records and the expungement of them for unjust laws. In this month of pride, I want to celebrate and applaud the
Mr. Speaker, our government is open to investments that create jobs, growth, and long-term prosperity for Canadians. While the official opposition continues with its scare tactics and fearmongering, let us talk about the facts. The day-to-day operations of the residences will continue to be managed by Retirement Concepts, the same management that was there before. Rules are not changing. The residents will continue to be subject to the same robust provincial health regulations that have always applied to them. The residents and health care workers will continue to be protected by the same legislation.We did our homework on this transaction. We assured what we had to make certain, and we have done it.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oakville NorthBurlington for the question, and for her leadership on gender equality. I was pleased to join the Minister of Status of Women this morning as she announced our government's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. Our strategy is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems. Our approach will build a solid foundation for action.It is time for Canada's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to the financial success of the fruit and vegetable industry. We are looking at ways we can support this important Canadian industry by collaborating on a national nutrition policy as part of the next strategic framework. We support the industry in our budget and will continue to marshal science, innovation, and competition for the benefit of all agricultural sectors and producers across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the issue here is about respect for Parliament and passing a fundamental change to how we fund infrastructure projects. Without proper study is not the way to do it.Clearly, there were not enough consultations, and the most blatant example relates to Quebec, since the infrastructure bank is going to ignore Quebec laws. A more thorough study of the bill would have allowed us to examine these kinds of issues related to the infrastructure bank. There is no time for that under the leadership of this Prime Minister.Why is the government so determined to move ahead with this plan for the infrastructure bank? Why is it so determined to keep us from giving it the consideration it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment to Canadians to improve the way this place works, and that is exactly what we are doing. The budget legislation we put forward contains only elements that were actually in the budget, unlike the previous government's attempts at getting around the parliamentary process.As for the work done by the Senate, we respect tremendously the hard work senators are doing to examine and make recommendations on bills, but we certainly expect budget bills passed in this House of Commons to be passed by the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from HullAylmer for his question.Our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. That is why we invested close to $1 billion in our last two budgets to ensure we have the tools we need tackle this problem effectively.Preliminary results indicate that we will recover over $13 billion during the fiscal year ending March 31.Our government is committed to cracking down on tax cheats and bringing them to justice with the help of our international partners.
Mr. Speaker, national security is our priority, and we take it very seriously. All investments reviewed under the Canada Investment Act are subject to a multi-stage national security review process conducted by our security agencies. That process was followed. The national security community conducted a review, consulted, had the facts in front of it. It gave us the recommendation that this transaction did not put into jeopardy national security. No transaction would take place if it did not uphold and satisfy this criterion.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we need investments in public transit. We need investments in social infrastructure. We need investments in green infrastructure to grow our communities, to grow our economy, and to create good jobs for the middle class today and for our children and grandchildren tomorrow. That is the vision of our government. This is what we put forward in the election campaign, and this is what we continue to work on. We know that global investment can lead to better outcomes for Canadians. That is what we are focusing on drawing in.
Mr. Speaker, our government takes mutual accountability seriously. All contribution agreements between our government and first nations contain strong reporting provisions to ensure that funds are used as intended. We remain committed to establishing a new fiscal relationship with first nations, including to strengthen mutual accountability measures. In support of this commitment, my department is currently engaging, from coast to coast to coast, with first nations leadership and community members.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be working with our Quebec caucus to deliver on the commitment that we made to all Canadians, including the Province of Quebec. A $1.3 billion investment in Montreal's transit system will create 34,000 jobs in that region.That is delivering for Canadians. That is delivering for the Province of Quebec. As far as the legislation is concerned, we are very confident that the way it is being done will respect the local jurisdictions in Quebec and in other provinces.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all women and girls can live free from violence. This is why we are investing $100.9 million in a strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. The strategy we released today is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems; and it will build a solid foundation for action and fill important gaps in support for survivors of gender-based violence. Today was a very good day in the fight against gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that official languages are important to our government and that the official languages commissioner is, too.We will have an official languages commissioner. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is fully operational and I will be making some announcements soon.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that in the policy statement, the chief of the defence staff said that it was a great day for our men and women in uniform.Yes, we will ensure that our military personnel have the right equipment to carry out their mission. First and foremost, we have commitments to our NORAD and NATO allies. That is why we want to replace our aging equipment, so that our men and women in uniform can properly carry out their missions at home and abroad.
Mr. Speaker, we have been talking about this infrastructure bank for years. It was one of our core election promises.We know that we need to invest in infrastructure. After a decade under the previous government, we have made record investments of up to $180 billion.However, we also have to be innovative. That is why we are setting up this infrastructure bank, in order to build more infrastructure, whether for public transit, roads, or ports, things that Canadians need to create economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, we listened to our national security experts. We listened to their advice. They reviewed the transaction and the facts. We authorized this transaction based on their advice and recommendations.I want to reassure the House and all Canadians that we will never compromise on national security and we will always work to advance our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the 77 meritorious, diverse
Mr. Speaker, national security is a top priority for our government. All transactions reviewed under the act are subject to a multi-stage security review process. We can assure the House that the process was followed to the letter and that no risk to national security was identified. Throughout the process, our security agencies had access to all the information they needed.We have never compromised on national security, and we never will.
Mr. Speaker, we all agree. The government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have launched a national mutual accountability engagement with first nations, including in-person and online engagements. Everyone, including first nations, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this by working in close collaboration with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, for decades the Canadian government actively discriminated against gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer Canadians. Thousands of public servants and military personnel were fired for their sexual orientation, forced to live double lives or risk loss of employment or even criminal conviction. I am proud of our government's efforts to build stronger ties with my community, working for rights at home and abroad. However, still more remains to be done. Could the Minister of Justice update us on steps the government is taking to heal the wounds in the LGBTQ2 community?
Mr. Speaker, the credit union system is an important part of the Canadian economy and contributes to competition in financial services. Credit unions are key suppliers of financing for small and medium-sized businesses, and also for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have encouraged the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions to get in touch with the credit unions and to work collaboratively to ensure they come up with a solution that can work for both.
Mr. Speaker, there is a very clear process envisioned under the Investment Canada Act. It is a multi-step process that requires our national security agencies to look at the facts, get the facts in front of them, and make a national security recommendation. We followed that process to the letter. We followed their advice. We trust our national security agencies, which have done their due diligence. We have undertaken this multi-step process, as it should have been undertaken.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is steadfast in renewing its commitment to the United Nations. Maintaining international peace and stability, including within the United Nations, is one of the core missions assigned to the Canadian Armed Forces in Strong, Secure, Engaged. The new policy reiterates Canada's determination to make a meaningful contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping operations and add value to them.
Mr. Speaker, the government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have already launched national mutual accountability engagements with first nations, community leaders, and members, including both in-person and online engagements. We have also been working on mutual accountability for almost a year with the AFN and the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association. Everyone, including first nations governments, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this in the coming months, working in partnership with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it is a chance to remind the House of the significance of the measures that we have undertaken to make sure, both in the short term and in the long term, that the forestry industry is respected in Canada. That includes $605 million from the Export Development Corporation. It includes very timely measures to expand export markets. That includes taking the leaders of the industry in Quebec to China to begin to make the argument that our wood is the best wood in the world.We are very proud of that initiative. We are very proud of how we have stood up for the forestry
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Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we learned that search warrants had been executed in the Toronto area and in the United Kingdom in connection with a criminal investigation into a transatlantic GST/HST fraud scheme. Reports indicate that this carousel scheme netted $52 million in fraudulent tax refunds and credits. Would the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what she is doing to combat fraud?
Mr. Speaker, national security is our priority, and we take it very seriously. All investments reviewed under the Canada Investment Act are subject to a multi-stage national security review process conducted by our security agencies. That process was followed. The national security community conducted a review, consulted, had the facts in front of it. It gave us the recommendation that this transaction did not put into jeopardy national security. No transaction would take place if it did not uphold and satisfy this criterion.
Mr. Speaker, the innovation minister assured the House that the government had done its homework and there was no reason for Canadians to be concerned. He passed the buck to B.C. to regulate these homes. Anbang is a company with murky ownership built on risky investments. U.S. and Chinese regulators have raised serious concerns over its dealings. When the wolves of Wall Street will not touch Anbang, how could the Liberals use vulnerable seniors as pawns for the Prime Minister's insatiable appetite to cozy up to China?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' approach to official languages is a joke.The Minister of Canadian Heritage forgot to extend the interim commissioner's mandate. As of Saturday, we no longer have an official languages watchdog. Before that, the Liberals announced the partisan appointment of Madeleine Meilleur with absolutely no regard for the law or Parliament. This is all the doing of a minister who tells us every day that official languages are a priority for the government. Really?When will the government get serious and respect the Official Languages Act?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is fighting with his new independent Senate over splitting the infrastructure bank from the omnibus budget bill, but if the Liberals had kept their promises and worked with parliamentarians and not used budget omnibus bills, they would not be in this awkward, difficult situation. The finance minister revealed his hand last week at committee, when he said it would be absurd to tell a private company to move a project from Montreal to Winnipeg. Why are the Liberals putting corporate profit ahead of the interests of Canadians, and why will they not allow us to properly study this bill?
Mr. Speaker, nobody trusts the Liberals to deliver on that promise.The Liberals unveiled their defence and foreign policies, and surprise, surprise, there were no details of a UN peacekeeping mission in either of them. It has been almost a year since the Prime Minister naively promised 600 troops to a vague UN peacekeeping mission. Documents show that the Liberals have turned down five UN leadership roles and will not commit to a single UN mission.The Prime Minister has said that Canada is back. Now he is backing away from UN peacekeeping missions after stepping back from the fight against ISIS. When will the Prime Minister finally step up and quit embarrassing Canada on the world stage?
Mr. Speaker, at the OECD's instigation, Canada signed dozens of information sharing agreements with tax havens. Those agreements were supposed to increase transparency, but all they did was facilitate tax evasion. What began as a solution to a problem became a massive gift to big corporations.Over the past five years, at least $55 billion in profit has not been taxed by the Canada Revenue Agency. We have no way of knowing if the Liberals have even used the agreements because they are refusing to tell us and will not answer journalists' questions. What do they have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, senators are calling for an independent review of the infrastructure bank. Members on this side of the House are calling for the same. Every expert who has studied this infrastructure bank is concerned about the risks and fears that taxpayers will ultimately have to pay for this bank.If the Prime Minister has nothing to hide and the bank is as white as snow, then why is he afraid to have it thoroughly reviewed?
Mr. Speaker, I do not understand what the Liberals are missing. The way Bill C-44 is drafted, the infrastructure bank can ignore the laws of Quebec and circumvent municipal bylaws. No agricultural zoning, and the power to expropriate: that is what will come out of Bill C-44. We have said it, the constitutionalists have said it, the National Assembly has said it, the farmers have said it, and even the Senate has said it. When will this government listen to us and split its bill to have a second look at its infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure bank needs to be split off from Bill C-44. Enough with these massive bills and poison pills hidden in 500-page tomes. The infrastructure bank is a bad idea that is going to weaken Quebec to the benefit of wealthy investors. Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebec, the farmers, and even the Senate and remove the infrastructure bank from Bill C-44?
Mr. Speaker, our government has raised the case of Mr. Badawi at the highest levels of the Saudi government.We continue to ask for clemency, so he can be reunited with his family. I have had the opportunity and the privilege of meeting with his wife on multiple occasions. I have reassured her that our government, our Prime Minister, and our Minister of Foreign Affairs are engaged on this case. We will continue to appeal for clemency for Mr. Badawi.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from HullAylmer for his question.Our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. That is why we invested close to $1 billion in our last two budgets to ensure we have the tools we need tackle this problem effectively.Preliminary results indicate that we will recover over $13 billion during the fiscal year ending March 31.Our government is committed to cracking down on tax cheats and bringing them to justice with the help of our international partners.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are hiding how dangerous this deal is for both Canada and the U.S. Nobody buys that.Michael Wessel from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said, the sale of Norsat to a Chinese entity raises significant national-security concerns for the United States as the company is a supplier to our military.The Liberals claim they have consulted the U.S., but will not say who, why, how, or when. Nothing adds up.Will the minister finally tell Canadians which U.S. officials they consulted and if they agreed to this deal?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' mismanagement of the fighter jet replacement has gone from a national scandal to an international embarrassment.Over the weekend, officials were instructed to meet with aerospace companies in Paris, then they were told to cancel those meetings, and then they were told to reschedule them. The Minister of National Defence has made a complete mess of this file.Is there anyone on the Liberal benches, anyone at all, who can fix this comedy of errors and actually hold an open competition to replace our aging fighter jets now?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister announced during the election campaign that he would run small deficits of $10 billion a year. At the current rate, the deficits will be $25 billion a year. Initially, that was supposed to be for only two years, but now we are told that it will be for an indefinite period.The Prime Minister is showing yet again that he is utterly incapable of managing taxpayers' money responsibly, and it is our children and grandchildren who will pay the price. My question is simple. Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians, once and for all, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, we listened to our national security experts. We listened to their advice. They reviewed the transaction and the facts. We authorized this transaction based on their advice and recommendations.I want to reassure the House and all Canadians that we will never compromise on national security and we will always work to advance our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan to replace Canada's fighter jets has become a real farce, and the farce has even spread to the international stage. That side of the House cannot even organize a simple meeting with representatives from the aerospace industry. On top of that, most stakeholders have lost all confidence in the Minister of National Defence, so this file has become a massive boondoggle.Does the Prime Minister understand the magnitude of the problem? Will he bring his minister into line and immediately launch an open and transparent process?
Mr. Speaker, there is a very clear process envisioned under the Investment Canada Act. It is a multi-step process that requires our national security agencies to look at the facts, get the facts in front of them, and make a national security recommendation. We followed that process to the letter. We followed their advice. We trust our national security agencies, which have done their due diligence. We have undertaken this multi-step process, as it should have been undertaken.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has attended cash-for-access fundraisers with Chinese billionaires. He has publicly expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship in China. Chinese interests are funding a statue of his father. Now the Prime Minister is fast-tracking the sale of Canadian businesses to China without full security reviews. Our former ambassador to China has called the Prime Minister's approach naive and worrying. I agree.Has the government House leader asked the Ethics Commissioner about possible conflicts of interest with respect to the Prime Minister and transactions involving China?
Mr. Speaker, our government is open to investments that create jobs, growth, and long-term prosperity for Canadians. While the official opposition continues with its scare tactics and fearmongering, let us talk about the facts. The day-to-day operations of the residences will continue to be managed by Retirement Concepts, the same management that was there before. Rules are not changing. The residents will continue to be subject to the same robust provincial health regulations that have always applied to them. The residents and health care workers will continue to be protected by the same legislation.We did our homework on this transaction. We assured what we had to make certain, and we have done it.
Mr. Speaker, while millions of Canadian children were celebrating Father's Day yesterday, Raif Badawi's children Najwa, Myriyam and Doudi lamented their father's absence, which is going on five years now. Last week, Raif Badawi's three children appealed directly to the Prime Minister when they said, quote, Mr. [Prime Minister], pick up the phone, call the king of Saudi Arabia, so our father comes back." In 2015, before his election of course, the hon. member for Papineau urged Mr. Harper to intervene personally in this case.What does the Prime Minister have to say today to the children of Raif Badawi?
Mr. Speaker, the credit union system is an important part of the Canadian economy and contributes to competition in financial services. Credit unions are key suppliers of financing for small and medium-sized businesses, and also for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have encouraged the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions to get in touch with the credit unions and to work collaboratively to ensure they come up with a solution that can work for both.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to point out that my parliamentary privileges, and those of the other members of the House, have been violated. The Commissioner of Official Languages reports not only to the government, but also to Parliament. As a result, Parliament must know who the Commissioner of Official Languages is so it can address this individual, ask questions, and receive information. Today, I asked the Minister of Canadian Heritage who the current Commissioner of Official Languages is and at what time we will know when a new Commissioner of Official Languages is appointed.We currently do not know who the official languages commissioner is. Perhaps the government knows, but if we parliamentarians do not know, then this is a violation of our rights as parliamentarians, because commissioners do not report to the government, but to Parliament as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment over a year and a half ago to create the infrastructure bank. It was a clear campaign promise. We will continue to invest in the infrastructure that Canadians need.I understand that the members opposite want to spend all their time negotiating and examining everything that happens in the House, but sooner or later, we have to deliver on the commitments made to Canadians. We need to keep our promises regarding the public transit Canadians need, as well as social infrastructure. That is exactly what our government is doing for Quebec, for Quebeckers, and for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. We are not compromising our national security. We are not compromising our national interests. We are in fact trying to balance our national interests. We relied on a process that put our national security first and foremost. That process was followed. Our national security agencies did their due diligence. They investigated the transaction. They had all the facts in front of them. They gave us their opinion. We are following that opinion. We trust our national security agencies. We will never put our security at risk.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, Canadians had a very simple choice to make. Two parties wanted to make cuts to balance the budget at all costs, while we proposed investing in our communities, in growing the middle class, in science and technology research, and in the economic growth that Canadians needed after 10 years of mismanagement under that opposition party. The fact is that we are investing in our future together, just as we promised Canadians we would do.
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment to Canadians to improve the way this place works, and that is exactly what we are doing. The budget legislation we put forward contains only elements that were actually in the budget, unlike the previous government's attempts at getting around the parliamentary process.As for the work done by the Senate, we respect tremendously the hard work senators are doing to examine and make recommendations on bills, but we certainly expect budget bills passed in this House of Commons to be passed by the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, I am surprised the party opposite does not trust our national security agencies and does not trust the opinions they give.We have a process in place under the Investment Canada Act. We followed that process. Our security agencies are required to consult, investigate, and to have all the facts in front of them. They did that. They gave us their opinion; we followed that opinion. Our national security has never been put at risk.
Mr. Speaker, I recently met with executive members of the BC Fruit Growers' Association and the Canadian Horticultural Council, representing produce growers in my riding of KootenayColumbia. They told me that Canadian growers suffer greatly when their buyer fails to pay them due to bankruptcy. The Standing Committee on Agriculture unanimously urged the minister to develop a payment protection model for Canada's growers, but nothing has happened. It has been a year. When will the government take action to protect our fruit and vegetable growers?
Mr. Speaker, we know that the Prime Minister thinks highly of the Chinese dictatorship. We also know that the Prime Minister invested hundreds of millions of taxpayers' dollars in an Asian bank. We also know that the Prime Minister met with Chinese billionaires who made very generous contributions to his father's foundation. None of that, however, gives the Prime Minister permission to put Canada's national security at risk.Why did the Prime Minister waive the requisite security review of the Norsat deal?
Mr. Speaker, we very much look forward to sitting down with the American side after August 18, when the Americans have permission to sit down and start negotiating. Until then, we have made it very clear that our priorities are defending Canada's interests. Whether it be in softwood, whether it be in auto, or whether it be in dairy and supply management, we will always stand up and defend Canada's interests. We will not, however, talk in great detail about our negotiation strategy. Canadians know we will defend their interests. We will continue to fight hard for Canadian jobs and for growth for the middle class, because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, it has been 18 months, and they are doing nothing to enforce a law that is on our books. Her excuses have never held water. Let me read from the court judgment, which states: There is no evidence before me as to the political or economic reasons why Onion Lake has refused to provide and post specified information. There is, for example, no evidence that Onion Lake's commercial interests would be negatively affected. Will the minister follow the direction of the judge, or is she going to force more band members to plead their cases in front of the courts, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the application by Cedar Tree to acquire Retirement Concepts has been approved under the Investment Canada Act. The acquisition will result in a net economic benefit to Canada. As a result of that review, Cedar Tree has agreed to maintain the current level of full-time and part-time employees, maintain a current Canadian operator, Retirement Concepts, to continue to manage the business, not close or repurpose any of the existing residences, and to financially support the expansion of business. This will remain in place for a significant period of time.We reviewed the transaction under the Investment Canada Act. The Government of British Columbia is doing its part
Mr. Speaker, the issue here is about respect for Parliament and passing a fundamental change to how we fund infrastructure projects. Without proper study is not the way to do it.Clearly, there were not enough consultations, and the most blatant example relates to Quebec, since the infrastructure bank is going to ignore Quebec laws. A more thorough study of the bill would have allowed us to examine these kinds of issues related to the infrastructure bank. There is no time for that under the leadership of this Prime Minister.Why is the government so determined to move ahead with this plan for the infrastructure bank? Why is it so determined to keep us from giving it the consideration it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, last week the courts ruled that Onion Lake Cree Nation must post its financial transparency information in accordance with the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. This is a great victory for Charmaine Stick and those across the country. We now have a judgment that clearly states the minister was irresponsible and wrong in not enforcing the act. Will she commit today that she will empower band members and that no other people will have to take their band to court for transparency, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot help themselves. They love picking winners and losers by imposing big-government regulations. Now the Liberals are targeting credit unions by prohibiting their use of the terms bank and banking. This means if a credit union uses a term like personal banking or online banking in their promotions, they run afoul of the rules and could face penalties between $500,000 and $5 million.Could the finance minister explain to Canadians why his government is being so petty in the targeting of credit unions? Is it because all of his friends on Bay Street are telling him to do this?
Mr. Speaker, with respect to offshore-related files, the CRA is currently conducting audits on over 820 taxpayers and criminally investigating over 20 cases of tax evasion. Information shared under tax information sharing agreements and tax treaties is yielding results. I want to make it very clear that we will ensure our tax system is fair by ferreting out tax cheats and making them pay.
Mr. Speaker, the members across the way are proving once again that they do not understand how the Canadian economy works or what Canadians need.Canadians need investment in infrastructure for things like public transit, affordable housing, and green infrastructure. For 10 years, the former government of the members across the way under-invested in our communities. We know that we have to make immediate and innovative investments, and that is exactly what we are doing for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, deaths from suicide devastate our community. There are too many unanswered questions regarding why so many veterans turn to self-harm. Mr. Lionel Desmond not only ended his own life but also the lives of his daughter, his partner, and his mother. This terrible tragedy needs to be examined. Will the minister take responsibility and call an inquiry into the triple murder-suicide of Lionel Desmond, to shed some light and find a remedy for our veterans who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, for decades the Canadian government actively discriminated against gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer Canadians. Thousands of public servants and military personnel were fired for their sexual orientation, forced to live double lives or risk loss of employment or even criminal conviction. I am proud of our government's efforts to build stronger ties with my community, working for rights at home and abroad. However, still more remains to be done. Could the Minister of Justice update us on steps the government is taking to heal the wounds in the LGBTQ2 community?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to stop repeating his talking points and reassure Canadians once and for all.The Liberals cannot continue to hold Canadians in the dark when it comes to the renegotiation of NAFTA. Workers throughout the country are quickly losing confidence in the Liberal government and its ability to negotiate a good trade deal in their interest. In less than a month, the U.S. will reveal its final priorities, and still, deafening silence from the government side. Canadians deserve a government that will stand up and fight for their jobs, so when will the government release its plans on the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep telling us that they take judicial appointments seriously, yet to date there are still judicial vacancies right across the country. Under our Conservative government, we appointed more than 500 judicial appointments. If the Liberals are incapable of doing their job, the opposition would be more than happy to do it for them. These delays in the criminal justice system must end and criminals must be prosecuted. When are the Liberals going to start taking this job seriously and fill all the judicial vacancies without excuses?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we need investments in public transit. We need investments in social infrastructure. We need investments in green infrastructure to grow our communities, to grow our economy, and to create good jobs for the middle class today and for our children and grandchildren tomorrow. That is the vision of our government. This is what we put forward in the election campaign, and this is what we continue to work on. We know that global investment can lead to better outcomes for Canadians. That is what we are focusing on drawing in.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the Norsat scandal, the Liberals just cannot keep their story straight. First, the Prime Minister claimed the U.S. was on board, but it was not. Then he said the deal was subject to a strict, national security review, but it was not. In fact, the Prime Minister's own cabinet decided to skip that review. This deal puts Canada and the U.S. at risk. Without rigid security checks, the Liberals still gave it the green light.Will the Liberals listen to the concerns of the U.S., our closet friend and ally, and put Canadian safety first?
Mr. Speaker, with Canada's 150th anniversary just around the corner, Canadians have much to celebrate. We will be celebrating with an amazing craft beer, wine, and spirits. However, in typical Liberal fashion, as we raise a glass to celebrate Canada, they are finding new ways to raise taxes to pay for their out-of-control spending. This year and every following year, the Liberals will be raising taxes on beer, wine, and spirits, despite the fact that we already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. Could the minister please explain that the only promise he is willing to keep is a promise to raise taxes and tax the fun out of our Canada Day celebrations?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming clear that the Prime Minister's approval to sell Canadian senior care facilities to Anbang Insurance of China has placed our seniors at risk. Questions went unanswered when the deal was first inked, but the Liberals said everything would be just fine. Now Anbang's chairman, Mr. Wu, has been arrested by Chinese officials on corruption charges. Anbang's assets, including the B.C. retirement homes, are now at risk of being taken over by the Chinese government. With so many warning signs, why did the Prime Minister not do any due diligence before he approved this deal?
Mr. Speaker, national security is a top priority for our government. All transactions reviewed under the act are subject to a multi-stage security review process. We can assure the House that the process was followed to the letter and that no risk to national security was identified. Throughout the process, our security agencies had access to all the information they needed.We have never compromised on national security, and we never will.
Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect and admiration for the parliamentary secretary. The problem is that my question was for the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the one who needs to answer to Canadians on issues of national security.If the government insists everything was done by the book, then there is just one more thing for the Prime Minister to do to reassure Canadians and our NATO, American, and European allies who are questioning Canada's national security.Why is the government refusing to table all of the documents relating to the Norsat scandal?
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, Canada did announce that it was back in the world and will play a significant role in international and multilateral institutions, including as a determined peace-builder returning to peace support operations. That was a commitment of our government, and we will restore Canada's role in peace support missions. We are taking our time, thoughtfully, to decide what mission Canada will lead in. We are doing that because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend Philippe Couillard, the Premier of Quebec, who, like all of the other provincial premiers, has committed to working with the American government.We emphasized how important it is for all levels of government to work together to make the United States understand that Canadians stand united, that we are concerned about its approach, and that we are prepared to strongly defend Canada's interests. That is what we are all going to do, and I commend Premier Couillard for his initiative today in Washington.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard all these arguments before. They were the core of the member opposite's re-election campaign. It was the core of the Conservative platform in the 2015 election, a platform soundly rejected by Canadians, because it focused on balancing the budget at all costs through cuts to services and investments for Canadians. We made a commitment to invest in a brighter future through investing in infrastructure for Canadians and by putting more money in the pockets of the middle class by raising taxes on the wealthiest one per cent, all things those members stood against.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to the financial success of the fruit and vegetable industry. We are looking at ways we can support this important Canadian industry by collaborating on a national nutrition policy as part of the next strategic framework. We support the industry in our budget and will continue to marshal science, innovation, and competition for the benefit of all agricultural sectors and producers across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Quebec will be in Washington today to talk about the NAFTA negotiations, and many Quebec mayors have already done likewise. Elected officials in Quebec no longer have any confidence in the federal government to conduct these negotiations.I do not blame them after the government's failure to properly address the softwood lumber and diafiltered milk issues. Unlike those of the federal government, Quebec's priorities are clear: protect good jobs, protect supply management, and resolve the softwood lumber issue.When will the government tell us what its priorities are for the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, our government takes mutual accountability seriously. All contribution agreements between our government and first nations contain strong reporting provisions to ensure that funds are used as intended. We remain committed to establishing a new fiscal relationship with first nations, including to strengthen mutual accountability measures. In support of this commitment, my department is currently engaging, from coast to coast to coast, with first nations leadership and community members.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's proposed $35-billion slush fund, also known as the Liberal infrastructure bank, is a disaster in the making. Even worse, we have learned, according to what the finance minister said last week, that the slush fund will not be run by Canadians. Can the Prime Minister please explain why he will be appointing foreigners, who do not have Canada's best interests in mind, to the board of the Liberal infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, far too many Canadians still face violence every day simply because of their gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. Our status of women committee, of which I am vice-chair, studied this issue, and I think we would all agree it is time for us to take action.Budget 2017 committed $100.9 million for a gender-based violence strategy. Could the parliamentary secretary to the minister of status of women update the House on the status of this strategy?
Mr. Speaker, we have been talking about this infrastructure bank for years. It was one of our core election promises.We know that we need to invest in infrastructure. After a decade under the previous government, we have made record investments of up to $180 billion.However, we also have to be innovative. That is why we are setting up this infrastructure bank, in order to build more infrastructure, whether for public transit, roads, or ports, things that Canadians need to create economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, the government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have already launched national mutual accountability engagements with first nations, community leaders, and members, including both in-person and online engagements. We have also been working on mutual accountability for almost a year with the AFN and the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association. Everyone, including first nations governments, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this in the coming months, working in partnership with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's refusal to answer that question shows why this infrastructure bank is a complete disaster. Over the weekend, when asked a direct question, the Prime Minister refused to say when, if ever, he plans on balancing the budget. Given that our children and our grandchildren will be the ones stuck paying off his excessive spending habits and his multi-billion-dollar tab, they deserve an honest answer to a simple question. In what year does the Prime Minister plan on balancing the budget? Will it be the year that pigs fly or the year that hell freezes over?
Mr. Speaker, that was an inquiry my colleague called for.Today, the minister unveiled a strategy on gender-based violence. While we do need data and RCMP training, there is absolutely nothing for front-line services to support survivors of sexual assault. Every night, 500 women and kids are turned away from domestic violence shelters in Canada500 of them.Why does this so-called anti-violence strategy have absolutely nothing for women fleeing violence and for the front-line workers who support them?
Mr. Speaker, nearly one year after the Prime Minister made the ill-advised promise to send 600 Canadian soldiers on some sort of peacekeeping mission, we are still in the dark.The Liberals could have given us the details of this mission in their defence or foreign affairs policies, but once again, it is radio silence. We have now learned that Canada has refused five interesting offers from the UN.Could the Prime Minister finally tell our soldiers what is going on, rather than using them as pawns to try to win a seat on the UN Security Council?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oakville NorthBurlington for the question, and for her leadership on gender equality. I was pleased to join the Minister of Status of Women this morning as she announced our government's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. Our strategy is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems. Our approach will build a solid foundation for action.It is time for Canada's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, we all agree. The government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have launched a national mutual accountability engagement with first nations, including in-person and online engagements. Everyone, including first nations, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this by working in close collaboration with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that in the policy statement, the chief of the defence staff said that it was a great day for our men and women in uniform.Yes, we will ensure that our military personnel have the right equipment to carry out their mission. First and foremost, we have commitments to our NORAD and NATO allies. That is why we want to replace our aging equipment, so that our men and women in uniform can properly carry out their missions at home and abroad.
Mr. Speaker, Canada and our allies depend on satellite communications to safely perform peace and security operations around the world. The news that the Liberal government has fast-tracked the sale of Norsat is causing the U.S. government to review its use of Norsat components. Why? Because the U.S. feels it could put its operations and its people at risk.My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Why is the Liberal government putting the security of Canada and allies at risk all to appease the Chinese government?
Mr. Speaker, because that answer was so gosh darn convincing, I have another one for the minister.Her Liberal government is refusing to reveal to Canadians important information about tax cheats, even after the minister's promise to reveal important information about tax cheats. The minister's office now says that it is not its responsibility to release this information. Really? It is not the responsibility of the minister's office to tackle tax evasion and keep the minister's own promises?If the minister is not running her department, could she tell us who the heck is? If she will not do her job, will she at least find somebody who can?
Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of words that say that the minister is refusing to enforce the law. Why can she not just stand up and say, I am refusing to enforce the law here, and does she realize that, as a result of her negligence, band members are having to go to court to get information to which they are rightfully entitled? Why is the member defending the status quo instead of doing what is right for first nations communities?
Mr. Speaker, our government pledged to fight tax evasion and tax havens to ensure that our tax system is fair for all Canadians. I am proud of the leadership we have shown internationally by enhancing our collaboration with international partners. We are working hard to make sure our tax system is fair.Our government will continue to inform Canadians about our efforts to fight tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be working with our Quebec caucus to deliver on the commitment that we made to all Canadians, including the Province of Quebec. A $1.3 billion investment in Montreal's transit system will create 34,000 jobs in that region.That is delivering for Canadians. That is delivering for the Province of Quebec. As far as the legislation is concerned, we are very confident that the way it is being done will respect the local jurisdictions in Quebec and in other provinces.
Mr. Speaker, the suicide of a veteran is always a tragedy.We are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to update our practices in order to provide better support to veterans and their families and to ensure that we are not only doing the right things, but also becoming a leader in the area.In budget 2017, we announced the opening of a centre of excellence on mental health for post-traumatic stress disorder in order to encourage the use of best practices and reduce stigma.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all women and girls can live free from violence. This is why we are investing $100.9 million in a strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. The strategy we released today is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems; and it will build a solid foundation for action and fill important gaps in support for survivors of gender-based violence. Today was a very good day in the fight against gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is steadfast in renewing its commitment to the United Nations. Maintaining international peace and stability, including within the United Nations, is one of the core missions assigned to the Canadian Armed Forces in Strong, Secure, Engaged. The new policy reiterates Canada's determination to make a meaningful contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping operations and add value to them.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice likes to say that she is proud of her record. Is the minister proud of the near-historic number of judicial vacancies? Is the minister proud of the fact that nearly half of the judicial advisory committees remain vacant? Is the minister proud of the dozens of serious criminal cases that have been thrown out of court due to her inaction, with thousands more at risk? How can the minister say she is proud of that record with a straight face?
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the work our government is doing.In Canada we embrace diversity and inclusion. We have to ensure that everybody has the freedom to be who they are. That is why I am incredibly proud that the Senate passed Bill C-16 last week. I look forward to it receiving royal assent and adding to the Canadian Human Rights Code a prohibition against gender identity and gender expression. We are doing more. We are looking at historic records and the expungement of them for unjust laws. In this month of pride, I want to celebrate and applaud the
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to build the best public transit to reduce the gridlock facing our communities. They want us to invest in more affordable housing to create opportunities for Canadians. They want to invest in recreational and cultural infrastructure. That is exactly what our infrastructure plan, an ambitious $186-billion plan, will do. With respect to the jurisdictions of provinces and municipalities, the bank will do that.
Mr. Speaker, forestry workers are demonstrating across Quebec today to call on the government to negotiate a fair and balanced agreement on softwood lumber. That may seem obvious, but the forestry sector has learned not to trust Ottawa.Arguing over guarantees has cost weeks of work for workers, who are more than ready for a bit of stability.Will the government make a solemn promise to refuse to sign any sellout agreement that could hurt forestry workers?
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to conducting an open and transparent competition for the permanent replacement of the fleet of fighter jets. This competitive process will help ensure that the members of the Canadian Armed Forces have the best aircraft for the long term, while getting the best value for money and generating the most economic benefits for Canadians. We have begun to develop the bid solicitation process. The initial consultations with the industry will begin in 2017.
Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that official languages are important to our government and that the official languages commissioner is, too.We will have an official languages commissioner. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is fully operational and I will be making some announcements soon.
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in the House and talk about the good work our government is doing. The first thing we did when we took office was lower taxes for middle-class Canadians, while raising them for the wealthiest 1%. We also put in place the Canada child benefit program, which has lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. We also increased the guaranteed income supplement by 10% for low-income seniors.We will keep on working for Canadians. That is exactly what we will be doing.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, I am incredibly proud of the 77 substantive, meritorious Superior Court justices who I have been able to appoint thus far. More appointments are going to be coming.The appointees represent the diversity that is our great country. I am going to continue to make these appointments. Likewise, I am going to continue to substantively work with my counterparts in the provinces and territories to address the call of the Supreme Court of Canada to ensure that there is a culture change among all actors in the criminal justice system. There is no one solution to this. We are working
Mr. Speaker, I take my responsibility to appoint superior court justices in the country incredibly seriously. I am very pleased to have introduced a new appointments process that is open and transparent. I am very happy to have appointed 77 justices across the country to the superior courts. I will continue to appoint justices to the superior courts to fill the vacancies.We will continue to work collaboratively with the provinces and territories to ensure we have substantive solutions to address the realities of the delays that exist in the criminal justice system across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it is a chance to remind the House of the significance of the measures that we have undertaken to make sure, both in the short term and in the long term, that the forestry industry is respected in Canada. That includes $605 million from the Export Development Corporation. It includes very timely measures to expand export markets. That includes taking the leaders of the industry in Quebec to China to begin to make the argument that our wood is the best wood in the world.We are very proud of that initiative. We are very proud of how we have stood up for the forestry
Mr. Speaker, we are calling on the Prime Minister to tell us when we will return to a balanced budget and he has nothing intelligent to say to us. He is asking taxpayers to sign a $35-billion cheque for the infrastructure bank. It makes no sense. The Liberals are irresponsible and improvising across the board with taxpayers' money.When will the Prime Minister respect this institution and allow us to take a more thorough look at this bank?
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the 77 meritorious, diverse
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we learned that search warrants had been executed in the Toronto area and in the United Kingdom in connection with a criminal investigation into a transatlantic GST/HST fraud scheme. Reports indicate that this carousel scheme netted $52 million in fraudulent tax refunds and credits. Would the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what she is doing to combat fraud?
Mr. Speaker, national security is our priority, and we take it very seriously. All investments reviewed under the Canada Investment Act are subject to a multi-stage national security review process conducted by our security agencies. That process was followed. The national security community conducted a review, consulted, had the facts in front of it. It gave us the recommendation that this transaction did not put into jeopardy national security. No transaction would take place if it did not uphold and satisfy this criterion.
Mr. Speaker, the innovation minister assured the House that the government had done its homework and there was no reason for Canadians to be concerned. He passed the buck to B.C. to regulate these homes. Anbang is a company with murky ownership built on risky investments. U.S. and Chinese regulators have raised serious concerns over its dealings. When the wolves of Wall Street will not touch Anbang, how could the Liberals use vulnerable seniors as pawns for the Prime Minister's insatiable appetite to cozy up to China?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' approach to official languages is a joke.The Minister of Canadian Heritage forgot to extend the interim commissioner's mandate. As of Saturday, we no longer have an official languages watchdog. Before that, the Liberals announced the partisan appointment of Madeleine Meilleur with absolutely no regard for the law or Parliament. This is all the doing of a minister who tells us every day that official languages are a priority for the government. Really?When will the government get serious and respect the Official Languages Act?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is fighting with his new independent Senate over splitting the infrastructure bank from the omnibus budget bill, but if the Liberals had kept their promises and worked with parliamentarians and not used budget omnibus bills, they would not be in this awkward, difficult situation. The finance minister revealed his hand last week at committee, when he said it would be absurd to tell a private company to move a project from Montreal to Winnipeg. Why are the Liberals putting corporate profit ahead of the interests of Canadians, and why will they not allow us to properly study this bill?
Mr. Speaker, nobody trusts the Liberals to deliver on that promise.The Liberals unveiled their defence and foreign policies, and surprise, surprise, there were no details of a UN peacekeeping mission in either of them. It has been almost a year since the Prime Minister naively promised 600 troops to a vague UN peacekeeping mission. Documents show that the Liberals have turned down five UN leadership roles and will not commit to a single UN mission.The Prime Minister has said that Canada is back. Now he is backing away from UN peacekeeping missions after stepping back from the fight against ISIS. When will the Prime Minister finally step up and quit embarrassing Canada on the world stage?
Mr. Speaker, at the OECD's instigation, Canada signed dozens of information sharing agreements with tax havens. Those agreements were supposed to increase transparency, but all they did was facilitate tax evasion. What began as a solution to a problem became a massive gift to big corporations.Over the past five years, at least $55 billion in profit has not been taxed by the Canada Revenue Agency. We have no way of knowing if the Liberals have even used the agreements because they are refusing to tell us and will not answer journalists' questions. What do they have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, senators are calling for an independent review of the infrastructure bank. Members on this side of the House are calling for the same. Every expert who has studied this infrastructure bank is concerned about the risks and fears that taxpayers will ultimately have to pay for this bank.If the Prime Minister has nothing to hide and the bank is as white as snow, then why is he afraid to have it thoroughly reviewed?
Mr. Speaker, I do not understand what the Liberals are missing. The way Bill C-44 is drafted, the infrastructure bank can ignore the laws of Quebec and circumvent municipal bylaws. No agricultural zoning, and the power to expropriate: that is what will come out of Bill C-44. We have said it, the constitutionalists have said it, the National Assembly has said it, the farmers have said it, and even the Senate has said it. When will this government listen to us and split its bill to have a second look at its infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure bank needs to be split off from Bill C-44. Enough with these massive bills and poison pills hidden in 500-page tomes. The infrastructure bank is a bad idea that is going to weaken Quebec to the benefit of wealthy investors. Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebec, the farmers, and even the Senate and remove the infrastructure bank from Bill C-44?
Mr. Speaker, our government has raised the case of Mr. Badawi at the highest levels of the Saudi government.We continue to ask for clemency, so he can be reunited with his family. I have had the opportunity and the privilege of meeting with his wife on multiple occasions. I have reassured her that our government, our Prime Minister, and our Minister of Foreign Affairs are engaged on this case. We will continue to appeal for clemency for Mr. Badawi.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from HullAylmer for his question.Our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. That is why we invested close to $1 billion in our last two budgets to ensure we have the tools we need tackle this problem effectively.Preliminary results indicate that we will recover over $13 billion during the fiscal year ending March 31.Our government is committed to cracking down on tax cheats and bringing them to justice with the help of our international partners.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are hiding how dangerous this deal is for both Canada and the U.S. Nobody buys that.Michael Wessel from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said, the sale of Norsat to a Chinese entity raises significant national-security concerns for the United States as the company is a supplier to our military.The Liberals claim they have consulted the U.S., but will not say who, why, how, or when. Nothing adds up.Will the minister finally tell Canadians which U.S. officials they consulted and if they agreed to this deal?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' mismanagement of the fighter jet replacement has gone from a national scandal to an international embarrassment.Over the weekend, officials were instructed to meet with aerospace companies in Paris, then they were told to cancel those meetings, and then they were told to reschedule them. The Minister of National Defence has made a complete mess of this file.Is there anyone on the Liberal benches, anyone at all, who can fix this comedy of errors and actually hold an open competition to replace our aging fighter jets now?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister announced during the election campaign that he would run small deficits of $10 billion a year. At the current rate, the deficits will be $25 billion a year. Initially, that was supposed to be for only two years, but now we are told that it will be for an indefinite period.The Prime Minister is showing yet again that he is utterly incapable of managing taxpayers' money responsibly, and it is our children and grandchildren who will pay the price. My question is simple. Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians, once and for all, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, we listened to our national security experts. We listened to their advice. They reviewed the transaction and the facts. We authorized this transaction based on their advice and recommendations.I want to reassure the House and all Canadians that we will never compromise on national security and we will always work to advance our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan to replace Canada's fighter jets has become a real farce, and the farce has even spread to the international stage. That side of the House cannot even organize a simple meeting with representatives from the aerospace industry. On top of that, most stakeholders have lost all confidence in the Minister of National Defence, so this file has become a massive boondoggle.Does the Prime Minister understand the magnitude of the problem? Will he bring his minister into line and immediately launch an open and transparent process?
Mr. Speaker, there is a very clear process envisioned under the Investment Canada Act. It is a multi-step process that requires our national security agencies to look at the facts, get the facts in front of them, and make a national security recommendation. We followed that process to the letter. We followed their advice. We trust our national security agencies, which have done their due diligence. We have undertaken this multi-step process, as it should have been undertaken.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has attended cash-for-access fundraisers with Chinese billionaires. He has publicly expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship in China. Chinese interests are funding a statue of his father. Now the Prime Minister is fast-tracking the sale of Canadian businesses to China without full security reviews. Our former ambassador to China has called the Prime Minister's approach naive and worrying. I agree.Has the government House leader asked the Ethics Commissioner about possible conflicts of interest with respect to the Prime Minister and transactions involving China?
Mr. Speaker, our government is open to investments that create jobs, growth, and long-term prosperity for Canadians. While the official opposition continues with its scare tactics and fearmongering, let us talk about the facts. The day-to-day operations of the residences will continue to be managed by Retirement Concepts, the same management that was there before. Rules are not changing. The residents will continue to be subject to the same robust provincial health regulations that have always applied to them. The residents and health care workers will continue to be protected by the same legislation.We did our homework on this transaction. We assured what we had to make certain, and we have done it.
Mr. Speaker, while millions of Canadian children were celebrating Father's Day yesterday, Raif Badawi's children Najwa, Myriyam and Doudi lamented their father's absence, which is going on five years now. Last week, Raif Badawi's three children appealed directly to the Prime Minister when they said, quote, Mr. [Prime Minister], pick up the phone, call the king of Saudi Arabia, so our father comes back." In 2015, before his election of course, the hon. member for Papineau urged Mr. Harper to intervene personally in this case.What does the Prime Minister have to say today to the children of Raif Badawi?
Mr. Speaker, the credit union system is an important part of the Canadian economy and contributes to competition in financial services. Credit unions are key suppliers of financing for small and medium-sized businesses, and also for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have encouraged the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions to get in touch with the credit unions and to work collaboratively to ensure they come up with a solution that can work for both.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to point out that my parliamentary privileges, and those of the other members of the House, have been violated. The Commissioner of Official Languages reports not only to the government, but also to Parliament. As a result, Parliament must know who the Commissioner of Official Languages is so it can address this individual, ask questions, and receive information. Today, I asked the Minister of Canadian Heritage who the current Commissioner of Official Languages is and at what time we will know when a new Commissioner of Official Languages is appointed.We currently do not know who the official languages commissioner is. Perhaps the government knows, but if we parliamentarians do not know, then this is a violation of our rights as parliamentarians, because commissioners do not report to the government, but to Parliament as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment over a year and a half ago to create the infrastructure bank. It was a clear campaign promise. We will continue to invest in the infrastructure that Canadians need.I understand that the members opposite want to spend all their time negotiating and examining everything that happens in the House, but sooner or later, we have to deliver on the commitments made to Canadians. We need to keep our promises regarding the public transit Canadians need, as well as social infrastructure. That is exactly what our government is doing for Quebec, for Quebeckers, and for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. We are not compromising our national security. We are not compromising our national interests. We are in fact trying to balance our national interests. We relied on a process that put our national security first and foremost. That process was followed. Our national security agencies did their due diligence. They investigated the transaction. They had all the facts in front of them. They gave us their opinion. We are following that opinion. We trust our national security agencies. We will never put our security at risk.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, Canadians had a very simple choice to make. Two parties wanted to make cuts to balance the budget at all costs, while we proposed investing in our communities, in growing the middle class, in science and technology research, and in the economic growth that Canadians needed after 10 years of mismanagement under that opposition party. The fact is that we are investing in our future together, just as we promised Canadians we would do.
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment to Canadians to improve the way this place works, and that is exactly what we are doing. The budget legislation we put forward contains only elements that were actually in the budget, unlike the previous government's attempts at getting around the parliamentary process.As for the work done by the Senate, we respect tremendously the hard work senators are doing to examine and make recommendations on bills, but we certainly expect budget bills passed in this House of Commons to be passed by the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, I am surprised the party opposite does not trust our national security agencies and does not trust the opinions they give.We have a process in place under the Investment Canada Act. We followed that process. Our security agencies are required to consult, investigate, and to have all the facts in front of them. They did that. They gave us their opinion; we followed that opinion. Our national security has never been put at risk.
Mr. Speaker, I recently met with executive members of the BC Fruit Growers' Association and the Canadian Horticultural Council, representing produce growers in my riding of KootenayColumbia. They told me that Canadian growers suffer greatly when their buyer fails to pay them due to bankruptcy. The Standing Committee on Agriculture unanimously urged the minister to develop a payment protection model for Canada's growers, but nothing has happened. It has been a year. When will the government take action to protect our fruit and vegetable growers?
Mr. Speaker, we know that the Prime Minister thinks highly of the Chinese dictatorship. We also know that the Prime Minister invested hundreds of millions of taxpayers' dollars in an Asian bank. We also know that the Prime Minister met with Chinese billionaires who made very generous contributions to his father's foundation. None of that, however, gives the Prime Minister permission to put Canada's national security at risk.Why did the Prime Minister waive the requisite security review of the Norsat deal?
Mr. Speaker, we very much look forward to sitting down with the American side after August 18, when the Americans have permission to sit down and start negotiating. Until then, we have made it very clear that our priorities are defending Canada's interests. Whether it be in softwood, whether it be in auto, or whether it be in dairy and supply management, we will always stand up and defend Canada's interests. We will not, however, talk in great detail about our negotiation strategy. Canadians know we will defend their interests. We will continue to fight hard for Canadian jobs and for growth for the middle class, because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, it has been 18 months, and they are doing nothing to enforce a law that is on our books. Her excuses have never held water. Let me read from the court judgment, which states: There is no evidence before me as to the political or economic reasons why Onion Lake has refused to provide and post specified information. There is, for example, no evidence that Onion Lake's commercial interests would be negatively affected. Will the minister follow the direction of the judge, or is she going to force more band members to plead their cases in front of the courts, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the application by Cedar Tree to acquire Retirement Concepts has been approved under the Investment Canada Act. The acquisition will result in a net economic benefit to Canada. As a result of that review, Cedar Tree has agreed to maintain the current level of full-time and part-time employees, maintain a current Canadian operator, Retirement Concepts, to continue to manage the business, not close or repurpose any of the existing residences, and to financially support the expansion of business. This will remain in place for a significant period of time.We reviewed the transaction under the Investment Canada Act. The Government of British Columbia is doing its part
Mr. Speaker, the issue here is about respect for Parliament and passing a fundamental change to how we fund infrastructure projects. Without proper study is not the way to do it.Clearly, there were not enough consultations, and the most blatant example relates to Quebec, since the infrastructure bank is going to ignore Quebec laws. A more thorough study of the bill would have allowed us to examine these kinds of issues related to the infrastructure bank. There is no time for that under the leadership of this Prime Minister.Why is the government so determined to move ahead with this plan for the infrastructure bank? Why is it so determined to keep us from giving it the consideration it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, last week the courts ruled that Onion Lake Cree Nation must post its financial transparency information in accordance with the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. This is a great victory for Charmaine Stick and those across the country. We now have a judgment that clearly states the minister was irresponsible and wrong in not enforcing the act. Will she commit today that she will empower band members and that no other people will have to take their band to court for transparency, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot help themselves. They love picking winners and losers by imposing big-government regulations. Now the Liberals are targeting credit unions by prohibiting their use of the terms bank and banking. This means if a credit union uses a term like personal banking or online banking in their promotions, they run afoul of the rules and could face penalties between $500,000 and $5 million.Could the finance minister explain to Canadians why his government is being so petty in the targeting of credit unions? Is it because all of his friends on Bay Street are telling him to do this?
Mr. Speaker, with respect to offshore-related files, the CRA is currently conducting audits on over 820 taxpayers and criminally investigating over 20 cases of tax evasion. Information shared under tax information sharing agreements and tax treaties is yielding results. I want to make it very clear that we will ensure our tax system is fair by ferreting out tax cheats and making them pay.
Mr. Speaker, the members across the way are proving once again that they do not understand how the Canadian economy works or what Canadians need.Canadians need investment in infrastructure for things like public transit, affordable housing, and green infrastructure. For 10 years, the former government of the members across the way under-invested in our communities. We know that we have to make immediate and innovative investments, and that is exactly what we are doing for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, deaths from suicide devastate our community. There are too many unanswered questions regarding why so many veterans turn to self-harm. Mr. Lionel Desmond not only ended his own life but also the lives of his daughter, his partner, and his mother. This terrible tragedy needs to be examined. Will the minister take responsibility and call an inquiry into the triple murder-suicide of Lionel Desmond, to shed some light and find a remedy for our veterans who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, for decades the Canadian government actively discriminated against gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer Canadians. Thousands of public servants and military personnel were fired for their sexual orientation, forced to live double lives or risk loss of employment or even criminal conviction. I am proud of our government's efforts to build stronger ties with my community, working for rights at home and abroad. However, still more remains to be done. Could the Minister of Justice update us on steps the government is taking to heal the wounds in the LGBTQ2 community?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to stop repeating his talking points and reassure Canadians once and for all.The Liberals cannot continue to hold Canadians in the dark when it comes to the renegotiation of NAFTA. Workers throughout the country are quickly losing confidence in the Liberal government and its ability to negotiate a good trade deal in their interest. In less than a month, the U.S. will reveal its final priorities, and still, deafening silence from the government side. Canadians deserve a government that will stand up and fight for their jobs, so when will the government release its plans on the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep telling us that they take judicial appointments seriously, yet to date there are still judicial vacancies right across the country. Under our Conservative government, we appointed more than 500 judicial appointments. If the Liberals are incapable of doing their job, the opposition would be more than happy to do it for them. These delays in the criminal justice system must end and criminals must be prosecuted. When are the Liberals going to start taking this job seriously and fill all the judicial vacancies without excuses?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we need investments in public transit. We need investments in social infrastructure. We need investments in green infrastructure to grow our communities, to grow our economy, and to create good jobs for the middle class today and for our children and grandchildren tomorrow. That is the vision of our government. This is what we put forward in the election campaign, and this is what we continue to work on. We know that global investment can lead to better outcomes for Canadians. That is what we are focusing on drawing in.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the Norsat scandal, the Liberals just cannot keep their story straight. First, the Prime Minister claimed the U.S. was on board, but it was not. Then he said the deal was subject to a strict, national security review, but it was not. In fact, the Prime Minister's own cabinet decided to skip that review. This deal puts Canada and the U.S. at risk. Without rigid security checks, the Liberals still gave it the green light.Will the Liberals listen to the concerns of the U.S., our closet friend and ally, and put Canadian safety first?
Mr. Speaker, with Canada's 150th anniversary just around the corner, Canadians have much to celebrate. We will be celebrating with an amazing craft beer, wine, and spirits. However, in typical Liberal fashion, as we raise a glass to celebrate Canada, they are finding new ways to raise taxes to pay for their out-of-control spending. This year and every following year, the Liberals will be raising taxes on beer, wine, and spirits, despite the fact that we already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. Could the minister please explain that the only promise he is willing to keep is a promise to raise taxes and tax the fun out of our Canada Day celebrations?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming clear that the Prime Minister's approval to sell Canadian senior care facilities to Anbang Insurance of China has placed our seniors at risk. Questions went unanswered when the deal was first inked, but the Liberals said everything would be just fine. Now Anbang's chairman, Mr. Wu, has been arrested by Chinese officials on corruption charges. Anbang's assets, including the B.C. retirement homes, are now at risk of being taken over by the Chinese government. With so many warning signs, why did the Prime Minister not do any due diligence before he approved this deal?
Mr. Speaker, national security is a top priority for our government. All transactions reviewed under the act are subject to a multi-stage security review process. We can assure the House that the process was followed to the letter and that no risk to national security was identified. Throughout the process, our security agencies had access to all the information they needed.We have never compromised on national security, and we never will.
Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect and admiration for the parliamentary secretary. The problem is that my question was for the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the one who needs to answer to Canadians on issues of national security.If the government insists everything was done by the book, then there is just one more thing for the Prime Minister to do to reassure Canadians and our NATO, American, and European allies who are questioning Canada's national security.Why is the government refusing to table all of the documents relating to the Norsat scandal?
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, Canada did announce that it was back in the world and will play a significant role in international and multilateral institutions, including as a determined peace-builder returning to peace support operations. That was a commitment of our government, and we will restore Canada's role in peace support missions. We are taking our time, thoughtfully, to decide what mission Canada will lead in. We are doing that because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend Philippe Couillard, the Premier of Quebec, who, like all of the other provincial premiers, has committed to working with the American government.We emphasized how important it is for all levels of government to work together to make the United States understand that Canadians stand united, that we are concerned about its approach, and that we are prepared to strongly defend Canada's interests. That is what we are all going to do, and I commend Premier Couillard for his initiative today in Washington.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard all these arguments before. They were the core of the member opposite's re-election campaign. It was the core of the Conservative platform in the 2015 election, a platform soundly rejected by Canadians, because it focused on balancing the budget at all costs through cuts to services and investments for Canadians. We made a commitment to invest in a brighter future through investing in infrastructure for Canadians and by putting more money in the pockets of the middle class by raising taxes on the wealthiest one per cent, all things those members stood against.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to the financial success of the fruit and vegetable industry. We are looking at ways we can support this important Canadian industry by collaborating on a national nutrition policy as part of the next strategic framework. We support the industry in our budget and will continue to marshal science, innovation, and competition for the benefit of all agricultural sectors and producers across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Quebec will be in Washington today to talk about the NAFTA negotiations, and many Quebec mayors have already done likewise. Elected officials in Quebec no longer have any confidence in the federal government to conduct these negotiations.I do not blame them after the government's failure to properly address the softwood lumber and diafiltered milk issues. Unlike those of the federal government, Quebec's priorities are clear: protect good jobs, protect supply management, and resolve the softwood lumber issue.When will the government tell us what its priorities are for the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, our government takes mutual accountability seriously. All contribution agreements between our government and first nations contain strong reporting provisions to ensure that funds are used as intended. We remain committed to establishing a new fiscal relationship with first nations, including to strengthen mutual accountability measures. In support of this commitment, my department is currently engaging, from coast to coast to coast, with first nations leadership and community members.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's proposed $35-billion slush fund, also known as the Liberal infrastructure bank, is a disaster in the making. Even worse, we have learned, according to what the finance minister said last week, that the slush fund will not be run by Canadians. Can the Prime Minister please explain why he will be appointing foreigners, who do not have Canada's best interests in mind, to the board of the Liberal infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, far too many Canadians still face violence every day simply because of their gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. Our status of women committee, of which I am vice-chair, studied this issue, and I think we would all agree it is time for us to take action.Budget 2017 committed $100.9 million for a gender-based violence strategy. Could the parliamentary secretary to the minister of status of women update the House on the status of this strategy?
Mr. Speaker, we have been talking about this infrastructure bank for years. It was one of our core election promises.We know that we need to invest in infrastructure. After a decade under the previous government, we have made record investments of up to $180 billion.However, we also have to be innovative. That is why we are setting up this infrastructure bank, in order to build more infrastructure, whether for public transit, roads, or ports, things that Canadians need to create economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, the government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have already launched national mutual accountability engagements with first nations, community leaders, and members, including both in-person and online engagements. We have also been working on mutual accountability for almost a year with the AFN and the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association. Everyone, including first nations governments, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this in the coming months, working in partnership with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's refusal to answer that question shows why this infrastructure bank is a complete disaster. Over the weekend, when asked a direct question, the Prime Minister refused to say when, if ever, he plans on balancing the budget. Given that our children and our grandchildren will be the ones stuck paying off his excessive spending habits and his multi-billion-dollar tab, they deserve an honest answer to a simple question. In what year does the Prime Minister plan on balancing the budget? Will it be the year that pigs fly or the year that hell freezes over?
Mr. Speaker, that was an inquiry my colleague called for.Today, the minister unveiled a strategy on gender-based violence. While we do need data and RCMP training, there is absolutely nothing for front-line services to support survivors of sexual assault. Every night, 500 women and kids are turned away from domestic violence shelters in Canada500 of them.Why does this so-called anti-violence strategy have absolutely nothing for women fleeing violence and for the front-line workers who support them?
Mr. Speaker, nearly one year after the Prime Minister made the ill-advised promise to send 600 Canadian soldiers on some sort of peacekeeping mission, we are still in the dark.The Liberals could have given us the details of this mission in their defence or foreign affairs policies, but once again, it is radio silence. We have now learned that Canada has refused five interesting offers from the UN.Could the Prime Minister finally tell our soldiers what is going on, rather than using them as pawns to try to win a seat on the UN Security Council?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oakville NorthBurlington for the question, and for her leadership on gender equality. I was pleased to join the Minister of Status of Women this morning as she announced our government's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. Our strategy is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems. Our approach will build a solid foundation for action.It is time for Canada's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, we all agree. The government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have launched a national mutual accountability engagement with first nations, including in-person and online engagements. Everyone, including first nations, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this by working in close collaboration with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that in the policy statement, the chief of the defence staff said that it was a great day for our men and women in uniform.Yes, we will ensure that our military personnel have the right equipment to carry out their mission. First and foremost, we have commitments to our NORAD and NATO allies. That is why we want to replace our aging equipment, so that our men and women in uniform can properly carry out their missions at home and abroad.
Mr. Speaker, Canada and our allies depend on satellite communications to safely perform peace and security operations around the world. The news that the Liberal government has fast-tracked the sale of Norsat is causing the U.S. government to review its use of Norsat components. Why? Because the U.S. feels it could put its operations and its people at risk.My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Why is the Liberal government putting the security of Canada and allies at risk all to appease the Chinese government?
Mr. Speaker, because that answer was so gosh darn convincing, I have another one for the minister.Her Liberal government is refusing to reveal to Canadians important information about tax cheats, even after the minister's promise to reveal important information about tax cheats. The minister's office now says that it is not its responsibility to release this information. Really? It is not the responsibility of the minister's office to tackle tax evasion and keep the minister's own promises?If the minister is not running her department, could she tell us who the heck is? If she will not do her job, will she at least find somebody who can?
Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of words that say that the minister is refusing to enforce the law. Why can she not just stand up and say, I am refusing to enforce the law here, and does she realize that, as a result of her negligence, band members are having to go to court to get information to which they are rightfully entitled? Why is the member defending the status quo instead of doing what is right for first nations communities?
Mr. Speaker, our government pledged to fight tax evasion and tax havens to ensure that our tax system is fair for all Canadians. I am proud of the leadership we have shown internationally by enhancing our collaboration with international partners. We are working hard to make sure our tax system is fair.Our government will continue to inform Canadians about our efforts to fight tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be working with our Quebec caucus to deliver on the commitment that we made to all Canadians, including the Province of Quebec. A $1.3 billion investment in Montreal's transit system will create 34,000 jobs in that region.That is delivering for Canadians. That is delivering for the Province of Quebec. As far as the legislation is concerned, we are very confident that the way it is being done will respect the local jurisdictions in Quebec and in other provinces.
Mr. Speaker, the suicide of a veteran is always a tragedy.We are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to update our practices in order to provide better support to veterans and their families and to ensure that we are not only doing the right things, but also becoming a leader in the area.In budget 2017, we announced the opening of a centre of excellence on mental health for post-traumatic stress disorder in order to encourage the use of best practices and reduce stigma.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all women and girls can live free from violence. This is why we are investing $100.9 million in a strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. The strategy we released today is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems; and it will build a solid foundation for action and fill important gaps in support for survivors of gender-based violence. Today was a very good day in the fight against gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, Canada is steadfast in renewing its commitment to the United Nations. Maintaining international peace and stability, including within the United Nations, is one of the core missions assigned to the Canadian Armed Forces in Strong, Secure, Engaged. The new policy reiterates Canada's determination to make a meaningful contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping operations and add value to them.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice likes to say that she is proud of her record. Is the minister proud of the near-historic number of judicial vacancies? Is the minister proud of the fact that nearly half of the judicial advisory committees remain vacant? Is the minister proud of the dozens of serious criminal cases that have been thrown out of court due to her inaction, with thousands more at risk? How can the minister say she is proud of that record with a straight face?
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the work our government is doing.In Canada we embrace diversity and inclusion. We have to ensure that everybody has the freedom to be who they are. That is why I am incredibly proud that the Senate passed Bill C-16 last week. I look forward to it receiving royal assent and adding to the Canadian Human Rights Code a prohibition against gender identity and gender expression. We are doing more. We are looking at historic records and the expungement of them for unjust laws. In this month of pride, I want to celebrate and applaud the
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to build the best public transit to reduce the gridlock facing our communities. They want us to invest in more affordable housing to create opportunities for Canadians. They want to invest in recreational and cultural infrastructure. That is exactly what our infrastructure plan, an ambitious $186-billion plan, will do. With respect to the jurisdictions of provinces and municipalities, the bank will do that.
Mr. Speaker, forestry workers are demonstrating across Quebec today to call on the government to negotiate a fair and balanced agreement on softwood lumber. That may seem obvious, but the forestry sector has learned not to trust Ottawa.Arguing over guarantees has cost weeks of work for workers, who are more than ready for a bit of stability.Will the government make a solemn promise to refuse to sign any sellout agreement that could hurt forestry workers?
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to conducting an open and transparent competition for the permanent replacement of the fleet of fighter jets. This competitive process will help ensure that the members of the Canadian Armed Forces have the best aircraft for the long term, while getting the best value for money and generating the most economic benefits for Canadians. We have begun to develop the bid solicitation process. The initial consultations with the industry will begin in 2017.
Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that official languages are important to our government and that the official languages commissioner is, too.We will have an official languages commissioner. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is fully operational and I will be making some announcements soon.
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in the House and talk about the good work our government is doing. The first thing we did when we took office was lower taxes for middle-class Canadians, while raising them for the wealthiest 1%. We also put in place the Canada child benefit program, which has lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. We also increased the guaranteed income supplement by 10% for low-income seniors.We will keep on working for Canadians. That is exactly what we will be doing.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, I am incredibly proud of the 77 substantive, meritorious Superior Court justices who I have been able to appoint thus far. More appointments are going to be coming.The appointees represent the diversity that is our great country. I am going to continue to make these appointments. Likewise, I am going to continue to substantively work with my counterparts in the provinces and territories to address the call of the Supreme Court of Canada to ensure that there is a culture change among all actors in the criminal justice system. There is no one solution to this. We are working
Mr. Speaker, I take my responsibility to appoint superior court justices in the country incredibly seriously. I am very pleased to have introduced a new appointments process that is open and transparent. I am very happy to have appointed 77 justices across the country to the superior courts. I will continue to appoint justices to the superior courts to fill the vacancies.We will continue to work collaboratively with the provinces and territories to ensure we have substantive solutions to address the realities of the delays that exist in the criminal justice system across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it is a chance to remind the House of the significance of the measures that we have undertaken to make sure, both in the short term and in the long term, that the forestry industry is respected in Canada. That includes $605 million from the Export Development Corporation. It includes very timely measures to expand export markets. That includes taking the leaders of the industry in Quebec to China to begin to make the argument that our wood is the best wood in the world.We are very proud of that initiative. We are very proud of how we have stood up for the forestry
Mr. Speaker, we are calling on the Prime Minister to tell us when we will return to a balanced budget and he has nothing intelligent to say to us. He is asking taxpayers to sign a $35-billion cheque for the infrastructure bank. It makes no sense. The Liberals are irresponsible and improvising across the board with taxpayers' money.When will the Prime Minister respect this institution and allow us to take a more thorough look at this bank?
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the 77 meritorious, diverse
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Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the 77 meritorious, diverse
Mr. Speaker, we are calling on the Prime Minister to tell us when we will return to a balanced budget and he has nothing intelligent to say to us. He is asking taxpayers to sign a $35-billion cheque for the infrastructure bank. It makes no sense. The Liberals are irresponsible and improvising across the board with taxpayers' money.When will the Prime Minister respect this institution and allow us to take a more thorough look at this bank?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it is a chance to remind the House of the significance of the measures that we have undertaken to make sure, both in the short term and in the long term, that the forestry industry is respected in Canada. That includes $605 million from the Export Development Corporation. It includes very timely measures to expand export markets. That includes taking the leaders of the industry in Quebec to China to begin to make the argument that our wood is the best wood in the world.We are very proud of that initiative. We are very proud of how we have stood up for the forestry
Mr. Speaker, I take my responsibility to appoint superior court justices in the country incredibly seriously. I am very pleased to have introduced a new appointments process that is open and transparent. I am very happy to have appointed 77 justices across the country to the superior courts. I will continue to appoint justices to the superior courts to fill the vacancies.We will continue to work collaboratively with the provinces and territories to ensure we have substantive solutions to address the realities of the delays that exist in the criminal justice system across the country.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, I am incredibly proud of the 77 substantive, meritorious Superior Court justices who I have been able to appoint thus far. More appointments are going to be coming.The appointees represent the diversity that is our great country. I am going to continue to make these appointments. Likewise, I am going to continue to substantively work with my counterparts in the provinces and territories to address the call of the Supreme Court of Canada to ensure that there is a culture change among all actors in the criminal justice system. There is no one solution to this. We are working
Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that official languages are important to our government and that the official languages commissioner is, too.We will have an official languages commissioner. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is fully operational and I will be making some announcements soon.
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in the House and talk about the good work our government is doing. The first thing we did when we took office was lower taxes for middle-class Canadians, while raising them for the wealthiest 1%. We also put in place the Canada child benefit program, which has lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. We also increased the guaranteed income supplement by 10% for low-income seniors.We will keep on working for Canadians. That is exactly what we will be doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to conducting an open and transparent competition for the permanent replacement of the fleet of fighter jets. This competitive process will help ensure that the members of the Canadian Armed Forces have the best aircraft for the long term, while getting the best value for money and generating the most economic benefits for Canadians. We have begun to develop the bid solicitation process. The initial consultations with the industry will begin in 2017.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the work our government is doing.In Canada we embrace diversity and inclusion. We have to ensure that everybody has the freedom to be who they are. That is why I am incredibly proud that the Senate passed Bill C-16 last week. I look forward to it receiving royal assent and adding to the Canadian Human Rights Code a prohibition against gender identity and gender expression. We are doing more. We are looking at historic records and the expungement of them for unjust laws. In this month of pride, I want to celebrate and applaud the
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to build the best public transit to reduce the gridlock facing our communities. They want us to invest in more affordable housing to create opportunities for Canadians. They want to invest in recreational and cultural infrastructure. That is exactly what our infrastructure plan, an ambitious $186-billion plan, will do. With respect to the jurisdictions of provinces and municipalities, the bank will do that.
Mr. Speaker, forestry workers are demonstrating across Quebec today to call on the government to negotiate a fair and balanced agreement on softwood lumber. That may seem obvious, but the forestry sector has learned not to trust Ottawa.Arguing over guarantees has cost weeks of work for workers, who are more than ready for a bit of stability.Will the government make a solemn promise to refuse to sign any sellout agreement that could hurt forestry workers?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice likes to say that she is proud of her record. Is the minister proud of the near-historic number of judicial vacancies? Is the minister proud of the fact that nearly half of the judicial advisory committees remain vacant? Is the minister proud of the dozens of serious criminal cases that have been thrown out of court due to her inaction, with thousands more at risk? How can the minister say she is proud of that record with a straight face?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is steadfast in renewing its commitment to the United Nations. Maintaining international peace and stability, including within the United Nations, is one of the core missions assigned to the Canadian Armed Forces in Strong, Secure, Engaged. The new policy reiterates Canada's determination to make a meaningful contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping operations and add value to them.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all women and girls can live free from violence. This is why we are investing $100.9 million in a strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. The strategy we released today is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems; and it will build a solid foundation for action and fill important gaps in support for survivors of gender-based violence. Today was a very good day in the fight against gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, the suicide of a veteran is always a tragedy.We are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to update our practices in order to provide better support to veterans and their families and to ensure that we are not only doing the right things, but also becoming a leader in the area.In budget 2017, we announced the opening of a centre of excellence on mental health for post-traumatic stress disorder in order to encourage the use of best practices and reduce stigma.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be working with our Quebec caucus to deliver on the commitment that we made to all Canadians, including the Province of Quebec. A $1.3 billion investment in Montreal's transit system will create 34,000 jobs in that region.That is delivering for Canadians. That is delivering for the Province of Quebec. As far as the legislation is concerned, we are very confident that the way it is being done will respect the local jurisdictions in Quebec and in other provinces.
Mr. Speaker, our government pledged to fight tax evasion and tax havens to ensure that our tax system is fair for all Canadians. I am proud of the leadership we have shown internationally by enhancing our collaboration with international partners. We are working hard to make sure our tax system is fair.Our government will continue to inform Canadians about our efforts to fight tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.
Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of words that say that the minister is refusing to enforce the law. Why can she not just stand up and say, I am refusing to enforce the law here, and does she realize that, as a result of her negligence, band members are having to go to court to get information to which they are rightfully entitled? Why is the member defending the status quo instead of doing what is right for first nations communities?
Mr. Speaker, Canada and our allies depend on satellite communications to safely perform peace and security operations around the world. The news that the Liberal government has fast-tracked the sale of Norsat is causing the U.S. government to review its use of Norsat components. Why? Because the U.S. feels it could put its operations and its people at risk.My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Why is the Liberal government putting the security of Canada and allies at risk all to appease the Chinese government?
Mr. Speaker, because that answer was so gosh darn convincing, I have another one for the minister.Her Liberal government is refusing to reveal to Canadians important information about tax cheats, even after the minister's promise to reveal important information about tax cheats. The minister's office now says that it is not its responsibility to release this information. Really? It is not the responsibility of the minister's office to tackle tax evasion and keep the minister's own promises?If the minister is not running her department, could she tell us who the heck is? If she will not do her job, will she at least find somebody who can?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that in the policy statement, the chief of the defence staff said that it was a great day for our men and women in uniform.Yes, we will ensure that our military personnel have the right equipment to carry out their mission. First and foremost, we have commitments to our NORAD and NATO allies. That is why we want to replace our aging equipment, so that our men and women in uniform can properly carry out their missions at home and abroad.
Mr. Speaker, we all agree. The government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have launched a national mutual accountability engagement with first nations, including in-person and online engagements. Everyone, including first nations, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this by working in close collaboration with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oakville NorthBurlington for the question, and for her leadership on gender equality. I was pleased to join the Minister of Status of Women this morning as she announced our government's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. Our strategy is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems. Our approach will build a solid foundation for action.It is time for Canada's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, nearly one year after the Prime Minister made the ill-advised promise to send 600 Canadian soldiers on some sort of peacekeeping mission, we are still in the dark.The Liberals could have given us the details of this mission in their defence or foreign affairs policies, but once again, it is radio silence. We have now learned that Canada has refused five interesting offers from the UN.Could the Prime Minister finally tell our soldiers what is going on, rather than using them as pawns to try to win a seat on the UN Security Council?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's refusal to answer that question shows why this infrastructure bank is a complete disaster. Over the weekend, when asked a direct question, the Prime Minister refused to say when, if ever, he plans on balancing the budget. Given that our children and our grandchildren will be the ones stuck paying off his excessive spending habits and his multi-billion-dollar tab, they deserve an honest answer to a simple question. In what year does the Prime Minister plan on balancing the budget? Will it be the year that pigs fly or the year that hell freezes over?
Mr. Speaker, that was an inquiry my colleague called for.Today, the minister unveiled a strategy on gender-based violence. While we do need data and RCMP training, there is absolutely nothing for front-line services to support survivors of sexual assault. Every night, 500 women and kids are turned away from domestic violence shelters in Canada500 of them.Why does this so-called anti-violence strategy have absolutely nothing for women fleeing violence and for the front-line workers who support them?
Mr. Speaker, the government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have already launched national mutual accountability engagements with first nations, community leaders, and members, including both in-person and online engagements. We have also been working on mutual accountability for almost a year with the AFN and the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association. Everyone, including first nations governments, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this in the coming months, working in partnership with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, we have been talking about this infrastructure bank for years. It was one of our core election promises.We know that we need to invest in infrastructure. After a decade under the previous government, we have made record investments of up to $180 billion.However, we also have to be innovative. That is why we are setting up this infrastructure bank, in order to build more infrastructure, whether for public transit, roads, or ports, things that Canadians need to create economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's proposed $35-billion slush fund, also known as the Liberal infrastructure bank, is a disaster in the making. Even worse, we have learned, according to what the finance minister said last week, that the slush fund will not be run by Canadians. Can the Prime Minister please explain why he will be appointing foreigners, who do not have Canada's best interests in mind, to the board of the Liberal infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, far too many Canadians still face violence every day simply because of their gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. Our status of women committee, of which I am vice-chair, studied this issue, and I think we would all agree it is time for us to take action.Budget 2017 committed $100.9 million for a gender-based violence strategy. Could the parliamentary secretary to the minister of status of women update the House on the status of this strategy?
Mr. Speaker, our government takes mutual accountability seriously. All contribution agreements between our government and first nations contain strong reporting provisions to ensure that funds are used as intended. We remain committed to establishing a new fiscal relationship with first nations, including to strengthen mutual accountability measures. In support of this commitment, my department is currently engaging, from coast to coast to coast, with first nations leadership and community members.
Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Quebec will be in Washington today to talk about the NAFTA negotiations, and many Quebec mayors have already done likewise. Elected officials in Quebec no longer have any confidence in the federal government to conduct these negotiations.I do not blame them after the government's failure to properly address the softwood lumber and diafiltered milk issues. Unlike those of the federal government, Quebec's priorities are clear: protect good jobs, protect supply management, and resolve the softwood lumber issue.When will the government tell us what its priorities are for the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, we have heard all these arguments before. They were the core of the member opposite's re-election campaign. It was the core of the Conservative platform in the 2015 election, a platform soundly rejected by Canadians, because it focused on balancing the budget at all costs through cuts to services and investments for Canadians. We made a commitment to invest in a brighter future through investing in infrastructure for Canadians and by putting more money in the pockets of the middle class by raising taxes on the wealthiest one per cent, all things those members stood against.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to the financial success of the fruit and vegetable industry. We are looking at ways we can support this important Canadian industry by collaborating on a national nutrition policy as part of the next strategic framework. We support the industry in our budget and will continue to marshal science, innovation, and competition for the benefit of all agricultural sectors and producers across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend Philippe Couillard, the Premier of Quebec, who, like all of the other provincial premiers, has committed to working with the American government.We emphasized how important it is for all levels of government to work together to make the United States understand that Canadians stand united, that we are concerned about its approach, and that we are prepared to strongly defend Canada's interests. That is what we are all going to do, and I commend Premier Couillard for his initiative today in Washington.
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, Canada did announce that it was back in the world and will play a significant role in international and multilateral institutions, including as a determined peace-builder returning to peace support operations. That was a commitment of our government, and we will restore Canada's role in peace support missions. We are taking our time, thoughtfully, to decide what mission Canada will lead in. We are doing that because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, national security is a top priority for our government. All transactions reviewed under the act are subject to a multi-stage security review process. We can assure the House that the process was followed to the letter and that no risk to national security was identified. Throughout the process, our security agencies had access to all the information they needed.We have never compromised on national security, and we never will.
Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect and admiration for the parliamentary secretary. The problem is that my question was for the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the one who needs to answer to Canadians on issues of national security.If the government insists everything was done by the book, then there is just one more thing for the Prime Minister to do to reassure Canadians and our NATO, American, and European allies who are questioning Canada's national security.Why is the government refusing to table all of the documents relating to the Norsat scandal?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming clear that the Prime Minister's approval to sell Canadian senior care facilities to Anbang Insurance of China has placed our seniors at risk. Questions went unanswered when the deal was first inked, but the Liberals said everything would be just fine. Now Anbang's chairman, Mr. Wu, has been arrested by Chinese officials on corruption charges. Anbang's assets, including the B.C. retirement homes, are now at risk of being taken over by the Chinese government. With so many warning signs, why did the Prime Minister not do any due diligence before he approved this deal?
Mr. Speaker, with Canada's 150th anniversary just around the corner, Canadians have much to celebrate. We will be celebrating with an amazing craft beer, wine, and spirits. However, in typical Liberal fashion, as we raise a glass to celebrate Canada, they are finding new ways to raise taxes to pay for their out-of-control spending. This year and every following year, the Liberals will be raising taxes on beer, wine, and spirits, despite the fact that we already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. Could the minister please explain that the only promise he is willing to keep is a promise to raise taxes and tax the fun out of our Canada Day celebrations?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the Norsat scandal, the Liberals just cannot keep their story straight. First, the Prime Minister claimed the U.S. was on board, but it was not. Then he said the deal was subject to a strict, national security review, but it was not. In fact, the Prime Minister's own cabinet decided to skip that review. This deal puts Canada and the U.S. at risk. Without rigid security checks, the Liberals still gave it the green light.Will the Liberals listen to the concerns of the U.S., our closet friend and ally, and put Canadian safety first?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we need investments in public transit. We need investments in social infrastructure. We need investments in green infrastructure to grow our communities, to grow our economy, and to create good jobs for the middle class today and for our children and grandchildren tomorrow. That is the vision of our government. This is what we put forward in the election campaign, and this is what we continue to work on. We know that global investment can lead to better outcomes for Canadians. That is what we are focusing on drawing in.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep telling us that they take judicial appointments seriously, yet to date there are still judicial vacancies right across the country. Under our Conservative government, we appointed more than 500 judicial appointments. If the Liberals are incapable of doing their job, the opposition would be more than happy to do it for them. These delays in the criminal justice system must end and criminals must be prosecuted. When are the Liberals going to start taking this job seriously and fill all the judicial vacancies without excuses?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to stop repeating his talking points and reassure Canadians once and for all.The Liberals cannot continue to hold Canadians in the dark when it comes to the renegotiation of NAFTA. Workers throughout the country are quickly losing confidence in the Liberal government and its ability to negotiate a good trade deal in their interest. In less than a month, the U.S. will reveal its final priorities, and still, deafening silence from the government side. Canadians deserve a government that will stand up and fight for their jobs, so when will the government release its plans on the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, for decades the Canadian government actively discriminated against gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer Canadians. Thousands of public servants and military personnel were fired for their sexual orientation, forced to live double lives or risk loss of employment or even criminal conviction. I am proud of our government's efforts to build stronger ties with my community, working for rights at home and abroad. However, still more remains to be done. Could the Minister of Justice update us on steps the government is taking to heal the wounds in the LGBTQ2 community?
Mr. Speaker, deaths from suicide devastate our community. There are too many unanswered questions regarding why so many veterans turn to self-harm. Mr. Lionel Desmond not only ended his own life but also the lives of his daughter, his partner, and his mother. This terrible tragedy needs to be examined. Will the minister take responsibility and call an inquiry into the triple murder-suicide of Lionel Desmond, to shed some light and find a remedy for our veterans who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, the members across the way are proving once again that they do not understand how the Canadian economy works or what Canadians need.Canadians need investment in infrastructure for things like public transit, affordable housing, and green infrastructure. For 10 years, the former government of the members across the way under-invested in our communities. We know that we have to make immediate and innovative investments, and that is exactly what we are doing for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to offshore-related files, the CRA is currently conducting audits on over 820 taxpayers and criminally investigating over 20 cases of tax evasion. Information shared under tax information sharing agreements and tax treaties is yielding results. I want to make it very clear that we will ensure our tax system is fair by ferreting out tax cheats and making them pay.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot help themselves. They love picking winners and losers by imposing big-government regulations. Now the Liberals are targeting credit unions by prohibiting their use of the terms bank and banking. This means if a credit union uses a term like personal banking or online banking in their promotions, they run afoul of the rules and could face penalties between $500,000 and $5 million.Could the finance minister explain to Canadians why his government is being so petty in the targeting of credit unions? Is it because all of his friends on Bay Street are telling him to do this?
Mr. Speaker, last week the courts ruled that Onion Lake Cree Nation must post its financial transparency information in accordance with the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. This is a great victory for Charmaine Stick and those across the country. We now have a judgment that clearly states the minister was irresponsible and wrong in not enforcing the act. Will she commit today that she will empower band members and that no other people will have to take their band to court for transparency, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the issue here is about respect for Parliament and passing a fundamental change to how we fund infrastructure projects. Without proper study is not the way to do it.Clearly, there were not enough consultations, and the most blatant example relates to Quebec, since the infrastructure bank is going to ignore Quebec laws. A more thorough study of the bill would have allowed us to examine these kinds of issues related to the infrastructure bank. There is no time for that under the leadership of this Prime Minister.Why is the government so determined to move ahead with this plan for the infrastructure bank? Why is it so determined to keep us from giving it the consideration it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, the application by Cedar Tree to acquire Retirement Concepts has been approved under the Investment Canada Act. The acquisition will result in a net economic benefit to Canada. As a result of that review, Cedar Tree has agreed to maintain the current level of full-time and part-time employees, maintain a current Canadian operator, Retirement Concepts, to continue to manage the business, not close or repurpose any of the existing residences, and to financially support the expansion of business. This will remain in place for a significant period of time.We reviewed the transaction under the Investment Canada Act. The Government of British Columbia is doing its part
Mr. Speaker, it has been 18 months, and they are doing nothing to enforce a law that is on our books. Her excuses have never held water. Let me read from the court judgment, which states: There is no evidence before me as to the political or economic reasons why Onion Lake has refused to provide and post specified information. There is, for example, no evidence that Onion Lake's commercial interests would be negatively affected. Will the minister follow the direction of the judge, or is she going to force more band members to plead their cases in front of the courts, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, we very much look forward to sitting down with the American side after August 18, when the Americans have permission to sit down and start negotiating. Until then, we have made it very clear that our priorities are defending Canada's interests. Whether it be in softwood, whether it be in auto, or whether it be in dairy and supply management, we will always stand up and defend Canada's interests. We will not, however, talk in great detail about our negotiation strategy. Canadians know we will defend their interests. We will continue to fight hard for Canadian jobs and for growth for the middle class, because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, we know that the Prime Minister thinks highly of the Chinese dictatorship. We also know that the Prime Minister invested hundreds of millions of taxpayers' dollars in an Asian bank. We also know that the Prime Minister met with Chinese billionaires who made very generous contributions to his father's foundation. None of that, however, gives the Prime Minister permission to put Canada's national security at risk.Why did the Prime Minister waive the requisite security review of the Norsat deal?
Mr. Speaker, I recently met with executive members of the BC Fruit Growers' Association and the Canadian Horticultural Council, representing produce growers in my riding of KootenayColumbia. They told me that Canadian growers suffer greatly when their buyer fails to pay them due to bankruptcy. The Standing Committee on Agriculture unanimously urged the minister to develop a payment protection model for Canada's growers, but nothing has happened. It has been a year. When will the government take action to protect our fruit and vegetable growers?
Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, I am surprised the party opposite does not trust our national security agencies and does not trust the opinions they give.We have a process in place under the Investment Canada Act. We followed that process. Our security agencies are required to consult, investigate, and to have all the facts in front of them. They did that. They gave us their opinion; we followed that opinion. Our national security has never been put at risk.
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment to Canadians to improve the way this place works, and that is exactly what we are doing. The budget legislation we put forward contains only elements that were actually in the budget, unlike the previous government's attempts at getting around the parliamentary process.As for the work done by the Senate, we respect tremendously the hard work senators are doing to examine and make recommendations on bills, but we certainly expect budget bills passed in this House of Commons to be passed by the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, Canadians had a very simple choice to make. Two parties wanted to make cuts to balance the budget at all costs, while we proposed investing in our communities, in growing the middle class, in science and technology research, and in the economic growth that Canadians needed after 10 years of mismanagement under that opposition party. The fact is that we are investing in our future together, just as we promised Canadians we would do.
Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. We are not compromising our national security. We are not compromising our national interests. We are in fact trying to balance our national interests. We relied on a process that put our national security first and foremost. That process was followed. Our national security agencies did their due diligence. They investigated the transaction. They had all the facts in front of them. They gave us their opinion. We are following that opinion. We trust our national security agencies. We will never put our security at risk.
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment over a year and a half ago to create the infrastructure bank. It was a clear campaign promise. We will continue to invest in the infrastructure that Canadians need.I understand that the members opposite want to spend all their time negotiating and examining everything that happens in the House, but sooner or later, we have to deliver on the commitments made to Canadians. We need to keep our promises regarding the public transit Canadians need, as well as social infrastructure. That is exactly what our government is doing for Quebec, for Quebeckers, and for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to point out that my parliamentary privileges, and those of the other members of the House, have been violated. The Commissioner of Official Languages reports not only to the government, but also to Parliament. As a result, Parliament must know who the Commissioner of Official Languages is so it can address this individual, ask questions, and receive information. Today, I asked the Minister of Canadian Heritage who the current Commissioner of Official Languages is and at what time we will know when a new Commissioner of Official Languages is appointed.We currently do not know who the official languages commissioner is. Perhaps the government knows, but if we parliamentarians do not know, then this is a violation of our rights as parliamentarians, because commissioners do not report to the government, but to Parliament as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, the credit union system is an important part of the Canadian economy and contributes to competition in financial services. Credit unions are key suppliers of financing for small and medium-sized businesses, and also for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have encouraged the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions to get in touch with the credit unions and to work collaboratively to ensure they come up with a solution that can work for both.
Mr. Speaker, while millions of Canadian children were celebrating Father's Day yesterday, Raif Badawi's children Najwa, Myriyam and Doudi lamented their father's absence, which is going on five years now. Last week, Raif Badawi's three children appealed directly to the Prime Minister when they said, quote, Mr. [Prime Minister], pick up the phone, call the king of Saudi Arabia, so our father comes back." In 2015, before his election of course, the hon. member for Papineau urged Mr. Harper to intervene personally in this case.What does the Prime Minister have to say today to the children of Raif Badawi?
Mr. Speaker, our government is open to investments that create jobs, growth, and long-term prosperity for Canadians. While the official opposition continues with its scare tactics and fearmongering, let us talk about the facts. The day-to-day operations of the residences will continue to be managed by Retirement Concepts, the same management that was there before. Rules are not changing. The residents will continue to be subject to the same robust provincial health regulations that have always applied to them. The residents and health care workers will continue to be protected by the same legislation.We did our homework on this transaction. We assured what we had to make certain, and we have done it.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has attended cash-for-access fundraisers with Chinese billionaires. He has publicly expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship in China. Chinese interests are funding a statue of his father. Now the Prime Minister is fast-tracking the sale of Canadian businesses to China without full security reviews. Our former ambassador to China has called the Prime Minister's approach naive and worrying. I agree.Has the government House leader asked the Ethics Commissioner about possible conflicts of interest with respect to the Prime Minister and transactions involving China?
Mr. Speaker, there is a very clear process envisioned under the Investment Canada Act. It is a multi-step process that requires our national security agencies to look at the facts, get the facts in front of them, and make a national security recommendation. We followed that process to the letter. We followed their advice. We trust our national security agencies, which have done their due diligence. We have undertaken this multi-step process, as it should have been undertaken.
Mr. Speaker, we listened to our national security experts. We listened to their advice. They reviewed the transaction and the facts. We authorized this transaction based on their advice and recommendations.I want to reassure the House and all Canadians that we will never compromise on national security and we will always work to advance our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan to replace Canada's fighter jets has become a real farce, and the farce has even spread to the international stage. That side of the House cannot even organize a simple meeting with representatives from the aerospace industry. On top of that, most stakeholders have lost all confidence in the Minister of National Defence, so this file has become a massive boondoggle.Does the Prime Minister understand the magnitude of the problem? Will he bring his minister into line and immediately launch an open and transparent process?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister announced during the election campaign that he would run small deficits of $10 billion a year. At the current rate, the deficits will be $25 billion a year. Initially, that was supposed to be for only two years, but now we are told that it will be for an indefinite period.The Prime Minister is showing yet again that he is utterly incapable of managing taxpayers' money responsibly, and it is our children and grandchildren who will pay the price. My question is simple. Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians, once and for all, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' mismanagement of the fighter jet replacement has gone from a national scandal to an international embarrassment.Over the weekend, officials were instructed to meet with aerospace companies in Paris, then they were told to cancel those meetings, and then they were told to reschedule them. The Minister of National Defence has made a complete mess of this file.Is there anyone on the Liberal benches, anyone at all, who can fix this comedy of errors and actually hold an open competition to replace our aging fighter jets now?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are hiding how dangerous this deal is for both Canada and the U.S. Nobody buys that.Michael Wessel from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said, the sale of Norsat to a Chinese entity raises significant national-security concerns for the United States as the company is a supplier to our military.The Liberals claim they have consulted the U.S., but will not say who, why, how, or when. Nothing adds up.Will the minister finally tell Canadians which U.S. officials they consulted and if they agreed to this deal?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from HullAylmer for his question.Our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. That is why we invested close to $1 billion in our last two budgets to ensure we have the tools we need tackle this problem effectively.Preliminary results indicate that we will recover over $13 billion during the fiscal year ending March 31.Our government is committed to cracking down on tax cheats and bringing them to justice with the help of our international partners.
Mr. Speaker, our government has raised the case of Mr. Badawi at the highest levels of the Saudi government.We continue to ask for clemency, so he can be reunited with his family. I have had the opportunity and the privilege of meeting with his wife on multiple occasions. I have reassured her that our government, our Prime Minister, and our Minister of Foreign Affairs are engaged on this case. We will continue to appeal for clemency for Mr. Badawi.
Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure bank needs to be split off from Bill C-44. Enough with these massive bills and poison pills hidden in 500-page tomes. The infrastructure bank is a bad idea that is going to weaken Quebec to the benefit of wealthy investors. Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebec, the farmers, and even the Senate and remove the infrastructure bank from Bill C-44?
Mr. Speaker, I do not understand what the Liberals are missing. The way Bill C-44 is drafted, the infrastructure bank can ignore the laws of Quebec and circumvent municipal bylaws. No agricultural zoning, and the power to expropriate: that is what will come out of Bill C-44. We have said it, the constitutionalists have said it, the National Assembly has said it, the farmers have said it, and even the Senate has said it. When will this government listen to us and split its bill to have a second look at its infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, senators are calling for an independent review of the infrastructure bank. Members on this side of the House are calling for the same. Every expert who has studied this infrastructure bank is concerned about the risks and fears that taxpayers will ultimately have to pay for this bank.If the Prime Minister has nothing to hide and the bank is as white as snow, then why is he afraid to have it thoroughly reviewed?
Mr. Speaker, at the OECD's instigation, Canada signed dozens of information sharing agreements with tax havens. Those agreements were supposed to increase transparency, but all they did was facilitate tax evasion. What began as a solution to a problem became a massive gift to big corporations.Over the past five years, at least $55 billion in profit has not been taxed by the Canada Revenue Agency. We have no way of knowing if the Liberals have even used the agreements because they are refusing to tell us and will not answer journalists' questions. What do they have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, nobody trusts the Liberals to deliver on that promise.The Liberals unveiled their defence and foreign policies, and surprise, surprise, there were no details of a UN peacekeeping mission in either of them. It has been almost a year since the Prime Minister naively promised 600 troops to a vague UN peacekeeping mission. Documents show that the Liberals have turned down five UN leadership roles and will not commit to a single UN mission.The Prime Minister has said that Canada is back. Now he is backing away from UN peacekeeping missions after stepping back from the fight against ISIS. When will the Prime Minister finally step up and quit embarrassing Canada on the world stage?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is fighting with his new independent Senate over splitting the infrastructure bank from the omnibus budget bill, but if the Liberals had kept their promises and worked with parliamentarians and not used budget omnibus bills, they would not be in this awkward, difficult situation. The finance minister revealed his hand last week at committee, when he said it would be absurd to tell a private company to move a project from Montreal to Winnipeg. Why are the Liberals putting corporate profit ahead of the interests of Canadians, and why will they not allow us to properly study this bill?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' approach to official languages is a joke.The Minister of Canadian Heritage forgot to extend the interim commissioner's mandate. As of Saturday, we no longer have an official languages watchdog. Before that, the Liberals announced the partisan appointment of Madeleine Meilleur with absolutely no regard for the law or Parliament. This is all the doing of a minister who tells us every day that official languages are a priority for the government. Really?When will the government get serious and respect the Official Languages Act?
Mr. Speaker, the innovation minister assured the House that the government had done its homework and there was no reason for Canadians to be concerned. He passed the buck to B.C. to regulate these homes. Anbang is a company with murky ownership built on risky investments. U.S. and Chinese regulators have raised serious concerns over its dealings. When the wolves of Wall Street will not touch Anbang, how could the Liberals use vulnerable seniors as pawns for the Prime Minister's insatiable appetite to cozy up to China?
Mr. Speaker, national security is our priority, and we take it very seriously. All investments reviewed under the Canada Investment Act are subject to a multi-stage national security review process conducted by our security agencies. That process was followed. The national security community conducted a review, consulted, had the facts in front of it. It gave us the recommendation that this transaction did not put into jeopardy national security. No transaction would take place if it did not uphold and satisfy this criterion.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we learned that search warrants had been executed in the Toronto area and in the United Kingdom in connection with a criminal investigation into a transatlantic GST/HST fraud scheme. Reports indicate that this carousel scheme netted $52 million in fraudulent tax refunds and credits. Would the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what she is doing to combat fraud?
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the 77 meritorious, diverse
Mr. Speaker, we are calling on the Prime Minister to tell us when we will return to a balanced budget and he has nothing intelligent to say to us. He is asking taxpayers to sign a $35-billion cheque for the infrastructure bank. It makes no sense. The Liberals are irresponsible and improvising across the board with taxpayers' money.When will the Prime Minister respect this institution and allow us to take a more thorough look at this bank?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it is a chance to remind the House of the significance of the measures that we have undertaken to make sure, both in the short term and in the long term, that the forestry industry is respected in Canada. That includes $605 million from the Export Development Corporation. It includes very timely measures to expand export markets. That includes taking the leaders of the industry in Quebec to China to begin to make the argument that our wood is the best wood in the world.We are very proud of that initiative. We are very proud of how we have stood up for the forestry
Mr. Speaker, I take my responsibility to appoint superior court justices in the country incredibly seriously. I am very pleased to have introduced a new appointments process that is open and transparent. I am very happy to have appointed 77 justices across the country to the superior courts. I will continue to appoint justices to the superior courts to fill the vacancies.We will continue to work collaboratively with the provinces and territories to ensure we have substantive solutions to address the realities of the delays that exist in the criminal justice system across the country.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, I am incredibly proud of the 77 substantive, meritorious Superior Court justices who I have been able to appoint thus far. More appointments are going to be coming.The appointees represent the diversity that is our great country. I am going to continue to make these appointments. Likewise, I am going to continue to substantively work with my counterparts in the provinces and territories to address the call of the Supreme Court of Canada to ensure that there is a culture change among all actors in the criminal justice system. There is no one solution to this. We are working
Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that official languages are important to our government and that the official languages commissioner is, too.We will have an official languages commissioner. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is fully operational and I will be making some announcements soon.
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise in the House and talk about the good work our government is doing. The first thing we did when we took office was lower taxes for middle-class Canadians, while raising them for the wealthiest 1%. We also put in place the Canada child benefit program, which has lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty. We also increased the guaranteed income supplement by 10% for low-income seniors.We will keep on working for Canadians. That is exactly what we will be doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to conducting an open and transparent competition for the permanent replacement of the fleet of fighter jets. This competitive process will help ensure that the members of the Canadian Armed Forces have the best aircraft for the long term, while getting the best value for money and generating the most economic benefits for Canadians. We have begun to develop the bid solicitation process. The initial consultations with the industry will begin in 2017.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of the work our government is doing.In Canada we embrace diversity and inclusion. We have to ensure that everybody has the freedom to be who they are. That is why I am incredibly proud that the Senate passed Bill C-16 last week. I look forward to it receiving royal assent and adding to the Canadian Human Rights Code a prohibition against gender identity and gender expression. We are doing more. We are looking at historic records and the expungement of them for unjust laws. In this month of pride, I want to celebrate and applaud the
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to build the best public transit to reduce the gridlock facing our communities. They want us to invest in more affordable housing to create opportunities for Canadians. They want to invest in recreational and cultural infrastructure. That is exactly what our infrastructure plan, an ambitious $186-billion plan, will do. With respect to the jurisdictions of provinces and municipalities, the bank will do that.
Mr. Speaker, forestry workers are demonstrating across Quebec today to call on the government to negotiate a fair and balanced agreement on softwood lumber. That may seem obvious, but the forestry sector has learned not to trust Ottawa.Arguing over guarantees has cost weeks of work for workers, who are more than ready for a bit of stability.Will the government make a solemn promise to refuse to sign any sellout agreement that could hurt forestry workers?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice likes to say that she is proud of her record. Is the minister proud of the near-historic number of judicial vacancies? Is the minister proud of the fact that nearly half of the judicial advisory committees remain vacant? Is the minister proud of the dozens of serious criminal cases that have been thrown out of court due to her inaction, with thousands more at risk? How can the minister say she is proud of that record with a straight face?
Mr. Speaker, Canada is steadfast in renewing its commitment to the United Nations. Maintaining international peace and stability, including within the United Nations, is one of the core missions assigned to the Canadian Armed Forces in Strong, Secure, Engaged. The new policy reiterates Canada's determination to make a meaningful contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping operations and add value to them.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all women and girls can live free from violence. This is why we are investing $100.9 million in a strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. The strategy we released today is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems; and it will build a solid foundation for action and fill important gaps in support for survivors of gender-based violence. Today was a very good day in the fight against gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, the suicide of a veteran is always a tragedy.We are working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to update our practices in order to provide better support to veterans and their families and to ensure that we are not only doing the right things, but also becoming a leader in the area.In budget 2017, we announced the opening of a centre of excellence on mental health for post-traumatic stress disorder in order to encourage the use of best practices and reduce stigma.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be working with our Quebec caucus to deliver on the commitment that we made to all Canadians, including the Province of Quebec. A $1.3 billion investment in Montreal's transit system will create 34,000 jobs in that region.That is delivering for Canadians. That is delivering for the Province of Quebec. As far as the legislation is concerned, we are very confident that the way it is being done will respect the local jurisdictions in Quebec and in other provinces.
Mr. Speaker, our government pledged to fight tax evasion and tax havens to ensure that our tax system is fair for all Canadians. I am proud of the leadership we have shown internationally by enhancing our collaboration with international partners. We are working hard to make sure our tax system is fair.Our government will continue to inform Canadians about our efforts to fight tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.
Mr. Speaker, that is a lot of words that say that the minister is refusing to enforce the law. Why can she not just stand up and say, I am refusing to enforce the law here, and does she realize that, as a result of her negligence, band members are having to go to court to get information to which they are rightfully entitled? Why is the member defending the status quo instead of doing what is right for first nations communities?
Mr. Speaker, Canada and our allies depend on satellite communications to safely perform peace and security operations around the world. The news that the Liberal government has fast-tracked the sale of Norsat is causing the U.S. government to review its use of Norsat components. Why? Because the U.S. feels it could put its operations and its people at risk.My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Why is the Liberal government putting the security of Canada and allies at risk all to appease the Chinese government?
Mr. Speaker, because that answer was so gosh darn convincing, I have another one for the minister.Her Liberal government is refusing to reveal to Canadians important information about tax cheats, even after the minister's promise to reveal important information about tax cheats. The minister's office now says that it is not its responsibility to release this information. Really? It is not the responsibility of the minister's office to tackle tax evasion and keep the minister's own promises?If the minister is not running her department, could she tell us who the heck is? If she will not do her job, will she at least find somebody who can?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that in the policy statement, the chief of the defence staff said that it was a great day for our men and women in uniform.Yes, we will ensure that our military personnel have the right equipment to carry out their mission. First and foremost, we have commitments to our NORAD and NATO allies. That is why we want to replace our aging equipment, so that our men and women in uniform can properly carry out their missions at home and abroad.
Mr. Speaker, we all agree. The government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have launched a national mutual accountability engagement with first nations, including in-person and online engagements. Everyone, including first nations, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this by working in close collaboration with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Oakville NorthBurlington for the question, and for her leadership on gender equality. I was pleased to join the Minister of Status of Women this morning as she announced our government's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence. Our strategy is based on prevention, support for survivors and their families, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems. Our approach will build a solid foundation for action.It is time for Canada's strategy to prevent and address gender-based violence.
Mr. Speaker, nearly one year after the Prime Minister made the ill-advised promise to send 600 Canadian soldiers on some sort of peacekeeping mission, we are still in the dark.The Liberals could have given us the details of this mission in their defence or foreign affairs policies, but once again, it is radio silence. We have now learned that Canada has refused five interesting offers from the UN.Could the Prime Minister finally tell our soldiers what is going on, rather than using them as pawns to try to win a seat on the UN Security Council?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's refusal to answer that question shows why this infrastructure bank is a complete disaster. Over the weekend, when asked a direct question, the Prime Minister refused to say when, if ever, he plans on balancing the budget. Given that our children and our grandchildren will be the ones stuck paying off his excessive spending habits and his multi-billion-dollar tab, they deserve an honest answer to a simple question. In what year does the Prime Minister plan on balancing the budget? Will it be the year that pigs fly or the year that hell freezes over?
Mr. Speaker, that was an inquiry my colleague called for.Today, the minister unveiled a strategy on gender-based violence. While we do need data and RCMP training, there is absolutely nothing for front-line services to support survivors of sexual assault. Every night, 500 women and kids are turned away from domestic violence shelters in Canada500 of them.Why does this so-called anti-violence strategy have absolutely nothing for women fleeing violence and for the front-line workers who support them?
Mr. Speaker, the government agrees that first nations individuals should be able to access their communities' financial information. We have already launched national mutual accountability engagements with first nations, community leaders, and members, including both in-person and online engagements. We have also been working on mutual accountability for almost a year with the AFN and the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association. Everyone, including first nations governments, wants increased transparency and accountability, and we will achieve this in the coming months, working in partnership with first nations.
Mr. Speaker, we have been talking about this infrastructure bank for years. It was one of our core election promises.We know that we need to invest in infrastructure. After a decade under the previous government, we have made record investments of up to $180 billion.However, we also have to be innovative. That is why we are setting up this infrastructure bank, in order to build more infrastructure, whether for public transit, roads, or ports, things that Canadians need to create economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's proposed $35-billion slush fund, also known as the Liberal infrastructure bank, is a disaster in the making. Even worse, we have learned, according to what the finance minister said last week, that the slush fund will not be run by Canadians. Can the Prime Minister please explain why he will be appointing foreigners, who do not have Canada's best interests in mind, to the board of the Liberal infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, far too many Canadians still face violence every day simply because of their gender expression, gender identity, or perceived gender. Our status of women committee, of which I am vice-chair, studied this issue, and I think we would all agree it is time for us to take action.Budget 2017 committed $100.9 million for a gender-based violence strategy. Could the parliamentary secretary to the minister of status of women update the House on the status of this strategy?
Mr. Speaker, our government takes mutual accountability seriously. All contribution agreements between our government and first nations contain strong reporting provisions to ensure that funds are used as intended. We remain committed to establishing a new fiscal relationship with first nations, including to strengthen mutual accountability measures. In support of this commitment, my department is currently engaging, from coast to coast to coast, with first nations leadership and community members.
Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Quebec will be in Washington today to talk about the NAFTA negotiations, and many Quebec mayors have already done likewise. Elected officials in Quebec no longer have any confidence in the federal government to conduct these negotiations.I do not blame them after the government's failure to properly address the softwood lumber and diafiltered milk issues. Unlike those of the federal government, Quebec's priorities are clear: protect good jobs, protect supply management, and resolve the softwood lumber issue.When will the government tell us what its priorities are for the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, we have heard all these arguments before. They were the core of the member opposite's re-election campaign. It was the core of the Conservative platform in the 2015 election, a platform soundly rejected by Canadians, because it focused on balancing the budget at all costs through cuts to services and investments for Canadians. We made a commitment to invest in a brighter future through investing in infrastructure for Canadians and by putting more money in the pockets of the middle class by raising taxes on the wealthiest one per cent, all things those members stood against.
Mr. Speaker, our government is absolutely committed to the financial success of the fruit and vegetable industry. We are looking at ways we can support this important Canadian industry by collaborating on a national nutrition policy as part of the next strategic framework. We support the industry in our budget and will continue to marshal science, innovation, and competition for the benefit of all agricultural sectors and producers across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my friend Philippe Couillard, the Premier of Quebec, who, like all of the other provincial premiers, has committed to working with the American government.We emphasized how important it is for all levels of government to work together to make the United States understand that Canadians stand united, that we are concerned about its approach, and that we are prepared to strongly defend Canada's interests. That is what we are all going to do, and I commend Premier Couillard for his initiative today in Washington.
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, Canada did announce that it was back in the world and will play a significant role in international and multilateral institutions, including as a determined peace-builder returning to peace support operations. That was a commitment of our government, and we will restore Canada's role in peace support missions. We are taking our time, thoughtfully, to decide what mission Canada will lead in. We are doing that because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, national security is a top priority for our government. All transactions reviewed under the act are subject to a multi-stage security review process. We can assure the House that the process was followed to the letter and that no risk to national security was identified. Throughout the process, our security agencies had access to all the information they needed.We have never compromised on national security, and we never will.
Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect and admiration for the parliamentary secretary. The problem is that my question was for the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the one who needs to answer to Canadians on issues of national security.If the government insists everything was done by the book, then there is just one more thing for the Prime Minister to do to reassure Canadians and our NATO, American, and European allies who are questioning Canada's national security.Why is the government refusing to table all of the documents relating to the Norsat scandal?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming clear that the Prime Minister's approval to sell Canadian senior care facilities to Anbang Insurance of China has placed our seniors at risk. Questions went unanswered when the deal was first inked, but the Liberals said everything would be just fine. Now Anbang's chairman, Mr. Wu, has been arrested by Chinese officials on corruption charges. Anbang's assets, including the B.C. retirement homes, are now at risk of being taken over by the Chinese government. With so many warning signs, why did the Prime Minister not do any due diligence before he approved this deal?
Mr. Speaker, with Canada's 150th anniversary just around the corner, Canadians have much to celebrate. We will be celebrating with an amazing craft beer, wine, and spirits. However, in typical Liberal fashion, as we raise a glass to celebrate Canada, they are finding new ways to raise taxes to pay for their out-of-control spending. This year and every following year, the Liberals will be raising taxes on beer, wine, and spirits, despite the fact that we already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. Could the minister please explain that the only promise he is willing to keep is a promise to raise taxes and tax the fun out of our Canada Day celebrations?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the Norsat scandal, the Liberals just cannot keep their story straight. First, the Prime Minister claimed the U.S. was on board, but it was not. Then he said the deal was subject to a strict, national security review, but it was not. In fact, the Prime Minister's own cabinet decided to skip that review. This deal puts Canada and the U.S. at risk. Without rigid security checks, the Liberals still gave it the green light.Will the Liberals listen to the concerns of the U.S., our closet friend and ally, and put Canadian safety first?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we need investments in public transit. We need investments in social infrastructure. We need investments in green infrastructure to grow our communities, to grow our economy, and to create good jobs for the middle class today and for our children and grandchildren tomorrow. That is the vision of our government. This is what we put forward in the election campaign, and this is what we continue to work on. We know that global investment can lead to better outcomes for Canadians. That is what we are focusing on drawing in.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals keep telling us that they take judicial appointments seriously, yet to date there are still judicial vacancies right across the country. Under our Conservative government, we appointed more than 500 judicial appointments. If the Liberals are incapable of doing their job, the opposition would be more than happy to do it for them. These delays in the criminal justice system must end and criminals must be prosecuted. When are the Liberals going to start taking this job seriously and fill all the judicial vacancies without excuses?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to stop repeating his talking points and reassure Canadians once and for all.The Liberals cannot continue to hold Canadians in the dark when it comes to the renegotiation of NAFTA. Workers throughout the country are quickly losing confidence in the Liberal government and its ability to negotiate a good trade deal in their interest. In less than a month, the U.S. will reveal its final priorities, and still, deafening silence from the government side. Canadians deserve a government that will stand up and fight for their jobs, so when will the government release its plans on the renegotiation of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, for decades the Canadian government actively discriminated against gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, and queer Canadians. Thousands of public servants and military personnel were fired for their sexual orientation, forced to live double lives or risk loss of employment or even criminal conviction. I am proud of our government's efforts to build stronger ties with my community, working for rights at home and abroad. However, still more remains to be done. Could the Minister of Justice update us on steps the government is taking to heal the wounds in the LGBTQ2 community?
Mr. Speaker, deaths from suicide devastate our community. There are too many unanswered questions regarding why so many veterans turn to self-harm. Mr. Lionel Desmond not only ended his own life but also the lives of his daughter, his partner, and his mother. This terrible tragedy needs to be examined. Will the minister take responsibility and call an inquiry into the triple murder-suicide of Lionel Desmond, to shed some light and find a remedy for our veterans who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, the members across the way are proving once again that they do not understand how the Canadian economy works or what Canadians need.Canadians need investment in infrastructure for things like public transit, affordable housing, and green infrastructure. For 10 years, the former government of the members across the way under-invested in our communities. We know that we have to make immediate and innovative investments, and that is exactly what we are doing for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to offshore-related files, the CRA is currently conducting audits on over 820 taxpayers and criminally investigating over 20 cases of tax evasion. Information shared under tax information sharing agreements and tax treaties is yielding results. I want to make it very clear that we will ensure our tax system is fair by ferreting out tax cheats and making them pay.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot help themselves. They love picking winners and losers by imposing big-government regulations. Now the Liberals are targeting credit unions by prohibiting their use of the terms bank and banking. This means if a credit union uses a term like personal banking or online banking in their promotions, they run afoul of the rules and could face penalties between $500,000 and $5 million.Could the finance minister explain to Canadians why his government is being so petty in the targeting of credit unions? Is it because all of his friends on Bay Street are telling him to do this?
Mr. Speaker, last week the courts ruled that Onion Lake Cree Nation must post its financial transparency information in accordance with the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. This is a great victory for Charmaine Stick and those across the country. We now have a judgment that clearly states the minister was irresponsible and wrong in not enforcing the act. Will she commit today that she will empower band members and that no other people will have to take their band to court for transparency, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the issue here is about respect for Parliament and passing a fundamental change to how we fund infrastructure projects. Without proper study is not the way to do it.Clearly, there were not enough consultations, and the most blatant example relates to Quebec, since the infrastructure bank is going to ignore Quebec laws. A more thorough study of the bill would have allowed us to examine these kinds of issues related to the infrastructure bank. There is no time for that under the leadership of this Prime Minister.Why is the government so determined to move ahead with this plan for the infrastructure bank? Why is it so determined to keep us from giving it the consideration it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, the application by Cedar Tree to acquire Retirement Concepts has been approved under the Investment Canada Act. The acquisition will result in a net economic benefit to Canada. As a result of that review, Cedar Tree has agreed to maintain the current level of full-time and part-time employees, maintain a current Canadian operator, Retirement Concepts, to continue to manage the business, not close or repurpose any of the existing residences, and to financially support the expansion of business. This will remain in place for a significant period of time.We reviewed the transaction under the Investment Canada Act. The Government of British Columbia is doing its part
Mr. Speaker, it has been 18 months, and they are doing nothing to enforce a law that is on our books. Her excuses have never held water. Let me read from the court judgment, which states: There is no evidence before me as to the political or economic reasons why Onion Lake has refused to provide and post specified information. There is, for example, no evidence that Onion Lake's commercial interests would be negatively affected. Will the minister follow the direction of the judge, or is she going to force more band members to plead their cases in front of the courts, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, we very much look forward to sitting down with the American side after August 18, when the Americans have permission to sit down and start negotiating. Until then, we have made it very clear that our priorities are defending Canada's interests. Whether it be in softwood, whether it be in auto, or whether it be in dairy and supply management, we will always stand up and defend Canada's interests. We will not, however, talk in great detail about our negotiation strategy. Canadians know we will defend their interests. We will continue to fight hard for Canadian jobs and for growth for the middle class, because that is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, we know that the Prime Minister thinks highly of the Chinese dictatorship. We also know that the Prime Minister invested hundreds of millions of taxpayers' dollars in an Asian bank. We also know that the Prime Minister met with Chinese billionaires who made very generous contributions to his father's foundation. None of that, however, gives the Prime Minister permission to put Canada's national security at risk.Why did the Prime Minister waive the requisite security review of the Norsat deal?
Mr. Speaker, I recently met with executive members of the BC Fruit Growers' Association and the Canadian Horticultural Council, representing produce growers in my riding of KootenayColumbia. They told me that Canadian growers suffer greatly when their buyer fails to pay them due to bankruptcy. The Standing Committee on Agriculture unanimously urged the minister to develop a payment protection model for Canada's growers, but nothing has happened. It has been a year. When will the government take action to protect our fruit and vegetable growers?
Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, I am surprised the party opposite does not trust our national security agencies and does not trust the opinions they give.We have a process in place under the Investment Canada Act. We followed that process. Our security agencies are required to consult, investigate, and to have all the facts in front of them. They did that. They gave us their opinion; we followed that opinion. Our national security has never been put at risk.
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment to Canadians to improve the way this place works, and that is exactly what we are doing. The budget legislation we put forward contains only elements that were actually in the budget, unlike the previous government's attempts at getting around the parliamentary process.As for the work done by the Senate, we respect tremendously the hard work senators are doing to examine and make recommendations on bills, but we certainly expect budget bills passed in this House of Commons to be passed by the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, Canadians had a very simple choice to make. Two parties wanted to make cuts to balance the budget at all costs, while we proposed investing in our communities, in growing the middle class, in science and technology research, and in the economic growth that Canadians needed after 10 years of mismanagement under that opposition party. The fact is that we are investing in our future together, just as we promised Canadians we would do.
Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. We are not compromising our national security. We are not compromising our national interests. We are in fact trying to balance our national interests. We relied on a process that put our national security first and foremost. That process was followed. Our national security agencies did their due diligence. They investigated the transaction. They had all the facts in front of them. They gave us their opinion. We are following that opinion. We trust our national security agencies. We will never put our security at risk.
Mr. Speaker, we made a commitment over a year and a half ago to create the infrastructure bank. It was a clear campaign promise. We will continue to invest in the infrastructure that Canadians need.I understand that the members opposite want to spend all their time negotiating and examining everything that happens in the House, but sooner or later, we have to deliver on the commitments made to Canadians. We need to keep our promises regarding the public transit Canadians need, as well as social infrastructure. That is exactly what our government is doing for Quebec, for Quebeckers, and for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to point out that my parliamentary privileges, and those of the other members of the House, have been violated. The Commissioner of Official Languages reports not only to the government, but also to Parliament. As a result, Parliament must know who the Commissioner of Official Languages is so it can address this individual, ask questions, and receive information. Today, I asked the Minister of Canadian Heritage who the current Commissioner of Official Languages is and at what time we will know when a new Commissioner of Official Languages is appointed.We currently do not know who the official languages commissioner is. Perhaps the government knows, but if we parliamentarians do not know, then this is a violation of our rights as parliamentarians, because commissioners do not report to the government, but to Parliament as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, the credit union system is an important part of the Canadian economy and contributes to competition in financial services. Credit unions are key suppliers of financing for small and medium-sized businesses, and also for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We have encouraged the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions to get in touch with the credit unions and to work collaboratively to ensure they come up with a solution that can work for both.
Mr. Speaker, while millions of Canadian children were celebrating Father's Day yesterday, Raif Badawi's children Najwa, Myriyam and Doudi lamented their father's absence, which is going on five years now. Last week, Raif Badawi's three children appealed directly to the Prime Minister when they said, quote, Mr. [Prime Minister], pick up the phone, call the king of Saudi Arabia, so our father comes back." In 2015, before his election of course, the hon. member for Papineau urged Mr. Harper to intervene personally in this case.What does the Prime Minister have to say today to the children of Raif Badawi?
Mr. Speaker, our government is open to investments that create jobs, growth, and long-term prosperity for Canadians. While the official opposition continues with its scare tactics and fearmongering, let us talk about the facts. The day-to-day operations of the residences will continue to be managed by Retirement Concepts, the same management that was there before. Rules are not changing. The residents will continue to be subject to the same robust provincial health regulations that have always applied to them. The residents and health care workers will continue to be protected by the same legislation.We did our homework on this transaction. We assured what we had to make certain, and we have done it.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has attended cash-for-access fundraisers with Chinese billionaires. He has publicly expressed his admiration for the basic dictatorship in China. Chinese interests are funding a statue of his father. Now the Prime Minister is fast-tracking the sale of Canadian businesses to China without full security reviews. Our former ambassador to China has called the Prime Minister's approach naive and worrying. I agree.Has the government House leader asked the Ethics Commissioner about possible conflicts of interest with respect to the Prime Minister and transactions involving China?
Mr. Speaker, there is a very clear process envisioned under the Investment Canada Act. It is a multi-step process that requires our national security agencies to look at the facts, get the facts in front of them, and make a national security recommendation. We followed that process to the letter. We followed their advice. We trust our national security agencies, which have done their due diligence. We have undertaken this multi-step process, as it should have been undertaken.
Mr. Speaker, we listened to our national security experts. We listened to their advice. They reviewed the transaction and the facts. We authorized this transaction based on their advice and recommendations.I want to reassure the House and all Canadians that we will never compromise on national security and we will always work to advance our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal plan to replace Canada's fighter jets has become a real farce, and the farce has even spread to the international stage. That side of the House cannot even organize a simple meeting with representatives from the aerospace industry. On top of that, most stakeholders have lost all confidence in the Minister of National Defence, so this file has become a massive boondoggle.Does the Prime Minister understand the magnitude of the problem? Will he bring his minister into line and immediately launch an open and transparent process?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister announced during the election campaign that he would run small deficits of $10 billion a year. At the current rate, the deficits will be $25 billion a year. Initially, that was supposed to be for only two years, but now we are told that it will be for an indefinite period.The Prime Minister is showing yet again that he is utterly incapable of managing taxpayers' money responsibly, and it is our children and grandchildren who will pay the price. My question is simple. Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians, once and for all, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' mismanagement of the fighter jet replacement has gone from a national scandal to an international embarrassment.Over the weekend, officials were instructed to meet with aerospace companies in Paris, then they were told to cancel those meetings, and then they were told to reschedule them. The Minister of National Defence has made a complete mess of this file.Is there anyone on the Liberal benches, anyone at all, who can fix this comedy of errors and actually hold an open competition to replace our aging fighter jets now?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are hiding how dangerous this deal is for both Canada and the U.S. Nobody buys that.Michael Wessel from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said, the sale of Norsat to a Chinese entity raises significant national-security concerns for the United States as the company is a supplier to our military.The Liberals claim they have consulted the U.S., but will not say who, why, how, or when. Nothing adds up.Will the minister finally tell Canadians which U.S. officials they consulted and if they agreed to this deal?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from HullAylmer for his question.Our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and tax avoidance. That is why we invested close to $1 billion in our last two budgets to ensure we have the tools we need tackle this problem effectively.Preliminary results indicate that we will recover over $13 billion during the fiscal year ending March 31.Our government is committed to cracking down on tax cheats and bringing them to justice with the help of our international partners.
Mr. Speaker, our government has raised the case of Mr. Badawi at the highest levels of the Saudi government.We continue to ask for clemency, so he can be reunited with his family. I have had the opportunity and the privilege of meeting with his wife on multiple occasions. I have reassured her that our government, our Prime Minister, and our Minister of Foreign Affairs are engaged on this case. We will continue to appeal for clemency for Mr. Badawi.
Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure bank needs to be split off from Bill C-44. Enough with these massive bills and poison pills hidden in 500-page tomes. The infrastructure bank is a bad idea that is going to weaken Quebec to the benefit of wealthy investors. Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebec, the farmers, and even the Senate and remove the infrastructure bank from Bill C-44?
Mr. Speaker, I do not understand what the Liberals are missing. The way Bill C-44 is drafted, the infrastructure bank can ignore the laws of Quebec and circumvent municipal bylaws. No agricultural zoning, and the power to expropriate: that is what will come out of Bill C-44. We have said it, the constitutionalists have said it, the National Assembly has said it, the farmers have said it, and even the Senate has said it. When will this government listen to us and split its bill to have a second look at its infrastructure bank?
Mr. Speaker, senators are calling for an independent review of the infrastructure bank. Members on this side of the House are calling for the same. Every expert who has studied this infrastructure bank is concerned about the risks and fears that taxpayers will ultimately have to pay for this bank.If the Prime Minister has nothing to hide and the bank is as white as snow, then why is he afraid to have it thoroughly reviewed?
Mr. Speaker, at the OECD's instigation, Canada signed dozens of information sharing agreements with tax havens. Those agreements were supposed to increase transparency, but all they did was facilitate tax evasion. What began as a solution to a problem became a massive gift to big corporations.Over the past five years, at least $55 billion in profit has not been taxed by the Canada Revenue Agency. We have no way of knowing if the Liberals have even used the agreements because they are refusing to tell us and will not answer journalists' questions. What do they have to hide?
Mr. Speaker, nobody trusts the Liberals to deliver on that promise.The Liberals unveiled their defence and foreign policies, and surprise, surprise, there were no details of a UN peacekeeping mission in either of them. It has been almost a year since the Prime Minister naively promised 600 troops to a vague UN peacekeeping mission. Documents show that the Liberals have turned down five UN leadership roles and will not commit to a single UN mission.The Prime Minister has said that Canada is back. Now he is backing away from UN peacekeeping missions after stepping back from the fight against ISIS. When will the Prime Minister finally step up and quit embarrassing Canada on the world stage?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is fighting with his new independent Senate over splitting the infrastructure bank from the omnibus budget bill, but if the Liberals had kept their promises and worked with parliamentarians and not used budget omnibus bills, they would not be in this awkward, difficult situation. The finance minister revealed his hand last week at committee, when he said it would be absurd to tell a private company to move a project from Montreal to Winnipeg. Why are the Liberals putting corporate profit ahead of the interests of Canadians, and why will they not allow us to properly study this bill?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' approach to official languages is a joke.The Minister of Canadian Heritage forgot to extend the interim commissioner's mandate. As of Saturday, we no longer have an official languages watchdog. Before that, the Liberals announced the partisan appointment of Madeleine Meilleur with absolutely no regard for the law or Parliament. This is all the doing of a minister who tells us every day that official languages are a priority for the government. Really?When will the government get serious and respect the Official Languages Act?
Mr. Speaker, the innovation minister assured the House that the government had done its homework and there was no reason for Canadians to be concerned. He passed the buck to B.C. to regulate these homes. Anbang is a company with murky ownership built on risky investments. U.S. and Chinese regulators have raised serious concerns over its dealings. When the wolves of Wall Street will not touch Anbang, how could the Liberals use vulnerable seniors as pawns for the Prime Minister's insatiable appetite to cozy up to China?
Mr. Speaker, national security is our priority, and we take it very seriously. All investments reviewed under the Canada Investment Act are subject to a multi-stage national security review process conducted by our security agencies. That process was followed. The national security community conducted a review, consulted, had the facts in front of it. It gave us the recommendation that this transaction did not put into jeopardy national security. No transaction would take place if it did not uphold and satisfy this criterion.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we learned that search warrants had been executed in the Toronto area and in the United Kingdom in connection with a criminal investigation into a transatlantic GST/HST fraud scheme. Reports indicate that this carousel scheme netted $52 million in fraudulent tax refunds and credits. Would the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what she is doing to combat fraud?