Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, if there were no changes, then why are 80% being denied now? Another week and it is another tax grab by the Liberals. It was bad enough that the minister's department started to reject the medical advice of doctors who treat type 1 diabetics, but now there are reports that people who are mentally ill, people who have qualified for years, are suddenly being denied.With the Liberals raising taxes and threatening benefits on the mentally ill, one can only ask this. Who is next?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Canadians know that the Liberals have an insatiable appetite for taxpayers' money. The Liberals have gone after business owners and Canadians, and now they are going after people who are sick. Last week, it was people with diabetes, and now it is those with mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia, who are being targeted by the Liberal government. The Liberals have made it much more difficult for these people to get access to tax credits.I have a very simple question. Does the Liberal Party have no heart? Why is the government going after sick people?
Mr. Speaker, something as significant as our Holocaust memorial in our nation's capital, which recognizes the catastrophic annihilation of six million Jews along with countless others, should be maintained year-round. The Liberals need to understand that this is necessary to demonstrate our commitment to remembering those whose lives were viciously snuffed out by the Nazis in the Holocaust, as well as our dedication to never again.When will the minister just say yes and keep this hallowed landmark open year-round?
Mr. Speaker, what the Minister of Finance has always done, and will continue to do, so he can deliver for Canadians is to work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed, to follow her recommendations. He has mentioned that he would go even above and beyond. If I could just refresh the member's memory, former finance minister Joe Oliver was the sole owner of a corporation that held publicly traded securities. The member from Nepean was the minister of democratic institutions, had recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner, never acted upon them. What I see is a bit of hypocrisy and a lot of amnesia. At the same time, I can understand why those members are trying to forget their decade in power. Millions of Canadians are trying to forget.
Mr. Speaker, not only do we support the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner on this side of the House, we follow her advice. That is something the members opposite cannot seem to understand as they constantly criticize the work she has done and the advice she has given to all parliamentarians. When we arrive in the House we follow the advice of the commissioner because that is what we are expected to do. That is what Canadians expect us to do, and these personal attacks are just happening because they have nothing else to talk about. That is why they are obsessed with us, while we focus on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is mired in an ethical cesspool of his own making, and he seems quite happy to remain there. He got caught misleading Canadians about his Morneau Shepell shares. Now he wants us just to trust him, even though he has millions of dollars worth of other assets hidden secretly in these numbered companies, companies like 1446977 Ontario Inc. What is in that one?
Mr. Speaker, W5 exposed the disastrous impact that open-net Atlantic salmon farms are having on wild Pacific salmon, spreading diseases like PRV and HSMI. First nations along the B.C. coast are calling for the removal of open-net salmon farms from the wild salmon migration route. The Liberal government must remove these farms from the salmon migration route and transition this harmful industry to safe, land-based technology.Will the minister listen to first nations and his own DFO scientists?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another example of the Hamas terrorist regime in Gaza using a school, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, to provide cover for a terrorist tunnel to use Palestinian children as human shields, though UNRWA claims it closed the school when the tunnel was discovered. The Conservative government delivered humanitarian aid to Palestinians around UNRWA, but the Liberals insist on handing UNRWA millions, despite the risk to children, despite the curriculum of hate and terror still taught to children in UNRWA schools. Why?
Mr. Speaker, exactly to avoid situations in which mud is slung, in which personal attacks are made, we have a commissioner who governs and engages with all members of this House to ensure that the rules are followed.The finance minister, all ministers in this House, and ministers of the previous Conservative government follow the advice and the recommendations of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. That is how Canadians can continue to have confidence in what everyone in this House does.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have confidence in the Ethics Commissioner's work and recommendations. We follow those recommendations, and I expect the members opposite to do the same. Canadians expect all parliamentarians to follow the commissioner's recommendations.I can assure Canadians that, despite the personal attacks being made by the opposition, everyone follows the commissioner's recommendations and has confidence in her.
Mr. Speaker, it is shameful to see the Canadian government lose all sense of democracy when it comes to people's right to self-determination.Today, Spain put a price on the heads of all the legitimately elected separatist members of the Catalan government by accusing them of sedition and rebellion. It is offering $100,000 per member for a total of $6.9 million. Will Canada condemn Spain for these acts of repression and its illegal attacks under international law?
Mr. Speaker, according to the 2016 census, the first nations population in Canada has increased by 43% since 2006. That is four times more than the non-indigenous population.Last year, one in five indigenous people lived in crowded homes and homes in need of major repair. That is shameful, and it is a federal responsibility.Will the minister immediately commit to implementing a targeted housing strategy for indigenous people living on and off reserve?
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try again.Canadians have the right to know the names of the other ministers who did not put their assets in a blind trust, as the law requires.Once again, who are they?
Mr. Speaker, what we know is that the finance minister owns several other numbered companies with secret assets in them. Unfortunately, we cannot trust the minister to do the right thing, especially when he thinks that nobody is watching. That is clear from the way he hid his Morneau Shepell shares over the last two years. Will the finance minister be transparent with Canadians now and disclose what he owns in his numbered company 2254165 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents, Transport Canada is planning to stop evaluating pilots and will instead transfer the responsibility to private airline companies. Not only are the Liberals considering privatizing our airports, they are also planning to privatize Canadian aviation security. The Conservatives and Liberals did this with our rail transport security and with our food safety system. In both cases, this private self-regulation has led to major disasters. Do the Liberals have a limit to what they are willing to privatize?
Mr. Speaker, this place is healthy because of a lot of back and forth, because the opposition has a responsibility to challenge and criticize the government to make sure all of us are doing the right things for Canadians.However, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is there to ensure that above all the petty personal attacks, Canadians can be confident that people follow the rules and fulfill their responsibilities. That is exactly what happened.The Conservatives have nothing else to talk about, because Canada is doing so well, because the middle class is growing, because people are
Mr. Speaker, living with type 1 diabetes is hard enough without the Liberals stripping the disability tax credit and the disability retirement savings plan from struggling diabetics.We have proof the Liberals changed the process in May. What is even worse is we have discovered they are doing the same thing to people with mental health conditions.Did the Prime Minister direct the Minister of National Revenue to raise money at all costs, or did she come up with this mean-spirited attack on her own?
Mr. Speaker, I will take that answer as a yes, that he did inappropriately use resources of the House of Commons and no, that he did not clear it with the Ethics Commissioner.The minister, besides being an MP, is also a minister of the crown and has additional resources. I would ask the minister if he can assure the House that there were no other resources, including that of his riding office or of his minister's office, that were used to further the efforts to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents from Transport Canada, pilot proficiency tests will be conducted by the airlines themselves, rather than by Transport Canada inspectors, which is at odds with the recommendations of the aviation safety report. The Liberals, like the Conservatives before them, continue to rely on self-regulation and are cutting inspection budgets. It seems that the Liberals have learned nothing from the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. Does the minister plan to reverse this dangerous decision?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, our hearts were in the right place. We cared about people who were suffering. That is why we had a tax credit for people who were suffering, people who were sick, people with diabetes, and people with mental illness. The government has now made the criteria so restrictive that few people who are suffering are eligible for this eminently sensible tax credit. On the one hand, the government is spending like it is going out of style and, on the other, it is taking more money away from the least fortunate, from people who are suffering.Why is the government doing such a poor job when it comes to people who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, when members are elected and when ministers are appointed, they consult the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure they are following her recommendations and complying with the rules that Canadians expect members of the House to follow. That is exactly what we have done and will continue to do. Our friends opposite have nothing else to talk about or criticize, because things are going very well for the Canadian economy and the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner wrote to us to say that she too had concerns about the fact that the Minister of Finance is sponsoring Bill C-27, a bill that benefits Morneau Shepell. It would be as if the Minister of Natural Resources owned an oil or gas company. That minister would be in a conflict of interest. My question is this: Could the ministers identified by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner also be in a conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Our government has granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. In budget 2017, our government allocated over $5 billion to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with mental health support. We are continuing to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, there might be something broken with this device because every time the Prime Minister speaks all I keep hearing is, We're entitled to our entitlements. The Ethics Commissioner actually said that other ministers, other than the finance minister, could have benefited from those loopholes in the Conflict of Interest Act. For a Prime Minister who said he would be enforcing the highest standards for his ministers, we are seeing that he cannot even keep the bare minimum. I have a very simple question, once again, for the Prime Minister. Who are the other ministers identified by the commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, the federal government is getting mixed up in municipal elections. It did not occur to the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie to warn her associates before going door to door on behalf of the candidate on her husband's team.Does the minister understand that, because of her relationship with the leader of Renouveau sherbrookois and the authority that she has, she risks putting this municipal campaign in conflict of interest and she herself could end up with an ethics problem? Did she use her ministerial resources to promote her candidate to the detriment of others?
Mr. Speaker, not only on this side of the House do we follow the advice given by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, as the Minister of Finance has indicated, we are willing to go above and beyond her original advice.These are the facts of the matter. The issue the Conservatives and the NDP are attacking, on a personal level, is nothing but a distraction because our economy is doing well because Canadians are benefiting from growth, and they have nothing else to talk about than us.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to have the opportunity to rise in this place and congratulate Mrs. Thurlow for a lifetime of activism on an issue that is not only dear to her heart, and to many Canadians, but to the government as well. We know we have to continue to move forward to reduce nuclear weapons in the world to make sure our children and grandchildren are safe. That is why we are so proud to show leadership on the fissile material cut-off treaty that engages both non-nuclear and nuclear weapon-owning countries to move forward on disarmament. That is something we are going to remain focused on, because we know we need to create a world without nuclear weapons.
Mr. Speaker, we have full confidence in the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make recommendations to parliamentarians, parliamentary secretaries, and ministers, and all parliamentarians should have that same confidence. On this side of the House, we will always work transparently with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We will always follow her recommendations, and that is what the Minister of Finance did. He can now continue to serve Canadians, as he has been successfully doing for two years.
Mr. Speaker, as all colleagues in this House, of course, we stand by the national Holocaust museum and its importance, because it commemorates the six million Jewish people as well as other victims who were murdered during the Holocaust. Our government is committed to building a more inclusive society. The NCC is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the monument. This decision was made by the National Holocaust Monument Development Council, along with the NCC.
Mr. Speaker, Setsuko Thurlow, survivor of Hiroshima, and a great Canadian, will accept the Nobel peace prize on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Setsuko played a key role in the UN's adoption of the landmark nuclear ban treaty. She has described the Prime Minister's refusal to sign the treaty as a lack of courage. Will the Prime Minister wake up to the reality of this global threat to humanity, and join the nuclear ban treaty?
Mr. Speaker, to finish the member's sentence, the Minister of Finance announced that he would be donating to charity all of the money earned on his Morneau Shepell shares since he was first elected. I think that is a wonderful gesture that demonstrates the minister's commitment to serving the public, which is the very reason he left the private sector two years ago. He has been serving the public extremely successfully by growing the economy, reducing inequality, and ensuring inclusive prosperity for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, rather than celebrating the first anniversary of another Liberal promise, I am sure Canadians would rather celebrate a contribution to peacekeeping. However, under both the Liberals and the Conservatives, Canada's contribution has been minimal. Despite this, Canada will be hosting a peacekeeping summit next month, scheduled on the understanding that we will be providing a significant commitment to UN peacekeeping. It has been more than a year since the Minister of Defence pledged to contribute up to 600 Canadian Armed Forces personnel and 150 police officers, but the government continues to avoid committing to a specific UN mission.When can Canadians expect to see the Liberals keep their promise on peacekeeping?
Mr. Speaker, we often hear the official opposition ask for a minister responsible for seniors. It is rather surprising to see them fight so hard for seniors, because when they were in government, they did the complete opposite. They increased the age of eligibility for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, which would have put many people in a vulnerable position. They also ignored all suggestions to improve the Canada Pension Plan.Could the minister responsible remind the House of what our government has done to ensure our seniors can live in dignity?
Mr. Speaker, let us go over this again. Canadians with autism, bipolar disorder and other mental health issues, and those requiring dialysis, are some of the latest to be denied a disability tax credit due to changes in the way that the CRA interprets eligibility. This interpretation changed as a result of direction from the minister's office. The question is, will the minister change it back? Will the minister reverse this directive so that all persons previously eligible for this benefit can continue
Mr. Speaker, no, we do not plan to change this rule. To us, passenger safety is always a top priority. I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines. The member misunderstands what we have decided to do. Using a risk-based approach, we periodically conduct an airline safety audit. It is a much more intelligent approach and it is the approach that our government has adopted to ensure passenger safety.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is following up on our concerns and launching an investigation. We hope this investigation will expose all of the Minister of Finance's shady dealings, starting with his offshore company and many numbered companies. After being caught in these conflicts of interest, the minister suddenly acknowledged last week that he was indeed in a conflict of interest when he announced that he would give the profit he had made off his shares to a company
Mr. Speaker, one of those who did put up his hand was the Minister of Finance. He said over the weekend, If theres something that I can do to make sure that people have absolute confidence, Ill do it. He was speaking of his conflicts of interest. One thing would be to reveal what is inside his vast network of numbered companies and trust funds.Could the minister, for example, tell us what is in numbered company 2070689 Ontario Limited?
Mr. Speaker, as I just mentioned, Canada knows we have an important role to play on the international stage. We are proud of our peacekeeping traditions, as are Canadians, and Canadians expect us to make a contribution. That is why we have committed half a billion dollars and 600 troops to return to peacekeeping operations. We are taking our time to make this important decision, understanding the impact that Canada can best play. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, last week they threw the Ethics Commissioner under the bus. Today they are hiding behind her. The fact is, they cannot enforce the bare minimum standard of ethics. Five ministers are benefiting from this loophole in the Conflict of Interest Act, and last week the government voted against the NDP's proposal to close that loophole. Now that we know multiple Liberal cabinet ministers are benefiting from the loophole, maybe the Prime Minister would like to reconsider his position. Will the Prime Minister take the Ethics Commissioner's advice and close the loophole?
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the minister sought no advice from Ms. Dawson when he was involved and introduced Bill C-27. The minister would have us believe that everything is all right, that he has followed all the rules, and disclosed everything to the Ethics Commissioner. Well, she would not be investigating the minister if that were the case.Either the minister failed to disclose all of his assets to the Ethics Commissioner or, what is becoming increasingly clear, he willfully and knowingly ignored her advice. Which is it?
Mr. Speaker, we have repeatedly raised our concerns regarding the Minister of Finance and his sponsorship of Bill C-27. We recently learned that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has the same concerns. She is concerned because the Minister of Finance did not recuse himself from discussions on Bill C-27. My question is simple. Will the Minister of Finance admit that he is in a conflict of interest and what is he hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is against the law for cabinet ministers to own stocks and investments, unless they are in a blind trust.The Minister of Finance has been caught, and now reports indicate that at least four other cabinet ministers are using the same loophole to maintain control of their investments.I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, Morneau Shepell has a subsidiary in the Bahamas, and all Liberal members are voting against the Bloc Québécois motion to tackle tax evasion in Barbados. How bizarre.Morneau Shepell works in the field of pension plans, and all Liberal members are voting in favour of the bill on pension plans that benefits companies like the one owned by the Minister of Finance. How bizarre.In the interest of transparency, could the Liberal members who have shares in Morneau Shepell please raise their hands?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Calgary Herald reported that the Minister of Sport inappropriately used House of Commons resources to support his father's campaign for election as trustee for the school board. In answers to my questions last week, the parliamentary secretary seemed to indicate that the matter had been referred to the Ethics Commissioner, but the answer was anything but clear.I will give the minister another opportunity to clarify today to the House whether he cleared with the Ethics Commissioner the use of these materials in an effort to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, we learned last week that Canadian contribution to UN peacekeeping has reached its lowest point since the 1950s. According to the CBC, UN officials believe this government's actions to be of line with UN peacekeeping priorities. Two weeks from now, Canada will be hosting the world at a peacekeeping summit in Vancouver, and we have nothing to offer. When will this government do what it promised, what the UN has asked for, what the rest of the world expects from Canada and
Mr. Speaker, we believe very strongly that Canada has an important role to play on the world stage. We are proud of our record, and Canadians expect us to make this international contribution. That is why we have committed to contributing half a billion dollars and 600 troops for peacekeeping operations. This decision was not made lightly, as Canadians would expect.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that everyone receives the tax credits to which they are entitled.With regard to mental health, our government allocated $5 billion in budget 2017 to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with better access to mental health support. Our government has also made investments in diabetes, unlike the government opposite, which slashed scientific research.What people with diabetes want is
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Last year, our government granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. Under budget 2017, nurses and clinical nurses are allowed to certify application forms for their patients. We have simplified the forms and in the last budget we invested $5 billion in mental health support to
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Catalonia declared independence, and the Catalan Republic was born. It will be the 194th country to become a member of the United Nations. This declaration came about through a completely peaceful democratic process in which 90% of citizens voted in favour of independence.Canada has recognized a number of countries that are now members of the UN, namely the Czech Republic, Ukraine, South Sudan, and even Kosovo. However, this government has a double standard.Why is Canada refusing to recognize the new Catalan state?
Mr. Speaker, again, to address the issue, I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines, who check their own pilots. We are continuing to use this approach, because it is an intelligent, risk-based approach. It is one that we feel will, in the most economical fashion, address our requirements while not sacrificing in any way safety. We are a modern transport ministry and we are working in a modern way.
Mr. Speaker, we know that the finance minister was exploiting a loophole to shelter $5 million he made from his family-owned, publicly traded company. Now we learn that four others, of the Prime Minister's cabinet ministers, are using the exact same loophole.Again, it is a very simple question. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, no he did not. He always followed the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. Back two years ago, when he took office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been in place. It was good enough for Conservative ministers back when they were in office.The Minister of Finance has announced he will go even further, divesting himself of all shares in Morneau Shepell, placing his assets in a blind trust, and donating to charity, so he can focus on the important work he has been doing for the last two years, serving the public and growing this economy, something the Conservatives have never been able to achieve.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance found loopholes that allowed him to maintain control over his company. Now, we have learned that other ministers have done the same thing.I have a very simple question. Will the Prime Minister tell us who those other ministers are?
Mr. Speaker, it is incredibly important to know who these cabinet ministers are. Like the finance minister, they could be profiting from investments and stocks while making decisions that could impact the value of their own assets.If the Prime Minister is so sure and so proud that they are following all the rules, why will he not just tell us who they are?
Mr. Speaker, everyone in this House refers to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that we are following the rules and putting in place the things that Canadians expect us to follow, and expect of all parliamentarians.It is interesting to note that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has made recommendations to members of all parties, and in previous governments. The mechanisms that the Minister of Finance currently has in place are very similar to the mechanisms the previous Conservative finance minister had in place. I am assuming he followed the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister woke up this morning and saw that blazing headline on the front page of the Globe and Mail saying there are four other ministers hiding stocks in numbered companies, he would have been so concerned that he would have called a meeting in that room on the third floor, around that big oval table, and he would have said, Ministers who have stocks hidden within numbered companies raise your hands. Which ones did?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for raising this very important issue. We know that housing is an absolutely essential criteria for people to have to be able to enjoy a good quality of life. That is why in budget 2016 we committed $550 million over two year, which has gone to support indigenous housing, first nations housing on reserve. I am pleased to report to the House that today 8,800 units have already been either built or are in the process of being built and renovated. This is good news. There is much more to do.
Mr. Speaker, the minister will have to donate $300,000 that he has made today, and $10,000 since question period started to charity. In fact, the day after Bill C-27 was introduced, shares in Morneau Shepell rose sharply by 5%. By his own admission, the Minister of Finance has made $5.5 million on his Morneau Shepell stock alone since he was elected. The Ethics Commissioner is concerned enough that she is now investigating the minister's involvement in Bill C-27.How could the minister betray Canadians like this for his own financial gain and that of his family business?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work that I am doing on behalf of the constituents of Calgary Centre. As was pointed out in this House, we are focused on growing the economy and making sure things are better for people in our community. I can tell the member that I was very proud to be at the Amazon announcement last week where over 750 new jobs are being reported in our community. I hope the member continues to concentrate on better things for his community members and going forward in that fashion. We will follow all rules that are established by the Ethics Commissioner, and I look forward to working with her going forward.
Mr. Speaker, we have now seen the executive chair of the Institute for Governance, Yvan Allaire, express his clear opinion on the Minister of Finance's conflicts of interest. Last week, Yvan Allaire told RDI that for the past two years the finance minister has without a doubt been in conflict of interest. If the finance minister still claims that he has nothing to hide, can he prove it by telling us what he is holding in his numbered company 2135042 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Edmonton Centre for his hard work and dedication and for being a strong voice for Albertans.As the member has mentioned, we are very pleased to hear that Amazon is opening a new distribution centre in Calgary, creating 750 jobs. This is good news for Calgary. This is good news for Alberta. This is good news for Canada.It is because of our innovation and skills plan that we have created these conditions. Since we formed government, over 450,000 jobs have been created. We have a plan and that plan is working. We are going to focus on growth and jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I had the chance to be in his province of British Columbia where I met with some first nations leaders this past weekend. We obviously understand and accept the legitimate concern that so many people have about these practices. That is why we have made unprecedented investments in science and the ocean protection plan, and why we are working with the government of British Columbia. I have had a number of very positive discussions with Minister Popham about how we can work together. Her report will come out next month, and we will work with her government to make sure this is done properly.
Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming manner with the Ethics Commissioner and has followed her recommendations, one of which was to set up a conflict of interest screen. This has been put in place and described by the Ethics Commissioner as the best measure of compliance possible. It is a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton and good enough for Denis Lebel back when he was in cabinet.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance keeps telling us he is not in conflict of interest, but his actions prove otherwise. On October 27, Yvan Allaire even said that it would have been wiseand should have been mandatoryfor the finance minister to sell all of his shares upon entering politics. If the Minister of Finance is really being honest, can he tell us about his holdings in another numbered company, 2070689 Ontario Ltd.?
Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner is responsible for preserving the integrity and the confidence that Canadians have in this Parliament. The finance minister, just like any parliamentarian, has worked with the Ethics Commissioner, has followed her recommendations, and has gone even further, above and beyond what she has recommended. The finance minister will always work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all the rules are followed.
Mr. Speaker, we have not changed the eligibility criteria for the tax credit for people with disabilities or diabetes. Groups have raised important concerns, and we have met with them, and we have been working with them. I would like to point out to my colleagues opposite that they spent 10 years cutting funding for scientific research. Our government invested $41 million in diabetes research. That is the kind of thing we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his work for creators in his riding. Through Creative Canada, we are investing in incubators to give creative entrepreneurs access to the tools they need to nurture their ideas. We are proud to have invested $5 million in the new Cape Breton centre for the arts, culture and innovation, which will support creators and grow the cultural sector in the Atlantic region. This is great news. Congratulations to my colleague.
Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The proof is that our government has invested nearly $1 billion over the past two years to tackle tax evasion.Our plan is working. We are on track to recover $25 billion. We are working on four jurisdictions per year. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 warrants, and 78 convictions. I want to be very clear; this is a priority for our government
Mr. Speaker, in last week's municipal election, I was very proud of the fact that my father, at 74 years of age, stepped up to run to be the trustee for wards eight and nine. I am proud to report that he did win that election. He can take his 40 years of teaching experience to work for people in public education and better the lives of people in their communities. I am very proud of this work. I am very proud to have supported my father. I look forward to following any advice at all that the Ethics Commissioner has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure Canadians that no changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit.No changes have been made to the act or the way it is interpreted, and we are going to ensure that people continue to receive the tax credits to which they are entitled.
Mr. Speaker, I assure the House that we are very concerned about the fact that a tunnel was found under a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. We have taken action and are following this situation very closely. These kinds of things can happen in this environment, but that is no reason to condemn 30,000 employees and deny a good education to 500,000 children.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance, like all parliamentarians in the House of Commons, worked with the Ethics Commissioner, who recommended that he take certain actions after being elected and confirmed that he was in compliance with the rules and laws that govern us. The Minister of Finance will continue to work with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is fully and transparently complying with the rules that govern us. I think we can all be proud of everything the Minister of Finance has accomplished in the last two years, during which time he has done more for the Canadian economy than the previous Conservative government did in 10 years. He created 450,000 jobs and reduced child poverty by 40%. We are very proud of our finance minister.
Mr. Speaker, as is expected of all parliamentarians in the House, as soon as the Minister of Finance assumed office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure full compliance with the rules that govern us in the House. He followed all of the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations, including setting up a screen to prevent any conflict of interest. Last week, he announced that he would go even further by divesting himself of his shares and by placing his investments in a blind trust. The finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner and acted accordingly, and he will continue to do so. I would remind hon. members that it is the Ethics Commissioner who is in charge of upholding the integrity of parliamentarians and Canadians' confidence in our institution.
Mr. Speaker, hon. members know full well that it is common practice for candidates and volunteers who are actively involved in municipal, provincial, and federal campaigns to work together. None of my resources were used when I went door to door on Saturday. By way of example, the campaign manager for my colleague from Sherbrooke is a municipal councillor.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Albertans received the news that Amazon was making a major investment in Calgary's economy, committing to opening its seventh facility in Canada. This is great news for Alberta, proof positive that investing in Alberta's talented and skilled workforce is a smart investment.Could the minister update the House on the state of the economy, as the world takes note of the strength of our economy, and why an investment in Canada is a smart investment?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to personal wealth, assets, and property, all members of the House work with the commissioner to make sure they are following the rules and living up to Canadians' expectations.We will always follow the commissioner's rules and recommendations, as did the former Conservative finance minister, who did the same thing as the current Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming and transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner, and has followed her recommendations, namely what she saw as the best measure of compliance, to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been done from the get-go, a measure that was good enough for Denis Lebel when he was the minister, and a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton when she was the minister. That is what the finance minister has always done, he has followed the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, what is expected of all parliamentarians and all ministers is that they work with the Ethics Commissioner, who has our utmost faith and greatest respect, in order to preserve the integrity of Parliament. That is what all parliamentarians on this side of the House have always done, namely, work in a fully transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking and congratulating my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the excellent work she is doing on behalf of her constituents and seniors.The well-being of seniors is the top priority of our government and my department. Since 2015, we have increased the guaranteed income supplement by up to $1,000 for 900,000 seniors. We brought the age of eligibility for old age security back down to 65, to ensure that 100,000 vulnerable seniors would not fall into extreme poverty, and we improved the Canada Pension Plan.We look forward to continuing the important work of improving social and economic inclusion for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, in response to a question, the Minister of National Revenue said that clinical nurses are allowed to complete the tax credit application forms, but actually, only nurse practitioners can do so. I wanted to know, did she use the wrong term, or did she want to
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Heritage, I made a fantastic announcement in Cape Breton last week. Cape Breton has a vibrant and thriving heritage and cultural industry. Our start-up companies are taking off, and we made major investments on Friday.Can the minister tell this House what great investments our government is making, not only in Cape Breton but across the country?
Mr. Speaker, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, if there were no changes, then why are 80% being denied now? Another week and it is another tax grab by the Liberals. It was bad enough that the minister's department started to reject the medical advice of doctors who treat type 1 diabetics, but now there are reports that people who are mentally ill, people who have qualified for years, are suddenly being denied.With the Liberals raising taxes and threatening benefits on the mentally ill, one can only ask this. Who is next?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Canadians know that the Liberals have an insatiable appetite for taxpayers' money. The Liberals have gone after business owners and Canadians, and now they are going after people who are sick. Last week, it was people with diabetes, and now it is those with mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia, who are being targeted by the Liberal government. The Liberals have made it much more difficult for these people to get access to tax credits.I have a very simple question. Does the Liberal Party have no heart? Why is the government going after sick people?
Mr. Speaker, something as significant as our Holocaust memorial in our nation's capital, which recognizes the catastrophic annihilation of six million Jews along with countless others, should be maintained year-round. The Liberals need to understand that this is necessary to demonstrate our commitment to remembering those whose lives were viciously snuffed out by the Nazis in the Holocaust, as well as our dedication to never again.When will the minister just say yes and keep this hallowed landmark open year-round?
Mr. Speaker, what the Minister of Finance has always done, and will continue to do, so he can deliver for Canadians is to work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed, to follow her recommendations. He has mentioned that he would go even above and beyond. If I could just refresh the member's memory, former finance minister Joe Oliver was the sole owner of a corporation that held publicly traded securities. The member from Nepean was the minister of democratic institutions, had recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner, never acted upon them. What I see is a bit of hypocrisy and a lot of amnesia. At the same time, I can understand why those members are trying to forget their decade in power. Millions of Canadians are trying to forget.
Mr. Speaker, not only do we support the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner on this side of the House, we follow her advice. That is something the members opposite cannot seem to understand as they constantly criticize the work she has done and the advice she has given to all parliamentarians. When we arrive in the House we follow the advice of the commissioner because that is what we are expected to do. That is what Canadians expect us to do, and these personal attacks are just happening because they have nothing else to talk about. That is why they are obsessed with us, while we focus on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is mired in an ethical cesspool of his own making, and he seems quite happy to remain there. He got caught misleading Canadians about his Morneau Shepell shares. Now he wants us just to trust him, even though he has millions of dollars worth of other assets hidden secretly in these numbered companies, companies like 1446977 Ontario Inc. What is in that one?
Mr. Speaker, W5 exposed the disastrous impact that open-net Atlantic salmon farms are having on wild Pacific salmon, spreading diseases like PRV and HSMI. First nations along the B.C. coast are calling for the removal of open-net salmon farms from the wild salmon migration route. The Liberal government must remove these farms from the salmon migration route and transition this harmful industry to safe, land-based technology.Will the minister listen to first nations and his own DFO scientists?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another example of the Hamas terrorist regime in Gaza using a school, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, to provide cover for a terrorist tunnel to use Palestinian children as human shields, though UNRWA claims it closed the school when the tunnel was discovered. The Conservative government delivered humanitarian aid to Palestinians around UNRWA, but the Liberals insist on handing UNRWA millions, despite the risk to children, despite the curriculum of hate and terror still taught to children in UNRWA schools. Why?
Mr. Speaker, exactly to avoid situations in which mud is slung, in which personal attacks are made, we have a commissioner who governs and engages with all members of this House to ensure that the rules are followed.The finance minister, all ministers in this House, and ministers of the previous Conservative government follow the advice and the recommendations of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. That is how Canadians can continue to have confidence in what everyone in this House does.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have confidence in the Ethics Commissioner's work and recommendations. We follow those recommendations, and I expect the members opposite to do the same. Canadians expect all parliamentarians to follow the commissioner's recommendations.I can assure Canadians that, despite the personal attacks being made by the opposition, everyone follows the commissioner's recommendations and has confidence in her.
Mr. Speaker, it is shameful to see the Canadian government lose all sense of democracy when it comes to people's right to self-determination.Today, Spain put a price on the heads of all the legitimately elected separatist members of the Catalan government by accusing them of sedition and rebellion. It is offering $100,000 per member for a total of $6.9 million. Will Canada condemn Spain for these acts of repression and its illegal attacks under international law?
Mr. Speaker, according to the 2016 census, the first nations population in Canada has increased by 43% since 2006. That is four times more than the non-indigenous population.Last year, one in five indigenous people lived in crowded homes and homes in need of major repair. That is shameful, and it is a federal responsibility.Will the minister immediately commit to implementing a targeted housing strategy for indigenous people living on and off reserve?
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try again.Canadians have the right to know the names of the other ministers who did not put their assets in a blind trust, as the law requires.Once again, who are they?
Mr. Speaker, what we know is that the finance minister owns several other numbered companies with secret assets in them. Unfortunately, we cannot trust the minister to do the right thing, especially when he thinks that nobody is watching. That is clear from the way he hid his Morneau Shepell shares over the last two years. Will the finance minister be transparent with Canadians now and disclose what he owns in his numbered company 2254165 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents, Transport Canada is planning to stop evaluating pilots and will instead transfer the responsibility to private airline companies. Not only are the Liberals considering privatizing our airports, they are also planning to privatize Canadian aviation security. The Conservatives and Liberals did this with our rail transport security and with our food safety system. In both cases, this private self-regulation has led to major disasters. Do the Liberals have a limit to what they are willing to privatize?
Mr. Speaker, this place is healthy because of a lot of back and forth, because the opposition has a responsibility to challenge and criticize the government to make sure all of us are doing the right things for Canadians.However, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is there to ensure that above all the petty personal attacks, Canadians can be confident that people follow the rules and fulfill their responsibilities. That is exactly what happened.The Conservatives have nothing else to talk about, because Canada is doing so well, because the middle class is growing, because people are
Mr. Speaker, living with type 1 diabetes is hard enough without the Liberals stripping the disability tax credit and the disability retirement savings plan from struggling diabetics.We have proof the Liberals changed the process in May. What is even worse is we have discovered they are doing the same thing to people with mental health conditions.Did the Prime Minister direct the Minister of National Revenue to raise money at all costs, or did she come up with this mean-spirited attack on her own?
Mr. Speaker, I will take that answer as a yes, that he did inappropriately use resources of the House of Commons and no, that he did not clear it with the Ethics Commissioner.The minister, besides being an MP, is also a minister of the crown and has additional resources. I would ask the minister if he can assure the House that there were no other resources, including that of his riding office or of his minister's office, that were used to further the efforts to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents from Transport Canada, pilot proficiency tests will be conducted by the airlines themselves, rather than by Transport Canada inspectors, which is at odds with the recommendations of the aviation safety report. The Liberals, like the Conservatives before them, continue to rely on self-regulation and are cutting inspection budgets. It seems that the Liberals have learned nothing from the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. Does the minister plan to reverse this dangerous decision?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, our hearts were in the right place. We cared about people who were suffering. That is why we had a tax credit for people who were suffering, people who were sick, people with diabetes, and people with mental illness. The government has now made the criteria so restrictive that few people who are suffering are eligible for this eminently sensible tax credit. On the one hand, the government is spending like it is going out of style and, on the other, it is taking more money away from the least fortunate, from people who are suffering.Why is the government doing such a poor job when it comes to people who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, when members are elected and when ministers are appointed, they consult the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure they are following her recommendations and complying with the rules that Canadians expect members of the House to follow. That is exactly what we have done and will continue to do. Our friends opposite have nothing else to talk about or criticize, because things are going very well for the Canadian economy and the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner wrote to us to say that she too had concerns about the fact that the Minister of Finance is sponsoring Bill C-27, a bill that benefits Morneau Shepell. It would be as if the Minister of Natural Resources owned an oil or gas company. That minister would be in a conflict of interest. My question is this: Could the ministers identified by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner also be in a conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Our government has granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. In budget 2017, our government allocated over $5 billion to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with mental health support. We are continuing to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, there might be something broken with this device because every time the Prime Minister speaks all I keep hearing is, We're entitled to our entitlements. The Ethics Commissioner actually said that other ministers, other than the finance minister, could have benefited from those loopholes in the Conflict of Interest Act. For a Prime Minister who said he would be enforcing the highest standards for his ministers, we are seeing that he cannot even keep the bare minimum. I have a very simple question, once again, for the Prime Minister. Who are the other ministers identified by the commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, the federal government is getting mixed up in municipal elections. It did not occur to the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie to warn her associates before going door to door on behalf of the candidate on her husband's team.Does the minister understand that, because of her relationship with the leader of Renouveau sherbrookois and the authority that she has, she risks putting this municipal campaign in conflict of interest and she herself could end up with an ethics problem? Did she use her ministerial resources to promote her candidate to the detriment of others?
Mr. Speaker, not only on this side of the House do we follow the advice given by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, as the Minister of Finance has indicated, we are willing to go above and beyond her original advice.These are the facts of the matter. The issue the Conservatives and the NDP are attacking, on a personal level, is nothing but a distraction because our economy is doing well because Canadians are benefiting from growth, and they have nothing else to talk about than us.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to have the opportunity to rise in this place and congratulate Mrs. Thurlow for a lifetime of activism on an issue that is not only dear to her heart, and to many Canadians, but to the government as well. We know we have to continue to move forward to reduce nuclear weapons in the world to make sure our children and grandchildren are safe. That is why we are so proud to show leadership on the fissile material cut-off treaty that engages both non-nuclear and nuclear weapon-owning countries to move forward on disarmament. That is something we are going to remain focused on, because we know we need to create a world without nuclear weapons.
Mr. Speaker, we have full confidence in the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make recommendations to parliamentarians, parliamentary secretaries, and ministers, and all parliamentarians should have that same confidence. On this side of the House, we will always work transparently with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We will always follow her recommendations, and that is what the Minister of Finance did. He can now continue to serve Canadians, as he has been successfully doing for two years.
Mr. Speaker, as all colleagues in this House, of course, we stand by the national Holocaust museum and its importance, because it commemorates the six million Jewish people as well as other victims who were murdered during the Holocaust. Our government is committed to building a more inclusive society. The NCC is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the monument. This decision was made by the National Holocaust Monument Development Council, along with the NCC.
Mr. Speaker, Setsuko Thurlow, survivor of Hiroshima, and a great Canadian, will accept the Nobel peace prize on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Setsuko played a key role in the UN's adoption of the landmark nuclear ban treaty. She has described the Prime Minister's refusal to sign the treaty as a lack of courage. Will the Prime Minister wake up to the reality of this global threat to humanity, and join the nuclear ban treaty?
Mr. Speaker, to finish the member's sentence, the Minister of Finance announced that he would be donating to charity all of the money earned on his Morneau Shepell shares since he was first elected. I think that is a wonderful gesture that demonstrates the minister's commitment to serving the public, which is the very reason he left the private sector two years ago. He has been serving the public extremely successfully by growing the economy, reducing inequality, and ensuring inclusive prosperity for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, rather than celebrating the first anniversary of another Liberal promise, I am sure Canadians would rather celebrate a contribution to peacekeeping. However, under both the Liberals and the Conservatives, Canada's contribution has been minimal. Despite this, Canada will be hosting a peacekeeping summit next month, scheduled on the understanding that we will be providing a significant commitment to UN peacekeeping. It has been more than a year since the Minister of Defence pledged to contribute up to 600 Canadian Armed Forces personnel and 150 police officers, but the government continues to avoid committing to a specific UN mission.When can Canadians expect to see the Liberals keep their promise on peacekeeping?
Mr. Speaker, we often hear the official opposition ask for a minister responsible for seniors. It is rather surprising to see them fight so hard for seniors, because when they were in government, they did the complete opposite. They increased the age of eligibility for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, which would have put many people in a vulnerable position. They also ignored all suggestions to improve the Canada Pension Plan.Could the minister responsible remind the House of what our government has done to ensure our seniors can live in dignity?
Mr. Speaker, let us go over this again. Canadians with autism, bipolar disorder and other mental health issues, and those requiring dialysis, are some of the latest to be denied a disability tax credit due to changes in the way that the CRA interprets eligibility. This interpretation changed as a result of direction from the minister's office. The question is, will the minister change it back? Will the minister reverse this directive so that all persons previously eligible for this benefit can continue
Mr. Speaker, no, we do not plan to change this rule. To us, passenger safety is always a top priority. I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines. The member misunderstands what we have decided to do. Using a risk-based approach, we periodically conduct an airline safety audit. It is a much more intelligent approach and it is the approach that our government has adopted to ensure passenger safety.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is following up on our concerns and launching an investigation. We hope this investigation will expose all of the Minister of Finance's shady dealings, starting with his offshore company and many numbered companies. After being caught in these conflicts of interest, the minister suddenly acknowledged last week that he was indeed in a conflict of interest when he announced that he would give the profit he had made off his shares to a company
Mr. Speaker, one of those who did put up his hand was the Minister of Finance. He said over the weekend, If theres something that I can do to make sure that people have absolute confidence, Ill do it. He was speaking of his conflicts of interest. One thing would be to reveal what is inside his vast network of numbered companies and trust funds.Could the minister, for example, tell us what is in numbered company 2070689 Ontario Limited?
Mr. Speaker, as I just mentioned, Canada knows we have an important role to play on the international stage. We are proud of our peacekeeping traditions, as are Canadians, and Canadians expect us to make a contribution. That is why we have committed half a billion dollars and 600 troops to return to peacekeeping operations. We are taking our time to make this important decision, understanding the impact that Canada can best play. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, last week they threw the Ethics Commissioner under the bus. Today they are hiding behind her. The fact is, they cannot enforce the bare minimum standard of ethics. Five ministers are benefiting from this loophole in the Conflict of Interest Act, and last week the government voted against the NDP's proposal to close that loophole. Now that we know multiple Liberal cabinet ministers are benefiting from the loophole, maybe the Prime Minister would like to reconsider his position. Will the Prime Minister take the Ethics Commissioner's advice and close the loophole?
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the minister sought no advice from Ms. Dawson when he was involved and introduced Bill C-27. The minister would have us believe that everything is all right, that he has followed all the rules, and disclosed everything to the Ethics Commissioner. Well, she would not be investigating the minister if that were the case.Either the minister failed to disclose all of his assets to the Ethics Commissioner or, what is becoming increasingly clear, he willfully and knowingly ignored her advice. Which is it?
Mr. Speaker, we have repeatedly raised our concerns regarding the Minister of Finance and his sponsorship of Bill C-27. We recently learned that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has the same concerns. She is concerned because the Minister of Finance did not recuse himself from discussions on Bill C-27. My question is simple. Will the Minister of Finance admit that he is in a conflict of interest and what is he hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is against the law for cabinet ministers to own stocks and investments, unless they are in a blind trust.The Minister of Finance has been caught, and now reports indicate that at least four other cabinet ministers are using the same loophole to maintain control of their investments.I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, Morneau Shepell has a subsidiary in the Bahamas, and all Liberal members are voting against the Bloc Québécois motion to tackle tax evasion in Barbados. How bizarre.Morneau Shepell works in the field of pension plans, and all Liberal members are voting in favour of the bill on pension plans that benefits companies like the one owned by the Minister of Finance. How bizarre.In the interest of transparency, could the Liberal members who have shares in Morneau Shepell please raise their hands?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Calgary Herald reported that the Minister of Sport inappropriately used House of Commons resources to support his father's campaign for election as trustee for the school board. In answers to my questions last week, the parliamentary secretary seemed to indicate that the matter had been referred to the Ethics Commissioner, but the answer was anything but clear.I will give the minister another opportunity to clarify today to the House whether he cleared with the Ethics Commissioner the use of these materials in an effort to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, we learned last week that Canadian contribution to UN peacekeeping has reached its lowest point since the 1950s. According to the CBC, UN officials believe this government's actions to be of line with UN peacekeeping priorities. Two weeks from now, Canada will be hosting the world at a peacekeeping summit in Vancouver, and we have nothing to offer. When will this government do what it promised, what the UN has asked for, what the rest of the world expects from Canada and
Mr. Speaker, we believe very strongly that Canada has an important role to play on the world stage. We are proud of our record, and Canadians expect us to make this international contribution. That is why we have committed to contributing half a billion dollars and 600 troops for peacekeeping operations. This decision was not made lightly, as Canadians would expect.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that everyone receives the tax credits to which they are entitled.With regard to mental health, our government allocated $5 billion in budget 2017 to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with better access to mental health support. Our government has also made investments in diabetes, unlike the government opposite, which slashed scientific research.What people with diabetes want is
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Last year, our government granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. Under budget 2017, nurses and clinical nurses are allowed to certify application forms for their patients. We have simplified the forms and in the last budget we invested $5 billion in mental health support to
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Catalonia declared independence, and the Catalan Republic was born. It will be the 194th country to become a member of the United Nations. This declaration came about through a completely peaceful democratic process in which 90% of citizens voted in favour of independence.Canada has recognized a number of countries that are now members of the UN, namely the Czech Republic, Ukraine, South Sudan, and even Kosovo. However, this government has a double standard.Why is Canada refusing to recognize the new Catalan state?
Mr. Speaker, again, to address the issue, I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines, who check their own pilots. We are continuing to use this approach, because it is an intelligent, risk-based approach. It is one that we feel will, in the most economical fashion, address our requirements while not sacrificing in any way safety. We are a modern transport ministry and we are working in a modern way.
Mr. Speaker, we know that the finance minister was exploiting a loophole to shelter $5 million he made from his family-owned, publicly traded company. Now we learn that four others, of the Prime Minister's cabinet ministers, are using the exact same loophole.Again, it is a very simple question. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, no he did not. He always followed the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. Back two years ago, when he took office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been in place. It was good enough for Conservative ministers back when they were in office.The Minister of Finance has announced he will go even further, divesting himself of all shares in Morneau Shepell, placing his assets in a blind trust, and donating to charity, so he can focus on the important work he has been doing for the last two years, serving the public and growing this economy, something the Conservatives have never been able to achieve.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance found loopholes that allowed him to maintain control over his company. Now, we have learned that other ministers have done the same thing.I have a very simple question. Will the Prime Minister tell us who those other ministers are?
Mr. Speaker, it is incredibly important to know who these cabinet ministers are. Like the finance minister, they could be profiting from investments and stocks while making decisions that could impact the value of their own assets.If the Prime Minister is so sure and so proud that they are following all the rules, why will he not just tell us who they are?
Mr. Speaker, everyone in this House refers to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that we are following the rules and putting in place the things that Canadians expect us to follow, and expect of all parliamentarians.It is interesting to note that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has made recommendations to members of all parties, and in previous governments. The mechanisms that the Minister of Finance currently has in place are very similar to the mechanisms the previous Conservative finance minister had in place. I am assuming he followed the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister woke up this morning and saw that blazing headline on the front page of the Globe and Mail saying there are four other ministers hiding stocks in numbered companies, he would have been so concerned that he would have called a meeting in that room on the third floor, around that big oval table, and he would have said, Ministers who have stocks hidden within numbered companies raise your hands. Which ones did?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for raising this very important issue. We know that housing is an absolutely essential criteria for people to have to be able to enjoy a good quality of life. That is why in budget 2016 we committed $550 million over two year, which has gone to support indigenous housing, first nations housing on reserve. I am pleased to report to the House that today 8,800 units have already been either built or are in the process of being built and renovated. This is good news. There is much more to do.
Mr. Speaker, the minister will have to donate $300,000 that he has made today, and $10,000 since question period started to charity. In fact, the day after Bill C-27 was introduced, shares in Morneau Shepell rose sharply by 5%. By his own admission, the Minister of Finance has made $5.5 million on his Morneau Shepell stock alone since he was elected. The Ethics Commissioner is concerned enough that she is now investigating the minister's involvement in Bill C-27.How could the minister betray Canadians like this for his own financial gain and that of his family business?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work that I am doing on behalf of the constituents of Calgary Centre. As was pointed out in this House, we are focused on growing the economy and making sure things are better for people in our community. I can tell the member that I was very proud to be at the Amazon announcement last week where over 750 new jobs are being reported in our community. I hope the member continues to concentrate on better things for his community members and going forward in that fashion. We will follow all rules that are established by the Ethics Commissioner, and I look forward to working with her going forward.
Mr. Speaker, we have now seen the executive chair of the Institute for Governance, Yvan Allaire, express his clear opinion on the Minister of Finance's conflicts of interest. Last week, Yvan Allaire told RDI that for the past two years the finance minister has without a doubt been in conflict of interest. If the finance minister still claims that he has nothing to hide, can he prove it by telling us what he is holding in his numbered company 2135042 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Edmonton Centre for his hard work and dedication and for being a strong voice for Albertans.As the member has mentioned, we are very pleased to hear that Amazon is opening a new distribution centre in Calgary, creating 750 jobs. This is good news for Calgary. This is good news for Alberta. This is good news for Canada.It is because of our innovation and skills plan that we have created these conditions. Since we formed government, over 450,000 jobs have been created. We have a plan and that plan is working. We are going to focus on growth and jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I had the chance to be in his province of British Columbia where I met with some first nations leaders this past weekend. We obviously understand and accept the legitimate concern that so many people have about these practices. That is why we have made unprecedented investments in science and the ocean protection plan, and why we are working with the government of British Columbia. I have had a number of very positive discussions with Minister Popham about how we can work together. Her report will come out next month, and we will work with her government to make sure this is done properly.
Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming manner with the Ethics Commissioner and has followed her recommendations, one of which was to set up a conflict of interest screen. This has been put in place and described by the Ethics Commissioner as the best measure of compliance possible. It is a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton and good enough for Denis Lebel back when he was in cabinet.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance keeps telling us he is not in conflict of interest, but his actions prove otherwise. On October 27, Yvan Allaire even said that it would have been wiseand should have been mandatoryfor the finance minister to sell all of his shares upon entering politics. If the Minister of Finance is really being honest, can he tell us about his holdings in another numbered company, 2070689 Ontario Ltd.?
Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner is responsible for preserving the integrity and the confidence that Canadians have in this Parliament. The finance minister, just like any parliamentarian, has worked with the Ethics Commissioner, has followed her recommendations, and has gone even further, above and beyond what she has recommended. The finance minister will always work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all the rules are followed.
Mr. Speaker, we have not changed the eligibility criteria for the tax credit for people with disabilities or diabetes. Groups have raised important concerns, and we have met with them, and we have been working with them. I would like to point out to my colleagues opposite that they spent 10 years cutting funding for scientific research. Our government invested $41 million in diabetes research. That is the kind of thing we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his work for creators in his riding. Through Creative Canada, we are investing in incubators to give creative entrepreneurs access to the tools they need to nurture their ideas. We are proud to have invested $5 million in the new Cape Breton centre for the arts, culture and innovation, which will support creators and grow the cultural sector in the Atlantic region. This is great news. Congratulations to my colleague.
Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The proof is that our government has invested nearly $1 billion over the past two years to tackle tax evasion.Our plan is working. We are on track to recover $25 billion. We are working on four jurisdictions per year. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 warrants, and 78 convictions. I want to be very clear; this is a priority for our government
Mr. Speaker, in last week's municipal election, I was very proud of the fact that my father, at 74 years of age, stepped up to run to be the trustee for wards eight and nine. I am proud to report that he did win that election. He can take his 40 years of teaching experience to work for people in public education and better the lives of people in their communities. I am very proud of this work. I am very proud to have supported my father. I look forward to following any advice at all that the Ethics Commissioner has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure Canadians that no changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit.No changes have been made to the act or the way it is interpreted, and we are going to ensure that people continue to receive the tax credits to which they are entitled.
Mr. Speaker, I assure the House that we are very concerned about the fact that a tunnel was found under a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. We have taken action and are following this situation very closely. These kinds of things can happen in this environment, but that is no reason to condemn 30,000 employees and deny a good education to 500,000 children.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance, like all parliamentarians in the House of Commons, worked with the Ethics Commissioner, who recommended that he take certain actions after being elected and confirmed that he was in compliance with the rules and laws that govern us. The Minister of Finance will continue to work with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is fully and transparently complying with the rules that govern us. I think we can all be proud of everything the Minister of Finance has accomplished in the last two years, during which time he has done more for the Canadian economy than the previous Conservative government did in 10 years. He created 450,000 jobs and reduced child poverty by 40%. We are very proud of our finance minister.
Mr. Speaker, as is expected of all parliamentarians in the House, as soon as the Minister of Finance assumed office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure full compliance with the rules that govern us in the House. He followed all of the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations, including setting up a screen to prevent any conflict of interest. Last week, he announced that he would go even further by divesting himself of his shares and by placing his investments in a blind trust. The finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner and acted accordingly, and he will continue to do so. I would remind hon. members that it is the Ethics Commissioner who is in charge of upholding the integrity of parliamentarians and Canadians' confidence in our institution.
Mr. Speaker, hon. members know full well that it is common practice for candidates and volunteers who are actively involved in municipal, provincial, and federal campaigns to work together. None of my resources were used when I went door to door on Saturday. By way of example, the campaign manager for my colleague from Sherbrooke is a municipal councillor.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Albertans received the news that Amazon was making a major investment in Calgary's economy, committing to opening its seventh facility in Canada. This is great news for Alberta, proof positive that investing in Alberta's talented and skilled workforce is a smart investment.Could the minister update the House on the state of the economy, as the world takes note of the strength of our economy, and why an investment in Canada is a smart investment?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to personal wealth, assets, and property, all members of the House work with the commissioner to make sure they are following the rules and living up to Canadians' expectations.We will always follow the commissioner's rules and recommendations, as did the former Conservative finance minister, who did the same thing as the current Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming and transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner, and has followed her recommendations, namely what she saw as the best measure of compliance, to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been done from the get-go, a measure that was good enough for Denis Lebel when he was the minister, and a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton when she was the minister. That is what the finance minister has always done, he has followed the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, what is expected of all parliamentarians and all ministers is that they work with the Ethics Commissioner, who has our utmost faith and greatest respect, in order to preserve the integrity of Parliament. That is what all parliamentarians on this side of the House have always done, namely, work in a fully transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking and congratulating my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the excellent work she is doing on behalf of her constituents and seniors.The well-being of seniors is the top priority of our government and my department. Since 2015, we have increased the guaranteed income supplement by up to $1,000 for 900,000 seniors. We brought the age of eligibility for old age security back down to 65, to ensure that 100,000 vulnerable seniors would not fall into extreme poverty, and we improved the Canada Pension Plan.We look forward to continuing the important work of improving social and economic inclusion for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, in response to a question, the Minister of National Revenue said that clinical nurses are allowed to complete the tax credit application forms, but actually, only nurse practitioners can do so. I wanted to know, did she use the wrong term, or did she want to
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Heritage, I made a fantastic announcement in Cape Breton last week. Cape Breton has a vibrant and thriving heritage and cultural industry. Our start-up companies are taking off, and we made major investments on Friday.Can the minister tell this House what great investments our government is making, not only in Cape Breton but across the country?
Mr. Speaker, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents from Transport Canada, pilot proficiency tests will be conducted by the airlines themselves, rather than by Transport Canada inspectors, which is at odds with the recommendations of the aviation safety report. The Liberals, like the Conservatives before them, continue to rely on self-regulation and are cutting inspection budgets. It seems that the Liberals have learned nothing from the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. Does the minister plan to reverse this dangerous decision?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another example of the Hamas terrorist regime in Gaza using a school, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, to provide cover for a terrorist tunnel to use Palestinian children as human shields, though UNRWA claims it closed the school when the tunnel was discovered. The Conservative government delivered humanitarian aid to Palestinians around UNRWA, but the Liberals insist on handing UNRWA millions, despite the risk to children, despite the curriculum of hate and terror still taught to children in UNRWA schools. Why?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Canadians know that the Liberals have an insatiable appetite for taxpayers' money. The Liberals have gone after business owners and Canadians, and now they are going after people who are sick. Last week, it was people with diabetes, and now it is those with mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia, who are being targeted by the Liberal government. The Liberals have made it much more difficult for these people to get access to tax credits.I have a very simple question. Does the Liberal Party have no heart? Why is the government going after sick people?
Mr. Speaker, if there were no changes, then why are 80% being denied now? Another week and it is another tax grab by the Liberals. It was bad enough that the minister's department started to reject the medical advice of doctors who treat type 1 diabetics, but now there are reports that people who are mentally ill, people who have qualified for years, are suddenly being denied.With the Liberals raising taxes and threatening benefits on the mentally ill, one can only ask this. Who is next?
Mr. Speaker, in response to a question, the Minister of National Revenue said that clinical nurses are allowed to complete the tax credit application forms, but actually, only nurse practitioners can do so. I wanted to know, did she use the wrong term, or did she want to
Mr. Speaker, something as significant as our Holocaust memorial in our nation's capital, which recognizes the catastrophic annihilation of six million Jews along with countless others, should be maintained year-round. The Liberals need to understand that this is necessary to demonstrate our commitment to remembering those whose lives were viciously snuffed out by the Nazis in the Holocaust, as well as our dedication to never again.When will the minister just say yes and keep this hallowed landmark open year-round?
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try again.Canadians have the right to know the names of the other ministers who did not put their assets in a blind trust, as the law requires.Once again, who are they?
Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The proof is that our government has invested nearly $1 billion over the past two years to tackle tax evasion.Our plan is working. We are on track to recover $25 billion. We are working on four jurisdictions per year. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 warrants, and 78 convictions. I want to be very clear; this is a priority for our government
Mr. Speaker, there might be something broken with this device because every time the Prime Minister speaks all I keep hearing is, We're entitled to our entitlements. The Ethics Commissioner actually said that other ministers, other than the finance minister, could have benefited from those loopholes in the Conflict of Interest Act. For a Prime Minister who said he would be enforcing the highest standards for his ministers, we are seeing that he cannot even keep the bare minimum. I have a very simple question, once again, for the Prime Minister. Who are the other ministers identified by the commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, not only do we support the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner on this side of the House, we follow her advice. That is something the members opposite cannot seem to understand as they constantly criticize the work she has done and the advice she has given to all parliamentarians. When we arrive in the House we follow the advice of the commissioner because that is what we are expected to do. That is what Canadians expect us to do, and these personal attacks are just happening because they have nothing else to talk about. That is why they are obsessed with us, while we focus on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, what we know is that the finance minister owns several other numbered companies with secret assets in them. Unfortunately, we cannot trust the minister to do the right thing, especially when he thinks that nobody is watching. That is clear from the way he hid his Morneau Shepell shares over the last two years. Will the finance minister be transparent with Canadians now and disclose what he owns in his numbered company 2254165 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister woke up this morning and saw that blazing headline on the front page of the Globe and Mail saying there are four other ministers hiding stocks in numbered companies, he would have been so concerned that he would have called a meeting in that room on the third floor, around that big oval table, and he would have said, Ministers who have stocks hidden within numbered companies raise your hands. Which ones did?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, our hearts were in the right place. We cared about people who were suffering. That is why we had a tax credit for people who were suffering, people who were sick, people with diabetes, and people with mental illness. The government has now made the criteria so restrictive that few people who are suffering are eligible for this eminently sensible tax credit. On the one hand, the government is spending like it is going out of style and, on the other, it is taking more money away from the least fortunate, from people who are suffering.Why is the government doing such a poor job when it comes to people who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance found loopholes that allowed him to maintain control over his company. Now, we have learned that other ministers have done the same thing.I have a very simple question. Will the Prime Minister tell us who those other ministers are?
Mr. Speaker, last week they threw the Ethics Commissioner under the bus. Today they are hiding behind her. The fact is, they cannot enforce the bare minimum standard of ethics. Five ministers are benefiting from this loophole in the Conflict of Interest Act, and last week the government voted against the NDP's proposal to close that loophole. Now that we know multiple Liberal cabinet ministers are benefiting from the loophole, maybe the Prime Minister would like to reconsider his position. Will the Prime Minister take the Ethics Commissioner's advice and close the loophole?
Mr. Speaker, it is against the law for cabinet ministers to own stocks and investments, unless they are in a blind trust.The Minister of Finance has been caught, and now reports indicate that at least four other cabinet ministers are using the same loophole to maintain control of their investments.I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, it is shameful to see the Canadian government lose all sense of democracy when it comes to people's right to self-determination.Today, Spain put a price on the heads of all the legitimately elected separatist members of the Catalan government by accusing them of sedition and rebellion. It is offering $100,000 per member for a total of $6.9 million. Will Canada condemn Spain for these acts of repression and its illegal attacks under international law?
Mr. Speaker, we have now seen the executive chair of the Institute for Governance, Yvan Allaire, express his clear opinion on the Minister of Finance's conflicts of interest. Last week, Yvan Allaire told RDI that for the past two years the finance minister has without a doubt been in conflict of interest. If the finance minister still claims that he has nothing to hide, can he prove it by telling us what he is holding in his numbered company 2135042 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, as is expected of all parliamentarians in the House, as soon as the Minister of Finance assumed office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure full compliance with the rules that govern us in the House. He followed all of the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations, including setting up a screen to prevent any conflict of interest. Last week, he announced that he would go even further by divesting himself of his shares and by placing his investments in a blind trust. The finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner and acted accordingly, and he will continue to do so. I would remind hon. members that it is the Ethics Commissioner who is in charge of upholding the integrity of parliamentarians and Canadians' confidence in our institution.
Mr. Speaker, hon. members know full well that it is common practice for candidates and volunteers who are actively involved in municipal, provincial, and federal campaigns to work together. None of my resources were used when I went door to door on Saturday. By way of example, the campaign manager for my colleague from Sherbrooke is a municipal councillor.
Mr. Speaker, living with type 1 diabetes is hard enough without the Liberals stripping the disability tax credit and the disability retirement savings plan from struggling diabetics.We have proof the Liberals changed the process in May. What is even worse is we have discovered they are doing the same thing to people with mental health conditions.Did the Prime Minister direct the Minister of National Revenue to raise money at all costs, or did she come up with this mean-spirited attack on her own?
Mr. Speaker, let us go over this again. Canadians with autism, bipolar disorder and other mental health issues, and those requiring dialysis, are some of the latest to be denied a disability tax credit due to changes in the way that the CRA interprets eligibility. This interpretation changed as a result of direction from the minister's office. The question is, will the minister change it back? Will the minister reverse this directive so that all persons previously eligible for this benefit can continue
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have confidence in the Ethics Commissioner's work and recommendations. We follow those recommendations, and I expect the members opposite to do the same. Canadians expect all parliamentarians to follow the commissioner's recommendations.I can assure Canadians that, despite the personal attacks being made by the opposition, everyone follows the commissioner's recommendations and has confidence in her.
Mr. Speaker, we learned last week that Canadian contribution to UN peacekeeping has reached its lowest point since the 1950s. According to the CBC, UN officials believe this government's actions to be of line with UN peacekeeping priorities. Two weeks from now, Canada will be hosting the world at a peacekeeping summit in Vancouver, and we have nothing to offer. When will this government do what it promised, what the UN has asked for, what the rest of the world expects from Canada and
Mr. Speaker, we have repeatedly raised our concerns regarding the Minister of Finance and his sponsorship of Bill C-27. We recently learned that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has the same concerns. She is concerned because the Minister of Finance did not recuse himself from discussions on Bill C-27. My question is simple. Will the Minister of Finance admit that he is in a conflict of interest and what is he hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure Canadians that no changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit.No changes have been made to the act or the way it is interpreted, and we are going to ensure that people continue to receive the tax credits to which they are entitled.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Calgary Herald reported that the Minister of Sport inappropriately used House of Commons resources to support his father's campaign for election as trustee for the school board. In answers to my questions last week, the parliamentary secretary seemed to indicate that the matter had been referred to the Ethics Commissioner, but the answer was anything but clear.I will give the minister another opportunity to clarify today to the House whether he cleared with the Ethics Commissioner the use of these materials in an effort to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government is getting mixed up in municipal elections. It did not occur to the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie to warn her associates before going door to door on behalf of the candidate on her husband's team.Does the minister understand that, because of her relationship with the leader of Renouveau sherbrookois and the authority that she has, she risks putting this municipal campaign in conflict of interest and she herself could end up with an ethics problem? Did she use her ministerial resources to promote her candidate to the detriment of others?
Mr. Speaker, Morneau Shepell has a subsidiary in the Bahamas, and all Liberal members are voting against the Bloc Québécois motion to tackle tax evasion in Barbados. How bizarre.Morneau Shepell works in the field of pension plans, and all Liberal members are voting in favour of the bill on pension plans that benefits companies like the one owned by the Minister of Finance. How bizarre.In the interest of transparency, could the Liberal members who have shares in Morneau Shepell please raise their hands?
Mr. Speaker, I will take that answer as a yes, that he did inappropriately use resources of the House of Commons and no, that he did not clear it with the Ethics Commissioner.The minister, besides being an MP, is also a minister of the crown and has additional resources. I would ask the minister if he can assure the House that there were no other resources, including that of his riding office or of his minister's office, that were used to further the efforts to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, everyone in this House refers to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that we are following the rules and putting in place the things that Canadians expect us to follow, and expect of all parliamentarians.It is interesting to note that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has made recommendations to members of all parties, and in previous governments. The mechanisms that the Minister of Finance currently has in place are very similar to the mechanisms the previous Conservative finance minister had in place. I am assuming he followed the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's
Mr. Speaker, exactly to avoid situations in which mud is slung, in which personal attacks are made, we have a commissioner who governs and engages with all members of this House to ensure that the rules are followed.The finance minister, all ministers in this House, and ministers of the previous Conservative government follow the advice and the recommendations of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. That is how Canadians can continue to have confidence in what everyone in this House does.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that everyone receives the tax credits to which they are entitled.With regard to mental health, our government allocated $5 billion in budget 2017 to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with better access to mental health support. Our government has also made investments in diabetes, unlike the government opposite, which slashed scientific research.What people with diabetes want is
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner wrote to us to say that she too had concerns about the fact that the Minister of Finance is sponsoring Bill C-27, a bill that benefits Morneau Shepell. It would be as if the Minister of Natural Resources owned an oil or gas company. That minister would be in a conflict of interest. My question is this: Could the ministers identified by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner also be in a conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents, Transport Canada is planning to stop evaluating pilots and will instead transfer the responsibility to private airline companies. Not only are the Liberals considering privatizing our airports, they are also planning to privatize Canadian aviation security. The Conservatives and Liberals did this with our rail transport security and with our food safety system. In both cases, this private self-regulation has led to major disasters. Do the Liberals have a limit to what they are willing to privatize?
Mr. Speaker, we have not changed the eligibility criteria for the tax credit for people with disabilities or diabetes. Groups have raised important concerns, and we have met with them, and we have been working with them. I would like to point out to my colleagues opposite that they spent 10 years cutting funding for scientific research. Our government invested $41 million in diabetes research. That is the kind of thing we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, we know that the finance minister was exploiting a loophole to shelter $5 million he made from his family-owned, publicly traded company. Now we learn that four others, of the Prime Minister's cabinet ministers, are using the exact same loophole.Again, it is a very simple question. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Last year, our government granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. Under budget 2017, nurses and clinical nurses are allowed to certify application forms for their patients. We have simplified the forms and in the last budget we invested $5 billion in mental health support to
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to personal wealth, assets, and property, all members of the House work with the commissioner to make sure they are following the rules and living up to Canadians' expectations.We will always follow the commissioner's rules and recommendations, as did the former Conservative finance minister, who did the same thing as the current Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, what the Minister of Finance has always done, and will continue to do, so he can deliver for Canadians is to work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed, to follow her recommendations. He has mentioned that he would go even above and beyond. If I could just refresh the member's memory, former finance minister Joe Oliver was the sole owner of a corporation that held publicly traded securities. The member from Nepean was the minister of democratic institutions, had recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner, never acted upon them. What I see is a bit of hypocrisy and a lot of amnesia. At the same time, I can understand why those members are trying to forget their decade in power. Millions of Canadians are trying to forget.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the minister sought no advice from Ms. Dawson when he was involved and introduced Bill C-27. The minister would have us believe that everything is all right, that he has followed all the rules, and disclosed everything to the Ethics Commissioner. Well, she would not be investigating the minister if that were the case.Either the minister failed to disclose all of his assets to the Ethics Commissioner or, what is becoming increasingly clear, he willfully and knowingly ignored her advice. Which is it?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is following up on our concerns and launching an investigation. We hope this investigation will expose all of the Minister of Finance's shady dealings, starting with his offshore company and many numbered companies. After being caught in these conflicts of interest, the minister suddenly acknowledged last week that he was indeed in a conflict of interest when he announced that he would give the profit he had made off his shares to a company
Mr. Speaker, no he did not. He always followed the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. Back two years ago, when he took office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been in place. It was good enough for Conservative ministers back when they were in office.The Minister of Finance has announced he will go even further, divesting himself of all shares in Morneau Shepell, placing his assets in a blind trust, and donating to charity, so he can focus on the important work he has been doing for the last two years, serving the public and growing this economy, something the Conservatives have never been able to achieve.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Our government has granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. In budget 2017, our government allocated over $5 billion to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with mental health support. We are continuing to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, we often hear the official opposition ask for a minister responsible for seniors. It is rather surprising to see them fight so hard for seniors, because when they were in government, they did the complete opposite. They increased the age of eligibility for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, which would have put many people in a vulnerable position. They also ignored all suggestions to improve the Canada Pension Plan.Could the minister responsible remind the House of what our government has done to ensure our seniors can live in dignity?
Mr. Speaker, not only on this side of the House do we follow the advice given by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, as the Minister of Finance has indicated, we are willing to go above and beyond her original advice.These are the facts of the matter. The issue the Conservatives and the NDP are attacking, on a personal level, is nothing but a distraction because our economy is doing well because Canadians are benefiting from growth, and they have nothing else to talk about than us.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Catalonia declared independence, and the Catalan Republic was born. It will be the 194th country to become a member of the United Nations. This declaration came about through a completely peaceful democratic process in which 90% of citizens voted in favour of independence.Canada has recognized a number of countries that are now members of the UN, namely the Czech Republic, Ukraine, South Sudan, and even Kosovo. However, this government has a double standard.Why is Canada refusing to recognize the new Catalan state?
Mr. Speaker, as all colleagues in this House, of course, we stand by the national Holocaust museum and its importance, because it commemorates the six million Jewish people as well as other victims who were murdered during the Holocaust. Our government is committed to building a more inclusive society. The NCC is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the monument. This decision was made by the National Holocaust Monument Development Council, along with the NCC.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking and congratulating my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the excellent work she is doing on behalf of her constituents and seniors.The well-being of seniors is the top priority of our government and my department. Since 2015, we have increased the guaranteed income supplement by up to $1,000 for 900,000 seniors. We brought the age of eligibility for old age security back down to 65, to ensure that 100,000 vulnerable seniors would not fall into extreme poverty, and we improved the Canada Pension Plan.We look forward to continuing the important work of improving social and economic inclusion for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, one of those who did put up his hand was the Minister of Finance. He said over the weekend, If theres something that I can do to make sure that people have absolute confidence, Ill do it. He was speaking of his conflicts of interest. One thing would be to reveal what is inside his vast network of numbered companies and trust funds.Could the minister, for example, tell us what is in numbered company 2070689 Ontario Limited?
Mr. Speaker, W5 exposed the disastrous impact that open-net Atlantic salmon farms are having on wild Pacific salmon, spreading diseases like PRV and HSMI. First nations along the B.C. coast are calling for the removal of open-net salmon farms from the wild salmon migration route. The Liberal government must remove these farms from the salmon migration route and transition this harmful industry to safe, land-based technology.Will the minister listen to first nations and his own DFO scientists?
Mr. Speaker, when members are elected and when ministers are appointed, they consult the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure they are following her recommendations and complying with the rules that Canadians expect members of the House to follow. That is exactly what we have done and will continue to do. Our friends opposite have nothing else to talk about or criticize, because things are going very well for the Canadian economy and the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, I had the chance to be in his province of British Columbia where I met with some first nations leaders this past weekend. We obviously understand and accept the legitimate concern that so many people have about these practices. That is why we have made unprecedented investments in science and the ocean protection plan, and why we are working with the government of British Columbia. I have had a number of very positive discussions with Minister Popham about how we can work together. Her report will come out next month, and we will work with her government to make sure this is done properly.
Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner is responsible for preserving the integrity and the confidence that Canadians have in this Parliament. The finance minister, just like any parliamentarian, has worked with the Ethics Commissioner, has followed her recommendations, and has gone even further, above and beyond what she has recommended. The finance minister will always work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all the rules are followed.
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is mired in an ethical cesspool of his own making, and he seems quite happy to remain there. He got caught misleading Canadians about his Morneau Shepell shares. Now he wants us just to trust him, even though he has millions of dollars worth of other assets hidden secretly in these numbered companies, companies like 1446977 Ontario Inc. What is in that one?
Mr. Speaker, Setsuko Thurlow, survivor of Hiroshima, and a great Canadian, will accept the Nobel peace prize on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Setsuko played a key role in the UN's adoption of the landmark nuclear ban treaty. She has described the Prime Minister's refusal to sign the treaty as a lack of courage. Will the Prime Minister wake up to the reality of this global threat to humanity, and join the nuclear ban treaty?
Mr. Speaker, rather than celebrating the first anniversary of another Liberal promise, I am sure Canadians would rather celebrate a contribution to peacekeeping. However, under both the Liberals and the Conservatives, Canada's contribution has been minimal. Despite this, Canada will be hosting a peacekeeping summit next month, scheduled on the understanding that we will be providing a significant commitment to UN peacekeeping. It has been more than a year since the Minister of Defence pledged to contribute up to 600 Canadian Armed Forces personnel and 150 police officers, but the government continues to avoid committing to a specific UN mission.When can Canadians expect to see the Liberals keep their promise on peacekeeping?
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Heritage, I made a fantastic announcement in Cape Breton last week. Cape Breton has a vibrant and thriving heritage and cultural industry. Our start-up companies are taking off, and we made major investments on Friday.Can the minister tell this House what great investments our government is making, not only in Cape Breton but across the country?
Mr. Speaker, this place is healthy because of a lot of back and forth, because the opposition has a responsibility to challenge and criticize the government to make sure all of us are doing the right things for Canadians.However, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is there to ensure that above all the petty personal attacks, Canadians can be confident that people follow the rules and fulfill their responsibilities. That is exactly what happened.The Conservatives have nothing else to talk about, because Canada is doing so well, because the middle class is growing, because people are
Mr. Speaker, I assure the House that we are very concerned about the fact that a tunnel was found under a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. We have taken action and are following this situation very closely. These kinds of things can happen in this environment, but that is no reason to condemn 30,000 employees and deny a good education to 500,000 children.
Mr. Speaker, according to the 2016 census, the first nations population in Canada has increased by 43% since 2006. That is four times more than the non-indigenous population.Last year, one in five indigenous people lived in crowded homes and homes in need of major repair. That is shameful, and it is a federal responsibility.Will the minister immediately commit to implementing a targeted housing strategy for indigenous people living on and off reserve?
Mr. Speaker, to finish the member's sentence, the Minister of Finance announced that he would be donating to charity all of the money earned on his Morneau Shepell shares since he was first elected. I think that is a wonderful gesture that demonstrates the minister's commitment to serving the public, which is the very reason he left the private sector two years ago. He has been serving the public extremely successfully by growing the economy, reducing inequality, and ensuring inclusive prosperity for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the minister will have to donate $300,000 that he has made today, and $10,000 since question period started to charity. In fact, the day after Bill C-27 was introduced, shares in Morneau Shepell rose sharply by 5%. By his own admission, the Minister of Finance has made $5.5 million on his Morneau Shepell stock alone since he was elected. The Ethics Commissioner is concerned enough that she is now investigating the minister's involvement in Bill C-27.How could the minister betray Canadians like this for his own financial gain and that of his family business?
Mr. Speaker, we believe very strongly that Canada has an important role to play on the world stage. We are proud of our record, and Canadians expect us to make this international contribution. That is why we have committed to contributing half a billion dollars and 600 troops for peacekeeping operations. This decision was not made lightly, as Canadians would expect.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Albertans received the news that Amazon was making a major investment in Calgary's economy, committing to opening its seventh facility in Canada. This is great news for Alberta, proof positive that investing in Alberta's talented and skilled workforce is a smart investment.Could the minister update the House on the state of the economy, as the world takes note of the strength of our economy, and why an investment in Canada is a smart investment?
Mr. Speaker, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming manner with the Ethics Commissioner and has followed her recommendations, one of which was to set up a conflict of interest screen. This has been put in place and described by the Ethics Commissioner as the best measure of compliance possible. It is a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton and good enough for Denis Lebel back when he was in cabinet.
Mr. Speaker, we have full confidence in the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make recommendations to parliamentarians, parliamentary secretaries, and ministers, and all parliamentarians should have that same confidence. On this side of the House, we will always work transparently with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We will always follow her recommendations, and that is what the Minister of Finance did. He can now continue to serve Canadians, as he has been successfully doing for two years.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance, like all parliamentarians in the House of Commons, worked with the Ethics Commissioner, who recommended that he take certain actions after being elected and confirmed that he was in compliance with the rules and laws that govern us. The Minister of Finance will continue to work with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is fully and transparently complying with the rules that govern us. I think we can all be proud of everything the Minister of Finance has accomplished in the last two years, during which time he has done more for the Canadian economy than the previous Conservative government did in 10 years. He created 450,000 jobs and reduced child poverty by 40%. We are very proud of our finance minister.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance keeps telling us he is not in conflict of interest, but his actions prove otherwise. On October 27, Yvan Allaire even said that it would have been wiseand should have been mandatoryfor the finance minister to sell all of his shares upon entering politics. If the Minister of Finance is really being honest, can he tell us about his holdings in another numbered company, 2070689 Ontario Ltd.?
Mr. Speaker, as I just mentioned, Canada knows we have an important role to play on the international stage. We are proud of our peacekeeping traditions, as are Canadians, and Canadians expect us to make a contribution. That is why we have committed half a billion dollars and 600 troops to return to peacekeeping operations. We are taking our time to make this important decision, understanding the impact that Canada can best play. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for raising this very important issue. We know that housing is an absolutely essential criteria for people to have to be able to enjoy a good quality of life. That is why in budget 2016 we committed $550 million over two year, which has gone to support indigenous housing, first nations housing on reserve. I am pleased to report to the House that today 8,800 units have already been either built or are in the process of being built and renovated. This is good news. There is much more to do.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Edmonton Centre for his hard work and dedication and for being a strong voice for Albertans.As the member has mentioned, we are very pleased to hear that Amazon is opening a new distribution centre in Calgary, creating 750 jobs. This is good news for Calgary. This is good news for Alberta. This is good news for Canada.It is because of our innovation and skills plan that we have created these conditions. Since we formed government, over 450,000 jobs have been created. We have a plan and that plan is working. We are going to focus on growth and jobs.
Mr. Speaker, again, to address the issue, I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines, who check their own pilots. We are continuing to use this approach, because it is an intelligent, risk-based approach. It is one that we feel will, in the most economical fashion, address our requirements while not sacrificing in any way safety. We are a modern transport ministry and we are working in a modern way.
Mr. Speaker, what is expected of all parliamentarians and all ministers is that they work with the Ethics Commissioner, who has our utmost faith and greatest respect, in order to preserve the integrity of Parliament. That is what all parliamentarians on this side of the House have always done, namely, work in a fully transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, it is incredibly important to know who these cabinet ministers are. Like the finance minister, they could be profiting from investments and stocks while making decisions that could impact the value of their own assets.If the Prime Minister is so sure and so proud that they are following all the rules, why will he not just tell us who they are?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to have the opportunity to rise in this place and congratulate Mrs. Thurlow for a lifetime of activism on an issue that is not only dear to her heart, and to many Canadians, but to the government as well. We know we have to continue to move forward to reduce nuclear weapons in the world to make sure our children and grandchildren are safe. That is why we are so proud to show leadership on the fissile material cut-off treaty that engages both non-nuclear and nuclear weapon-owning countries to move forward on disarmament. That is something we are going to remain focused on, because we know we need to create a world without nuclear weapons.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his work for creators in his riding. Through Creative Canada, we are investing in incubators to give creative entrepreneurs access to the tools they need to nurture their ideas. We are proud to have invested $5 million in the new Cape Breton centre for the arts, culture and innovation, which will support creators and grow the cultural sector in the Atlantic region. This is great news. Congratulations to my colleague.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming and transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner, and has followed her recommendations, namely what she saw as the best measure of compliance, to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been done from the get-go, a measure that was good enough for Denis Lebel when he was the minister, and a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton when she was the minister. That is what the finance minister has always done, he has followed the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work that I am doing on behalf of the constituents of Calgary Centre. As was pointed out in this House, we are focused on growing the economy and making sure things are better for people in our community. I can tell the member that I was very proud to be at the Amazon announcement last week where over 750 new jobs are being reported in our community. I hope the member continues to concentrate on better things for his community members and going forward in that fashion. We will follow all rules that are established by the Ethics Commissioner, and I look forward to working with her going forward.
Mr. Speaker, in last week's municipal election, I was very proud of the fact that my father, at 74 years of age, stepped up to run to be the trustee for wards eight and nine. I am proud to report that he did win that election. He can take his 40 years of teaching experience to work for people in public education and better the lives of people in their communities. I am very proud of this work. I am very proud to have supported my father. I look forward to following any advice at all that the Ethics Commissioner has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, no, we do not plan to change this rule. To us, passenger safety is always a top priority. I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines. The member misunderstands what we have decided to do. Using a risk-based approach, we periodically conduct an airline safety audit. It is a much more intelligent approach and it is the approach that our government has adopted to ensure passenger safety.
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents from Transport Canada, pilot proficiency tests will be conducted by the airlines themselves, rather than by Transport Canada inspectors, which is at odds with the recommendations of the aviation safety report. The Liberals, like the Conservatives before them, continue to rely on self-regulation and are cutting inspection budgets. It seems that the Liberals have learned nothing from the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. Does the minister plan to reverse this dangerous decision?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another example of the Hamas terrorist regime in Gaza using a school, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, to provide cover for a terrorist tunnel to use Palestinian children as human shields, though UNRWA claims it closed the school when the tunnel was discovered. The Conservative government delivered humanitarian aid to Palestinians around UNRWA, but the Liberals insist on handing UNRWA millions, despite the risk to children, despite the curriculum of hate and terror still taught to children in UNRWA schools. Why?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Canadians know that the Liberals have an insatiable appetite for taxpayers' money. The Liberals have gone after business owners and Canadians, and now they are going after people who are sick. Last week, it was people with diabetes, and now it is those with mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia, who are being targeted by the Liberal government. The Liberals have made it much more difficult for these people to get access to tax credits.I have a very simple question. Does the Liberal Party have no heart? Why is the government going after sick people?
Mr. Speaker, if there were no changes, then why are 80% being denied now? Another week and it is another tax grab by the Liberals. It was bad enough that the minister's department started to reject the medical advice of doctors who treat type 1 diabetics, but now there are reports that people who are mentally ill, people who have qualified for years, are suddenly being denied.With the Liberals raising taxes and threatening benefits on the mentally ill, one can only ask this. Who is next?
Mr. Speaker, in response to a question, the Minister of National Revenue said that clinical nurses are allowed to complete the tax credit application forms, but actually, only nurse practitioners can do so. I wanted to know, did she use the wrong term, or did she want to
Mr. Speaker, something as significant as our Holocaust memorial in our nation's capital, which recognizes the catastrophic annihilation of six million Jews along with countless others, should be maintained year-round. The Liberals need to understand that this is necessary to demonstrate our commitment to remembering those whose lives were viciously snuffed out by the Nazis in the Holocaust, as well as our dedication to never again.When will the minister just say yes and keep this hallowed landmark open year-round?
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try again.Canadians have the right to know the names of the other ministers who did not put their assets in a blind trust, as the law requires.Once again, who are they?
Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The proof is that our government has invested nearly $1 billion over the past two years to tackle tax evasion.Our plan is working. We are on track to recover $25 billion. We are working on four jurisdictions per year. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 warrants, and 78 convictions. I want to be very clear; this is a priority for our government
Mr. Speaker, there might be something broken with this device because every time the Prime Minister speaks all I keep hearing is, We're entitled to our entitlements. The Ethics Commissioner actually said that other ministers, other than the finance minister, could have benefited from those loopholes in the Conflict of Interest Act. For a Prime Minister who said he would be enforcing the highest standards for his ministers, we are seeing that he cannot even keep the bare minimum. I have a very simple question, once again, for the Prime Minister. Who are the other ministers identified by the commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, not only do we support the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner on this side of the House, we follow her advice. That is something the members opposite cannot seem to understand as they constantly criticize the work she has done and the advice she has given to all parliamentarians. When we arrive in the House we follow the advice of the commissioner because that is what we are expected to do. That is what Canadians expect us to do, and these personal attacks are just happening because they have nothing else to talk about. That is why they are obsessed with us, while we focus on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, what we know is that the finance minister owns several other numbered companies with secret assets in them. Unfortunately, we cannot trust the minister to do the right thing, especially when he thinks that nobody is watching. That is clear from the way he hid his Morneau Shepell shares over the last two years. Will the finance minister be transparent with Canadians now and disclose what he owns in his numbered company 2254165 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister woke up this morning and saw that blazing headline on the front page of the Globe and Mail saying there are four other ministers hiding stocks in numbered companies, he would have been so concerned that he would have called a meeting in that room on the third floor, around that big oval table, and he would have said, Ministers who have stocks hidden within numbered companies raise your hands. Which ones did?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, our hearts were in the right place. We cared about people who were suffering. That is why we had a tax credit for people who were suffering, people who were sick, people with diabetes, and people with mental illness. The government has now made the criteria so restrictive that few people who are suffering are eligible for this eminently sensible tax credit. On the one hand, the government is spending like it is going out of style and, on the other, it is taking more money away from the least fortunate, from people who are suffering.Why is the government doing such a poor job when it comes to people who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance found loopholes that allowed him to maintain control over his company. Now, we have learned that other ministers have done the same thing.I have a very simple question. Will the Prime Minister tell us who those other ministers are?
Mr. Speaker, last week they threw the Ethics Commissioner under the bus. Today they are hiding behind her. The fact is, they cannot enforce the bare minimum standard of ethics. Five ministers are benefiting from this loophole in the Conflict of Interest Act, and last week the government voted against the NDP's proposal to close that loophole. Now that we know multiple Liberal cabinet ministers are benefiting from the loophole, maybe the Prime Minister would like to reconsider his position. Will the Prime Minister take the Ethics Commissioner's advice and close the loophole?
Mr. Speaker, it is against the law for cabinet ministers to own stocks and investments, unless they are in a blind trust.The Minister of Finance has been caught, and now reports indicate that at least four other cabinet ministers are using the same loophole to maintain control of their investments.I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, it is shameful to see the Canadian government lose all sense of democracy when it comes to people's right to self-determination.Today, Spain put a price on the heads of all the legitimately elected separatist members of the Catalan government by accusing them of sedition and rebellion. It is offering $100,000 per member for a total of $6.9 million. Will Canada condemn Spain for these acts of repression and its illegal attacks under international law?
Mr. Speaker, we have now seen the executive chair of the Institute for Governance, Yvan Allaire, express his clear opinion on the Minister of Finance's conflicts of interest. Last week, Yvan Allaire told RDI that for the past two years the finance minister has without a doubt been in conflict of interest. If the finance minister still claims that he has nothing to hide, can he prove it by telling us what he is holding in his numbered company 2135042 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, as is expected of all parliamentarians in the House, as soon as the Minister of Finance assumed office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure full compliance with the rules that govern us in the House. He followed all of the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations, including setting up a screen to prevent any conflict of interest. Last week, he announced that he would go even further by divesting himself of his shares and by placing his investments in a blind trust. The finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner and acted accordingly, and he will continue to do so. I would remind hon. members that it is the Ethics Commissioner who is in charge of upholding the integrity of parliamentarians and Canadians' confidence in our institution.
Mr. Speaker, hon. members know full well that it is common practice for candidates and volunteers who are actively involved in municipal, provincial, and federal campaigns to work together. None of my resources were used when I went door to door on Saturday. By way of example, the campaign manager for my colleague from Sherbrooke is a municipal councillor.
Mr. Speaker, living with type 1 diabetes is hard enough without the Liberals stripping the disability tax credit and the disability retirement savings plan from struggling diabetics.We have proof the Liberals changed the process in May. What is even worse is we have discovered they are doing the same thing to people with mental health conditions.Did the Prime Minister direct the Minister of National Revenue to raise money at all costs, or did she come up with this mean-spirited attack on her own?
Mr. Speaker, let us go over this again. Canadians with autism, bipolar disorder and other mental health issues, and those requiring dialysis, are some of the latest to be denied a disability tax credit due to changes in the way that the CRA interprets eligibility. This interpretation changed as a result of direction from the minister's office. The question is, will the minister change it back? Will the minister reverse this directive so that all persons previously eligible for this benefit can continue
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have confidence in the Ethics Commissioner's work and recommendations. We follow those recommendations, and I expect the members opposite to do the same. Canadians expect all parliamentarians to follow the commissioner's recommendations.I can assure Canadians that, despite the personal attacks being made by the opposition, everyone follows the commissioner's recommendations and has confidence in her.
Mr. Speaker, we learned last week that Canadian contribution to UN peacekeeping has reached its lowest point since the 1950s. According to the CBC, UN officials believe this government's actions to be of line with UN peacekeeping priorities. Two weeks from now, Canada will be hosting the world at a peacekeeping summit in Vancouver, and we have nothing to offer. When will this government do what it promised, what the UN has asked for, what the rest of the world expects from Canada and
Mr. Speaker, we have repeatedly raised our concerns regarding the Minister of Finance and his sponsorship of Bill C-27. We recently learned that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has the same concerns. She is concerned because the Minister of Finance did not recuse himself from discussions on Bill C-27. My question is simple. Will the Minister of Finance admit that he is in a conflict of interest and what is he hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure Canadians that no changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit.No changes have been made to the act or the way it is interpreted, and we are going to ensure that people continue to receive the tax credits to which they are entitled.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Calgary Herald reported that the Minister of Sport inappropriately used House of Commons resources to support his father's campaign for election as trustee for the school board. In answers to my questions last week, the parliamentary secretary seemed to indicate that the matter had been referred to the Ethics Commissioner, but the answer was anything but clear.I will give the minister another opportunity to clarify today to the House whether he cleared with the Ethics Commissioner the use of these materials in an effort to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government is getting mixed up in municipal elections. It did not occur to the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie to warn her associates before going door to door on behalf of the candidate on her husband's team.Does the minister understand that, because of her relationship with the leader of Renouveau sherbrookois and the authority that she has, she risks putting this municipal campaign in conflict of interest and she herself could end up with an ethics problem? Did she use her ministerial resources to promote her candidate to the detriment of others?
Mr. Speaker, Morneau Shepell has a subsidiary in the Bahamas, and all Liberal members are voting against the Bloc Québécois motion to tackle tax evasion in Barbados. How bizarre.Morneau Shepell works in the field of pension plans, and all Liberal members are voting in favour of the bill on pension plans that benefits companies like the one owned by the Minister of Finance. How bizarre.In the interest of transparency, could the Liberal members who have shares in Morneau Shepell please raise their hands?
Mr. Speaker, I will take that answer as a yes, that he did inappropriately use resources of the House of Commons and no, that he did not clear it with the Ethics Commissioner.The minister, besides being an MP, is also a minister of the crown and has additional resources. I would ask the minister if he can assure the House that there were no other resources, including that of his riding office or of his minister's office, that were used to further the efforts to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, everyone in this House refers to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that we are following the rules and putting in place the things that Canadians expect us to follow, and expect of all parliamentarians.It is interesting to note that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has made recommendations to members of all parties, and in previous governments. The mechanisms that the Minister of Finance currently has in place are very similar to the mechanisms the previous Conservative finance minister had in place. I am assuming he followed the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's
Mr. Speaker, exactly to avoid situations in which mud is slung, in which personal attacks are made, we have a commissioner who governs and engages with all members of this House to ensure that the rules are followed.The finance minister, all ministers in this House, and ministers of the previous Conservative government follow the advice and the recommendations of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. That is how Canadians can continue to have confidence in what everyone in this House does.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that everyone receives the tax credits to which they are entitled.With regard to mental health, our government allocated $5 billion in budget 2017 to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with better access to mental health support. Our government has also made investments in diabetes, unlike the government opposite, which slashed scientific research.What people with diabetes want is
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner wrote to us to say that she too had concerns about the fact that the Minister of Finance is sponsoring Bill C-27, a bill that benefits Morneau Shepell. It would be as if the Minister of Natural Resources owned an oil or gas company. That minister would be in a conflict of interest. My question is this: Could the ministers identified by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner also be in a conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents, Transport Canada is planning to stop evaluating pilots and will instead transfer the responsibility to private airline companies. Not only are the Liberals considering privatizing our airports, they are also planning to privatize Canadian aviation security. The Conservatives and Liberals did this with our rail transport security and with our food safety system. In both cases, this private self-regulation has led to major disasters. Do the Liberals have a limit to what they are willing to privatize?
Mr. Speaker, we have not changed the eligibility criteria for the tax credit for people with disabilities or diabetes. Groups have raised important concerns, and we have met with them, and we have been working with them. I would like to point out to my colleagues opposite that they spent 10 years cutting funding for scientific research. Our government invested $41 million in diabetes research. That is the kind of thing we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, we know that the finance minister was exploiting a loophole to shelter $5 million he made from his family-owned, publicly traded company. Now we learn that four others, of the Prime Minister's cabinet ministers, are using the exact same loophole.Again, it is a very simple question. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Last year, our government granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. Under budget 2017, nurses and clinical nurses are allowed to certify application forms for their patients. We have simplified the forms and in the last budget we invested $5 billion in mental health support to
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to personal wealth, assets, and property, all members of the House work with the commissioner to make sure they are following the rules and living up to Canadians' expectations.We will always follow the commissioner's rules and recommendations, as did the former Conservative finance minister, who did the same thing as the current Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, what the Minister of Finance has always done, and will continue to do, so he can deliver for Canadians is to work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed, to follow her recommendations. He has mentioned that he would go even above and beyond. If I could just refresh the member's memory, former finance minister Joe Oliver was the sole owner of a corporation that held publicly traded securities. The member from Nepean was the minister of democratic institutions, had recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner, never acted upon them. What I see is a bit of hypocrisy and a lot of amnesia. At the same time, I can understand why those members are trying to forget their decade in power. Millions of Canadians are trying to forget.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the minister sought no advice from Ms. Dawson when he was involved and introduced Bill C-27. The minister would have us believe that everything is all right, that he has followed all the rules, and disclosed everything to the Ethics Commissioner. Well, she would not be investigating the minister if that were the case.Either the minister failed to disclose all of his assets to the Ethics Commissioner or, what is becoming increasingly clear, he willfully and knowingly ignored her advice. Which is it?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is following up on our concerns and launching an investigation. We hope this investigation will expose all of the Minister of Finance's shady dealings, starting with his offshore company and many numbered companies. After being caught in these conflicts of interest, the minister suddenly acknowledged last week that he was indeed in a conflict of interest when he announced that he would give the profit he had made off his shares to a company
Mr. Speaker, no he did not. He always followed the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. Back two years ago, when he took office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been in place. It was good enough for Conservative ministers back when they were in office.The Minister of Finance has announced he will go even further, divesting himself of all shares in Morneau Shepell, placing his assets in a blind trust, and donating to charity, so he can focus on the important work he has been doing for the last two years, serving the public and growing this economy, something the Conservatives have never been able to achieve.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Our government has granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. In budget 2017, our government allocated over $5 billion to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with mental health support. We are continuing to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, we often hear the official opposition ask for a minister responsible for seniors. It is rather surprising to see them fight so hard for seniors, because when they were in government, they did the complete opposite. They increased the age of eligibility for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, which would have put many people in a vulnerable position. They also ignored all suggestions to improve the Canada Pension Plan.Could the minister responsible remind the House of what our government has done to ensure our seniors can live in dignity?
Mr. Speaker, not only on this side of the House do we follow the advice given by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, as the Minister of Finance has indicated, we are willing to go above and beyond her original advice.These are the facts of the matter. The issue the Conservatives and the NDP are attacking, on a personal level, is nothing but a distraction because our economy is doing well because Canadians are benefiting from growth, and they have nothing else to talk about than us.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Catalonia declared independence, and the Catalan Republic was born. It will be the 194th country to become a member of the United Nations. This declaration came about through a completely peaceful democratic process in which 90% of citizens voted in favour of independence.Canada has recognized a number of countries that are now members of the UN, namely the Czech Republic, Ukraine, South Sudan, and even Kosovo. However, this government has a double standard.Why is Canada refusing to recognize the new Catalan state?
Mr. Speaker, as all colleagues in this House, of course, we stand by the national Holocaust museum and its importance, because it commemorates the six million Jewish people as well as other victims who were murdered during the Holocaust. Our government is committed to building a more inclusive society. The NCC is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the monument. This decision was made by the National Holocaust Monument Development Council, along with the NCC.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking and congratulating my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the excellent work she is doing on behalf of her constituents and seniors.The well-being of seniors is the top priority of our government and my department. Since 2015, we have increased the guaranteed income supplement by up to $1,000 for 900,000 seniors. We brought the age of eligibility for old age security back down to 65, to ensure that 100,000 vulnerable seniors would not fall into extreme poverty, and we improved the Canada Pension Plan.We look forward to continuing the important work of improving social and economic inclusion for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, one of those who did put up his hand was the Minister of Finance. He said over the weekend, If theres something that I can do to make sure that people have absolute confidence, Ill do it. He was speaking of his conflicts of interest. One thing would be to reveal what is inside his vast network of numbered companies and trust funds.Could the minister, for example, tell us what is in numbered company 2070689 Ontario Limited?
Mr. Speaker, W5 exposed the disastrous impact that open-net Atlantic salmon farms are having on wild Pacific salmon, spreading diseases like PRV and HSMI. First nations along the B.C. coast are calling for the removal of open-net salmon farms from the wild salmon migration route. The Liberal government must remove these farms from the salmon migration route and transition this harmful industry to safe, land-based technology.Will the minister listen to first nations and his own DFO scientists?
Mr. Speaker, when members are elected and when ministers are appointed, they consult the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure they are following her recommendations and complying with the rules that Canadians expect members of the House to follow. That is exactly what we have done and will continue to do. Our friends opposite have nothing else to talk about or criticize, because things are going very well for the Canadian economy and the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, I had the chance to be in his province of British Columbia where I met with some first nations leaders this past weekend. We obviously understand and accept the legitimate concern that so many people have about these practices. That is why we have made unprecedented investments in science and the ocean protection plan, and why we are working with the government of British Columbia. I have had a number of very positive discussions with Minister Popham about how we can work together. Her report will come out next month, and we will work with her government to make sure this is done properly.
Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner is responsible for preserving the integrity and the confidence that Canadians have in this Parliament. The finance minister, just like any parliamentarian, has worked with the Ethics Commissioner, has followed her recommendations, and has gone even further, above and beyond what she has recommended. The finance minister will always work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all the rules are followed.
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is mired in an ethical cesspool of his own making, and he seems quite happy to remain there. He got caught misleading Canadians about his Morneau Shepell shares. Now he wants us just to trust him, even though he has millions of dollars worth of other assets hidden secretly in these numbered companies, companies like 1446977 Ontario Inc. What is in that one?
Mr. Speaker, Setsuko Thurlow, survivor of Hiroshima, and a great Canadian, will accept the Nobel peace prize on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Setsuko played a key role in the UN's adoption of the landmark nuclear ban treaty. She has described the Prime Minister's refusal to sign the treaty as a lack of courage. Will the Prime Minister wake up to the reality of this global threat to humanity, and join the nuclear ban treaty?
Mr. Speaker, rather than celebrating the first anniversary of another Liberal promise, I am sure Canadians would rather celebrate a contribution to peacekeeping. However, under both the Liberals and the Conservatives, Canada's contribution has been minimal. Despite this, Canada will be hosting a peacekeeping summit next month, scheduled on the understanding that we will be providing a significant commitment to UN peacekeeping. It has been more than a year since the Minister of Defence pledged to contribute up to 600 Canadian Armed Forces personnel and 150 police officers, but the government continues to avoid committing to a specific UN mission.When can Canadians expect to see the Liberals keep their promise on peacekeeping?
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Heritage, I made a fantastic announcement in Cape Breton last week. Cape Breton has a vibrant and thriving heritage and cultural industry. Our start-up companies are taking off, and we made major investments on Friday.Can the minister tell this House what great investments our government is making, not only in Cape Breton but across the country?
Mr. Speaker, this place is healthy because of a lot of back and forth, because the opposition has a responsibility to challenge and criticize the government to make sure all of us are doing the right things for Canadians.However, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is there to ensure that above all the petty personal attacks, Canadians can be confident that people follow the rules and fulfill their responsibilities. That is exactly what happened.The Conservatives have nothing else to talk about, because Canada is doing so well, because the middle class is growing, because people are
Mr. Speaker, I assure the House that we are very concerned about the fact that a tunnel was found under a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. We have taken action and are following this situation very closely. These kinds of things can happen in this environment, but that is no reason to condemn 30,000 employees and deny a good education to 500,000 children.
Mr. Speaker, according to the 2016 census, the first nations population in Canada has increased by 43% since 2006. That is four times more than the non-indigenous population.Last year, one in five indigenous people lived in crowded homes and homes in need of major repair. That is shameful, and it is a federal responsibility.Will the minister immediately commit to implementing a targeted housing strategy for indigenous people living on and off reserve?
Mr. Speaker, to finish the member's sentence, the Minister of Finance announced that he would be donating to charity all of the money earned on his Morneau Shepell shares since he was first elected. I think that is a wonderful gesture that demonstrates the minister's commitment to serving the public, which is the very reason he left the private sector two years ago. He has been serving the public extremely successfully by growing the economy, reducing inequality, and ensuring inclusive prosperity for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the minister will have to donate $300,000 that he has made today, and $10,000 since question period started to charity. In fact, the day after Bill C-27 was introduced, shares in Morneau Shepell rose sharply by 5%. By his own admission, the Minister of Finance has made $5.5 million on his Morneau Shepell stock alone since he was elected. The Ethics Commissioner is concerned enough that she is now investigating the minister's involvement in Bill C-27.How could the minister betray Canadians like this for his own financial gain and that of his family business?
Mr. Speaker, we believe very strongly that Canada has an important role to play on the world stage. We are proud of our record, and Canadians expect us to make this international contribution. That is why we have committed to contributing half a billion dollars and 600 troops for peacekeeping operations. This decision was not made lightly, as Canadians would expect.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Albertans received the news that Amazon was making a major investment in Calgary's economy, committing to opening its seventh facility in Canada. This is great news for Alberta, proof positive that investing in Alberta's talented and skilled workforce is a smart investment.Could the minister update the House on the state of the economy, as the world takes note of the strength of our economy, and why an investment in Canada is a smart investment?
Mr. Speaker, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming manner with the Ethics Commissioner and has followed her recommendations, one of which was to set up a conflict of interest screen. This has been put in place and described by the Ethics Commissioner as the best measure of compliance possible. It is a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton and good enough for Denis Lebel back when he was in cabinet.
Mr. Speaker, we have full confidence in the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make recommendations to parliamentarians, parliamentary secretaries, and ministers, and all parliamentarians should have that same confidence. On this side of the House, we will always work transparently with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We will always follow her recommendations, and that is what the Minister of Finance did. He can now continue to serve Canadians, as he has been successfully doing for two years.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance, like all parliamentarians in the House of Commons, worked with the Ethics Commissioner, who recommended that he take certain actions after being elected and confirmed that he was in compliance with the rules and laws that govern us. The Minister of Finance will continue to work with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is fully and transparently complying with the rules that govern us. I think we can all be proud of everything the Minister of Finance has accomplished in the last two years, during which time he has done more for the Canadian economy than the previous Conservative government did in 10 years. He created 450,000 jobs and reduced child poverty by 40%. We are very proud of our finance minister.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance keeps telling us he is not in conflict of interest, but his actions prove otherwise. On October 27, Yvan Allaire even said that it would have been wiseand should have been mandatoryfor the finance minister to sell all of his shares upon entering politics. If the Minister of Finance is really being honest, can he tell us about his holdings in another numbered company, 2070689 Ontario Ltd.?
Mr. Speaker, as I just mentioned, Canada knows we have an important role to play on the international stage. We are proud of our peacekeeping traditions, as are Canadians, and Canadians expect us to make a contribution. That is why we have committed half a billion dollars and 600 troops to return to peacekeeping operations. We are taking our time to make this important decision, understanding the impact that Canada can best play. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for raising this very important issue. We know that housing is an absolutely essential criteria for people to have to be able to enjoy a good quality of life. That is why in budget 2016 we committed $550 million over two year, which has gone to support indigenous housing, first nations housing on reserve. I am pleased to report to the House that today 8,800 units have already been either built or are in the process of being built and renovated. This is good news. There is much more to do.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Edmonton Centre for his hard work and dedication and for being a strong voice for Albertans.As the member has mentioned, we are very pleased to hear that Amazon is opening a new distribution centre in Calgary, creating 750 jobs. This is good news for Calgary. This is good news for Alberta. This is good news for Canada.It is because of our innovation and skills plan that we have created these conditions. Since we formed government, over 450,000 jobs have been created. We have a plan and that plan is working. We are going to focus on growth and jobs.
Mr. Speaker, again, to address the issue, I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines, who check their own pilots. We are continuing to use this approach, because it is an intelligent, risk-based approach. It is one that we feel will, in the most economical fashion, address our requirements while not sacrificing in any way safety. We are a modern transport ministry and we are working in a modern way.
Mr. Speaker, what is expected of all parliamentarians and all ministers is that they work with the Ethics Commissioner, who has our utmost faith and greatest respect, in order to preserve the integrity of Parliament. That is what all parliamentarians on this side of the House have always done, namely, work in a fully transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, it is incredibly important to know who these cabinet ministers are. Like the finance minister, they could be profiting from investments and stocks while making decisions that could impact the value of their own assets.If the Prime Minister is so sure and so proud that they are following all the rules, why will he not just tell us who they are?
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to have the opportunity to rise in this place and congratulate Mrs. Thurlow for a lifetime of activism on an issue that is not only dear to her heart, and to many Canadians, but to the government as well. We know we have to continue to move forward to reduce nuclear weapons in the world to make sure our children and grandchildren are safe. That is why we are so proud to show leadership on the fissile material cut-off treaty that engages both non-nuclear and nuclear weapon-owning countries to move forward on disarmament. That is something we are going to remain focused on, because we know we need to create a world without nuclear weapons.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his work for creators in his riding. Through Creative Canada, we are investing in incubators to give creative entrepreneurs access to the tools they need to nurture their ideas. We are proud to have invested $5 million in the new Cape Breton centre for the arts, culture and innovation, which will support creators and grow the cultural sector in the Atlantic region. This is great news. Congratulations to my colleague.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming and transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner, and has followed her recommendations, namely what she saw as the best measure of compliance, to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been done from the get-go, a measure that was good enough for Denis Lebel when he was the minister, and a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton when she was the minister. That is what the finance minister has always done, he has followed the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work that I am doing on behalf of the constituents of Calgary Centre. As was pointed out in this House, we are focused on growing the economy and making sure things are better for people in our community. I can tell the member that I was very proud to be at the Amazon announcement last week where over 750 new jobs are being reported in our community. I hope the member continues to concentrate on better things for his community members and going forward in that fashion. We will follow all rules that are established by the Ethics Commissioner, and I look forward to working with her going forward.
Mr. Speaker, in last week's municipal election, I was very proud of the fact that my father, at 74 years of age, stepped up to run to be the trustee for wards eight and nine. I am proud to report that he did win that election. He can take his 40 years of teaching experience to work for people in public education and better the lives of people in their communities. I am very proud of this work. I am very proud to have supported my father. I look forward to following any advice at all that the Ethics Commissioner has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, no, we do not plan to change this rule. To us, passenger safety is always a top priority. I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines. The member misunderstands what we have decided to do. Using a risk-based approach, we periodically conduct an airline safety audit. It is a much more intelligent approach and it is the approach that our government has adopted to ensure passenger safety.
Most positive speeches
Mr. Speaker, no, we do not plan to change this rule. To us, passenger safety is always a top priority. I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines. The member misunderstands what we have decided to do. Using a risk-based approach, we periodically conduct an airline safety audit. It is a much more intelligent approach and it is the approach that our government has adopted to ensure passenger safety.
Mr. Speaker, in last week's municipal election, I was very proud of the fact that my father, at 74 years of age, stepped up to run to be the trustee for wards eight and nine. I am proud to report that he did win that election. He can take his 40 years of teaching experience to work for people in public education and better the lives of people in their communities. I am very proud of this work. I am very proud to have supported my father. I look forward to following any advice at all that the Ethics Commissioner has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work that I am doing on behalf of the constituents of Calgary Centre. As was pointed out in this House, we are focused on growing the economy and making sure things are better for people in our community. I can tell the member that I was very proud to be at the Amazon announcement last week where over 750 new jobs are being reported in our community. I hope the member continues to concentrate on better things for his community members and going forward in that fashion. We will follow all rules that are established by the Ethics Commissioner, and I look forward to working with her going forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming and transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner, and has followed her recommendations, namely what she saw as the best measure of compliance, to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been done from the get-go, a measure that was good enough for Denis Lebel when he was the minister, and a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton when she was the minister. That is what the finance minister has always done, he has followed the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his work for creators in his riding. Through Creative Canada, we are investing in incubators to give creative entrepreneurs access to the tools they need to nurture their ideas. We are proud to have invested $5 million in the new Cape Breton centre for the arts, culture and innovation, which will support creators and grow the cultural sector in the Atlantic region. This is great news. Congratulations to my colleague.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to have the opportunity to rise in this place and congratulate Mrs. Thurlow for a lifetime of activism on an issue that is not only dear to her heart, and to many Canadians, but to the government as well. We know we have to continue to move forward to reduce nuclear weapons in the world to make sure our children and grandchildren are safe. That is why we are so proud to show leadership on the fissile material cut-off treaty that engages both non-nuclear and nuclear weapon-owning countries to move forward on disarmament. That is something we are going to remain focused on, because we know we need to create a world without nuclear weapons.
Mr. Speaker, it is incredibly important to know who these cabinet ministers are. Like the finance minister, they could be profiting from investments and stocks while making decisions that could impact the value of their own assets.If the Prime Minister is so sure and so proud that they are following all the rules, why will he not just tell us who they are?
Mr. Speaker, what is expected of all parliamentarians and all ministers is that they work with the Ethics Commissioner, who has our utmost faith and greatest respect, in order to preserve the integrity of Parliament. That is what all parliamentarians on this side of the House have always done, namely, work in a fully transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, again, to address the issue, I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines, who check their own pilots. We are continuing to use this approach, because it is an intelligent, risk-based approach. It is one that we feel will, in the most economical fashion, address our requirements while not sacrificing in any way safety. We are a modern transport ministry and we are working in a modern way.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Edmonton Centre for his hard work and dedication and for being a strong voice for Albertans.As the member has mentioned, we are very pleased to hear that Amazon is opening a new distribution centre in Calgary, creating 750 jobs. This is good news for Calgary. This is good news for Alberta. This is good news for Canada.It is because of our innovation and skills plan that we have created these conditions. Since we formed government, over 450,000 jobs have been created. We have a plan and that plan is working. We are going to focus on growth and jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for raising this very important issue. We know that housing is an absolutely essential criteria for people to have to be able to enjoy a good quality of life. That is why in budget 2016 we committed $550 million over two year, which has gone to support indigenous housing, first nations housing on reserve. I am pleased to report to the House that today 8,800 units have already been either built or are in the process of being built and renovated. This is good news. There is much more to do.
Mr. Speaker, as I just mentioned, Canada knows we have an important role to play on the international stage. We are proud of our peacekeeping traditions, as are Canadians, and Canadians expect us to make a contribution. That is why we have committed half a billion dollars and 600 troops to return to peacekeeping operations. We are taking our time to make this important decision, understanding the impact that Canada can best play. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance keeps telling us he is not in conflict of interest, but his actions prove otherwise. On October 27, Yvan Allaire even said that it would have been wiseand should have been mandatoryfor the finance minister to sell all of his shares upon entering politics. If the Minister of Finance is really being honest, can he tell us about his holdings in another numbered company, 2070689 Ontario Ltd.?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance, like all parliamentarians in the House of Commons, worked with the Ethics Commissioner, who recommended that he take certain actions after being elected and confirmed that he was in compliance with the rules and laws that govern us. The Minister of Finance will continue to work with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is fully and transparently complying with the rules that govern us. I think we can all be proud of everything the Minister of Finance has accomplished in the last two years, during which time he has done more for the Canadian economy than the previous Conservative government did in 10 years. He created 450,000 jobs and reduced child poverty by 40%. We are very proud of our finance minister.
Mr. Speaker, we have full confidence in the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make recommendations to parliamentarians, parliamentary secretaries, and ministers, and all parliamentarians should have that same confidence. On this side of the House, we will always work transparently with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We will always follow her recommendations, and that is what the Minister of Finance did. He can now continue to serve Canadians, as he has been successfully doing for two years.
Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming manner with the Ethics Commissioner and has followed her recommendations, one of which was to set up a conflict of interest screen. This has been put in place and described by the Ethics Commissioner as the best measure of compliance possible. It is a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton and good enough for Denis Lebel back when he was in cabinet.
Mr. Speaker, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Albertans received the news that Amazon was making a major investment in Calgary's economy, committing to opening its seventh facility in Canada. This is great news for Alberta, proof positive that investing in Alberta's talented and skilled workforce is a smart investment.Could the minister update the House on the state of the economy, as the world takes note of the strength of our economy, and why an investment in Canada is a smart investment?
Mr. Speaker, we believe very strongly that Canada has an important role to play on the world stage. We are proud of our record, and Canadians expect us to make this international contribution. That is why we have committed to contributing half a billion dollars and 600 troops for peacekeeping operations. This decision was not made lightly, as Canadians would expect.
Mr. Speaker, the minister will have to donate $300,000 that he has made today, and $10,000 since question period started to charity. In fact, the day after Bill C-27 was introduced, shares in Morneau Shepell rose sharply by 5%. By his own admission, the Minister of Finance has made $5.5 million on his Morneau Shepell stock alone since he was elected. The Ethics Commissioner is concerned enough that she is now investigating the minister's involvement in Bill C-27.How could the minister betray Canadians like this for his own financial gain and that of his family business?
Mr. Speaker, to finish the member's sentence, the Minister of Finance announced that he would be donating to charity all of the money earned on his Morneau Shepell shares since he was first elected. I think that is a wonderful gesture that demonstrates the minister's commitment to serving the public, which is the very reason he left the private sector two years ago. He has been serving the public extremely successfully by growing the economy, reducing inequality, and ensuring inclusive prosperity for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, according to the 2016 census, the first nations population in Canada has increased by 43% since 2006. That is four times more than the non-indigenous population.Last year, one in five indigenous people lived in crowded homes and homes in need of major repair. That is shameful, and it is a federal responsibility.Will the minister immediately commit to implementing a targeted housing strategy for indigenous people living on and off reserve?
Mr. Speaker, I assure the House that we are very concerned about the fact that a tunnel was found under a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. We have taken action and are following this situation very closely. These kinds of things can happen in this environment, but that is no reason to condemn 30,000 employees and deny a good education to 500,000 children.
Mr. Speaker, this place is healthy because of a lot of back and forth, because the opposition has a responsibility to challenge and criticize the government to make sure all of us are doing the right things for Canadians.However, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is there to ensure that above all the petty personal attacks, Canadians can be confident that people follow the rules and fulfill their responsibilities. That is exactly what happened.The Conservatives have nothing else to talk about, because Canada is doing so well, because the middle class is growing, because people are
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Heritage, I made a fantastic announcement in Cape Breton last week. Cape Breton has a vibrant and thriving heritage and cultural industry. Our start-up companies are taking off, and we made major investments on Friday.Can the minister tell this House what great investments our government is making, not only in Cape Breton but across the country?
Mr. Speaker, rather than celebrating the first anniversary of another Liberal promise, I am sure Canadians would rather celebrate a contribution to peacekeeping. However, under both the Liberals and the Conservatives, Canada's contribution has been minimal. Despite this, Canada will be hosting a peacekeeping summit next month, scheduled on the understanding that we will be providing a significant commitment to UN peacekeeping. It has been more than a year since the Minister of Defence pledged to contribute up to 600 Canadian Armed Forces personnel and 150 police officers, but the government continues to avoid committing to a specific UN mission.When can Canadians expect to see the Liberals keep their promise on peacekeeping?
Mr. Speaker, Setsuko Thurlow, survivor of Hiroshima, and a great Canadian, will accept the Nobel peace prize on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Setsuko played a key role in the UN's adoption of the landmark nuclear ban treaty. She has described the Prime Minister's refusal to sign the treaty as a lack of courage. Will the Prime Minister wake up to the reality of this global threat to humanity, and join the nuclear ban treaty?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is mired in an ethical cesspool of his own making, and he seems quite happy to remain there. He got caught misleading Canadians about his Morneau Shepell shares. Now he wants us just to trust him, even though he has millions of dollars worth of other assets hidden secretly in these numbered companies, companies like 1446977 Ontario Inc. What is in that one?
Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner is responsible for preserving the integrity and the confidence that Canadians have in this Parliament. The finance minister, just like any parliamentarian, has worked with the Ethics Commissioner, has followed her recommendations, and has gone even further, above and beyond what she has recommended. The finance minister will always work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all the rules are followed.
Mr. Speaker, I had the chance to be in his province of British Columbia where I met with some first nations leaders this past weekend. We obviously understand and accept the legitimate concern that so many people have about these practices. That is why we have made unprecedented investments in science and the ocean protection plan, and why we are working with the government of British Columbia. I have had a number of very positive discussions with Minister Popham about how we can work together. Her report will come out next month, and we will work with her government to make sure this is done properly.
Mr. Speaker, when members are elected and when ministers are appointed, they consult the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure they are following her recommendations and complying with the rules that Canadians expect members of the House to follow. That is exactly what we have done and will continue to do. Our friends opposite have nothing else to talk about or criticize, because things are going very well for the Canadian economy and the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, one of those who did put up his hand was the Minister of Finance. He said over the weekend, If theres something that I can do to make sure that people have absolute confidence, Ill do it. He was speaking of his conflicts of interest. One thing would be to reveal what is inside his vast network of numbered companies and trust funds.Could the minister, for example, tell us what is in numbered company 2070689 Ontario Limited?
Mr. Speaker, W5 exposed the disastrous impact that open-net Atlantic salmon farms are having on wild Pacific salmon, spreading diseases like PRV and HSMI. First nations along the B.C. coast are calling for the removal of open-net salmon farms from the wild salmon migration route. The Liberal government must remove these farms from the salmon migration route and transition this harmful industry to safe, land-based technology.Will the minister listen to first nations and his own DFO scientists?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking and congratulating my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the excellent work she is doing on behalf of her constituents and seniors.The well-being of seniors is the top priority of our government and my department. Since 2015, we have increased the guaranteed income supplement by up to $1,000 for 900,000 seniors. We brought the age of eligibility for old age security back down to 65, to ensure that 100,000 vulnerable seniors would not fall into extreme poverty, and we improved the Canada Pension Plan.We look forward to continuing the important work of improving social and economic inclusion for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, as all colleagues in this House, of course, we stand by the national Holocaust museum and its importance, because it commemorates the six million Jewish people as well as other victims who were murdered during the Holocaust. Our government is committed to building a more inclusive society. The NCC is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the monument. This decision was made by the National Holocaust Monument Development Council, along with the NCC.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Catalonia declared independence, and the Catalan Republic was born. It will be the 194th country to become a member of the United Nations. This declaration came about through a completely peaceful democratic process in which 90% of citizens voted in favour of independence.Canada has recognized a number of countries that are now members of the UN, namely the Czech Republic, Ukraine, South Sudan, and even Kosovo. However, this government has a double standard.Why is Canada refusing to recognize the new Catalan state?
Mr. Speaker, not only on this side of the House do we follow the advice given by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, as the Minister of Finance has indicated, we are willing to go above and beyond her original advice.These are the facts of the matter. The issue the Conservatives and the NDP are attacking, on a personal level, is nothing but a distraction because our economy is doing well because Canadians are benefiting from growth, and they have nothing else to talk about than us.
Mr. Speaker, we often hear the official opposition ask for a minister responsible for seniors. It is rather surprising to see them fight so hard for seniors, because when they were in government, they did the complete opposite. They increased the age of eligibility for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, which would have put many people in a vulnerable position. They also ignored all suggestions to improve the Canada Pension Plan.Could the minister responsible remind the House of what our government has done to ensure our seniors can live in dignity?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Our government has granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. In budget 2017, our government allocated over $5 billion to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with mental health support. We are continuing to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, no he did not. He always followed the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. Back two years ago, when he took office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been in place. It was good enough for Conservative ministers back when they were in office.The Minister of Finance has announced he will go even further, divesting himself of all shares in Morneau Shepell, placing his assets in a blind trust, and donating to charity, so he can focus on the important work he has been doing for the last two years, serving the public and growing this economy, something the Conservatives have never been able to achieve.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is following up on our concerns and launching an investigation. We hope this investigation will expose all of the Minister of Finance's shady dealings, starting with his offshore company and many numbered companies. After being caught in these conflicts of interest, the minister suddenly acknowledged last week that he was indeed in a conflict of interest when he announced that he would give the profit he had made off his shares to a company
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the minister sought no advice from Ms. Dawson when he was involved and introduced Bill C-27. The minister would have us believe that everything is all right, that he has followed all the rules, and disclosed everything to the Ethics Commissioner. Well, she would not be investigating the minister if that were the case.Either the minister failed to disclose all of his assets to the Ethics Commissioner or, what is becoming increasingly clear, he willfully and knowingly ignored her advice. Which is it?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to personal wealth, assets, and property, all members of the House work with the commissioner to make sure they are following the rules and living up to Canadians' expectations.We will always follow the commissioner's rules and recommendations, as did the former Conservative finance minister, who did the same thing as the current Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, what the Minister of Finance has always done, and will continue to do, so he can deliver for Canadians is to work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed, to follow her recommendations. He has mentioned that he would go even above and beyond. If I could just refresh the member's memory, former finance minister Joe Oliver was the sole owner of a corporation that held publicly traded securities. The member from Nepean was the minister of democratic institutions, had recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner, never acted upon them. What I see is a bit of hypocrisy and a lot of amnesia. At the same time, I can understand why those members are trying to forget their decade in power. Millions of Canadians are trying to forget.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Last year, our government granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. Under budget 2017, nurses and clinical nurses are allowed to certify application forms for their patients. We have simplified the forms and in the last budget we invested $5 billion in mental health support to
Mr. Speaker, we know that the finance minister was exploiting a loophole to shelter $5 million he made from his family-owned, publicly traded company. Now we learn that four others, of the Prime Minister's cabinet ministers, are using the exact same loophole.Again, it is a very simple question. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, we have not changed the eligibility criteria for the tax credit for people with disabilities or diabetes. Groups have raised important concerns, and we have met with them, and we have been working with them. I would like to point out to my colleagues opposite that they spent 10 years cutting funding for scientific research. Our government invested $41 million in diabetes research. That is the kind of thing we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents, Transport Canada is planning to stop evaluating pilots and will instead transfer the responsibility to private airline companies. Not only are the Liberals considering privatizing our airports, they are also planning to privatize Canadian aviation security. The Conservatives and Liberals did this with our rail transport security and with our food safety system. In both cases, this private self-regulation has led to major disasters. Do the Liberals have a limit to what they are willing to privatize?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner wrote to us to say that she too had concerns about the fact that the Minister of Finance is sponsoring Bill C-27, a bill that benefits Morneau Shepell. It would be as if the Minister of Natural Resources owned an oil or gas company. That minister would be in a conflict of interest. My question is this: Could the ministers identified by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner also be in a conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that everyone receives the tax credits to which they are entitled.With regard to mental health, our government allocated $5 billion in budget 2017 to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with better access to mental health support. Our government has also made investments in diabetes, unlike the government opposite, which slashed scientific research.What people with diabetes want is
Mr. Speaker, everyone in this House refers to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that we are following the rules and putting in place the things that Canadians expect us to follow, and expect of all parliamentarians.It is interesting to note that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has made recommendations to members of all parties, and in previous governments. The mechanisms that the Minister of Finance currently has in place are very similar to the mechanisms the previous Conservative finance minister had in place. I am assuming he followed the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's
Mr. Speaker, exactly to avoid situations in which mud is slung, in which personal attacks are made, we have a commissioner who governs and engages with all members of this House to ensure that the rules are followed.The finance minister, all ministers in this House, and ministers of the previous Conservative government follow the advice and the recommendations of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. That is how Canadians can continue to have confidence in what everyone in this House does.
Mr. Speaker, I will take that answer as a yes, that he did inappropriately use resources of the House of Commons and no, that he did not clear it with the Ethics Commissioner.The minister, besides being an MP, is also a minister of the crown and has additional resources. I would ask the minister if he can assure the House that there were no other resources, including that of his riding office or of his minister's office, that were used to further the efforts to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have confidence in the Ethics Commissioner's work and recommendations. We follow those recommendations, and I expect the members opposite to do the same. Canadians expect all parliamentarians to follow the commissioner's recommendations.I can assure Canadians that, despite the personal attacks being made by the opposition, everyone follows the commissioner's recommendations and has confidence in her.
Mr. Speaker, we learned last week that Canadian contribution to UN peacekeeping has reached its lowest point since the 1950s. According to the CBC, UN officials believe this government's actions to be of line with UN peacekeeping priorities. Two weeks from now, Canada will be hosting the world at a peacekeeping summit in Vancouver, and we have nothing to offer. When will this government do what it promised, what the UN has asked for, what the rest of the world expects from Canada and
Mr. Speaker, we have repeatedly raised our concerns regarding the Minister of Finance and his sponsorship of Bill C-27. We recently learned that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has the same concerns. She is concerned because the Minister of Finance did not recuse himself from discussions on Bill C-27. My question is simple. Will the Minister of Finance admit that he is in a conflict of interest and what is he hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure Canadians that no changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit.No changes have been made to the act or the way it is interpreted, and we are going to ensure that people continue to receive the tax credits to which they are entitled.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Calgary Herald reported that the Minister of Sport inappropriately used House of Commons resources to support his father's campaign for election as trustee for the school board. In answers to my questions last week, the parliamentary secretary seemed to indicate that the matter had been referred to the Ethics Commissioner, but the answer was anything but clear.I will give the minister another opportunity to clarify today to the House whether he cleared with the Ethics Commissioner the use of these materials in an effort to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government is getting mixed up in municipal elections. It did not occur to the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie to warn her associates before going door to door on behalf of the candidate on her husband's team.Does the minister understand that, because of her relationship with the leader of Renouveau sherbrookois and the authority that she has, she risks putting this municipal campaign in conflict of interest and she herself could end up with an ethics problem? Did she use her ministerial resources to promote her candidate to the detriment of others?
Mr. Speaker, Morneau Shepell has a subsidiary in the Bahamas, and all Liberal members are voting against the Bloc Québécois motion to tackle tax evasion in Barbados. How bizarre.Morneau Shepell works in the field of pension plans, and all Liberal members are voting in favour of the bill on pension plans that benefits companies like the one owned by the Minister of Finance. How bizarre.In the interest of transparency, could the Liberal members who have shares in Morneau Shepell please raise their hands?
Mr. Speaker, let us go over this again. Canadians with autism, bipolar disorder and other mental health issues, and those requiring dialysis, are some of the latest to be denied a disability tax credit due to changes in the way that the CRA interprets eligibility. This interpretation changed as a result of direction from the minister's office. The question is, will the minister change it back? Will the minister reverse this directive so that all persons previously eligible for this benefit can continue
Mr. Speaker, living with type 1 diabetes is hard enough without the Liberals stripping the disability tax credit and the disability retirement savings plan from struggling diabetics.We have proof the Liberals changed the process in May. What is even worse is we have discovered they are doing the same thing to people with mental health conditions.Did the Prime Minister direct the Minister of National Revenue to raise money at all costs, or did she come up with this mean-spirited attack on her own?
Mr. Speaker, hon. members know full well that it is common practice for candidates and volunteers who are actively involved in municipal, provincial, and federal campaigns to work together. None of my resources were used when I went door to door on Saturday. By way of example, the campaign manager for my colleague from Sherbrooke is a municipal councillor.
Mr. Speaker, we have now seen the executive chair of the Institute for Governance, Yvan Allaire, express his clear opinion on the Minister of Finance's conflicts of interest. Last week, Yvan Allaire told RDI that for the past two years the finance minister has without a doubt been in conflict of interest. If the finance minister still claims that he has nothing to hide, can he prove it by telling us what he is holding in his numbered company 2135042 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, as is expected of all parliamentarians in the House, as soon as the Minister of Finance assumed office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure full compliance with the rules that govern us in the House. He followed all of the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations, including setting up a screen to prevent any conflict of interest. Last week, he announced that he would go even further by divesting himself of his shares and by placing his investments in a blind trust. The finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner and acted accordingly, and he will continue to do so. I would remind hon. members that it is the Ethics Commissioner who is in charge of upholding the integrity of parliamentarians and Canadians' confidence in our institution.
Mr. Speaker, it is shameful to see the Canadian government lose all sense of democracy when it comes to people's right to self-determination.Today, Spain put a price on the heads of all the legitimately elected separatist members of the Catalan government by accusing them of sedition and rebellion. It is offering $100,000 per member for a total of $6.9 million. Will Canada condemn Spain for these acts of repression and its illegal attacks under international law?
Mr. Speaker, it is against the law for cabinet ministers to own stocks and investments, unless they are in a blind trust.The Minister of Finance has been caught, and now reports indicate that at least four other cabinet ministers are using the same loophole to maintain control of their investments.I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, last week they threw the Ethics Commissioner under the bus. Today they are hiding behind her. The fact is, they cannot enforce the bare minimum standard of ethics. Five ministers are benefiting from this loophole in the Conflict of Interest Act, and last week the government voted against the NDP's proposal to close that loophole. Now that we know multiple Liberal cabinet ministers are benefiting from the loophole, maybe the Prime Minister would like to reconsider his position. Will the Prime Minister take the Ethics Commissioner's advice and close the loophole?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance found loopholes that allowed him to maintain control over his company. Now, we have learned that other ministers have done the same thing.I have a very simple question. Will the Prime Minister tell us who those other ministers are?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, our hearts were in the right place. We cared about people who were suffering. That is why we had a tax credit for people who were suffering, people who were sick, people with diabetes, and people with mental illness. The government has now made the criteria so restrictive that few people who are suffering are eligible for this eminently sensible tax credit. On the one hand, the government is spending like it is going out of style and, on the other, it is taking more money away from the least fortunate, from people who are suffering.Why is the government doing such a poor job when it comes to people who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister woke up this morning and saw that blazing headline on the front page of the Globe and Mail saying there are four other ministers hiding stocks in numbered companies, he would have been so concerned that he would have called a meeting in that room on the third floor, around that big oval table, and he would have said, Ministers who have stocks hidden within numbered companies raise your hands. Which ones did?
Mr. Speaker, what we know is that the finance minister owns several other numbered companies with secret assets in them. Unfortunately, we cannot trust the minister to do the right thing, especially when he thinks that nobody is watching. That is clear from the way he hid his Morneau Shepell shares over the last two years. Will the finance minister be transparent with Canadians now and disclose what he owns in his numbered company 2254165 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, not only do we support the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner on this side of the House, we follow her advice. That is something the members opposite cannot seem to understand as they constantly criticize the work she has done and the advice she has given to all parliamentarians. When we arrive in the House we follow the advice of the commissioner because that is what we are expected to do. That is what Canadians expect us to do, and these personal attacks are just happening because they have nothing else to talk about. That is why they are obsessed with us, while we focus on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, there might be something broken with this device because every time the Prime Minister speaks all I keep hearing is, We're entitled to our entitlements. The Ethics Commissioner actually said that other ministers, other than the finance minister, could have benefited from those loopholes in the Conflict of Interest Act. For a Prime Minister who said he would be enforcing the highest standards for his ministers, we are seeing that he cannot even keep the bare minimum. I have a very simple question, once again, for the Prime Minister. Who are the other ministers identified by the commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The proof is that our government has invested nearly $1 billion over the past two years to tackle tax evasion.Our plan is working. We are on track to recover $25 billion. We are working on four jurisdictions per year. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 warrants, and 78 convictions. I want to be very clear; this is a priority for our government
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try again.Canadians have the right to know the names of the other ministers who did not put their assets in a blind trust, as the law requires.Once again, who are they?
Mr. Speaker, something as significant as our Holocaust memorial in our nation's capital, which recognizes the catastrophic annihilation of six million Jews along with countless others, should be maintained year-round. The Liberals need to understand that this is necessary to demonstrate our commitment to remembering those whose lives were viciously snuffed out by the Nazis in the Holocaust, as well as our dedication to never again.When will the minister just say yes and keep this hallowed landmark open year-round?
Mr. Speaker, in response to a question, the Minister of National Revenue said that clinical nurses are allowed to complete the tax credit application forms, but actually, only nurse practitioners can do so. I wanted to know, did she use the wrong term, or did she want to
Mr. Speaker, if there were no changes, then why are 80% being denied now? Another week and it is another tax grab by the Liberals. It was bad enough that the minister's department started to reject the medical advice of doctors who treat type 1 diabetics, but now there are reports that people who are mentally ill, people who have qualified for years, are suddenly being denied.With the Liberals raising taxes and threatening benefits on the mentally ill, one can only ask this. Who is next?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Canadians know that the Liberals have an insatiable appetite for taxpayers' money. The Liberals have gone after business owners and Canadians, and now they are going after people who are sick. Last week, it was people with diabetes, and now it is those with mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia, who are being targeted by the Liberal government. The Liberals have made it much more difficult for these people to get access to tax credits.I have a very simple question. Does the Liberal Party have no heart? Why is the government going after sick people?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another example of the Hamas terrorist regime in Gaza using a school, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, to provide cover for a terrorist tunnel to use Palestinian children as human shields, though UNRWA claims it closed the school when the tunnel was discovered. The Conservative government delivered humanitarian aid to Palestinians around UNRWA, but the Liberals insist on handing UNRWA millions, despite the risk to children, despite the curriculum of hate and terror still taught to children in UNRWA schools. Why?
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents from Transport Canada, pilot proficiency tests will be conducted by the airlines themselves, rather than by Transport Canada inspectors, which is at odds with the recommendations of the aviation safety report. The Liberals, like the Conservatives before them, continue to rely on self-regulation and are cutting inspection budgets. It seems that the Liberals have learned nothing from the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. Does the minister plan to reverse this dangerous decision?
Mr. Speaker, no, we do not plan to change this rule. To us, passenger safety is always a top priority. I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines. The member misunderstands what we have decided to do. Using a risk-based approach, we periodically conduct an airline safety audit. It is a much more intelligent approach and it is the approach that our government has adopted to ensure passenger safety.
Mr. Speaker, in last week's municipal election, I was very proud of the fact that my father, at 74 years of age, stepped up to run to be the trustee for wards eight and nine. I am proud to report that he did win that election. He can take his 40 years of teaching experience to work for people in public education and better the lives of people in their communities. I am very proud of this work. I am very proud to have supported my father. I look forward to following any advice at all that the Ethics Commissioner has to offer.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work that I am doing on behalf of the constituents of Calgary Centre. As was pointed out in this House, we are focused on growing the economy and making sure things are better for people in our community. I can tell the member that I was very proud to be at the Amazon announcement last week where over 750 new jobs are being reported in our community. I hope the member continues to concentrate on better things for his community members and going forward in that fashion. We will follow all rules that are established by the Ethics Commissioner, and I look forward to working with her going forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming and transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner, and has followed her recommendations, namely what she saw as the best measure of compliance, to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been done from the get-go, a measure that was good enough for Denis Lebel when he was the minister, and a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton when she was the minister. That is what the finance minister has always done, he has followed the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his work for creators in his riding. Through Creative Canada, we are investing in incubators to give creative entrepreneurs access to the tools they need to nurture their ideas. We are proud to have invested $5 million in the new Cape Breton centre for the arts, culture and innovation, which will support creators and grow the cultural sector in the Atlantic region. This is great news. Congratulations to my colleague.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to have the opportunity to rise in this place and congratulate Mrs. Thurlow for a lifetime of activism on an issue that is not only dear to her heart, and to many Canadians, but to the government as well. We know we have to continue to move forward to reduce nuclear weapons in the world to make sure our children and grandchildren are safe. That is why we are so proud to show leadership on the fissile material cut-off treaty that engages both non-nuclear and nuclear weapon-owning countries to move forward on disarmament. That is something we are going to remain focused on, because we know we need to create a world without nuclear weapons.
Mr. Speaker, it is incredibly important to know who these cabinet ministers are. Like the finance minister, they could be profiting from investments and stocks while making decisions that could impact the value of their own assets.If the Prime Minister is so sure and so proud that they are following all the rules, why will he not just tell us who they are?
Mr. Speaker, what is expected of all parliamentarians and all ministers is that they work with the Ethics Commissioner, who has our utmost faith and greatest respect, in order to preserve the integrity of Parliament. That is what all parliamentarians on this side of the House have always done, namely, work in a fully transparent manner with the Ethics Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, again, to address the issue, I want to correct my colleague. We are not getting rid of the function of checking the check pilots of the airlines, who check their own pilots. We are continuing to use this approach, because it is an intelligent, risk-based approach. It is one that we feel will, in the most economical fashion, address our requirements while not sacrificing in any way safety. We are a modern transport ministry and we are working in a modern way.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Edmonton Centre for his hard work and dedication and for being a strong voice for Albertans.As the member has mentioned, we are very pleased to hear that Amazon is opening a new distribution centre in Calgary, creating 750 jobs. This is good news for Calgary. This is good news for Alberta. This is good news for Canada.It is because of our innovation and skills plan that we have created these conditions. Since we formed government, over 450,000 jobs have been created. We have a plan and that plan is working. We are going to focus on growth and jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for raising this very important issue. We know that housing is an absolutely essential criteria for people to have to be able to enjoy a good quality of life. That is why in budget 2016 we committed $550 million over two year, which has gone to support indigenous housing, first nations housing on reserve. I am pleased to report to the House that today 8,800 units have already been either built or are in the process of being built and renovated. This is good news. There is much more to do.
Mr. Speaker, as I just mentioned, Canada knows we have an important role to play on the international stage. We are proud of our peacekeeping traditions, as are Canadians, and Canadians expect us to make a contribution. That is why we have committed half a billion dollars and 600 troops to return to peacekeeping operations. We are taking our time to make this important decision, understanding the impact that Canada can best play. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance keeps telling us he is not in conflict of interest, but his actions prove otherwise. On October 27, Yvan Allaire even said that it would have been wiseand should have been mandatoryfor the finance minister to sell all of his shares upon entering politics. If the Minister of Finance is really being honest, can he tell us about his holdings in another numbered company, 2070689 Ontario Ltd.?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance, like all parliamentarians in the House of Commons, worked with the Ethics Commissioner, who recommended that he take certain actions after being elected and confirmed that he was in compliance with the rules and laws that govern us. The Minister of Finance will continue to work with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure that he is fully and transparently complying with the rules that govern us. I think we can all be proud of everything the Minister of Finance has accomplished in the last two years, during which time he has done more for the Canadian economy than the previous Conservative government did in 10 years. He created 450,000 jobs and reduced child poverty by 40%. We are very proud of our finance minister.
Mr. Speaker, we have full confidence in the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make recommendations to parliamentarians, parliamentary secretaries, and ministers, and all parliamentarians should have that same confidence. On this side of the House, we will always work transparently with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We will always follow her recommendations, and that is what the Minister of Finance did. He can now continue to serve Canadians, as he has been successfully doing for two years.
Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned, the Minister of Finance has always worked in a forthcoming manner with the Ethics Commissioner and has followed her recommendations, one of which was to set up a conflict of interest screen. This has been put in place and described by the Ethics Commissioner as the best measure of compliance possible. It is a measure that was good enough for the member for Milton and good enough for Denis Lebel back when he was in cabinet.
Mr. Speaker, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, Canada very much values its relationship with Spain.The situation in Catalonia remains a domestic matter within Spain. A dialogue between Spain and Catalonia within the constitutional framework is still the best course of action. We are asking the two parties to resolve the situation peacefully.Canada recognizes a united Spain.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Albertans received the news that Amazon was making a major investment in Calgary's economy, committing to opening its seventh facility in Canada. This is great news for Alberta, proof positive that investing in Alberta's talented and skilled workforce is a smart investment.Could the minister update the House on the state of the economy, as the world takes note of the strength of our economy, and why an investment in Canada is a smart investment?
Mr. Speaker, we believe very strongly that Canada has an important role to play on the world stage. We are proud of our record, and Canadians expect us to make this international contribution. That is why we have committed to contributing half a billion dollars and 600 troops for peacekeeping operations. This decision was not made lightly, as Canadians would expect.
Mr. Speaker, the minister will have to donate $300,000 that he has made today, and $10,000 since question period started to charity. In fact, the day after Bill C-27 was introduced, shares in Morneau Shepell rose sharply by 5%. By his own admission, the Minister of Finance has made $5.5 million on his Morneau Shepell stock alone since he was elected. The Ethics Commissioner is concerned enough that she is now investigating the minister's involvement in Bill C-27.How could the minister betray Canadians like this for his own financial gain and that of his family business?
Mr. Speaker, to finish the member's sentence, the Minister of Finance announced that he would be donating to charity all of the money earned on his Morneau Shepell shares since he was first elected. I think that is a wonderful gesture that demonstrates the minister's commitment to serving the public, which is the very reason he left the private sector two years ago. He has been serving the public extremely successfully by growing the economy, reducing inequality, and ensuring inclusive prosperity for all Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, according to the 2016 census, the first nations population in Canada has increased by 43% since 2006. That is four times more than the non-indigenous population.Last year, one in five indigenous people lived in crowded homes and homes in need of major repair. That is shameful, and it is a federal responsibility.Will the minister immediately commit to implementing a targeted housing strategy for indigenous people living on and off reserve?
Mr. Speaker, I assure the House that we are very concerned about the fact that a tunnel was found under a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. We have taken action and are following this situation very closely. These kinds of things can happen in this environment, but that is no reason to condemn 30,000 employees and deny a good education to 500,000 children.
Mr. Speaker, this place is healthy because of a lot of back and forth, because the opposition has a responsibility to challenge and criticize the government to make sure all of us are doing the right things for Canadians.However, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is there to ensure that above all the petty personal attacks, Canadians can be confident that people follow the rules and fulfill their responsibilities. That is exactly what happened.The Conservatives have nothing else to talk about, because Canada is doing so well, because the middle class is growing, because people are
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Heritage, I made a fantastic announcement in Cape Breton last week. Cape Breton has a vibrant and thriving heritage and cultural industry. Our start-up companies are taking off, and we made major investments on Friday.Can the minister tell this House what great investments our government is making, not only in Cape Breton but across the country?
Mr. Speaker, rather than celebrating the first anniversary of another Liberal promise, I am sure Canadians would rather celebrate a contribution to peacekeeping. However, under both the Liberals and the Conservatives, Canada's contribution has been minimal. Despite this, Canada will be hosting a peacekeeping summit next month, scheduled on the understanding that we will be providing a significant commitment to UN peacekeeping. It has been more than a year since the Minister of Defence pledged to contribute up to 600 Canadian Armed Forces personnel and 150 police officers, but the government continues to avoid committing to a specific UN mission.When can Canadians expect to see the Liberals keep their promise on peacekeeping?
Mr. Speaker, Setsuko Thurlow, survivor of Hiroshima, and a great Canadian, will accept the Nobel peace prize on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Setsuko played a key role in the UN's adoption of the landmark nuclear ban treaty. She has described the Prime Minister's refusal to sign the treaty as a lack of courage. Will the Prime Minister wake up to the reality of this global threat to humanity, and join the nuclear ban treaty?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is mired in an ethical cesspool of his own making, and he seems quite happy to remain there. He got caught misleading Canadians about his Morneau Shepell shares. Now he wants us just to trust him, even though he has millions of dollars worth of other assets hidden secretly in these numbered companies, companies like 1446977 Ontario Inc. What is in that one?
Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner is responsible for preserving the integrity and the confidence that Canadians have in this Parliament. The finance minister, just like any parliamentarian, has worked with the Ethics Commissioner, has followed her recommendations, and has gone even further, above and beyond what she has recommended. The finance minister will always work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all the rules are followed.
Mr. Speaker, I had the chance to be in his province of British Columbia where I met with some first nations leaders this past weekend. We obviously understand and accept the legitimate concern that so many people have about these practices. That is why we have made unprecedented investments in science and the ocean protection plan, and why we are working with the government of British Columbia. I have had a number of very positive discussions with Minister Popham about how we can work together. Her report will come out next month, and we will work with her government to make sure this is done properly.
Mr. Speaker, when members are elected and when ministers are appointed, they consult the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure they are following her recommendations and complying with the rules that Canadians expect members of the House to follow. That is exactly what we have done and will continue to do. Our friends opposite have nothing else to talk about or criticize, because things are going very well for the Canadian economy and the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, one of those who did put up his hand was the Minister of Finance. He said over the weekend, If theres something that I can do to make sure that people have absolute confidence, Ill do it. He was speaking of his conflicts of interest. One thing would be to reveal what is inside his vast network of numbered companies and trust funds.Could the minister, for example, tell us what is in numbered company 2070689 Ontario Limited?
Mr. Speaker, W5 exposed the disastrous impact that open-net Atlantic salmon farms are having on wild Pacific salmon, spreading diseases like PRV and HSMI. First nations along the B.C. coast are calling for the removal of open-net salmon farms from the wild salmon migration route. The Liberal government must remove these farms from the salmon migration route and transition this harmful industry to safe, land-based technology.Will the minister listen to first nations and his own DFO scientists?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking and congratulating my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the excellent work she is doing on behalf of her constituents and seniors.The well-being of seniors is the top priority of our government and my department. Since 2015, we have increased the guaranteed income supplement by up to $1,000 for 900,000 seniors. We brought the age of eligibility for old age security back down to 65, to ensure that 100,000 vulnerable seniors would not fall into extreme poverty, and we improved the Canada Pension Plan.We look forward to continuing the important work of improving social and economic inclusion for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, as all colleagues in this House, of course, we stand by the national Holocaust museum and its importance, because it commemorates the six million Jewish people as well as other victims who were murdered during the Holocaust. Our government is committed to building a more inclusive society. The NCC is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the monument. This decision was made by the National Holocaust Monument Development Council, along with the NCC.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Catalonia declared independence, and the Catalan Republic was born. It will be the 194th country to become a member of the United Nations. This declaration came about through a completely peaceful democratic process in which 90% of citizens voted in favour of independence.Canada has recognized a number of countries that are now members of the UN, namely the Czech Republic, Ukraine, South Sudan, and even Kosovo. However, this government has a double standard.Why is Canada refusing to recognize the new Catalan state?
Mr. Speaker, not only on this side of the House do we follow the advice given by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, as the Minister of Finance has indicated, we are willing to go above and beyond her original advice.These are the facts of the matter. The issue the Conservatives and the NDP are attacking, on a personal level, is nothing but a distraction because our economy is doing well because Canadians are benefiting from growth, and they have nothing else to talk about than us.
Mr. Speaker, we often hear the official opposition ask for a minister responsible for seniors. It is rather surprising to see them fight so hard for seniors, because when they were in government, they did the complete opposite. They increased the age of eligibility for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, which would have put many people in a vulnerable position. They also ignored all suggestions to improve the Canada Pension Plan.Could the minister responsible remind the House of what our government has done to ensure our seniors can live in dignity?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Our government has granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. In budget 2017, our government allocated over $5 billion to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with mental health support. We are continuing to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, no he did not. He always followed the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations. Back two years ago, when he took office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to put in place a conflict of interest screen, which has been in place. It was good enough for Conservative ministers back when they were in office.The Minister of Finance has announced he will go even further, divesting himself of all shares in Morneau Shepell, placing his assets in a blind trust, and donating to charity, so he can focus on the important work he has been doing for the last two years, serving the public and growing this economy, something the Conservatives have never been able to achieve.
Mr. Speaker, I am glad the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is following up on our concerns and launching an investigation. We hope this investigation will expose all of the Minister of Finance's shady dealings, starting with his offshore company and many numbered companies. After being caught in these conflicts of interest, the minister suddenly acknowledged last week that he was indeed in a conflict of interest when he announced that he would give the profit he had made off his shares to a company
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the minister sought no advice from Ms. Dawson when he was involved and introduced Bill C-27. The minister would have us believe that everything is all right, that he has followed all the rules, and disclosed everything to the Ethics Commissioner. Well, she would not be investigating the minister if that were the case.Either the minister failed to disclose all of his assets to the Ethics Commissioner or, what is becoming increasingly clear, he willfully and knowingly ignored her advice. Which is it?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to personal wealth, assets, and property, all members of the House work with the commissioner to make sure they are following the rules and living up to Canadians' expectations.We will always follow the commissioner's rules and recommendations, as did the former Conservative finance minister, who did the same thing as the current Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, what the Minister of Finance has always done, and will continue to do, so he can deliver for Canadians is to work with the Ethics Commissioner to make sure that all rules are followed, to follow her recommendations. He has mentioned that he would go even above and beyond. If I could just refresh the member's memory, former finance minister Joe Oliver was the sole owner of a corporation that held publicly traded securities. The member from Nepean was the minister of democratic institutions, had recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner, never acted upon them. What I see is a bit of hypocrisy and a lot of amnesia. At the same time, I can understand why those members are trying to forget their decade in power. Millions of Canadians are trying to forget.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. Last year, our government granted a record number of people with mental illness access to the disability tax credit. We are making the disability tax credit and mental health care more accessible. Under budget 2017, nurses and clinical nurses are allowed to certify application forms for their patients. We have simplified the forms and in the last budget we invested $5 billion in mental health support to
Mr. Speaker, we know that the finance minister was exploiting a loophole to shelter $5 million he made from his family-owned, publicly traded company. Now we learn that four others, of the Prime Minister's cabinet ministers, are using the exact same loophole.Again, it is a very simple question. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, we have not changed the eligibility criteria for the tax credit for people with disabilities or diabetes. Groups have raised important concerns, and we have met with them, and we have been working with them. I would like to point out to my colleagues opposite that they spent 10 years cutting funding for scientific research. Our government invested $41 million in diabetes research. That is the kind of thing we will keep doing.
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents, Transport Canada is planning to stop evaluating pilots and will instead transfer the responsibility to private airline companies. Not only are the Liberals considering privatizing our airports, they are also planning to privatize Canadian aviation security. The Conservatives and Liberals did this with our rail transport security and with our food safety system. In both cases, this private self-regulation has led to major disasters. Do the Liberals have a limit to what they are willing to privatize?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner wrote to us to say that she too had concerns about the fact that the Minister of Finance is sponsoring Bill C-27, a bill that benefits Morneau Shepell. It would be as if the Minister of Natural Resources owned an oil or gas company. That minister would be in a conflict of interest. My question is this: Could the ministers identified by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner also be in a conflict of interest?
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to ensuring that everyone receives the tax credits to which they are entitled.With regard to mental health, our government allocated $5 billion in budget 2017 to provide 500,000 young Canadians under the age of 25 with better access to mental health support. Our government has also made investments in diabetes, unlike the government opposite, which slashed scientific research.What people with diabetes want is
Mr. Speaker, everyone in this House refers to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to ensure that we are following the rules and putting in place the things that Canadians expect us to follow, and expect of all parliamentarians.It is interesting to note that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has made recommendations to members of all parties, and in previous governments. The mechanisms that the Minister of Finance currently has in place are very similar to the mechanisms the previous Conservative finance minister had in place. I am assuming he followed the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's
Mr. Speaker, exactly to avoid situations in which mud is slung, in which personal attacks are made, we have a commissioner who governs and engages with all members of this House to ensure that the rules are followed.The finance minister, all ministers in this House, and ministers of the previous Conservative government follow the advice and the recommendations of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. That is how Canadians can continue to have confidence in what everyone in this House does.
Mr. Speaker, I will take that answer as a yes, that he did inappropriately use resources of the House of Commons and no, that he did not clear it with the Ethics Commissioner.The minister, besides being an MP, is also a minister of the crown and has additional resources. I would ask the minister if he can assure the House that there were no other resources, including that of his riding office or of his minister's office, that were used to further the efforts to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have confidence in the Ethics Commissioner's work and recommendations. We follow those recommendations, and I expect the members opposite to do the same. Canadians expect all parliamentarians to follow the commissioner's recommendations.I can assure Canadians that, despite the personal attacks being made by the opposition, everyone follows the commissioner's recommendations and has confidence in her.
Mr. Speaker, we learned last week that Canadian contribution to UN peacekeeping has reached its lowest point since the 1950s. According to the CBC, UN officials believe this government's actions to be of line with UN peacekeeping priorities. Two weeks from now, Canada will be hosting the world at a peacekeeping summit in Vancouver, and we have nothing to offer. When will this government do what it promised, what the UN has asked for, what the rest of the world expects from Canada and
Mr. Speaker, we have repeatedly raised our concerns regarding the Minister of Finance and his sponsorship of Bill C-27. We recently learned that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner has the same concerns. She is concerned because the Minister of Finance did not recuse himself from discussions on Bill C-27. My question is simple. Will the Minister of Finance admit that he is in a conflict of interest and what is he hiding from Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure Canadians that no changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit.No changes have been made to the act or the way it is interpreted, and we are going to ensure that people continue to receive the tax credits to which they are entitled.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Calgary Herald reported that the Minister of Sport inappropriately used House of Commons resources to support his father's campaign for election as trustee for the school board. In answers to my questions last week, the parliamentary secretary seemed to indicate that the matter had been referred to the Ethics Commissioner, but the answer was anything but clear.I will give the minister another opportunity to clarify today to the House whether he cleared with the Ethics Commissioner the use of these materials in an effort to get his father elected as a school trustee.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government is getting mixed up in municipal elections. It did not occur to the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie to warn her associates before going door to door on behalf of the candidate on her husband's team.Does the minister understand that, because of her relationship with the leader of Renouveau sherbrookois and the authority that she has, she risks putting this municipal campaign in conflict of interest and she herself could end up with an ethics problem? Did she use her ministerial resources to promote her candidate to the detriment of others?
Mr. Speaker, Morneau Shepell has a subsidiary in the Bahamas, and all Liberal members are voting against the Bloc Québécois motion to tackle tax evasion in Barbados. How bizarre.Morneau Shepell works in the field of pension plans, and all Liberal members are voting in favour of the bill on pension plans that benefits companies like the one owned by the Minister of Finance. How bizarre.In the interest of transparency, could the Liberal members who have shares in Morneau Shepell please raise their hands?
Mr. Speaker, let us go over this again. Canadians with autism, bipolar disorder and other mental health issues, and those requiring dialysis, are some of the latest to be denied a disability tax credit due to changes in the way that the CRA interprets eligibility. This interpretation changed as a result of direction from the minister's office. The question is, will the minister change it back? Will the minister reverse this directive so that all persons previously eligible for this benefit can continue
Mr. Speaker, living with type 1 diabetes is hard enough without the Liberals stripping the disability tax credit and the disability retirement savings plan from struggling diabetics.We have proof the Liberals changed the process in May. What is even worse is we have discovered they are doing the same thing to people with mental health conditions.Did the Prime Minister direct the Minister of National Revenue to raise money at all costs, or did she come up with this mean-spirited attack on her own?
Mr. Speaker, hon. members know full well that it is common practice for candidates and volunteers who are actively involved in municipal, provincial, and federal campaigns to work together. None of my resources were used when I went door to door on Saturday. By way of example, the campaign manager for my colleague from Sherbrooke is a municipal councillor.
Mr. Speaker, we have now seen the executive chair of the Institute for Governance, Yvan Allaire, express his clear opinion on the Minister of Finance's conflicts of interest. Last week, Yvan Allaire told RDI that for the past two years the finance minister has without a doubt been in conflict of interest. If the finance minister still claims that he has nothing to hide, can he prove it by telling us what he is holding in his numbered company 2135042 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, as is expected of all parliamentarians in the House, as soon as the Minister of Finance assumed office, he met with the Ethics Commissioner to ensure full compliance with the rules that govern us in the House. He followed all of the Ethics Commissioner's recommendations, including setting up a screen to prevent any conflict of interest. Last week, he announced that he would go even further by divesting himself of his shares and by placing his investments in a blind trust. The finance minister has always worked with the Ethics Commissioner and acted accordingly, and he will continue to do so. I would remind hon. members that it is the Ethics Commissioner who is in charge of upholding the integrity of parliamentarians and Canadians' confidence in our institution.
Mr. Speaker, it is shameful to see the Canadian government lose all sense of democracy when it comes to people's right to self-determination.Today, Spain put a price on the heads of all the legitimately elected separatist members of the Catalan government by accusing them of sedition and rebellion. It is offering $100,000 per member for a total of $6.9 million. Will Canada condemn Spain for these acts of repression and its illegal attacks under international law?
Mr. Speaker, it is against the law for cabinet ministers to own stocks and investments, unless they are in a blind trust.The Minister of Finance has been caught, and now reports indicate that at least four other cabinet ministers are using the same loophole to maintain control of their investments.I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister. Who are they?
Mr. Speaker, last week they threw the Ethics Commissioner under the bus. Today they are hiding behind her. The fact is, they cannot enforce the bare minimum standard of ethics. Five ministers are benefiting from this loophole in the Conflict of Interest Act, and last week the government voted against the NDP's proposal to close that loophole. Now that we know multiple Liberal cabinet ministers are benefiting from the loophole, maybe the Prime Minister would like to reconsider his position. Will the Prime Minister take the Ethics Commissioner's advice and close the loophole?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance found loopholes that allowed him to maintain control over his company. Now, we have learned that other ministers have done the same thing.I have a very simple question. Will the Prime Minister tell us who those other ministers are?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, our hearts were in the right place. We cared about people who were suffering. That is why we had a tax credit for people who were suffering, people who were sick, people with diabetes, and people with mental illness. The government has now made the criteria so restrictive that few people who are suffering are eligible for this eminently sensible tax credit. On the one hand, the government is spending like it is going out of style and, on the other, it is taking more money away from the least fortunate, from people who are suffering.Why is the government doing such a poor job when it comes to people who are suffering?
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister woke up this morning and saw that blazing headline on the front page of the Globe and Mail saying there are four other ministers hiding stocks in numbered companies, he would have been so concerned that he would have called a meeting in that room on the third floor, around that big oval table, and he would have said, Ministers who have stocks hidden within numbered companies raise your hands. Which ones did?
Mr. Speaker, what we know is that the finance minister owns several other numbered companies with secret assets in them. Unfortunately, we cannot trust the minister to do the right thing, especially when he thinks that nobody is watching. That is clear from the way he hid his Morneau Shepell shares over the last two years. Will the finance minister be transparent with Canadians now and disclose what he owns in his numbered company 2254165 Ontario Inc.?
Mr. Speaker, not only do we support the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner on this side of the House, we follow her advice. That is something the members opposite cannot seem to understand as they constantly criticize the work she has done and the advice she has given to all parliamentarians. When we arrive in the House we follow the advice of the commissioner because that is what we are expected to do. That is what Canadians expect us to do, and these personal attacks are just happening because they have nothing else to talk about. That is why they are obsessed with us, while we focus on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, there might be something broken with this device because every time the Prime Minister speaks all I keep hearing is, We're entitled to our entitlements. The Ethics Commissioner actually said that other ministers, other than the finance minister, could have benefited from those loopholes in the Conflict of Interest Act. For a Prime Minister who said he would be enforcing the highest standards for his ministers, we are seeing that he cannot even keep the bare minimum. I have a very simple question, once again, for the Prime Minister. Who are the other ministers identified by the commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, we are fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The proof is that our government has invested nearly $1 billion over the past two years to tackle tax evasion.Our plan is working. We are on track to recover $25 billion. We are working on four jurisdictions per year. There have been 627 cases transferred to criminal investigation, 268 warrants, and 78 convictions. I want to be very clear; this is a priority for our government
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try again.Canadians have the right to know the names of the other ministers who did not put their assets in a blind trust, as the law requires.Once again, who are they?
Mr. Speaker, something as significant as our Holocaust memorial in our nation's capital, which recognizes the catastrophic annihilation of six million Jews along with countless others, should be maintained year-round. The Liberals need to understand that this is necessary to demonstrate our commitment to remembering those whose lives were viciously snuffed out by the Nazis in the Holocaust, as well as our dedication to never again.When will the minister just say yes and keep this hallowed landmark open year-round?
Mr. Speaker, in response to a question, the Minister of National Revenue said that clinical nurses are allowed to complete the tax credit application forms, but actually, only nurse practitioners can do so. I wanted to know, did she use the wrong term, or did she want to
Mr. Speaker, if there were no changes, then why are 80% being denied now? Another week and it is another tax grab by the Liberals. It was bad enough that the minister's department started to reject the medical advice of doctors who treat type 1 diabetics, but now there are reports that people who are mentally ill, people who have qualified for years, are suddenly being denied.With the Liberals raising taxes and threatening benefits on the mentally ill, one can only ask this. Who is next?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Canadians know that the Liberals have an insatiable appetite for taxpayers' money. The Liberals have gone after business owners and Canadians, and now they are going after people who are sick. Last week, it was people with diabetes, and now it is those with mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia, who are being targeted by the Liberal government. The Liberals have made it much more difficult for these people to get access to tax credits.I have a very simple question. Does the Liberal Party have no heart? Why is the government going after sick people?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another example of the Hamas terrorist regime in Gaza using a school, run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, to provide cover for a terrorist tunnel to use Palestinian children as human shields, though UNRWA claims it closed the school when the tunnel was discovered. The Conservative government delivered humanitarian aid to Palestinians around UNRWA, but the Liberals insist on handing UNRWA millions, despite the risk to children, despite the curriculum of hate and terror still taught to children in UNRWA schools. Why?
Mr. Speaker, according to internal documents from Transport Canada, pilot proficiency tests will be conducted by the airlines themselves, rather than by Transport Canada inspectors, which is at odds with the recommendations of the aviation safety report. The Liberals, like the Conservatives before them, continue to rely on self-regulation and are cutting inspection budgets. It seems that the Liberals have learned nothing from the Lac-Mégantic tragedy. Does the minister plan to reverse this dangerous decision?