2017-10-05

Mr. Speaker, it was just this July, when the finance minister was asked about Barbados being a tax haven, when he threw his comment, “we're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Literally at the same time that he was telling entrepreneurs and farmers and small business owners that they were going to have to pay upwards of 73% tax, his baby, Morneau Shepell, was nicely and safely havened in Barbados. What this boils down to is absolute hypocrisy on the part of the government and the finance minister. Why can he not see how unfair this tax grab is?

Mr. Speaker, while Canadian energy workers woke up to the news that the Liberals had killed yet another energy project, the Liberals were clinking their Champagne glasses and toasting their success at killing the energy east project. However, they are not the only ones celebrating. The dictators and despots from foreign oil capitals, who will continue to send thousands of oil tankers to Canada every year, have just one message for the Liberal government, “Well done my good and faithful servants.”How does it feel to have sold out Canadian energy workers in order to appease foreign oil dictators and Liberal politicians by killing this project?

Mr. Speaker, Liberals across the country are elated today. Their plan to kill the energy east pipeline has finally worked, but it was not easy. First, they set the project back several years by restarting the hearings. Then they changed the rules of the game at half time. However, they persevered, and today they finally got the result they have always wanted: energy east is dead.After living his whole life off of the avails of a family fortune created by an oil and gas empire, is the Prime Minister proud of the fact that he has killed this project and the thousands of jobs that go along with it?

Mr. Speaker, obviously the Prime Minister does not realize that he is accountable for this dysfunctional regulatory process that Liberals put in place.Two days ago, all the Atlantic MPs except for one voted against having a longer process for consultation on tax hikes to fishers, farmers, and local businesses, all but one. With this morning's announcement, Atlantic Canadians are faced with another economic blow.This is what I want to know. These are important sectors, and they are vital to the east coast economy. When will the Liberals stop stifling opportunity and stop taking us for granted?

Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals killing energy east, British Columbia's Trans Mountain pipeline is quickly becoming Canada's only option for getting our energy to new markets, but the B.C. NDP government is doing everything in its power to stop this project, including court action. Unfortunately, the NDP has several allies in the Liberal government including the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries. Approving this project is one thing; getting it built is another. When will the Prime Minister do his job and tell Premier Horgan to back off and ensure that Trans Mountain gets built?

Mr. Speaker, with respect, the Prime Minister inherited his wealth, and the Minister of Finance made millions on Bay Street.It is no wonder Liberals do not understand small business. By not going after big businesses, CEOs, and tax havens, the Liberals are broadcasting that small businesses are the beginning and end of unfairness in our tax system. Small businesses feel targeted because they are being targeted.When will the Liberals take tax fairness seriously and go after the biggest abusers of our tax system?

Mr. Speaker, the news of the devastating cancellation of energy east means the loss of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars for Canada. After careful consideration, TransCanada came to the same conclusion that this side of the House has known for months, which is that the Liberal government has done everything it can to limit the Canadian energy sector and kill the middle class jobs that it creates. Will the Prime Minister stop playing political ideological games that are killing the economy and commit to projects that will create jobs for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that a farmer from Lac-Saint-Jean who wants to sell his farm to his daughter at a discount is considered a cheat. It is unacceptable that a foreign investor pays half as much tax, or no tax at all on his investments. It is unacceptable that the government is attacking SMEs and refusing to do anything about tax havens.Will the government go back to the drawing board and ensure that its reform targets the real cheats, those who take advantage of the system?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.In our first two budgets, we invested more than $1 billion, which led to the recovery of nearly $25 billion. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 warrants, and 78 convictions.Let me be very clear. The net is tightening. Canadians expect no less from us.

Mr. Speaker, it is always someone else's fault.The Liberals have never been able to explain why they rushed ahead with the implementation of the Phoenix pay system. The Liberals, not the Conservatives, went ahead with it. They gave it the green light. Now we are learning that the government paid PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM millions of dollars. Who was behind the bid for the Phoenix system? It was PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM. My question is simple.Why did the Liberals ignore the advice of their own employees who warned them about the pending fiasco?

Mr. Speaker, how naive. It is incredible.The free pass that was given to Netflix does not pass muster in Quebec. Everyone is speaking out against it: the National Assembly, the Union des artistes, even our entrepreneurs such as Peter Simons who points out that local businesses, our entrepreneurs, are doing their fair share. Everyone is against this and yet the minister says she is proud of her work. Something does not add up. As Gérald Fillion says, it is as though she were not listening to us.Quebeckers are calling for a real cultural policy and businesses are calling for a real tax policy, but the minister is so proud.How can she be proud of such a failure?

Mr. Speaker, in their desperation to raise revenues, the Liberals are now raising taxes on the family farm. In addition, it is even worse. Their new tax proposal will make it more expensive for a farmer to sell the farm to his child or a family member than to a multinational corporation. Most Canadians understand the importance of encouraging the next generation on the farm.Why are the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance so dedicated to protecting their own family fortunes, while waging a war against the family farm?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that the situation has changed since TransCanada first proposed the energy east project. Oil was $90 a barrel at the time and now it is worth half. The Conservatives were unable to get any pipeline approved. We have approved three. The conditions have changed. We continue to defend good jobs while protecting the environment at the same time, something the former Conservative government was completely incapable of doing.

Mr. Speaker, this morning thousands of men and women who rely upon the energy sector for well-paying Canadian jobs got the news that they have been dreading.Today's decision to cancel the energy east pipeline is a direct result of two years of political interference by the Liberal Party. Failure is the only word that comes to mind.When will the Prime Minister recognize that his disastrous economic and energy policies are hurting Canadians and our economy?

Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind the opposition that we were elected on a very clear promise to defend the middle class. The previous government ignored the middle class for a decade to focus on giving tax breaks to the rich. That is why the first thing we did was lower taxes for 9 million Canadians and make the Canada child benefit more progressive than ever before, ensuring it will lift 300,000 children out of poverty. We are very proud of these achievements, and we do not need any lessons from the other side of the House.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and our cultural industry are furious about the Liberals' deal with the American giant Netflix. Yesterday, the Prime Minister continued to promote this as a good deal. Unless the Prime Minister owns a lot of Netflix shares, it is not a good deal. It disadvantages Canadian companies, it sets a dangerous precedent for other large multinationals that are not paying their fair share, and three-quarters of the money comes directly from Canadians.How can the Liberal government justify this betrayal of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, producers deserve a better answer than that.The United States clearly wants greater access to our dairy market. Supply management should not be on the negotiating table, period. Producers must also know that the minister will not provide greater access to our dairy market. I will therefore repeat my question: instead of spouting the same rhetoric, will the minister today tell Canadians and the dairy industry that she will not give the United States greater access to our dairy market?

Mr. Speaker, Dina and Maurice are farmers in my riding. They have planned for years to pass on the family farm to their son. They have a succession plan detailed and put in place, and they have been saving for this. However, the proposed Liberal tax changes would put this hugely at risk and they think they will lose everything. Their message to the Prime Minister is very simple, “Don't do this. It will wreck Canada.” Yesterday, senior officials at Finance Canada said that they were “struggling to find another approach” to save the family farm. It seems rather questionable.Will the Liberals finally admit they have this all wrong and let go of their crazy plan?

Mr. Speaker, the fourth round of NAFTA renegotiations start next week in Washington, and the Americans are expected to bring forward their dairy sector demands. After repeated attacks from President Trump on our supply managed sector, the government has stated that it will protect it, yet it has never stated clearly and without hesitation that it will not open our dairy market to the U.S.Since the Liberals and Conservatives put our dairy sector on the table in CETA, and it is likely part of the secretive TPP 11, will they finally stand up in the House today for dairy farmers and commit to not sacrificing our supply management system in NAFTA?

Mr. Speaker, we now know that public officials were raising major concerns about the implementation of the Phoenix payroll system. However, instead of listening to these concerns, the government gave millions of dollars to two massive corporations, which were the same companies selling Phoenix in the first place. What did we get? We got a pay system that does not pay employees.When Canadians buy a product that does not work, they go back to the store and ask for a refund. My question is simple. Where is our refund?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is dead wrong.The business decision was to invest $1 billion to start the process. The decision to not go ahead is a regulatory decision because of the double standard that the government is imposing upon Canadian projects.The Liberals have cost 15,000 Canadians a job, and they have hurt our economy to the tune of $50 billion.They are putting the interests of Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Algeria before Canadian jobs. What does the Prime Minister have to say to that?

Mr. Speaker, the energy east pipeline has been cancelled, after the Liberals changed the rules for investors mid-process.Thousands of jobs and billions in revenue hinged on energy east, and those benefits will now evaporate due to the Liberals' mismanagement. The Liberals' failure to champion the energy sector is driving away investment.Will the minister now stop playing politics with this file and start supporting the Canadian energy sector?

Mr. Speaker, she should talk to the finance minister about that because his billion dollar family business has a certificate of registration in Barbados, yet the very day the minister rolled out his tax increase on local businesses, he was asked about the Barbados treaty and said, “But we're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”Why did he forget to mention that the baby in question was a Morneau Shepell subsidiary?

Mr. Speaker, is the Prime Minister aware that the reason the conditions have changed is that he changed them? It is because of him that, today, it is much harder for business people to make plans. It is a double standard. He has made things much harder for Canadian oil, while holding the door wide open for foreign oil. Quebec has two refineries that produce and purchase $10 billion worth of foreign oil. We are giving all that money to foreign companies rather than keeping it here in Canada.Why does the Prime Minister have so much contempt for Canadian oil?

Mr. Speaker, the Firestone plant in Woodstock, Ontario has announced it will close its doors in 2018 and relocate to the United States, citing global markets. One hundred and seventy jobs will be lost, jobs that feed, clothe, and house Canadian families and sustain local communities. This is one more in a long line of closures that leaves southwestern Ontario gutted, with ripple effects that will take generations to repair, and still nothing from the government. Do the Liberals even have a plan to prevent such devastating job losses?

Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers work hard to feed the world. Many gamble off farm earnings, cash out pensions early, and mortgage heavily to invest in their families' enterprises. They are constantly dealing with the volatility and the unpredictability of both markets and Mother Nature. Unlike the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, these families cannot access million dollar trust funds. Instead, they continually risk all they have to preserve the family farm.Why are the Liberals willing to put our generational farms at risk for this cheap tax grab?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that, for 10 years, the former Conservative government was unable to approve any pipeline projects and was unable to help the energy sector. It also did nothing for the environment or to protect the future. We, on the other hand, as a government, have been able to approve some projects and have also been able to protect the environment by setting a pan-Canadian price on carbon and making environmental protection a priority. That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we did.

Mr. Speaker, evidence seemed to convince the parliamentary budget officer, and the PBO predicts also that seniors will become even more dependent on government services in the years to come. The amount that seniors will need from these services is projected to double. This is at a time when more than one-quarter of a million seniors already live below the poverty level. So far, Liberals have no plan to help seniors. In fact, yesterday, the Prime Minister mocked the NDP for calling for a national strategy. When will the Liberals finally get serious about lifting seniors out of poverty?

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the U.S. filed a second complaint with the WTO against Canada over B.C. wine sales. This despite the fact that since 1988, the U.S. share for wine sales in Canada has more than doubled and the Canadian share of the U.S. market hovers just above zero. On top of this, the U.S. is demanding under NAFTA to allow greater access for U.S. wines in all retail channels across Canada. These heavy-handed trade complaints will damage Canada's wine industry. What is the government doing to protect the Canadian wine sector from these attacks?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The proof is in the historic investments we have made, unlike our colleagues opposite. We were even told by a member who served as the minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency under the Conservatives that this issue was not even a priority when they were in power. We are moving forward with our work. The net is tightening, and Canadians expect no less of us.

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the hon. member that we will always stand behind our small businesses. We want to keep the small business tax rate below that of all other G7 countries, because we recognize the importance of SMEs to the growth of our industries and the Canadian economy. We proposed some tax reforms and then we listened to Canadians from coast to coast to coast to make sure we get it right and make our tax system fairer where it needs it.

Mr. Speaker, according to the CBC: Part of the draw is Barbados's corporate tax rate of between one and 2.5 per cent. And once that modest amount is paid, thanks to the 1980 tax treaty any leftover profits earned at a subsidiary based or linked to there can be brought back to Canada tax-free. When the finance minister launched his crusade to target tax cheats, he only went after plumbers and pizza shop owners and farmers, but did nothing about this Barbados loophole. Why?

Mr. Speaker, we take very seriously the situation of the Phoenix pay system. That is why we are working extremely hard with the public servants and with the public sector unions across government to ensure that we deliver a pay system that works for Canadians, that pays them on time and appropriately. This is something that we continue to work on diligently, and it is something that we know Canadians expect of us.

Mr. Speaker, today is a sad day for Canada, for Quebec, and for every one of Canada's provinces. TransCanada pulling the plug on energy east is the Liberal government's doing. By changing the rules of the game, by changing the assessment rules, the Liberal government jeopardized a major project, a $15-billion investment that would have put 3,000 people in Quebec to work during the construction phase. Who is happy about this in the meantime? Oil producers in Venezuela, Algeria, Iraq, and other countries, that is who.Is the Prime Minister proud of this mess?

Mr. Speaker, our government strongly supports Canada dairy farmers and the dairy industry. It is worth reminding people, particularly our American interlocutors, that the United States has a very great surplus in dairy trade with Canada of 5:1, and that is what I do at the negotiating table.We will fiercely defend our national interest at the NAFTA round, and we will stand up for our values.

Mr. Speaker, senior officials at the Department of Finance have said that they are having trouble finding a solution with regard to the transfer of family farms from one generation to the next. The Prime Minister is willing to do whatever it takes to fatten government coffers, even if it makes life incredibly difficult for the families who help our country prosper. If the Minister of Agriculture does not want to ensure the survival of family farms, we will.When will the Liberal government back down on its tax reform and stand up for our farmers?

Mr. Speaker, to the Liberals, tax fairness means finding more and more ways to tax family businesses.If the Liberals were serious about fairness, all they would have to do is open up the tax treaty Canada signed a few years ago with Barbados to ensure that corporations pay their fair share of taxes. Morneau Shepell is one of the corporations that benefits from that tax treaty.As my colleague said, when the minister was asked about that, he said we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. The baby is Morneau Shepell, and Morneau Shepell must pay its fair share of taxes.

Mr. Speaker, documents in my hand, which I have obtained, show that the finance minister's billion dollar company, Morneau Shepell, has registered its subsidiary in Barbados, which Oxfam lists as one of the 15 top tax havens in the world. Because of the Canada-Barbados tax treaty, companies pay virtually no tax at all on profits they ship back to Canada. The finance minister's plan to target rich tax evaders goes after family farms and local businesses, but does nothing about tax havens like Barbados. Why?

Mr. Speaker, as the job market evolves and changes, young Canadians often need this support to get that first good-paying job. We are investing over $45 million to help over 5,000 youth in British Columbia get the skills they need. For example, our investment that helps Pathfinder's youth centre work with over 300 youths with mental health challenges will mean they gain skills and confidence along the way, and some valuable work experience with it.We will keep working hard to ensure all Canadians have the skills they need to prosper.

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that public servants are not being paid appropriately and on time. That is why we are taking our responsibility in this matter seriously and we are working diligently to resolve this situation.We are not making excuses. We are working very hard on this and we will continue to work with the public service and public service unions to fix the problem once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, the cleanest and best quality aluminum in the world is produced in Lac-Saint-Jean. There is nothing like it anywhere else. We are talking about 7,000 direct and 30,000 indirect jobs in Lac-Saint-Jean. The people of Lac-Saint-Jean have a lot to be proud of. However, once again, the Liberals' spinelessness towards Donald Trump threatens the future of aluminum in Lac-Saint-Jean.Can the minister make a solemn commitment to protect the aluminum industry, especially in negotiations with the Americans?

Mr. Speaker, we are here to protect our dairy producers and the Canadian dairy sector.I would like to remind everyone that American dairy producers enjoy a five to one trade surplus with Canada, and that is what I am going to be saying at the negotiating table. We will vigorously defend our national interests and remain faithful to Canadian values.

Mr. Speaker, it is important for us to remind our American partners that the United States also has measures in place to promote and protect its own wine industry, and American wine already does very well in Canada. In fact, the United States is our largest supplier of imported wine. The U.S. complaints to the WTO are unnecessary. We will continue to work closely with the provinces on this issue, and I have discussed it at length with Premier Horgan. We have a united front.We will always stand with Canadian workers and industry.

Mr. Speaker, our government is proud of the Atlantic growth strategy that we established with the premiers of the Atlantic provinces to invest in growth, innovation, immigration, and opportunities for the Atlantic provinces to thrive and succeed.After 10 long years of being ignored by the previous government, we are proud of our strong voices from Atlantic Canada that stand up every day to create good jobs and a good future for all Atlantic Canadians and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. Our historic $1-billion investment over the past two years is proof positive. It is unprecedented.Our measures are bearing fruit, since we are on track to recovering $25 billion offshore. What is more, 627 cases were handed over to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants were issued, and there have been 78 convictions. The net is tightening and we will continue—

Mr. Speaker, on October 25, 2016, this House voted unanimously to provide protection to Yazidi women and children who are escaping genocide by Daesh.In many communities across Canada, such as London, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Toronto, families are being reunited with friends and loved ones. Our government made a commitment to this House to resettle Yazidi women and children and other survivors of Daesh.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship please update all Canadians on the government's progress on this important initiative, which was supported by all members of this House?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by asking the House leader if she could tell us what the business is for the rest of this week and when we return after the Thanksgiving constituency week. Given that we have been very co-operative over the last two and a half to three weeks and have seen a lot of government legislation move through that period, I am hoping that she will be respectful of some of the bills that we really would like to have ample time to discuss. Bill C-48 was basically shut down after one member spoke to it, which was disappointing. I am hoping that, moving forward, we will be able to press the reset button and that we will be allowed to speak on issues that are important to us.

Mr. Speaker, excuse me, did he say playing politics?I would be far more comfortable following a regulatory regime that leads to jobs and billions of dollars of investment in the Canadian economy, something that the Harper Conservatives could not do for 10 years.The member is wrong. The rules did not change, not at the beginning, not in mid-stream, and not at the end.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to remind the member and members of the House why we approved the Trans Mountain expansion. We approved it because of 15,440 jobs, mostly in British Columbia and Alberta. We approved it because of the billion dollars of investment. We approved it because we are not comfortable sending 99% of our oil and gas exports to one country, the United States. We have expanded markets, we have created jobs, and there will be billions of dollars in investments. It was a good decision then, and it is a good decision today.

Mr. Speaker, yes, I can make a solemn commitment to defend the interests of the steel sector and all sectors of our national economy. Our government will always stand up for aluminum and steel workers. Our government is proud of our aluminum sector and its workers. We will always defend our economic interests and Canadian values.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore for his question.About a year ago, members of this House unanimously voted to bring survivors of Daesh, including Yazidi women and girls, to safety. Today, I am proud to update the House. Almost 800 Yazidi women and girls and other survivors of Daesh have already arrived and have begun the process of rebuilding their lives with the assistance of private sponsors and community groups all across Canada.I continue to be amazed by the generosity and compassion extended to this highly vulnerable group by all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer confirmed in his report released today that the Liberal government's health transfers, much like Stephen Harper's, are inadequate and will not meet the needs of the provinces. That is exactly what the provinces have been saying: they are going to face serious budgetary pressures because of our aging population. Until the federal government has the courage to contribute its fair share, the provinces will never have the means to improve their health care systems.When will the Prime Minister live up to his promise to adequately fund health care?

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. It has invested $1 billion over the past two years, which is more than the Conservatives on the other side of the aisle managed to do in 10 years. We are getting the job done. We are on track to recover $25 billion, not to mention the cases transferred to criminal investigation, the search warrants, and the convictions. As I said, the net is tightening. We will continue our work.

Mr. Speaker, we have just learned that the Minister of Finance's family business might have a subsidiary in Barbados, a known tax haven. Meanwhile, the Liberals are proposing a tax reform that attacks our local businesses and their future. Can the Minister of Finance confirm to the House what personal ties he has to the family subsidiary in Barbados, a tax haven?

Mr. Speaker, we consulted with and listened to Canadians across the country regarding these proposals, which stem from a very clear promise that we made to the middle class to make the tax system fairer.I want to be clear about what came out of those consultations: we will always stand behind our small and medium-sized businesses. We will always stand behind our entrepreneurs, and that is what guides our government as we consider everything that we heard from Canadians. We are going to make sure to keep the tax rate the lowest in the G7. We are going to make things easier for entrepreneurs, and we are going to ensure that intergenerational transfers are not affected. We listened. I know that must seem strange to a party that did not listen for 10 years when it was in government.We are listening, and we want to do things right.

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the market conditions have changed fundamentally since the energy east pipeline was first proposed. Oil was up around $90 a barrel, and the Conservative government was unable to get any pipelines approved while it was in government.The fact is that, since then, oil prices have dropped by half, and we have approved three different pipelines to get our oil resources to market, including new markets. The fact is that we are continuing to stand up for Canadian jobs, while we defend the environment.The Conservatives are, again, just playing politics.

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that we have consulted Canadians, farmers, fishers, from all across the country, from coast to coast to coast, to make sure we get this right. One of the principles guiding us as we move forward is we want to make sure that intergenerational transfers of a business or a farm are not impacted by the changes we have put forward, that farmers can continue to employ and remunerate members of their family as they work on the farms. This government will always be behind family farms and behind our farmers.

Mr. Speaker, the question was not whether the Liberal government is spending more money on tax collectors, but with regard to the 40-year long tax treaty with Barbados. We now find that the minister's billion-dollar family business has a subsidiary in that country. He is forbidden by an agreement with the Ethics Commissioner from being involved in any matters affecting that family business.Can the hon. minister confirm that the Minister of Finance has absented himself from any matters related to the Barbados tax treaty?

Mr. Speaker, right now, there are things about our tax system that are unfair, and we want to fix that.For example, some of our wealthiest Canadians are encouraged to incorporate so they can access tax benefits that the vast majority of the people watching us today, the people we represent here in the House, do not have access to. That is what we want to fix. We have listened to Canadians from coast to coast to make sure we do things right.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I pointed out that while the NDP members were talking, we were delivering. We delivered an increase by 10% to the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors. That is $1,000 more in the pockets of seniors who really need it. We are moving forward on a national housing strategy to ensure that our most vulnerable seniors will have security and stability in where they live. We have moved forward on home care with historic investments with the provinces that will make sure that we are giving our seniors the support they need. We have moved forward on a historic strengthening of the Canada pension plan that is going to ensure that our seniors of today and our seniors of tomorrow have all the support they need.

Mr. Speaker, this government has been able to do what the Conservative government could not do, for example, 3,000 jobs for the Nova Gas pipeline; 7,000 jobs for Line 3, 15,000 jobs for the Trans Mountain expansion. We support the Keystone XL pipeline, which is another 6,400 jobs.This is a very significant job creation enhancement as a result of the regulatory practices that this government has accepted. They are environmental stewardship, indigenous engagement, and economic growth.They failed; we succeeded.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to cracking down on tax cheats and bringing them to justice with the help of our international partners.I am proud of the leadership role we have taken on the international stage. Co-operation between revenue authorities, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool for maintaining the integrity of Canada's tax base.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. Our actions over the past two years make that abundantly clear. We have invested the historic amount of $1 billion, which has allowed us to hire 100 additional staff and examine four jurisdictions per year. As I said, the net is tightening.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, and our first two budgets proved that. We have invested nearly $1 billion to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance. We are well on our way to recovering $25 billion. Some 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation, and there have been 268 warrants and 78 convictions. Yes, the net is tightening. Much more—

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that our tax system is unfair in a number of ways and encourages some of the wealthiest Canadians to incorporate so they can access tax benefits that the vast majority of Canadians do not have access to. That is what we want to fix.We want to do things right, which is why we consulted Canadians from coast to coast. We want to keep tax rates low for our small businesses. We will always stand behind our entrepreneurs and the growth they create in this country.

Mr. Speaker, the question was not whether they are spending more money on tax collectors. The question was with regard to the treaty with Barbados—

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion. The $1 billion we have invested over the past two years has allowed us to hire 100 additional—

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue the debate we began this morning on the NDP opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will begin debate on Bill C-57 on sustainable development.Next week, members will be working in their ridings. When we return, we will resume consideration of Bill C-55 on the protection of oceans.On Wednesday, we will resume debate on Bill C-57. Lastly, Tuesday and Thursday of that week shall be allotted days.Since we will be in our constituencies next week, I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving with friends, family, and loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, we are seeing the growth of a strong economy and the creation of jobs across the country. However, there is still more work to do. In my riding of Surrey—Newton, I am pleased that our government is supporting organizations, such as DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, to help at-risk youth get the support they need to find and keep good jobs.Could the minister update the House on actions taken to ensure that everyone, including at-risk youth, have the chance to participate in our growing economy?

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question and reassure him. We will always defend the family farm model and stand behind our farmers. That is why we want to make sure that we maintain an environment that is conducive to their success and prosperity.We want to ensure that intergenerational farm transfers, from parents to children, will not be affected by the changes we are making.All we want, the one and only goal of these proposals, is to introduce some fairness into the tax system in areas where it is lacking.

Mr. Speaker, this government is very proud to have been able to negotiate health accords with the provinces for the next few years. We were able to make historic investments in mental health because we recognize the real needs that exist in that area. We also made historic investments in home care services to help our seniors, to help those most vulnerable. This government is very proud to have worked with the provinces to fulfill its commitments to Canadians. We will continue to provide a health care system for all Canadians across the country.

The Conservative side.

Mr. Speaker, TransCanada made a business decision based on market conditions. When it first proposed the energy east pipeline, oil was up around $90 a barrel, and the Conservative government had been unable to approve any new pipelines.Since then, oil is at around half that price, and we have approved three new pipelines, creating jobs for more 31,000 Canadians in the energy industry. We will continue to stay focused on growing the economy and creating good jobs, while protecting the environment right across the country.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance claims to have listened to business owners across the country, and he emphatically stated that he would introduce a tax reform that was fair and equitable for all business owners.Nevertheless, we recently learned that his own family company, Morneau Shepell, will not be affected by the tax hikes because it has a subsidiary in Barbados.How can the Minister of Finance justify raising taxes for Canadian plumbers, workers, and entrepreneurs while making sure that his family business remains sheltered from taxes?

—when the finance minister said that he would not do any deal, that he would not be involved in any matter—

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we will always stand behind our farmers and the family farm model that we are so proud of. We know how much farmers contribute to Canada's prosperity.As we review the comments we received from Canadians all across this country, our priorities are to ensure that we keep tax rates low so that our farmers can prosper and that intergenerational transfers are not affected by our proposed changes so family members can keep working on the farm and in other businesses. Those are our guiding principles. We stand behind small businesses and farmers.

Mr. Speaker, our government knows how important farmers are to our economy, and that is why we want to make sure we get this right. I have worked on this file. We listened to farmers and met with representatives from the farming community. I can assure you that we will take the industry's opinions into account in our plan for the future.

Mr. Speaker, here is what we know. The Minister of Finance refuses to recuse himself from discussions around policy that affects Morneau Shepell. We also know that any decision made at the cabinet level seems to benefit Morneau Shepell.Does the Minister of National Revenue believe that the Minister of Finance, who, by the way, will not tell anybody how many shares he has in Morneau Shepell, that is a big secret, should recuse himself around any discussions about tax havens like those located in Barbados?

Mr. Speaker, everyone in Montreal, including my constituents in Pierrefonds—Dollard, heard about the serious problem of wait times at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal in the summer of 2016.Airports are key drivers of local economies. It is crucial that they operate efficiently.Can the Minister of Transport infrom Canadians, and Montrealers in particular, of the improvements that have been made at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance promised the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in writing that he would abstain from participation in all matters related to his family business. Today we learned that Morneau Shepell registered a subsidiary in Barbados, a subsidiary whose profits can then be repatriated to Canada tax free.Will the Minister of National Revenue investigate the Minister of Finance's actions and ties to his family fortune in tax havens? Is the net tightening around the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to growing the creative industries. This investment, which is the first of its kind in the world, guarantees there will be at least half a billion dollars in original productions made here in Canada in both official languages. This investment will create jobs and opportunities for creators and producers to make great content to share with Canada and the world. As part of our vision for a creative Canada, these investments will help ensure that the creative industries remain strong. We are extremely proud of them.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pierrefonds—Dollard for his question.We all share his desire to make the passenger experience as pleasant as possible. That is why we worked with the Minister of Public Safety and officials at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport to fix the problem, by adding automated kiosks and more customs officers. I am proud to report that last summer, during Montreal's 375th anniversary celebrations, we reduced the wait time to 10 minutes. That a good example—

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is right. Some things have changed. What has changed is that there have been three pipelines approved, which has changed the market conditions. What has not changed is the regulatory environment that would have governed this entire process. Exactly the same system that was in place which led to the approval of the Enbridge Line 3 replacement and the Trans Mountain expansion would have been in place for energy east. Things have changed and things have not changed. Our commitment with the energy sector is unwavering.

Mr. Speaker, our commitment to Canada's creative industries is clear. This investment provides for at least $500 million in original productions in Canada, in both official languages. This investment will create jobs and allow creators and producers to share their content in Canada and around the world. The investments in Creative Canada will help ensure that our creative industry remains strong.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to families and workers who are affected by such economic decisions.On our part, as a government, we are trying to build the economy. We have succeeded in creating over 400,000 jobs in the last year. We are working through various ministries, including the ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and through regional development agencies to create jobs to create long-term employment to make sure this economy continues to grow on behalf of families and workers in southwestern Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, just this morning, the C.D. Howe Institute is quoted as saying that basic economics, not regulation, ended the energy east pipeline—not regulation.Why is that the case? It is the case because nothing has changed in the regulatory process. The same rules that applied and that led to the approval of billions of dollars of investment in the energy sector, as well as tens of thousands of jobs, still existed and would have to the energy east pipeline.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion. The $1 billion we have invested over the past two years has allowed us to hire 100 additional—

Mr. Speaker, the news of the devastating cancellation of energy east means the loss of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars for Canada. After careful consideration, TransCanada came to the same conclusion that this side of the House has known for months, which is that the Liberal government has done everything it can to limit the Canadian energy sector and kill the middle class jobs that it creates. Will the Prime Minister stop playing political ideological games that are killing the economy and commit to projects that will create jobs for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, with respect, the Prime Minister inherited his wealth, and the Minister of Finance made millions on Bay Street.It is no wonder Liberals do not understand small business. By not going after big businesses, CEOs, and tax havens, the Liberals are broadcasting that small businesses are the beginning and end of unfairness in our tax system. Small businesses feel targeted because they are being targeted.When will the Liberals take tax fairness seriously and go after the biggest abusers of our tax system?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that our tax system is unfair in a number of ways and encourages some of the wealthiest Canadians to incorporate so they can access tax benefits that the vast majority of Canadians do not have access to. That is what we want to fix.We want to do things right, which is why we consulted Canadians from coast to coast. We want to keep tax rates low for our small businesses. We will always stand behind our entrepreneurs and the growth they create in this country.

Mr. Speaker, this morning thousands of men and women who rely upon the energy sector for well-paying Canadian jobs got the news that they have been dreading.Today's decision to cancel the energy east pipeline is a direct result of two years of political interference by the Liberal Party. Failure is the only word that comes to mind.When will the Prime Minister recognize that his disastrous economic and energy policies are hurting Canadians and our economy?

Mr. Speaker, senior officials at the Department of Finance have said that they are having trouble finding a solution with regard to the transfer of family farms from one generation to the next. The Prime Minister is willing to do whatever it takes to fatten government coffers, even if it makes life incredibly difficult for the families who help our country prosper. If the Minister of Agriculture does not want to ensure the survival of family farms, we will.When will the Liberal government back down on its tax reform and stand up for our farmers?

Mr. Speaker, the Firestone plant in Woodstock, Ontario has announced it will close its doors in 2018 and relocate to the United States, citing global markets. One hundred and seventy jobs will be lost, jobs that feed, clothe, and house Canadian families and sustain local communities. This is one more in a long line of closures that leaves southwestern Ontario gutted, with ripple effects that will take generations to repair, and still nothing from the government. Do the Liberals even have a plan to prevent such devastating job losses?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is dead wrong.The business decision was to invest $1 billion to start the process. The decision to not go ahead is a regulatory decision because of the double standard that the government is imposing upon Canadian projects.The Liberals have cost 15,000 Canadians a job, and they have hurt our economy to the tune of $50 billion.They are putting the interests of Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Algeria before Canadian jobs. What does the Prime Minister have to say to that?

Mr. Speaker, the energy east pipeline has been cancelled, after the Liberals changed the rules for investors mid-process.Thousands of jobs and billions in revenue hinged on energy east, and those benefits will now evaporate due to the Liberals' mismanagement. The Liberals' failure to champion the energy sector is driving away investment.Will the minister now stop playing politics with this file and start supporting the Canadian energy sector?

Mr. Speaker, as the job market evolves and changes, young Canadians often need this support to get that first good-paying job. We are investing over $45 million to help over 5,000 youth in British Columbia get the skills they need. For example, our investment that helps Pathfinder's youth centre work with over 300 youths with mental health challenges will mean they gain skills and confidence along the way, and some valuable work experience with it.We will keep working hard to ensure all Canadians have the skills they need to prosper.

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. It has invested $1 billion over the past two years, which is more than the Conservatives on the other side of the aisle managed to do in 10 years. We are getting the job done. We are on track to recover $25 billion, not to mention the cases transferred to criminal investigation, the search warrants, and the convictions. As I said, the net is tightening. We will continue our work.

Mr. Speaker, Dina and Maurice are farmers in my riding. They have planned for years to pass on the family farm to their son. They have a succession plan detailed and put in place, and they have been saving for this. However, the proposed Liberal tax changes would put this hugely at risk and they think they will lose everything. Their message to the Prime Minister is very simple, “Don't do this. It will wreck Canada.” Yesterday, senior officials at Finance Canada said that they were “struggling to find another approach” to save the family farm. It seems rather questionable.Will the Liberals finally admit they have this all wrong and let go of their crazy plan?

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the market conditions have changed fundamentally since the energy east pipeline was first proposed. Oil was up around $90 a barrel, and the Conservative government was unable to get any pipelines approved while it was in government.The fact is that, since then, oil prices have dropped by half, and we have approved three different pipelines to get our oil resources to market, including new markets. The fact is that we are continuing to stand up for Canadian jobs, while we defend the environment.The Conservatives are, again, just playing politics.

Mr. Speaker, we take very seriously the situation of the Phoenix pay system. That is why we are working extremely hard with the public servants and with the public sector unions across government to ensure that we deliver a pay system that works for Canadians, that pays them on time and appropriately. This is something that we continue to work on diligently, and it is something that we know Canadians expect of us.

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the hon. member that we will always stand behind our small businesses. We want to keep the small business tax rate below that of all other G7 countries, because we recognize the importance of SMEs to the growth of our industries and the Canadian economy. We proposed some tax reforms and then we listened to Canadians from coast to coast to coast to make sure we get it right and make our tax system fairer where it needs it.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. Our actions over the past two years make that abundantly clear. We have invested the historic amount of $1 billion, which has allowed us to hire 100 additional staff and examine four jurisdictions per year. As I said, the net is tightening.

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that public servants are not being paid appropriately and on time. That is why we are taking our responsibility in this matter seriously and we are working diligently to resolve this situation.We are not making excuses. We are working very hard on this and we will continue to work with the public service and public service unions to fix the problem once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, everyone in Montreal, including my constituents in Pierrefonds—Dollard, heard about the serious problem of wait times at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal in the summer of 2016.Airports are key drivers of local economies. It is crucial that they operate efficiently.Can the Minister of Transport infrom Canadians, and Montrealers in particular, of the improvements that have been made at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to cracking down on tax cheats and bringing them to justice with the help of our international partners.I am proud of the leadership role we have taken on the international stage. Co-operation between revenue authorities, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool for maintaining the integrity of Canada's tax base.

Mr. Speaker, the fourth round of NAFTA renegotiations start next week in Washington, and the Americans are expected to bring forward their dairy sector demands. After repeated attacks from President Trump on our supply managed sector, the government has stated that it will protect it, yet it has never stated clearly and without hesitation that it will not open our dairy market to the U.S.Since the Liberals and Conservatives put our dairy sector on the table in CETA, and it is likely part of the secretive TPP 11, will they finally stand up in the House today for dairy farmers and commit to not sacrificing our supply management system in NAFTA?

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we will always stand behind our farmers and the family farm model that we are so proud of. We know how much farmers contribute to Canada's prosperity.As we review the comments we received from Canadians all across this country, our priorities are to ensure that we keep tax rates low so that our farmers can prosper and that intergenerational transfers are not affected by our proposed changes so family members can keep working on the farm and in other businesses. Those are our guiding principles. We stand behind small businesses and farmers.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. Our historic $1-billion investment over the past two years is proof positive. It is unprecedented.Our measures are bearing fruit, since we are on track to recovering $25 billion offshore. What is more, 627 cases were handed over to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants were issued, and there have been 78 convictions. The net is tightening and we will continue—

Mr. Speaker, we consulted with and listened to Canadians across the country regarding these proposals, which stem from a very clear promise that we made to the middle class to make the tax system fairer.I want to be clear about what came out of those consultations: we will always stand behind our small and medium-sized businesses. We will always stand behind our entrepreneurs, and that is what guides our government as we consider everything that we heard from Canadians. We are going to make sure to keep the tax rate the lowest in the G7. We are going to make things easier for entrepreneurs, and we are going to ensure that intergenerational transfers are not affected. We listened. I know that must seem strange to a party that did not listen for 10 years when it was in government.We are listening, and we want to do things right.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, and our first two budgets proved that. We have invested nearly $1 billion to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance. We are well on our way to recovering $25 billion. Some 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation, and there have been 268 warrants and 78 convictions. Yes, the net is tightening. Much more—

The Conservative side.

—when the finance minister said that he would not do any deal, that he would not be involved in any matter—

Mr. Speaker, we have just learned that the Minister of Finance's family business might have a subsidiary in Barbados, a known tax haven. Meanwhile, the Liberals are proposing a tax reform that attacks our local businesses and their future. Can the Minister of Finance confirm to the House what personal ties he has to the family subsidiary in Barbados, a tax haven?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance promised the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in writing that he would abstain from participation in all matters related to his family business. Today we learned that Morneau Shepell registered a subsidiary in Barbados, a subsidiary whose profits can then be repatriated to Canada tax free.Will the Minister of National Revenue investigate the Minister of Finance's actions and ties to his family fortune in tax havens? Is the net tightening around the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, just this morning, the C.D. Howe Institute is quoted as saying that basic economics, not regulation, ended the energy east pipeline—not regulation.Why is that the case? It is the case because nothing has changed in the regulatory process. The same rules that applied and that led to the approval of billions of dollars of investment in the energy sector, as well as tens of thousands of jobs, still existed and would have to the energy east pipeline.

Mr. Speaker, is the Prime Minister aware that the reason the conditions have changed is that he changed them? It is because of him that, today, it is much harder for business people to make plans. It is a double standard. He has made things much harder for Canadian oil, while holding the door wide open for foreign oil. Quebec has two refineries that produce and purchase $10 billion worth of foreign oil. We are giving all that money to foreign companies rather than keeping it here in Canada.Why does the Prime Minister have so much contempt for Canadian oil?

Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals killing energy east, British Columbia's Trans Mountain pipeline is quickly becoming Canada's only option for getting our energy to new markets, but the B.C. NDP government is doing everything in its power to stop this project, including court action. Unfortunately, the NDP has several allies in the Liberal government including the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries. Approving this project is one thing; getting it built is another. When will the Prime Minister do his job and tell Premier Horgan to back off and ensure that Trans Mountain gets built?

Mr. Speaker, Liberals across the country are elated today. Their plan to kill the energy east pipeline has finally worked, but it was not easy. First, they set the project back several years by restarting the hearings. Then they changed the rules of the game at half time. However, they persevered, and today they finally got the result they have always wanted: energy east is dead.After living his whole life off of the avails of a family fortune created by an oil and gas empire, is the Prime Minister proud of the fact that he has killed this project and the thousands of jobs that go along with it?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that, for 10 years, the former Conservative government was unable to approve any pipeline projects and was unable to help the energy sector. It also did nothing for the environment or to protect the future. We, on the other hand, as a government, have been able to approve some projects and have also been able to protect the environment by setting a pan-Canadian price on carbon and making environmental protection a priority. That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we did.

Mr. Speaker, here is what we know. The Minister of Finance refuses to recuse himself from discussions around policy that affects Morneau Shepell. We also know that any decision made at the cabinet level seems to benefit Morneau Shepell.Does the Minister of National Revenue believe that the Minister of Finance, who, by the way, will not tell anybody how many shares he has in Morneau Shepell, that is a big secret, should recuse himself around any discussions about tax havens like those located in Barbados?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore for his question.About a year ago, members of this House unanimously voted to bring survivors of Daesh, including Yazidi women and girls, to safety. Today, I am proud to update the House. Almost 800 Yazidi women and girls and other survivors of Daesh have already arrived and have begun the process of rebuilding their lives with the assistance of private sponsors and community groups all across Canada.I continue to be amazed by the generosity and compassion extended to this highly vulnerable group by all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we now know that public officials were raising major concerns about the implementation of the Phoenix payroll system. However, instead of listening to these concerns, the government gave millions of dollars to two massive corporations, which were the same companies selling Phoenix in the first place. What did we get? We got a pay system that does not pay employees.When Canadians buy a product that does not work, they go back to the store and ask for a refund. My question is simple. Where is our refund?

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that a farmer from Lac-Saint-Jean who wants to sell his farm to his daughter at a discount is considered a cheat. It is unacceptable that a foreign investor pays half as much tax, or no tax at all on his investments. It is unacceptable that the government is attacking SMEs and refusing to do anything about tax havens.Will the government go back to the drawing board and ensure that its reform targets the real cheats, those who take advantage of the system?

Mr. Speaker, it was just this July, when the finance minister was asked about Barbados being a tax haven, when he threw his comment, “we're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Literally at the same time that he was telling entrepreneurs and farmers and small business owners that they were going to have to pay upwards of 73% tax, his baby, Morneau Shepell, was nicely and safely havened in Barbados. What this boils down to is absolute hypocrisy on the part of the government and the finance minister. Why can he not see how unfair this tax grab is?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The proof is in the historic investments we have made, unlike our colleagues opposite. We were even told by a member who served as the minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency under the Conservatives that this issue was not even a priority when they were in power. We are moving forward with our work. The net is tightening, and Canadians expect no less of us.

Mr. Speaker, according to the CBC: Part of the draw is Barbados's corporate tax rate of between one and 2.5 per cent. And once that modest amount is paid, thanks to the 1980 tax treaty any leftover profits earned at a subsidiary based or linked to there can be brought back to Canada tax-free. When the finance minister launched his crusade to target tax cheats, he only went after plumbers and pizza shop owners and farmers, but did nothing about this Barbados loophole. Why?

Mr. Speaker, today is a sad day for Canada, for Quebec, and for every one of Canada's provinces. TransCanada pulling the plug on energy east is the Liberal government's doing. By changing the rules of the game, by changing the assessment rules, the Liberal government jeopardized a major project, a $15-billion investment that would have put 3,000 people in Quebec to work during the construction phase. Who is happy about this in the meantime? Oil producers in Venezuela, Algeria, Iraq, and other countries, that is who.Is the Prime Minister proud of this mess?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and our cultural industry are furious about the Liberals' deal with the American giant Netflix. Yesterday, the Prime Minister continued to promote this as a good deal. Unless the Prime Minister owns a lot of Netflix shares, it is not a good deal. It disadvantages Canadian companies, it sets a dangerous precedent for other large multinationals that are not paying their fair share, and three-quarters of the money comes directly from Canadians.How can the Liberal government justify this betrayal of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, excuse me, did he say playing politics?I would be far more comfortable following a regulatory regime that leads to jobs and billions of dollars of investment in the Canadian economy, something that the Harper Conservatives could not do for 10 years.The member is wrong. The rules did not change, not at the beginning, not in mid-stream, and not at the end.

Mr. Speaker, while Canadian energy workers woke up to the news that the Liberals had killed yet another energy project, the Liberals were clinking their Champagne glasses and toasting their success at killing the energy east project. However, they are not the only ones celebrating. The dictators and despots from foreign oil capitals, who will continue to send thousands of oil tankers to Canada every year, have just one message for the Liberal government, “Well done my good and faithful servants.”How does it feel to have sold out Canadian energy workers in order to appease foreign oil dictators and Liberal politicians by killing this project?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.In our first two budgets, we invested more than $1 billion, which led to the recovery of nearly $25 billion. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 warrants, and 78 convictions.Let me be very clear. The net is tightening. Canadians expect no less from us.

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that we have consulted Canadians, farmers, fishers, from all across the country, from coast to coast to coast, to make sure we get this right. One of the principles guiding us as we move forward is we want to make sure that intergenerational transfers of a business or a farm are not impacted by the changes we have put forward, that farmers can continue to employ and remunerate members of their family as they work on the farms. This government will always be behind family farms and behind our farmers.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by asking the House leader if she could tell us what the business is for the rest of this week and when we return after the Thanksgiving constituency week. Given that we have been very co-operative over the last two and a half to three weeks and have seen a lot of government legislation move through that period, I am hoping that she will be respectful of some of the bills that we really would like to have ample time to discuss. Bill C-48 was basically shut down after one member spoke to it, which was disappointing. I am hoping that, moving forward, we will be able to press the reset button and that we will be allowed to speak on issues that are important to us.

Mr. Speaker, she should talk to the finance minister about that because his billion dollar family business has a certificate of registration in Barbados, yet the very day the minister rolled out his tax increase on local businesses, he was asked about the Barbados treaty and said, “But we're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”Why did he forget to mention that the baby in question was a Morneau Shepell subsidiary?

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question and reassure him. We will always defend the family farm model and stand behind our farmers. That is why we want to make sure that we maintain an environment that is conducive to their success and prosperity.We want to ensure that intergenerational farm transfers, from parents to children, will not be affected by the changes we are making.All we want, the one and only goal of these proposals, is to introduce some fairness into the tax system in areas where it is lacking.

Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers work hard to feed the world. Many gamble off farm earnings, cash out pensions early, and mortgage heavily to invest in their families' enterprises. They are constantly dealing with the volatility and the unpredictability of both markets and Mother Nature. Unlike the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, these families cannot access million dollar trust funds. Instead, they continually risk all they have to preserve the family farm.Why are the Liberals willing to put our generational farms at risk for this cheap tax grab?

Mr. Speaker, right now, there are things about our tax system that are unfair, and we want to fix that.For example, some of our wealthiest Canadians are encouraged to incorporate so they can access tax benefits that the vast majority of the people watching us today, the people we represent here in the House, do not have access to. That is what we want to fix. We have listened to Canadians from coast to coast to make sure we do things right.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that the situation has changed since TransCanada first proposed the energy east project. Oil was $90 a barrel at the time and now it is worth half. The Conservatives were unable to get any pipeline approved. We have approved three. The conditions have changed. We continue to defend good jobs while protecting the environment at the same time, something the former Conservative government was completely incapable of doing.

Mr. Speaker, in their desperation to raise revenues, the Liberals are now raising taxes on the family farm. In addition, it is even worse. Their new tax proposal will make it more expensive for a farmer to sell the farm to his child or a family member than to a multinational corporation. Most Canadians understand the importance of encouraging the next generation on the farm.Why are the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance so dedicated to protecting their own family fortunes, while waging a war against the family farm?

Mr. Speaker, evidence seemed to convince the parliamentary budget officer, and the PBO predicts also that seniors will become even more dependent on government services in the years to come. The amount that seniors will need from these services is projected to double. This is at a time when more than one-quarter of a million seniors already live below the poverty level. So far, Liberals have no plan to help seniors. In fact, yesterday, the Prime Minister mocked the NDP for calling for a national strategy. When will the Liberals finally get serious about lifting seniors out of poverty?

Mr. Speaker, it is important for us to remind our American partners that the United States also has measures in place to promote and protect its own wine industry, and American wine already does very well in Canada. In fact, the United States is our largest supplier of imported wine. The U.S. complaints to the WTO are unnecessary. We will continue to work closely with the provinces on this issue, and I have discussed it at length with Premier Horgan. We have a united front.We will always stand with Canadian workers and industry.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I pointed out that while the NDP members were talking, we were delivering. We delivered an increase by 10% to the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors. That is $1,000 more in the pockets of seniors who really need it. We are moving forward on a national housing strategy to ensure that our most vulnerable seniors will have security and stability in where they live. We have moved forward on home care with historic investments with the provinces that will make sure that we are giving our seniors the support they need. We have moved forward on a historic strengthening of the Canada pension plan that is going to ensure that our seniors of today and our seniors of tomorrow have all the support they need.

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is right. Some things have changed. What has changed is that there have been three pipelines approved, which has changed the market conditions. What has not changed is the regulatory environment that would have governed this entire process. Exactly the same system that was in place which led to the approval of the Enbridge Line 3 replacement and the Trans Mountain expansion would have been in place for energy east. Things have changed and things have not changed. Our commitment with the energy sector is unwavering.

Mr. Speaker, obviously the Prime Minister does not realize that he is accountable for this dysfunctional regulatory process that Liberals put in place.Two days ago, all the Atlantic MPs except for one voted against having a longer process for consultation on tax hikes to fishers, farmers, and local businesses, all but one. With this morning's announcement, Atlantic Canadians are faced with another economic blow.This is what I want to know. These are important sectors, and they are vital to the east coast economy. When will the Liberals stop stifling opportunity and stop taking us for granted?

Mr. Speaker, the question was not whether the Liberal government is spending more money on tax collectors, but with regard to the 40-year long tax treaty with Barbados. We now find that the minister's billion-dollar family business has a subsidiary in that country. He is forbidden by an agreement with the Ethics Commissioner from being involved in any matters affecting that family business.Can the hon. minister confirm that the Minister of Finance has absented himself from any matters related to the Barbados tax treaty?

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to families and workers who are affected by such economic decisions.On our part, as a government, we are trying to build the economy. We have succeeded in creating over 400,000 jobs in the last year. We are working through various ministries, including the ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and through regional development agencies to create jobs to create long-term employment to make sure this economy continues to grow on behalf of families and workers in southwestern Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, TransCanada made a business decision based on market conditions. When it first proposed the energy east pipeline, oil was up around $90 a barrel, and the Conservative government had been unable to approve any new pipelines.Since then, oil is at around half that price, and we have approved three new pipelines, creating jobs for more 31,000 Canadians in the energy industry. We will continue to stay focused on growing the economy and creating good jobs, while protecting the environment right across the country.

Mr. Speaker, this government has been able to do what the Conservative government could not do, for example, 3,000 jobs for the Nova Gas pipeline; 7,000 jobs for Line 3, 15,000 jobs for the Trans Mountain expansion. We support the Keystone XL pipeline, which is another 6,400 jobs.This is a very significant job creation enhancement as a result of the regulatory practices that this government has accepted. They are environmental stewardship, indigenous engagement, and economic growth.They failed; we succeeded.

Mr. Speaker, it is always someone else's fault.The Liberals have never been able to explain why they rushed ahead with the implementation of the Phoenix pay system. The Liberals, not the Conservatives, went ahead with it. They gave it the green light. Now we are learning that the government paid PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM millions of dollars. Who was behind the bid for the Phoenix system? It was PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM. My question is simple.Why did the Liberals ignore the advice of their own employees who warned them about the pending fiasco?

Mr. Speaker, we are here to protect our dairy producers and the Canadian dairy sector.I would like to remind everyone that American dairy producers enjoy a five to one trade surplus with Canada, and that is what I am going to be saying at the negotiating table. We will vigorously defend our national interests and remain faithful to Canadian values.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the U.S. filed a second complaint with the WTO against Canada over B.C. wine sales. This despite the fact that since 1988, the U.S. share for wine sales in Canada has more than doubled and the Canadian share of the U.S. market hovers just above zero. On top of this, the U.S. is demanding under NAFTA to allow greater access for U.S. wines in all retail channels across Canada. These heavy-handed trade complaints will damage Canada's wine industry. What is the government doing to protect the Canadian wine sector from these attacks?

Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind the opposition that we were elected on a very clear promise to defend the middle class. The previous government ignored the middle class for a decade to focus on giving tax breaks to the rich. That is why the first thing we did was lower taxes for 9 million Canadians and make the Canada child benefit more progressive than ever before, ensuring it will lift 300,000 children out of poverty. We are very proud of these achievements, and we do not need any lessons from the other side of the House.

Mr. Speaker, documents in my hand, which I have obtained, show that the finance minister's billion dollar company, Morneau Shepell, has registered its subsidiary in Barbados, which Oxfam lists as one of the 15 top tax havens in the world. Because of the Canada-Barbados tax treaty, companies pay virtually no tax at all on profits they ship back to Canada. The finance minister's plan to target rich tax evaders goes after family farms and local businesses, but does nothing about tax havens like Barbados. Why?

Mr. Speaker, how naive. It is incredible.The free pass that was given to Netflix does not pass muster in Quebec. Everyone is speaking out against it: the National Assembly, the Union des artistes, even our entrepreneurs such as Peter Simons who points out that local businesses, our entrepreneurs, are doing their fair share. Everyone is against this and yet the minister says she is proud of her work. Something does not add up. As Gérald Fillion says, it is as though she were not listening to us.Quebeckers are calling for a real cultural policy and businesses are calling for a real tax policy, but the minister is so proud.How can she be proud of such a failure?

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer confirmed in his report released today that the Liberal government's health transfers, much like Stephen Harper's, are inadequate and will not meet the needs of the provinces. That is exactly what the provinces have been saying: they are going to face serious budgetary pressures because of our aging population. Until the federal government has the courage to contribute its fair share, the provinces will never have the means to improve their health care systems.When will the Prime Minister live up to his promise to adequately fund health care?

Mr. Speaker, this government is very proud to have been able to negotiate health accords with the provinces for the next few years. We were able to make historic investments in mental health because we recognize the real needs that exist in that area. We also made historic investments in home care services to help our seniors, to help those most vulnerable. This government is very proud to have worked with the provinces to fulfill its commitments to Canadians. We will continue to provide a health care system for all Canadians across the country.

Mr. Speaker, to the Liberals, tax fairness means finding more and more ways to tax family businesses.If the Liberals were serious about fairness, all they would have to do is open up the tax treaty Canada signed a few years ago with Barbados to ensure that corporations pay their fair share of taxes. Morneau Shepell is one of the corporations that benefits from that tax treaty.As my colleague said, when the minister was asked about that, he said we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. The baby is Morneau Shepell, and Morneau Shepell must pay its fair share of taxes.

Mr. Speaker, our government strongly supports Canada dairy farmers and the dairy industry. It is worth reminding people, particularly our American interlocutors, that the United States has a very great surplus in dairy trade with Canada of 5:1, and that is what I do at the negotiating table.We will fiercely defend our national interest at the NAFTA round, and we will stand up for our values.

Mr. Speaker, on October 25, 2016, this House voted unanimously to provide protection to Yazidi women and children who are escaping genocide by Daesh.In many communities across Canada, such as London, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Toronto, families are being reunited with friends and loved ones. Our government made a commitment to this House to resettle Yazidi women and children and other survivors of Daesh.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship please update all Canadians on the government's progress on this important initiative, which was supported by all members of this House?

Mr. Speaker, our government knows how important farmers are to our economy, and that is why we want to make sure we get this right. I have worked on this file. We listened to farmers and met with representatives from the farming community. I can assure you that we will take the industry's opinions into account in our plan for the future.

Mr. Speaker, our commitment to Canada's creative industries is clear. This investment provides for at least $500 million in original productions in Canada, in both official languages. This investment will create jobs and allow creators and producers to share their content in Canada and around the world. The investments in Creative Canada will help ensure that our creative industry remains strong.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to remind the member and members of the House why we approved the Trans Mountain expansion. We approved it because of 15,440 jobs, mostly in British Columbia and Alberta. We approved it because of the billion dollars of investment. We approved it because we are not comfortable sending 99% of our oil and gas exports to one country, the United States. We have expanded markets, we have created jobs, and there will be billions of dollars in investments. It was a good decision then, and it is a good decision today.

Mr. Speaker, producers deserve a better answer than that.The United States clearly wants greater access to our dairy market. Supply management should not be on the negotiating table, period. Producers must also know that the minister will not provide greater access to our dairy market. I will therefore repeat my question: instead of spouting the same rhetoric, will the minister today tell Canadians and the dairy industry that she will not give the United States greater access to our dairy market?

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue the debate we began this morning on the NDP opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will begin debate on Bill C-57 on sustainable development.Next week, members will be working in their ridings. When we return, we will resume consideration of Bill C-55 on the protection of oceans.On Wednesday, we will resume debate on Bill C-57. Lastly, Tuesday and Thursday of that week shall be allotted days.Since we will be in our constituencies next week, I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving with friends, family, and loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, the cleanest and best quality aluminum in the world is produced in Lac-Saint-Jean. There is nothing like it anywhere else. We are talking about 7,000 direct and 30,000 indirect jobs in Lac-Saint-Jean. The people of Lac-Saint-Jean have a lot to be proud of. However, once again, the Liberals' spinelessness towards Donald Trump threatens the future of aluminum in Lac-Saint-Jean.Can the minister make a solemn commitment to protect the aluminum industry, especially in negotiations with the Americans?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to growing the creative industries. This investment, which is the first of its kind in the world, guarantees there will be at least half a billion dollars in original productions made here in Canada in both official languages. This investment will create jobs and opportunities for creators and producers to make great content to share with Canada and the world. As part of our vision for a creative Canada, these investments will help ensure that the creative industries remain strong. We are extremely proud of them.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pierrefonds—Dollard for his question.We all share his desire to make the passenger experience as pleasant as possible. That is why we worked with the Minister of Public Safety and officials at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport to fix the problem, by adding automated kiosks and more customs officers. I am proud to report that last summer, during Montreal's 375th anniversary celebrations, we reduced the wait time to 10 minutes. That a good example—

Mr. Speaker, we are seeing the growth of a strong economy and the creation of jobs across the country. However, there is still more work to do. In my riding of Surrey—Newton, I am pleased that our government is supporting organizations, such as DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, to help at-risk youth get the support they need to find and keep good jobs.Could the minister update the House on actions taken to ensure that everyone, including at-risk youth, have the chance to participate in our growing economy?

Mr. Speaker, our government is proud of the Atlantic growth strategy that we established with the premiers of the Atlantic provinces to invest in growth, innovation, immigration, and opportunities for the Atlantic provinces to thrive and succeed.After 10 long years of being ignored by the previous government, we are proud of our strong voices from Atlantic Canada that stand up every day to create good jobs and a good future for all Atlantic Canadians and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance claims to have listened to business owners across the country, and he emphatically stated that he would introduce a tax reform that was fair and equitable for all business owners.Nevertheless, we recently learned that his own family company, Morneau Shepell, will not be affected by the tax hikes because it has a subsidiary in Barbados.How can the Minister of Finance justify raising taxes for Canadian plumbers, workers, and entrepreneurs while making sure that his family business remains sheltered from taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the question was not whether they are spending more money on tax collectors. The question was with regard to the treaty with Barbados—

Mr. Speaker, yes, I can make a solemn commitment to defend the interests of the steel sector and all sectors of our national economy. Our government will always stand up for aluminum and steel workers. Our government is proud of our aluminum sector and its workers. We will always defend our economic interests and Canadian values.

Mr. Speaker, the question was not whether they are spending more money on tax collectors. The question was with regard to the treaty with Barbados—

Mr. Speaker, yes, I can make a solemn commitment to defend the interests of the steel sector and all sectors of our national economy. Our government will always stand up for aluminum and steel workers. Our government is proud of our aluminum sector and its workers. We will always defend our economic interests and Canadian values.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance claims to have listened to business owners across the country, and he emphatically stated that he would introduce a tax reform that was fair and equitable for all business owners.Nevertheless, we recently learned that his own family company, Morneau Shepell, will not be affected by the tax hikes because it has a subsidiary in Barbados.How can the Minister of Finance justify raising taxes for Canadian plumbers, workers, and entrepreneurs while making sure that his family business remains sheltered from taxes?

Mr. Speaker, our government is proud of the Atlantic growth strategy that we established with the premiers of the Atlantic provinces to invest in growth, innovation, immigration, and opportunities for the Atlantic provinces to thrive and succeed.After 10 long years of being ignored by the previous government, we are proud of our strong voices from Atlantic Canada that stand up every day to create good jobs and a good future for all Atlantic Canadians and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we are seeing the growth of a strong economy and the creation of jobs across the country. However, there is still more work to do. In my riding of Surrey—Newton, I am pleased that our government is supporting organizations, such as DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, to help at-risk youth get the support they need to find and keep good jobs.Could the minister update the House on actions taken to ensure that everyone, including at-risk youth, have the chance to participate in our growing economy?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pierrefonds—Dollard for his question.We all share his desire to make the passenger experience as pleasant as possible. That is why we worked with the Minister of Public Safety and officials at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport to fix the problem, by adding automated kiosks and more customs officers. I am proud to report that last summer, during Montreal's 375th anniversary celebrations, we reduced the wait time to 10 minutes. That a good example—

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to growing the creative industries. This investment, which is the first of its kind in the world, guarantees there will be at least half a billion dollars in original productions made here in Canada in both official languages. This investment will create jobs and opportunities for creators and producers to make great content to share with Canada and the world. As part of our vision for a creative Canada, these investments will help ensure that the creative industries remain strong. We are extremely proud of them.

Mr. Speaker, the cleanest and best quality aluminum in the world is produced in Lac-Saint-Jean. There is nothing like it anywhere else. We are talking about 7,000 direct and 30,000 indirect jobs in Lac-Saint-Jean. The people of Lac-Saint-Jean have a lot to be proud of. However, once again, the Liberals' spinelessness towards Donald Trump threatens the future of aluminum in Lac-Saint-Jean.Can the minister make a solemn commitment to protect the aluminum industry, especially in negotiations with the Americans?

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue the debate we began this morning on the NDP opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will begin debate on Bill C-57 on sustainable development.Next week, members will be working in their ridings. When we return, we will resume consideration of Bill C-55 on the protection of oceans.On Wednesday, we will resume debate on Bill C-57. Lastly, Tuesday and Thursday of that week shall be allotted days.Since we will be in our constituencies next week, I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving with friends, family, and loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, producers deserve a better answer than that.The United States clearly wants greater access to our dairy market. Supply management should not be on the negotiating table, period. Producers must also know that the minister will not provide greater access to our dairy market. I will therefore repeat my question: instead of spouting the same rhetoric, will the minister today tell Canadians and the dairy industry that she will not give the United States greater access to our dairy market?

Mr. Speaker, it is important to remind the member and members of the House why we approved the Trans Mountain expansion. We approved it because of 15,440 jobs, mostly in British Columbia and Alberta. We approved it because of the billion dollars of investment. We approved it because we are not comfortable sending 99% of our oil and gas exports to one country, the United States. We have expanded markets, we have created jobs, and there will be billions of dollars in investments. It was a good decision then, and it is a good decision today.

Mr. Speaker, our commitment to Canada's creative industries is clear. This investment provides for at least $500 million in original productions in Canada, in both official languages. This investment will create jobs and allow creators and producers to share their content in Canada and around the world. The investments in Creative Canada will help ensure that our creative industry remains strong.

Mr. Speaker, our government knows how important farmers are to our economy, and that is why we want to make sure we get this right. I have worked on this file. We listened to farmers and met with representatives from the farming community. I can assure you that we will take the industry's opinions into account in our plan for the future.

Mr. Speaker, on October 25, 2016, this House voted unanimously to provide protection to Yazidi women and children who are escaping genocide by Daesh.In many communities across Canada, such as London, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Toronto, families are being reunited with friends and loved ones. Our government made a commitment to this House to resettle Yazidi women and children and other survivors of Daesh.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship please update all Canadians on the government's progress on this important initiative, which was supported by all members of this House?

Mr. Speaker, our government strongly supports Canada dairy farmers and the dairy industry. It is worth reminding people, particularly our American interlocutors, that the United States has a very great surplus in dairy trade with Canada of 5:1, and that is what I do at the negotiating table.We will fiercely defend our national interest at the NAFTA round, and we will stand up for our values.

Mr. Speaker, to the Liberals, tax fairness means finding more and more ways to tax family businesses.If the Liberals were serious about fairness, all they would have to do is open up the tax treaty Canada signed a few years ago with Barbados to ensure that corporations pay their fair share of taxes. Morneau Shepell is one of the corporations that benefits from that tax treaty.As my colleague said, when the minister was asked about that, he said we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. The baby is Morneau Shepell, and Morneau Shepell must pay its fair share of taxes.

Mr. Speaker, this government is very proud to have been able to negotiate health accords with the provinces for the next few years. We were able to make historic investments in mental health because we recognize the real needs that exist in that area. We also made historic investments in home care services to help our seniors, to help those most vulnerable. This government is very proud to have worked with the provinces to fulfill its commitments to Canadians. We will continue to provide a health care system for all Canadians across the country.

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer confirmed in his report released today that the Liberal government's health transfers, much like Stephen Harper's, are inadequate and will not meet the needs of the provinces. That is exactly what the provinces have been saying: they are going to face serious budgetary pressures because of our aging population. Until the federal government has the courage to contribute its fair share, the provinces will never have the means to improve their health care systems.When will the Prime Minister live up to his promise to adequately fund health care?

Mr. Speaker, how naive. It is incredible.The free pass that was given to Netflix does not pass muster in Quebec. Everyone is speaking out against it: the National Assembly, the Union des artistes, even our entrepreneurs such as Peter Simons who points out that local businesses, our entrepreneurs, are doing their fair share. Everyone is against this and yet the minister says she is proud of her work. Something does not add up. As Gérald Fillion says, it is as though she were not listening to us.Quebeckers are calling for a real cultural policy and businesses are calling for a real tax policy, but the minister is so proud.How can she be proud of such a failure?

Mr. Speaker, documents in my hand, which I have obtained, show that the finance minister's billion dollar company, Morneau Shepell, has registered its subsidiary in Barbados, which Oxfam lists as one of the 15 top tax havens in the world. Because of the Canada-Barbados tax treaty, companies pay virtually no tax at all on profits they ship back to Canada. The finance minister's plan to target rich tax evaders goes after family farms and local businesses, but does nothing about tax havens like Barbados. Why?

Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind the opposition that we were elected on a very clear promise to defend the middle class. The previous government ignored the middle class for a decade to focus on giving tax breaks to the rich. That is why the first thing we did was lower taxes for 9 million Canadians and make the Canada child benefit more progressive than ever before, ensuring it will lift 300,000 children out of poverty. We are very proud of these achievements, and we do not need any lessons from the other side of the House.

Mr. Speaker, we are here to protect our dairy producers and the Canadian dairy sector.I would like to remind everyone that American dairy producers enjoy a five to one trade surplus with Canada, and that is what I am going to be saying at the negotiating table. We will vigorously defend our national interests and remain faithful to Canadian values.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the U.S. filed a second complaint with the WTO against Canada over B.C. wine sales. This despite the fact that since 1988, the U.S. share for wine sales in Canada has more than doubled and the Canadian share of the U.S. market hovers just above zero. On top of this, the U.S. is demanding under NAFTA to allow greater access for U.S. wines in all retail channels across Canada. These heavy-handed trade complaints will damage Canada's wine industry. What is the government doing to protect the Canadian wine sector from these attacks?

Mr. Speaker, it is always someone else's fault.The Liberals have never been able to explain why they rushed ahead with the implementation of the Phoenix pay system. The Liberals, not the Conservatives, went ahead with it. They gave it the green light. Now we are learning that the government paid PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM millions of dollars. Who was behind the bid for the Phoenix system? It was PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM. My question is simple.Why did the Liberals ignore the advice of their own employees who warned them about the pending fiasco?

Mr. Speaker, this government has been able to do what the Conservative government could not do, for example, 3,000 jobs for the Nova Gas pipeline; 7,000 jobs for Line 3, 15,000 jobs for the Trans Mountain expansion. We support the Keystone XL pipeline, which is another 6,400 jobs.This is a very significant job creation enhancement as a result of the regulatory practices that this government has accepted. They are environmental stewardship, indigenous engagement, and economic growth.They failed; we succeeded.

Mr. Speaker, TransCanada made a business decision based on market conditions. When it first proposed the energy east pipeline, oil was up around $90 a barrel, and the Conservative government had been unable to approve any new pipelines.Since then, oil is at around half that price, and we have approved three new pipelines, creating jobs for more 31,000 Canadians in the energy industry. We will continue to stay focused on growing the economy and creating good jobs, while protecting the environment right across the country.

Mr. Speaker, the question was not whether the Liberal government is spending more money on tax collectors, but with regard to the 40-year long tax treaty with Barbados. We now find that the minister's billion-dollar family business has a subsidiary in that country. He is forbidden by an agreement with the Ethics Commissioner from being involved in any matters affecting that family business.Can the hon. minister confirm that the Minister of Finance has absented himself from any matters related to the Barbados tax treaty?

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to families and workers who are affected by such economic decisions.On our part, as a government, we are trying to build the economy. We have succeeded in creating over 400,000 jobs in the last year. We are working through various ministries, including the ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and through regional development agencies to create jobs to create long-term employment to make sure this economy continues to grow on behalf of families and workers in southwestern Ontario.

Mr. Speaker, obviously the Prime Minister does not realize that he is accountable for this dysfunctional regulatory process that Liberals put in place.Two days ago, all the Atlantic MPs except for one voted against having a longer process for consultation on tax hikes to fishers, farmers, and local businesses, all but one. With this morning's announcement, Atlantic Canadians are faced with another economic blow.This is what I want to know. These are important sectors, and they are vital to the east coast economy. When will the Liberals stop stifling opportunity and stop taking us for granted?

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is right. Some things have changed. What has changed is that there have been three pipelines approved, which has changed the market conditions. What has not changed is the regulatory environment that would have governed this entire process. Exactly the same system that was in place which led to the approval of the Enbridge Line 3 replacement and the Trans Mountain expansion would have been in place for energy east. Things have changed and things have not changed. Our commitment with the energy sector is unwavering.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I pointed out that while the NDP members were talking, we were delivering. We delivered an increase by 10% to the guaranteed income supplement for our most vulnerable seniors. That is $1,000 more in the pockets of seniors who really need it. We are moving forward on a national housing strategy to ensure that our most vulnerable seniors will have security and stability in where they live. We have moved forward on home care with historic investments with the provinces that will make sure that we are giving our seniors the support they need. We have moved forward on a historic strengthening of the Canada pension plan that is going to ensure that our seniors of today and our seniors of tomorrow have all the support they need.

Mr. Speaker, it is important for us to remind our American partners that the United States also has measures in place to promote and protect its own wine industry, and American wine already does very well in Canada. In fact, the United States is our largest supplier of imported wine. The U.S. complaints to the WTO are unnecessary. We will continue to work closely with the provinces on this issue, and I have discussed it at length with Premier Horgan. We have a united front.We will always stand with Canadian workers and industry.

Mr. Speaker, evidence seemed to convince the parliamentary budget officer, and the PBO predicts also that seniors will become even more dependent on government services in the years to come. The amount that seniors will need from these services is projected to double. This is at a time when more than one-quarter of a million seniors already live below the poverty level. So far, Liberals have no plan to help seniors. In fact, yesterday, the Prime Minister mocked the NDP for calling for a national strategy. When will the Liberals finally get serious about lifting seniors out of poverty?

Mr. Speaker, in their desperation to raise revenues, the Liberals are now raising taxes on the family farm. In addition, it is even worse. Their new tax proposal will make it more expensive for a farmer to sell the farm to his child or a family member than to a multinational corporation. Most Canadians understand the importance of encouraging the next generation on the farm.Why are the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance so dedicated to protecting their own family fortunes, while waging a war against the family farm?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that the situation has changed since TransCanada first proposed the energy east project. Oil was $90 a barrel at the time and now it is worth half. The Conservatives were unable to get any pipeline approved. We have approved three. The conditions have changed. We continue to defend good jobs while protecting the environment at the same time, something the former Conservative government was completely incapable of doing.

Mr. Speaker, right now, there are things about our tax system that are unfair, and we want to fix that.For example, some of our wealthiest Canadians are encouraged to incorporate so they can access tax benefits that the vast majority of the people watching us today, the people we represent here in the House, do not have access to. That is what we want to fix. We have listened to Canadians from coast to coast to make sure we do things right.

Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers work hard to feed the world. Many gamble off farm earnings, cash out pensions early, and mortgage heavily to invest in their families' enterprises. They are constantly dealing with the volatility and the unpredictability of both markets and Mother Nature. Unlike the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, these families cannot access million dollar trust funds. Instead, they continually risk all they have to preserve the family farm.Why are the Liberals willing to put our generational farms at risk for this cheap tax grab?

Mr. Speaker, she should talk to the finance minister about that because his billion dollar family business has a certificate of registration in Barbados, yet the very day the minister rolled out his tax increase on local businesses, he was asked about the Barbados treaty and said, “But we're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”Why did he forget to mention that the baby in question was a Morneau Shepell subsidiary?

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question and reassure him. We will always defend the family farm model and stand behind our farmers. That is why we want to make sure that we maintain an environment that is conducive to their success and prosperity.We want to ensure that intergenerational farm transfers, from parents to children, will not be affected by the changes we are making.All we want, the one and only goal of these proposals, is to introduce some fairness into the tax system in areas where it is lacking.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by asking the House leader if she could tell us what the business is for the rest of this week and when we return after the Thanksgiving constituency week. Given that we have been very co-operative over the last two and a half to three weeks and have seen a lot of government legislation move through that period, I am hoping that she will be respectful of some of the bills that we really would like to have ample time to discuss. Bill C-48 was basically shut down after one member spoke to it, which was disappointing. I am hoping that, moving forward, we will be able to press the reset button and that we will be allowed to speak on issues that are important to us.

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure the member that we have consulted Canadians, farmers, fishers, from all across the country, from coast to coast to coast, to make sure we get this right. One of the principles guiding us as we move forward is we want to make sure that intergenerational transfers of a business or a farm are not impacted by the changes we have put forward, that farmers can continue to employ and remunerate members of their family as they work on the farms. This government will always be behind family farms and behind our farmers.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance.In our first two budgets, we invested more than $1 billion, which led to the recovery of nearly $25 billion. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 warrants, and 78 convictions.Let me be very clear. The net is tightening. Canadians expect no less from us.

Mr. Speaker, while Canadian energy workers woke up to the news that the Liberals had killed yet another energy project, the Liberals were clinking their Champagne glasses and toasting their success at killing the energy east project. However, they are not the only ones celebrating. The dictators and despots from foreign oil capitals, who will continue to send thousands of oil tankers to Canada every year, have just one message for the Liberal government, “Well done my good and faithful servants.”How does it feel to have sold out Canadian energy workers in order to appease foreign oil dictators and Liberal politicians by killing this project?

Mr. Speaker, excuse me, did he say playing politics?I would be far more comfortable following a regulatory regime that leads to jobs and billions of dollars of investment in the Canadian economy, something that the Harper Conservatives could not do for 10 years.The member is wrong. The rules did not change, not at the beginning, not in mid-stream, and not at the end.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and our cultural industry are furious about the Liberals' deal with the American giant Netflix. Yesterday, the Prime Minister continued to promote this as a good deal. Unless the Prime Minister owns a lot of Netflix shares, it is not a good deal. It disadvantages Canadian companies, it sets a dangerous precedent for other large multinationals that are not paying their fair share, and three-quarters of the money comes directly from Canadians.How can the Liberal government justify this betrayal of Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, today is a sad day for Canada, for Quebec, and for every one of Canada's provinces. TransCanada pulling the plug on energy east is the Liberal government's doing. By changing the rules of the game, by changing the assessment rules, the Liberal government jeopardized a major project, a $15-billion investment that would have put 3,000 people in Quebec to work during the construction phase. Who is happy about this in the meantime? Oil producers in Venezuela, Algeria, Iraq, and other countries, that is who.Is the Prime Minister proud of this mess?

Mr. Speaker, according to the CBC: Part of the draw is Barbados's corporate tax rate of between one and 2.5 per cent. And once that modest amount is paid, thanks to the 1980 tax treaty any leftover profits earned at a subsidiary based or linked to there can be brought back to Canada tax-free. When the finance minister launched his crusade to target tax cheats, he only went after plumbers and pizza shop owners and farmers, but did nothing about this Barbados loophole. Why?

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The proof is in the historic investments we have made, unlike our colleagues opposite. We were even told by a member who served as the minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency under the Conservatives that this issue was not even a priority when they were in power. We are moving forward with our work. The net is tightening, and Canadians expect no less of us.

Mr. Speaker, it was just this July, when the finance minister was asked about Barbados being a tax haven, when he threw his comment, “we're not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Literally at the same time that he was telling entrepreneurs and farmers and small business owners that they were going to have to pay upwards of 73% tax, his baby, Morneau Shepell, was nicely and safely havened in Barbados. What this boils down to is absolute hypocrisy on the part of the government and the finance minister. Why can he not see how unfair this tax grab is?

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that a farmer from Lac-Saint-Jean who wants to sell his farm to his daughter at a discount is considered a cheat. It is unacceptable that a foreign investor pays half as much tax, or no tax at all on his investments. It is unacceptable that the government is attacking SMEs and refusing to do anything about tax havens.Will the government go back to the drawing board and ensure that its reform targets the real cheats, those who take advantage of the system?

Mr. Speaker, we now know that public officials were raising major concerns about the implementation of the Phoenix payroll system. However, instead of listening to these concerns, the government gave millions of dollars to two massive corporations, which were the same companies selling Phoenix in the first place. What did we get? We got a pay system that does not pay employees.When Canadians buy a product that does not work, they go back to the store and ask for a refund. My question is simple. Where is our refund?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore for his question.About a year ago, members of this House unanimously voted to bring survivors of Daesh, including Yazidi women and girls, to safety. Today, I am proud to update the House. Almost 800 Yazidi women and girls and other survivors of Daesh have already arrived and have begun the process of rebuilding their lives with the assistance of private sponsors and community groups all across Canada.I continue to be amazed by the generosity and compassion extended to this highly vulnerable group by all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, here is what we know. The Minister of Finance refuses to recuse himself from discussions around policy that affects Morneau Shepell. We also know that any decision made at the cabinet level seems to benefit Morneau Shepell.Does the Minister of National Revenue believe that the Minister of Finance, who, by the way, will not tell anybody how many shares he has in Morneau Shepell, that is a big secret, should recuse himself around any discussions about tax havens like those located in Barbados?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know full well that, for 10 years, the former Conservative government was unable to approve any pipeline projects and was unable to help the energy sector. It also did nothing for the environment or to protect the future. We, on the other hand, as a government, have been able to approve some projects and have also been able to protect the environment by setting a pan-Canadian price on carbon and making environmental protection a priority. That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we did.

Mr. Speaker, Liberals across the country are elated today. Their plan to kill the energy east pipeline has finally worked, but it was not easy. First, they set the project back several years by restarting the hearings. Then they changed the rules of the game at half time. However, they persevered, and today they finally got the result they have always wanted: energy east is dead.After living his whole life off of the avails of a family fortune created by an oil and gas empire, is the Prime Minister proud of the fact that he has killed this project and the thousands of jobs that go along with it?

Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals killing energy east, British Columbia's Trans Mountain pipeline is quickly becoming Canada's only option for getting our energy to new markets, but the B.C. NDP government is doing everything in its power to stop this project, including court action. Unfortunately, the NDP has several allies in the Liberal government including the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries. Approving this project is one thing; getting it built is another. When will the Prime Minister do his job and tell Premier Horgan to back off and ensure that Trans Mountain gets built?

Mr. Speaker, is the Prime Minister aware that the reason the conditions have changed is that he changed them? It is because of him that, today, it is much harder for business people to make plans. It is a double standard. He has made things much harder for Canadian oil, while holding the door wide open for foreign oil. Quebec has two refineries that produce and purchase $10 billion worth of foreign oil. We are giving all that money to foreign companies rather than keeping it here in Canada.Why does the Prime Minister have so much contempt for Canadian oil?

The Conservative side.

—when the finance minister said that he would not do any deal, that he would not be involved in any matter—

Mr. Speaker, we have just learned that the Minister of Finance's family business might have a subsidiary in Barbados, a known tax haven. Meanwhile, the Liberals are proposing a tax reform that attacks our local businesses and their future. Can the Minister of Finance confirm to the House what personal ties he has to the family subsidiary in Barbados, a tax haven?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance promised the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner in writing that he would abstain from participation in all matters related to his family business. Today we learned that Morneau Shepell registered a subsidiary in Barbados, a subsidiary whose profits can then be repatriated to Canada tax free.Will the Minister of National Revenue investigate the Minister of Finance's actions and ties to his family fortune in tax havens? Is the net tightening around the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, just this morning, the C.D. Howe Institute is quoted as saying that basic economics, not regulation, ended the energy east pipeline—not regulation.Why is that the case? It is the case because nothing has changed in the regulatory process. The same rules that applied and that led to the approval of billions of dollars of investment in the energy sector, as well as tens of thousands of jobs, still existed and would have to the energy east pipeline.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, and our first two budgets proved that. We have invested nearly $1 billion to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance. We are well on our way to recovering $25 billion. Some 627 cases have been transferred to criminal investigation, and there have been 268 warrants and 78 convictions. Yes, the net is tightening. Much more—

Mr. Speaker, we consulted with and listened to Canadians across the country regarding these proposals, which stem from a very clear promise that we made to the middle class to make the tax system fairer.I want to be clear about what came out of those consultations: we will always stand behind our small and medium-sized businesses. We will always stand behind our entrepreneurs, and that is what guides our government as we consider everything that we heard from Canadians. We are going to make sure to keep the tax rate the lowest in the G7. We are going to make things easier for entrepreneurs, and we are going to ensure that intergenerational transfers are not affected. We listened. I know that must seem strange to a party that did not listen for 10 years when it was in government.We are listening, and we want to do things right.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. Our historic $1-billion investment over the past two years is proof positive. It is unprecedented.Our measures are bearing fruit, since we are on track to recovering $25 billion offshore. What is more, 627 cases were handed over to criminal investigations, 268 search warrants were issued, and there have been 78 convictions. The net is tightening and we will continue—

Mr. Speaker, the fourth round of NAFTA renegotiations start next week in Washington, and the Americans are expected to bring forward their dairy sector demands. After repeated attacks from President Trump on our supply managed sector, the government has stated that it will protect it, yet it has never stated clearly and without hesitation that it will not open our dairy market to the U.S.Since the Liberals and Conservatives put our dairy sector on the table in CETA, and it is likely part of the secretive TPP 11, will they finally stand up in the House today for dairy farmers and commit to not sacrificing our supply management system in NAFTA?

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we will always stand behind our farmers and the family farm model that we are so proud of. We know how much farmers contribute to Canada's prosperity.As we review the comments we received from Canadians all across this country, our priorities are to ensure that we keep tax rates low so that our farmers can prosper and that intergenerational transfers are not affected by our proposed changes so family members can keep working on the farm and in other businesses. Those are our guiding principles. We stand behind small businesses and farmers.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to cracking down on tax cheats and bringing them to justice with the help of our international partners.I am proud of the leadership role we have taken on the international stage. Co-operation between revenue authorities, including the exchange of tax information, is an essential tool for maintaining the integrity of Canada's tax base.

Mr. Speaker, everyone in Montreal, including my constituents in Pierrefonds—Dollard, heard about the serious problem of wait times at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal in the summer of 2016.Airports are key drivers of local economies. It is crucial that they operate efficiently.Can the Minister of Transport infrom Canadians, and Montrealers in particular, of the improvements that have been made at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal?

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that public servants are not being paid appropriately and on time. That is why we are taking our responsibility in this matter seriously and we are working diligently to resolve this situation.We are not making excuses. We are working very hard on this and we will continue to work with the public service and public service unions to fix the problem once and for all.

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. Our actions over the past two years make that abundantly clear. We have invested the historic amount of $1 billion, which has allowed us to hire 100 additional staff and examine four jurisdictions per year. As I said, the net is tightening.

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the hon. member that we will always stand behind our small businesses. We want to keep the small business tax rate below that of all other G7 countries, because we recognize the importance of SMEs to the growth of our industries and the Canadian economy. We proposed some tax reforms and then we listened to Canadians from coast to coast to coast to make sure we get it right and make our tax system fairer where it needs it.

Mr. Speaker, we take very seriously the situation of the Phoenix pay system. That is why we are working extremely hard with the public servants and with the public sector unions across government to ensure that we deliver a pay system that works for Canadians, that pays them on time and appropriately. This is something that we continue to work on diligently, and it is something that we know Canadians expect of us.

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the market conditions have changed fundamentally since the energy east pipeline was first proposed. Oil was up around $90 a barrel, and the Conservative government was unable to get any pipelines approved while it was in government.The fact is that, since then, oil prices have dropped by half, and we have approved three different pipelines to get our oil resources to market, including new markets. The fact is that we are continuing to stand up for Canadian jobs, while we defend the environment.The Conservatives are, again, just playing politics.

Mr. Speaker, Dina and Maurice are farmers in my riding. They have planned for years to pass on the family farm to their son. They have a succession plan detailed and put in place, and they have been saving for this. However, the proposed Liberal tax changes would put this hugely at risk and they think they will lose everything. Their message to the Prime Minister is very simple, “Don't do this. It will wreck Canada.” Yesterday, senior officials at Finance Canada said that they were “struggling to find another approach” to save the family farm. It seems rather questionable.Will the Liberals finally admit they have this all wrong and let go of their crazy plan?

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, our government is fully committed to combatting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. It has invested $1 billion over the past two years, which is more than the Conservatives on the other side of the aisle managed to do in 10 years. We are getting the job done. We are on track to recover $25 billion, not to mention the cases transferred to criminal investigation, the search warrants, and the convictions. As I said, the net is tightening. We will continue our work.

Mr. Speaker, as the job market evolves and changes, young Canadians often need this support to get that first good-paying job. We are investing over $45 million to help over 5,000 youth in British Columbia get the skills they need. For example, our investment that helps Pathfinder's youth centre work with over 300 youths with mental health challenges will mean they gain skills and confidence along the way, and some valuable work experience with it.We will keep working hard to ensure all Canadians have the skills they need to prosper.

Mr. Speaker, the energy east pipeline has been cancelled, after the Liberals changed the rules for investors mid-process.Thousands of jobs and billions in revenue hinged on energy east, and those benefits will now evaporate due to the Liberals' mismanagement. The Liberals' failure to champion the energy sector is driving away investment.Will the minister now stop playing politics with this file and start supporting the Canadian energy sector?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is dead wrong.The business decision was to invest $1 billion to start the process. The decision to not go ahead is a regulatory decision because of the double standard that the government is imposing upon Canadian projects.The Liberals have cost 15,000 Canadians a job, and they have hurt our economy to the tune of $50 billion.They are putting the interests of Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and Algeria before Canadian jobs. What does the Prime Minister have to say to that?

Mr. Speaker, the Firestone plant in Woodstock, Ontario has announced it will close its doors in 2018 and relocate to the United States, citing global markets. One hundred and seventy jobs will be lost, jobs that feed, clothe, and house Canadian families and sustain local communities. This is one more in a long line of closures that leaves southwestern Ontario gutted, with ripple effects that will take generations to repair, and still nothing from the government. Do the Liberals even have a plan to prevent such devastating job losses?

Mr. Speaker, senior officials at the Department of Finance have said that they are having trouble finding a solution with regard to the transfer of family farms from one generation to the next. The Prime Minister is willing to do whatever it takes to fatten government coffers, even if it makes life incredibly difficult for the families who help our country prosper. If the Minister of Agriculture does not want to ensure the survival of family farms, we will.When will the Liberal government back down on its tax reform and stand up for our farmers?

Mr. Speaker, this morning thousands of men and women who rely upon the energy sector for well-paying Canadian jobs got the news that they have been dreading.Today's decision to cancel the energy east pipeline is a direct result of two years of political interference by the Liberal Party. Failure is the only word that comes to mind.When will the Prime Minister recognize that his disastrous economic and energy policies are hurting Canadians and our economy?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that our tax system is unfair in a number of ways and encourages some of the wealthiest Canadians to incorporate so they can access tax benefits that the vast majority of Canadians do not have access to. That is what we want to fix.We want to do things right, which is why we consulted Canadians from coast to coast. We want to keep tax rates low for our small businesses. We will always stand behind our entrepreneurs and the growth they create in this country.

Mr. Speaker, with respect, the Prime Minister inherited his wealth, and the Minister of Finance made millions on Bay Street.It is no wonder Liberals do not understand small business. By not going after big businesses, CEOs, and tax havens, the Liberals are broadcasting that small businesses are the beginning and end of unfairness in our tax system. Small businesses feel targeted because they are being targeted.When will the Liberals take tax fairness seriously and go after the biggest abusers of our tax system?

Mr. Speaker, the news of the devastating cancellation of energy east means the loss of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars for Canada. After careful consideration, TransCanada came to the same conclusion that this side of the House has known for months, which is that the Liberal government has done everything it can to limit the Canadian energy sector and kill the middle class jobs that it creates. Will the Prime Minister stop playing political ideological games that are killing the economy and commit to projects that will create jobs for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to combatting tax evasion. The $1 billion we have invested over the past two years has allowed us to hire 100 additional—