2017-12-11

Actually, Mr. Speaker, it was the former Conservative government that first included LGBTQ rights in Canada's citizenship guide.A leaked copy of Canada's new citizenship guide removed references to female genital mutilation. I do not understand why the minister cannot just condemn this process. It is ridiculous. Will the minister finally commit to reversing his decision to remove listing FGM as an intolerable practice from Canada's citizenship guide? This is a no-brainer.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage must be pretty hard of hearing because it took her three months to hear what everyone in Quebec was telling her.It is dangerous to give breaks to foreign multinationals. The minister may have heard but she will not listen; she is knuckling under to the Minister of Finance, who has said no. The Liberals are a bunch of puppets.Does anyone over there realize that refusing to tax online transactions compromises not just our culture, but the whole of our economy?

Mr. Speaker, allow me to read an excerpt from one of the hundreds of letters I get at my office. I am outraged to see that our Minister of Finance wants to trample on the fundamental right of all Canadians to plan their financial affairs for tax purposes. Every small business owner is being penalized. The injustice is twofold: a bad tax reform coupled with no chance for planning. The minister should step down for such hypocrisy and lack of accountability. Signed, an angry citizen, Pierre Can the Prime Minister do the right thing—

Mr. Speaker, with only three weeks left until the tax changes come into effect, the Minister of Finance refuses to tell small businesses what effect the changes will have on them. He says that it is no big deal. We know it is not a big deal for the minister, because he has his millions sheltered from taxes in offshore accounts and numbered companies, but it is a big deal to local small business owners who are trying to deal with hypocritical and unfair Liberal tax changes. Why is the Minister of Finance so disrespectful to our small business owners?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage came back to Montreal on Friday to say the same thing she had said two months ago. The only difference was that she added that she had heard Quebec and would stop defending Netflix's tax break, but that the Minister of Finance would have to be consulted. Quebec is united in condemning the unfair tax treatment enjoyed by Netflix and other web giants. Everyone is against it, including unions, business leaders, the media, journalists, and artists. Did the Minister of Finance give any answer other than no? This is pathetic. Is that how important Quebec's unanimous opinion is to this government and to the Prime Minister?Do they have anything to offer besides the same old blather at UNESCO and standing up to defend our culture, or are they going to defend the indefensible—

Mr. Speaker, do they remember the last time that the Liberals said these small business tax increases were no big deal and the small business owners should not worry? That did not go so well for the Liberals. Have the Liberals learned absolutely nothing? They are punishing small businesses again, not just with this hypocritical tax increase, but by the minister's ignoring small business owners' very substantial questions for some information. The Minister of Finance always seems to be hiding something, does he not? What is he hiding now from small business owners?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was Human Rights Day. Female genital mutilation is a human rights violation. Even though FGM is a crime in many countries, the practice continues because it is allowed to be shrouded in silence and victims can face stigma or much worse if they come forward. This is why Plan International charges us with raising awareness of the problem. With reports of FGM practitioners entering Canada, will the minister reverse his decision to remove listing FGM as an intolerable practice from Canada's citizenship guide?

Mr. Speaker, the Nuu-chah-nulth people are eager to reconcile but the Liberals keep fighting them in court. Nuu-chah-nulth fishers have waited since 2009 to exercise their right to catch and sell fish in their own territories. The courts, right up to the Supreme Court of Canada, have confirmed their right to do so, yet the current government still does not honour their rights. The Liberals claim their most important relationship is with indigenous people. Therefore, when will they prove they are serious about reconciliation, end this costly prosecution of the Nuu-chah-nulth people, and finally recognize their fishing rights?

Mr. Speaker, delay is the deadliest form of denial. Canadians can clearly see, by the Liberals' unacceptable delay in appointing a new Ethics Commissioner and the PM's flippant disregard of the ethics laws and regulations fundamental to the House, that ethical practices are discretionary for Liberals.Canadians deserve rulings on the ethical lapses of the Prime Minister and his finance minister. Will he commit to appointing a new Ethics Commissioner who will continue these important investigations?

Mr. Speaker, six months ago, the health committee reported to the minister that Canada's thalidomide program needed to be revamped to include the forgotten survivors, beyond the 25 that the government continues to reference. It is almost Christmas again and these survivors are still suffering pain, discrimination, and humiliation.When will the minister show some compassion, do the right thing, and include the forgotten survivors in the compensation program?

Mr. Speaker, only to a Liberal would increasing spending and getting worse results be a good thing. Canadians are sick at this point of the attitude. It is not just veterans who are realizing that the government has had a mean-spirited and cold-hearted attitude towards them. Those who have applied for disability tax credits have realized it as well.Just last week, the Minister of National Revenue told this House, “I would like to reassure all Canadians who receive the disability tax credit that the eligibility criteria have not changed.”However, on Friday, her parliamentary secretary apologized for that very change, which saw 80% of applicants seeing their claims denied.Can the Prime Minister explain, if there was not a policy change, exactly what did his government apologize for?

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our goal has always been to ensure that family members who work in the family business can continue to do so and be be paid for it. We simply want to enhance tax fairness because at the moment some Canadians have access to tax benefits that are not available to the majority of Canada's middle class. I would like to remind the House that by 2019, all SME owners will benefit from a lower SME tax rate, which will be reduced from 10.5% to 9%. We are doing this because we recognize just how important SMEs are to Canada's prosperity and economic vitality.

Mr. Speaker, our minister and our senior officials have been meeting on this file for over two years. We share a consensus in every part of this country that the current system of cannabis control is failing our kids, enriching organized crime, and putting the health of Canadians at risk.We continue to remain committed to a respectful discussion with our provincial, territorial, and municipal partners to ensure that those who have responsibilities have the resources they need to fulfill those responsibilities.

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, we learned that more than 30 local and community newspapers throughout Ontario will shut down. These newspapers employ 291 people, who will all lose their jobs. Some of these local papers have been publishing since the 1800s.The people of Essex are lucky to still have their community news, but if the attitude of the Heritage Minister, who says the Liberals will not bail out local media, does not change, local newspapers will shut down in the communities of all members.How can the minister continue to sit back and do nothing when Canadians are losing jobs and their news sources?

Mr. Speaker, all that remains to be done now is the rubber stamp of the Investment Canada Act for one of Canada's largest construction companies, Aecon, to be sold to a state-owned enterprise of the People's Republic of China, the China Communications Construction Company, CCCI. This company has a very troubling human rights, environmental, and safety record, yet it has not come before this House. We are not hearing about it. Could the Prime Minister assure this place that this sale will be put through a thorough review before Investment Canada rubber-stamps it?

Mr. Speaker, there was no need for a committee to resolve a situation that was completely unacceptable.When we were in power, 80% of claims were approved. When the Liberals are in power, 80% of claims are denied. The Minister of National Revenue rose 23 times in the House and stated that there had been no changes in the rules. Last Friday, her department said the exact opposite.I will ask my question again. Is there anyone in this government who will do the honourable thing and rise to tell diabetics that the government made a mistake and is apologizing?

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the Prime Minister promised that no veterans would have to fight their own government for the support and compensation they had earned. For the past two years, however, our veterans have been forced to fight this Prime Minister. Now there are reports that the backlog for veterans' disability benefits has grown by 50% since the end of March. Our veterans deserve unqualified respect, because they defended Canada. Why is the Prime Minister not defending them?

Mr. Speaker, a year ago, I wrote to the finance minister, asking him to use his meeting with the country's finance ministers to fix his flawed CPP enhancement legislation and restore the drop out provisions for child rearing and those living with disabilities. Despite promising to bring it up as a priority with his counterparts, we have not heard of any results to date. Is this another item on the list of hollow promises from the government? Will the finance minister use today's meeting to do the right thing and finally fix the problem that will affect 14 million Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, regarding the unfair treatment that benefits Netflix over its competitors, the Minister of Finance, and now the Prime Minister as well, are slamming the door on Quebeckers yet again. The Minister of Canadian Heritage was first in line, although clearly, her voice does not carry much weight around the cabinet table, nor do the voices of Liberal members from Quebec. They refuse to listen to the consensus in Quebec. The Minister of Canadian Heritage says one thing and then the Minister of Finance says the opposite. They need to get their stories straight.When will the government stop ignoring the consensus in Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, the assertion by the member opposite that we have removed anything from a final citizenship guide is completely inaccurate. Just to be clear, the content for the new guide has not been finalized. Unlike the party opposite, we actually listened to stakeholders, we listened to experts. I want to remind the member opposite that it was her party that removed any references to LBGTQ2 rights, including anti-discrimination laws, from the citizenship guide. We will ensure that the new citizenship guide reflects all Canadians, not just a few.

Mr. Speaker, over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of travelling all over Quebec, including Lac-Saint-Jean, where I talked to Quebeckers about their priorities. I can say that not one Quebecker asked me to raise their taxes. Even though the Conservatives and the NDP want to raise taxes on consumers, we are not going to raise taxes on consumers. We are going to continue lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest Canadians, not on ordinary folk.

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we are committed to ensuring that citizens get all the benefits to which they are entitled. That is something we have been focused on over the past two years, and that is something that we are delivering on. We have heard that the clarification letter has resulted in negative impacts, and that is why we are looking at it carefully, to ensure that indeed we are getting the delivery of services that Canadians expect.

Mr. Speaker, the clock continues to tick on three important investigations by the Ethics Commissioner: two of the Prime Minister's conflict of interest holiday violations and, of course, the most recent of several involving the finance minister. However, as Canadians wait patiently for the commissioner to report, her spokesperson says that if these reports are not completed before she leaves office in the coming weeks, it will be up to her unnamed successor to continue, restart, or abandon those investigations.Will the Prime Minister commit to appointing someone who will continue these important investigations?

Mr. Speaker, the question was for the finance minister. He is the one who says he is going to impose a reasonableness test on what family businesses can pay their family members. It is not just the past chief justice of the tax court, but the current chief justice who, in an extraordinary comment, said these rules are so vague that no one will know how to enforce them or interpret them.Why does the government not listen to the judges and small businesses and do away with this complex web of tax increases?

Mr. Speaker, with less than a third of cases actually meeting departmental targets, the government is barely paying lip service to veterans. The department remains understaffed, thanks to Conservative cuts and the Liberals' failure to hire enough staff to meet increased demands, and veterans are still waiting to hear what the government's new promised pension scheme will be.What is the delay? Where is the plan? Will the minister release his plan for our country's veterans before the House rises?

Mr. Speaker, with the Preserver and the Protecteur out of service, there is an operational gap at the Royal Canadian Navy. We are talking about a decade. Even the Standing Committee on National Defence, on which the Liberals have the majority, has recognized this vulnerability caused by delays in the naval procurement strategy. Our Conservative government did not hesitate. We commissioned the Asterix, which was built on time.The Minister of National Defence is out of excuses for failing to honour his own policy and award a contract to the shipyard for the Obelix.When will we see the Obelix?

Mr. Speaker, like many Canadians, veterans are now realizing that the Prime Minister said just about anything during the campaign to get elected. It is the Liberal government's record that has resulted in an increase of 50% for the backlogs of these cases. That is on him and his government, nobody else's.The defence ombudsman has made simple, easy recommendations to improve the transition of our armed forces members onto the veterans affairs payroll, and this Prime Minister has yet to act on any of them. When will he start listening to the advice of experts and stand up for our vets?

Mr. Speaker, with Canada's $4-billion pulse industry in jeopardy, a Liberal trade mission to India, which did not include the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, came back empty-handed. Grain companies have stopped buying peas because of a 50% duty. Pulse producers have lost $360 million and they face some very difficult decisions as they prepare for next season. The Liberals bet Canada's farm when they went all in on China, and they lost. Now critical trade agreements, along with alternative market access, are in serious jeopardy.When is the agriculture minister going to start doing his job and start fighting to secure vital market access for Canada's pulse producers?

Mr. Speaker, on January 1, not long from now, the tax reform will come into force and have an adverse effect on small and medium sized enterprises. They have not received any details. Tax experts have been clear that it is already too late. The minister will be squeezing even more money from businesses. It seems like they are getting a lump of coal for Christmas.Would the Prime Minister not give Canadians an actual gift instead by firing his Minister of Finance and giving our job creators a break from these repeated attacks?

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our government values the work of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. That is something we will always continue to do. I encourage members opposite to have regard for those officers and the important work they do. We have an open, transparent, merit-based selection process. We have confidence in that process. We know we will be putting forward a name that will work hard for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the first thing we did when we came into office was to lower taxes on the middle class and raise them on the wealthiest 1%. Therefore, despite what the Conservatives and the NDP propose, we will not be raising taxes on Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is currently under investigation because he accepted a free trip, and his Minister of Finance is under investigation for a potential conflict of interest concerning the pension bill. The Ethics Commissioner is so busy with the Liberals that we are not certain that she will complete her investigations by the end of her term in office.Will the Prime Minister commit to ensuring that the investigations will continue after the Ethics Commissioner is replaced?

Mr. Speaker, considering the Liberal government's numerous ethical problems, the appointment of a new Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is a priority for Canadians. Canadians need assurances that the appointment will not be partisan.Can the Liberals assure us that the next Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner will continue the ongoing investigations into the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, there is no reason to be reassured. What we see is that the Liberal government could not care less about the consensus in Quebec.The Minister of Finance says that he is flexible when it comes to sharing the revenue from the cannabis tax.Is he prepared to agree to splitting the tax revenue, with no conditions, on a cost basis? That would mean 100% for Quebec, the provinces, and municipalities, and nothing for Ottawa.

Mr. Speaker, on May 2, an internal Canada Revenue Agency email instructed officers to deny 80% of tax credit claims from diabetics.Last Friday, the agency announced that it would review all rejected claims. This is clearly an admission of guilt by the government. There is one thing that this government lacks, and that is honour.Could someone in this government rise and apologize to diabetics on behalf of their government?

Mr. Speaker, I can understand how inconvenient it is for the cabinet that the Prime Minister cannot answer these questions because he is under investigation. However, Canadians need to know. Normally a new ethics commissioner would be appointed by government after consulting with the opposition and a parliamentary committee hearing for the nominee, but the Liberals are trying to ram this appointment through.If the Prime Minister cannot answer this himself, is there someone over there who could make the commitment that members of Parliament will have the opportunity to interview the nominee for the Ethics Commissioner before the appointment is official?

Mr. Speaker, every proposed investment of this scale is examined on a case-by-case basis to ensure that it is in Canada's best interest. This rigorous process is done in consultation with our national security agencies. When it comes to the health and safety of Canadian workers, this is an issue we take very seriously. We are currently working with provinces and territories to improve occupational health and safety regulations. We expect all companies operating in Canada to follow all provincial and federal regulations and make sure workers have a safe working environment.

Mr. Speaker, again, let me be absolutely clear that the law and the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit have not changed. We will continue to improve the accessibility of this credit to Canadians and have already taken extremely important actions. We have simplified the application form. We have allowed more nurse practitioners to certify those patients' applications, and with the reinstatement of the disability advisory committee, we are bringing stakeholders back to the table to better determine how we can improve access even more.

Mr. Speaker, the assertion by the member opposite is completely inaccurate. To be clear, the content of the new guide has not been finalized. Unlike the previous government, we are engaging with a range of stakeholders and subject matter experts to make sure the new guide better captures the contributions of women, the role of indigenous people, and members of the LGBTQ2 and francophone communities. I will remind the member opposite that it was her party that removed any references to the LGBTQ2 community rights, including anti-discrimination laws, from the citizenship guide.

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister plans a reasonableness test to determine what small businesses can pay their family members. Here is what the former chief justice of the tax court says about it: “I think it’s going to substantially increase the number of cases that go to the court, because it’s going to be a battle between the CRA and the taxpayers as to what ‘reasonable’ means in various situations.”How much will this cobweb of rules cost the CRA to enforce, small businesses to comply with, and both of them to litigate?

Mr. Speaker, our government took another step to making government more open and transparent and accountable by delivering on our commitment to eliminate partisan advertising and to modernize its communications. We now have a process in place for conducting independent reviews of paid government advertising to ensure that it is non-partisan. In addition to that, we have reduced our advertising budget by 50% compared to the previous Conservative government with its partisan advertising.We are proud of what we are doing, and we appreciate the work of the committee in looking at the advertising budget for the future years.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The government has put a lot of emphasis on protecting and promoting human rights in Canada and abroad. The first-ever national housing strategy is a perfect example. The government has announced the progressive implementation of every Canadian's right to adequate housing.Could the minister responsible for housing tell us what that means for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, we are extremely concerned and disappointed with India's increase in import duties of 50% on all peas without providing any advance notification. We are raising our concerns with the Government of India, including the recent trade mission, led by the Minister of International Trade, who raises this issue at every opportunity. We will continue to work with our farmers to make sure they get every opportunity possible.

Mr. Speaker, let me reassure my colleague. The details about our reform regarding income sprinkling will be announced very soon. I would remind my hon. colleague that our goal is not to have an impact on family businesses so much as to inject a bit of tax fairness into our system. We think that it is unfair that some wealthier Canadians can use a private corporation to save the equivalent of the average annual salary in Canada, or $48,000. We want to enhance tax fairness. I know that that is a difficult concept for the opposition to understand.

Mr. Speaker, during the meeting with stakeholders on November 30, the minister insisted there was no evidence that there had been any change to the disability tax credit. During that same meeting, type 1 diabetics produced the evidence. They showed her documents that proved that the eligibility criteria had changed.This minister's treatment of diabetics has been terrible. Will she finally quit fighting type 1 diabetics and apologize for her appalling conduct?

Mr. Speaker, we know that trustworthy journalistic content is essential to a healthy democracy. Our thoughts are with the employees and their families who have been affected by these cuts. Canadians value local media, and we will continue to support this industry. We have already announced that we are going to modernize our programs to better support the newspaper industry, both in print and online. We take this issue very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, our trade agenda puts people at the centre of what we do. In budget 2017, we announced regulatory amendments to ensure that unions would have the right to participate in trade remedy proceedings. New regulations will come into force early in 2018 and will require relevant unions to be identified in dumping and subsidy complaints and to explicitly identify trade unions as interested parties in various trade remedy proceedings. Canadian workers deserve to have a voice in these proceedings, and we are taking action to ensure they are heard.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for St. John's East for his question and for his excellent work.Last week, for the first time ever, a temporary family skating rink was installed on Parliament Hill.In addition to free family skating time, 32 peewee hockey teams from coast to coast to coast will be here to compete in the “Hockey on the Hill” tournament. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these young players. We look forward to welcoming all Canadians as we close out the Canada 150 celebrations.

Mr. Speaker, Le Courrier de Saint-Hyacinthe, which has been in print since 1853, is the oldest French newspaper in America and is a member of the Coalition pour la pérennité de la presse d'information au Québec.Local media are a pillar of democracy, and in all of our ridings, they are losing a significant portion of their ad revenue to web giants. This government keeps saying that it cares about information and about the future of our local media.When will this government support our local media, as it has done for so many other industries?

Mr. Speaker, after two months of questions by the opposition and pressure from Diabetes Canada, the Liberals have finally said they will revert to their pre-May 2 policy. The strange thing is that even while the minister reverses her policy, she continues to deny she ever made a change in the first place.Will the minister finally admit that she made a choice to deny the credit she is now trying to cover her tracks in regard to, and will she apologize to type 1 diabetics?

Mr. Speaker, the drop out provisions were not included in the changes to the Canada pension plan, and this omission will affect 14 million Canadians, especially women and people with disabilities.The NDP has been raising this issue for over a year, but the Liberals have yet to do anything about it. However, they still have time to fix this major omission.Will the minister roll up his sleeves for women and people with disabilities and bring up the subject of the Canada pension plan at the finance ministers' meeting, in order to fix the flaws in this bill?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking and commending my colleague from Brossard—Saint-Lambert for the remarkable work she does for her constituents and to support the right to housing. The right to housing is a fundamental right that must be guaranteed to all Canadians. The right to housing is also the cornerstone of the Government of Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, a strategy that will reduce homelessness in Canada by 50% and help 500,000 Canadians out of unaffordable or substandard housing conditions. Canadians are all very pleased that the Government of Canada is back as a strong, reliable, long-term housing partner.

Mr. Speaker, our government believes that the benefits of free trade should result in opportunities for all Canadians. Could the Minister of Finance update the House on what our government is doing to deliver on its commitment to allow for participation of unions in Canadian trade remedy proceedings?

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of the kind of patronage that the previous government put forward, we put forward an independent, merit-based process for government appointments. This ensures that government appointments are not only of the highest quality, but reflect the range and scope of experiences and diversity that make Canada strong.I know that every member of this House relies on the impartial and expert advice that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics commissioner will give, and I have the utmost confidence that the government House leader is managing this appointment process appropriately and as must be expected.

Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner's term expires on January 8, but she has not finished her investigation into the Prime Minister's holiday to billionaire island. She has not finished her investigations into the finance minister's multiple conflicts of interest either. We have no commitment from the government that she will complete these investigations by January 8. We have no guarantee that the new ethics commissioner will pick up these investigations where she left off. What assurances can the government give that these ethics investigations into the Prime Minister and the finance minister will not simply be swept under the rug?

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, it would be my pleasure to work with the member opposite to explain the details when they are known. The details regarding income sprinkling should be known imminently. We will always stand behind small business owners. That is why we will reduce the small business tax rate from 11% down to 9% by 2019, because we recognize the importance of small business. We will always be behind the family business model, and we want to continue to work to make sure that prosperity is trickling down to everyone in this country.

Mr. Speaker, our government values the work of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We have put in place a new appointment process that supports an open, transparent, and merit-based selection that is open to all Canadians to apply to.We have confidence in this process, and it is from this process that a nominee will be named. The selection process requires a comprehensive approach. We will not undermine the process. The government has a responsibility to put forward a nominee, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We are committed to identifying the most qualified candidate through this process as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, our objective has always been clear, to ensure that Canadians have access to the credits they are eligible to. With the reinstatement of the disability advisory committee, the agency will have a formal advisory process to work on improving the accessibility of its services to Canadians with disabilities. We are giving these groups back their seat at the table, which the Conservatives took away in 2006. This formal process will ensure that any future actions taken by the agency will be made in consultation with stakeholders.

Mr. Speaker, things have been going downhill for veterans ever since this government came to power two years ago. Sooner or later, the government is going to have to take responsibility for that.It is the Government of Canada's responsibility and duty to ensure that those who have served our country are not left out in the cold, but apparently 71% of veterans are still waiting longer than three months to get their pension. That has a significant negative impact on their finances and their lives.Will the Prime Minister ensure that pensions and support for veterans and their families are in place before they leave the army?

Mr. Speaker, over the past two years, we have worked hard to restore the level of service our veterans expect and deserve.We still have work to do, but we note that many veterans are submitting their applications under a system that failed them for 10 years under the Conservative government.That is why we are working very hard to meet the requirements. We have reopened nine service centres for veterans, and we will keep working hard to ensure that this government recognizes our veterans' extraordinary service and sacrifices.

Mr. Speaker, newspapers are closing across the country, and the principle of a free and democratic press is actually in jeopardy. The favouritism that the government is showing to American digital giants such as Netflix is a large part of the problem. After confusingly defending her scheme, the heritage minister threw the ball in the finance minister's court, who left her hanging by confirming that he will continue giving Netflix a free pass. With his cabinet in disarray on this issue, the Prime Minister must step in and defend the press. Will he do it?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that we have worked very, very hard over the past two years to restore the kinds of benefits that our veterans deserve and that they did not get under 10 years of a Conservative government. There is much to do, and there continues to be more to do. We look forward to continuing to work with veterans groups to ensure that the new lifelong pension is restored to the level that everyone can expect. These are the kinds of things that we know need to happen, and they need to happen right, and that is why we are taking it so very, very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has aggravated the crisis in local media by slashing its own advertising in Canadian publications, while pouring millions of dollars into American digital giants. In a report tabled last week, the government operations committee unanimously recommended increasing the share of federal advertising in Canadian publications.Will the government follow this all-party recommendation to support our local media and reach more Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, in Canada's new defence policy, we are committed to making sure we modernize our Canadian navy. As part of the national shipbuilding strategy, two permanent joint supply ships are required for our navy. However, because of the previous cuts, a capability gap was left and because of that, the interim capability gap will be filled by Davie shipyard, which built the Asterix. We thank it very much for its tremendous work.

Mr. Speaker, here is what happened. For 10 years, the Conservative government closed veterans' service centres. It exploited the image of veterans, yet neglected to provide them with the services and benefits they were entitled to. However, over the past two years, we have reopened these service centres and invested much more money to support veterans, in addition to providing them with much more help. Veterans are starting to come to us with suggestions. After losing hope under the previous government, they are getting back into the system, our new system, and that is a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of a government that makes the well-being of our seniors a priority not just for today, but for generations to come. In June 2016, the Minister of Finance partnered with the provinces and territories once again to implement a historic agreement to enhance the Canada pension plan, which should free 25% of Canadians from the burden of financial insecurity over the next few years. We are going to keep working very hard with the provinces and territories to ensure that these substantial improvements benefit as many Canadians as possible.

Mr. Speaker, Canada 150 has been a rousing success, and no more so than in St. John's East where we celebrated Canada Day for the 69th time, with cultural events that brought us together as Canadians.As Canada 150 winds down, the Avalon Celtics, a peewee hockey team from my riding of St. John's East, are very excited to have the opportunity to participate in the closing celebrations on Parliament Hill.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage talk about the success of Canada 150 and—

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to thalidomide survivors and we remain deeply committed to offering the support they need to live the rest of their lives with dignity and with respect.The thalidomide survivors contribution program is helping to support 122 Canadian thalidomide survivors, 25 of whom were identified using the objective review process that was put in place to access the eligibility of unconfirmed individuals. We wish to acknowledge and thank the health committee for its important work on this matter. We are reviewing its important report and we will be responding in due course.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committing to ensuring that all Canadians who are eligible for credits and benefits have access to them. Following concerns raised by Canadians, the agency is evaluating applications to determine whether or not there has been an impact on the delivery of the DTC. Through the disability advisory committee, disability advocates, medical professionals, indigenous advocates, and other important stakeholders will now be consulted on how the agency can improve its services to Canadians with disabilities. Unlike the previous government, we want these groups at the table.

Mr. Speaker, a renewed nation-to-nation relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership with the indigenous peoples of Canada is a top priority for our government.We are working with the five Nuu-chah-nulth nations to resolve fisheries disputes and to maintain stability and operational predictability in the interests of all fishers in British Columbia.Since this case is before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on it at this time.

Mr. Speaker, our government values the work of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.We have put in place a new appointment process based on an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process. All interested Canadians may apply. We have confidence in this process, and it is from this process that the next person will be appointed. We are committed to identifying the most qualified candidates through this process as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to be part of a government that has lifted 13,000 seniors out of poverty over the past few years by increasing the guaranteed income supplement. In addition, thanks to our decision to bring the age of eligibility for old age security from 67 back down to 65, 100,000 seniors have been able to escape destitution.I am proud to be part of a government that is working with the provinces and territories right now to make the Canada pension plan even more flexible and generous for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the workers and their families affected by the cuts in the print media industry. Canadians value local news, and our government will continue to support it. We know that reliable journalistic content is critical to a healthy democracy. We have already announced that we will be modernizing our programs to better support local media in both paper and digital formats. Our approach will be to support innovation, adaptation, and transition to the digital era. This is something our government takes very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, I have recused myself from any discussion concerning the appointment of the next conflict of interest and ethics commissioner. Moreover, four of my staff members have set up an ethics screen to prevent them from participating in these discussions.Having said that, my team responsible for appointments will continue to provide the same support to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and her staff as it does to all other ministers' offices, and as it has done for hundreds of appointments right across government.

Mr. Speaker, we listened to Canadians and business owners from coast to coast to coast. We reviewed the proposals that were submitted over the past few months. Details about income sprinkling as it relates to our tax reform will soon be available to all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, it is fairly straightforward what happened. So many veterans had abandoned the idea of getting help under the previous government that now that we are putting in place systems and benefits they can access, reopening offices that Conservatives shuttered, more and more veterans are coming forward to claim what this government, and all governments, owe them.This is a good thing. What is great is that we have been tooling up over the past years so that we can give all the veterans what they are entitled to. The veterans coming forward to claim their benefits—

Mr. Speaker, our government has always been very clear on this, and our position has not changed. We understand the concerns of the francophone cultural sector. We want to reassure the cultural sector of our support and point out that we have made historic investments in support of our culture. We have made massive investments in arts and culture, over $2.3 billion to be precise. We have reinvested in the Canada media fund to support television production. These investments have a tangible impact on our artists' lives.

Mr. Speaker, our government has always been clear on this, and our position has not changed. We understand the concerns of the francophone cultural sector. We want to reassure people and and remind them that we have made historic investments in support of our culture.We have made massive investments in arts and culture, over $2.3 billion to be precise. We have reinvested in the Canada media fund to support television production. These investments have a tangible impact on our artists' lives.

Mr. Speaker, as I have just responded, we have put in place a new process, an open, transparent, and merit-based appointment process, in which Canadians are eligible to apply, as all positions are appointed online. We look forward to the outcomes of this process and putting forward a name. We look forward to working with opposition parties to ensure that the new nominee can start to work as soon as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague from the opposition that the details will be coming in very shortly. Our objective is to bring more tax fairness to a system where there are inequities built into the system. Our objective is also to always support the family business model. We have no intention of impacting the family members who work in a business. I might also remind the member that what is good for small businesses is the fact that we have reduced taxes for small businesses from 11% to 10.5%, to eventually 9% by 2019. The growth in Canada is the fastest in the G7, and 600,000 jobs were created. That is good for all businesses.

Mr. Speaker, as a registered nurse, I know how important it is to vulnerable groups to have their voices heard.With the announcement of the disability advisory committee last week, we will make sure of how the agency administers its credits and benefits for people with disabilities. Following concerns raised by Canadians, the agency is evaluating applications to determine whether or not there has been an impact on the delivery of the DTC. We will continue to take steps to improve the agency's services to all Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable in our country.

Mr. Speaker, our objective is that we will always stand behind the family business model. We have reduced taxes for small businesses from 11% to 10.5%, and to 9% by 2019. That is because we realize the importance of small businesses contributing to the prosperity and growth of Canada. We have great results. Our plan is working. We have the fastest growth in the G7, and 600,000 jobs were created in the last two years, most of them full-time. That is the work of this finance minister and this government supporting small business owners from coast to coast to coast.

Mr. Speaker, during the meeting with stakeholders on November 30, the minister insisted there was no evidence that there had been any change to the disability tax credit. During that same meeting, type 1 diabetics produced the evidence. They showed her documents that proved that the eligibility criteria had changed.This minister's treatment of diabetics has been terrible. Will she finally quit fighting type 1 diabetics and apologize for her appalling conduct?

Mr. Speaker, there is no reason to be reassured. What we see is that the Liberal government could not care less about the consensus in Quebec.The Minister of Finance says that he is flexible when it comes to sharing the revenue from the cannabis tax.Is he prepared to agree to splitting the tax revenue, with no conditions, on a cost basis? That would mean 100% for Quebec, the provinces, and municipalities, and nothing for Ottawa.

Mr. Speaker, I can understand how inconvenient it is for the cabinet that the Prime Minister cannot answer these questions because he is under investigation. However, Canadians need to know. Normally a new ethics commissioner would be appointed by government after consulting with the opposition and a parliamentary committee hearing for the nominee, but the Liberals are trying to ram this appointment through.If the Prime Minister cannot answer this himself, is there someone over there who could make the commitment that members of Parliament will have the opportunity to interview the nominee for the Ethics Commissioner before the appointment is official?

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we are committed to ensuring that citizens get all the benefits to which they are entitled. That is something we have been focused on over the past two years, and that is something that we are delivering on. We have heard that the clarification letter has resulted in negative impacts, and that is why we are looking at it carefully, to ensure that indeed we are getting the delivery of services that Canadians expect.

Mr. Speaker, over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of travelling all over Quebec, including Lac-Saint-Jean, where I talked to Quebeckers about their priorities. I can say that not one Quebecker asked me to raise their taxes. Even though the Conservatives and the NDP want to raise taxes on consumers, we are not going to raise taxes on consumers. We are going to continue lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest Canadians, not on ordinary folk.

Mr. Speaker, allow me to read an excerpt from one of the hundreds of letters I get at my office. I am outraged to see that our Minister of Finance wants to trample on the fundamental right of all Canadians to plan their financial affairs for tax purposes. Every small business owner is being penalized. The injustice is twofold: a bad tax reform coupled with no chance for planning. The minister should step down for such hypocrisy and lack of accountability. Signed, an angry citizen, Pierre Can the Prime Minister do the right thing—

Mr. Speaker, the question was for the finance minister. He is the one who says he is going to impose a reasonableness test on what family businesses can pay their family members. It is not just the past chief justice of the tax court, but the current chief justice who, in an extraordinary comment, said these rules are so vague that no one will know how to enforce them or interpret them.Why does the government not listen to the judges and small businesses and do away with this complex web of tax increases?

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, it would be my pleasure to work with the member opposite to explain the details when they are known. The details regarding income sprinkling should be known imminently. We will always stand behind small business owners. That is why we will reduce the small business tax rate from 11% down to 9% by 2019, because we recognize the importance of small business. We will always be behind the family business model, and we want to continue to work to make sure that prosperity is trickling down to everyone in this country.

Mr. Speaker, over the past two years, we have worked hard to restore the level of service our veterans expect and deserve.We still have work to do, but we note that many veterans are submitting their applications under a system that failed them for 10 years under the Conservative government.That is why we are working very hard to meet the requirements. We have reopened nine service centres for veterans, and we will keep working hard to ensure that this government recognizes our veterans' extraordinary service and sacrifices.

Mr. Speaker, let me reassure my colleague. The details about our reform regarding income sprinkling will be announced very soon. I would remind my hon. colleague that our goal is not to have an impact on family businesses so much as to inject a bit of tax fairness into our system. We think that it is unfair that some wealthier Canadians can use a private corporation to save the equivalent of the average annual salary in Canada, or $48,000. We want to enhance tax fairness. I know that that is a difficult concept for the opposition to understand.

Mr. Speaker, with only three weeks left until the tax changes come into effect, the Minister of Finance refuses to tell small businesses what effect the changes will have on them. He says that it is no big deal. We know it is not a big deal for the minister, because he has his millions sheltered from taxes in offshore accounts and numbered companies, but it is a big deal to local small business owners who are trying to deal with hypocritical and unfair Liberal tax changes. Why is the Minister of Finance so disrespectful to our small business owners?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage must be pretty hard of hearing because it took her three months to hear what everyone in Quebec was telling her.It is dangerous to give breaks to foreign multinationals. The minister may have heard but she will not listen; she is knuckling under to the Minister of Finance, who has said no. The Liberals are a bunch of puppets.Does anyone over there realize that refusing to tax online transactions compromises not just our culture, but the whole of our economy?

Mr. Speaker, do they remember the last time that the Liberals said these small business tax increases were no big deal and the small business owners should not worry? That did not go so well for the Liberals. Have the Liberals learned absolutely nothing? They are punishing small businesses again, not just with this hypocritical tax increase, but by the minister's ignoring small business owners' very substantial questions for some information. The Minister of Finance always seems to be hiding something, does he not? What is he hiding now from small business owners?

Mr. Speaker, things have been going downhill for veterans ever since this government came to power two years ago. Sooner or later, the government is going to have to take responsibility for that.It is the Government of Canada's responsibility and duty to ensure that those who have served our country are not left out in the cold, but apparently 71% of veterans are still waiting longer than three months to get their pension. That has a significant negative impact on their finances and their lives.Will the Prime Minister ensure that pensions and support for veterans and their families are in place before they leave the army?

Mr. Speaker, with Canada's $4-billion pulse industry in jeopardy, a Liberal trade mission to India, which did not include the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, came back empty-handed. Grain companies have stopped buying peas because of a 50% duty. Pulse producers have lost $360 million and they face some very difficult decisions as they prepare for next season. The Liberals bet Canada's farm when they went all in on China, and they lost. Now critical trade agreements, along with alternative market access, are in serious jeopardy.When is the agriculture minister going to start doing his job and start fighting to secure vital market access for Canada's pulse producers?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage came back to Montreal on Friday to say the same thing she had said two months ago. The only difference was that she added that she had heard Quebec and would stop defending Netflix's tax break, but that the Minister of Finance would have to be consulted. Quebec is united in condemning the unfair tax treatment enjoyed by Netflix and other web giants. Everyone is against it, including unions, business leaders, the media, journalists, and artists. Did the Minister of Finance give any answer other than no? This is pathetic. Is that how important Quebec's unanimous opinion is to this government and to the Prime Minister?Do they have anything to offer besides the same old blather at UNESCO and standing up to defend our culture, or are they going to defend the indefensible—

Mr. Speaker, we are extremely concerned and disappointed with India's increase in import duties of 50% on all peas without providing any advance notification. We are raising our concerns with the Government of India, including the recent trade mission, led by the Minister of International Trade, who raises this issue at every opportunity. We will continue to work with our farmers to make sure they get every opportunity possible.

Mr. Speaker, the drop out provisions were not included in the changes to the Canada pension plan, and this omission will affect 14 million Canadians, especially women and people with disabilities.The NDP has been raising this issue for over a year, but the Liberals have yet to do anything about it. However, they still have time to fix this major omission.Will the minister roll up his sleeves for women and people with disabilities and bring up the subject of the Canada pension plan at the finance ministers' meeting, in order to fix the flaws in this bill?

Mr. Speaker, a year ago, I wrote to the finance minister, asking him to use his meeting with the country's finance ministers to fix his flawed CPP enhancement legislation and restore the drop out provisions for child rearing and those living with disabilities. Despite promising to bring it up as a priority with his counterparts, we have not heard of any results to date. Is this another item on the list of hollow promises from the government? Will the finance minister use today's meeting to do the right thing and finally fix the problem that will affect 14 million Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister plans a reasonableness test to determine what small businesses can pay their family members. Here is what the former chief justice of the tax court says about it: “I think it’s going to substantially increase the number of cases that go to the court, because it’s going to be a battle between the CRA and the taxpayers as to what ‘reasonable’ means in various situations.”How much will this cobweb of rules cost the CRA to enforce, small businesses to comply with, and both of them to litigate?

Mr. Speaker, we listened to Canadians and business owners from coast to coast to coast. We reviewed the proposals that were submitted over the past few months. Details about income sprinkling as it relates to our tax reform will soon be available to all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, with less than a third of cases actually meeting departmental targets, the government is barely paying lip service to veterans. The department remains understaffed, thanks to Conservative cuts and the Liberals' failure to hire enough staff to meet increased demands, and veterans are still waiting to hear what the government's new promised pension scheme will be.What is the delay? Where is the plan? Will the minister release his plan for our country's veterans before the House rises?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that we have worked very, very hard over the past two years to restore the kinds of benefits that our veterans deserve and that they did not get under 10 years of a Conservative government. There is much to do, and there continues to be more to do. We look forward to continuing to work with veterans groups to ensure that the new lifelong pension is restored to the level that everyone can expect. These are the kinds of things that we know need to happen, and they need to happen right, and that is why we are taking it so very, very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, only to a Liberal would increasing spending and getting worse results be a good thing. Canadians are sick at this point of the attitude. It is not just veterans who are realizing that the government has had a mean-spirited and cold-hearted attitude towards them. Those who have applied for disability tax credits have realized it as well.Just last week, the Minister of National Revenue told this House, “I would like to reassure all Canadians who receive the disability tax credit that the eligibility criteria have not changed.”However, on Friday, her parliamentary secretary apologized for that very change, which saw 80% of applicants seeing their claims denied.Can the Prime Minister explain, if there was not a policy change, exactly what did his government apologize for?

Actually, Mr. Speaker, it was the former Conservative government that first included LGBTQ rights in Canada's citizenship guide.A leaked copy of Canada's new citizenship guide removed references to female genital mutilation. I do not understand why the minister cannot just condemn this process. It is ridiculous. Will the minister finally commit to reversing his decision to remove listing FGM as an intolerable practice from Canada's citizenship guide? This is a no-brainer.

Mr. Speaker, regarding the unfair treatment that benefits Netflix over its competitors, the Minister of Finance, and now the Prime Minister as well, are slamming the door on Quebeckers yet again. The Minister of Canadian Heritage was first in line, although clearly, her voice does not carry much weight around the cabinet table, nor do the voices of Liberal members from Quebec. They refuse to listen to the consensus in Quebec. The Minister of Canadian Heritage says one thing and then the Minister of Finance says the opposite. They need to get their stories straight.When will the government stop ignoring the consensus in Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, on January 1, not long from now, the tax reform will come into force and have an adverse effect on small and medium sized enterprises. They have not received any details. Tax experts have been clear that it is already too late. The minister will be squeezing even more money from businesses. It seems like they are getting a lump of coal for Christmas.Would the Prime Minister not give Canadians an actual gift instead by firing his Minister of Finance and giving our job creators a break from these repeated attacks?

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the Prime Minister promised that no veterans would have to fight their own government for the support and compensation they had earned. For the past two years, however, our veterans have been forced to fight this Prime Minister. Now there are reports that the backlog for veterans' disability benefits has grown by 50% since the end of March. Our veterans deserve unqualified respect, because they defended Canada. Why is the Prime Minister not defending them?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was Human Rights Day. Female genital mutilation is a human rights violation. Even though FGM is a crime in many countries, the practice continues because it is allowed to be shrouded in silence and victims can face stigma or much worse if they come forward. This is why Plan International charges us with raising awareness of the problem. With reports of FGM practitioners entering Canada, will the minister reverse his decision to remove listing FGM as an intolerable practice from Canada's citizenship guide?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committing to ensuring that all Canadians who are eligible for credits and benefits have access to them. Following concerns raised by Canadians, the agency is evaluating applications to determine whether or not there has been an impact on the delivery of the DTC. Through the disability advisory committee, disability advocates, medical professionals, indigenous advocates, and other important stakeholders will now be consulted on how the agency can improve its services to Canadians with disabilities. Unlike the previous government, we want these groups at the table.

Mr. Speaker, our objective has always been clear, to ensure that Canadians have access to the credits they are eligible to. With the reinstatement of the disability advisory committee, the agency will have a formal advisory process to work on improving the accessibility of its services to Canadians with disabilities. We are giving these groups back their seat at the table, which the Conservatives took away in 2006. This formal process will ensure that any future actions taken by the agency will be made in consultation with stakeholders.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our government values the work of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. That is something we will always continue to do. I encourage members opposite to have regard for those officers and the important work they do. We have an open, transparent, merit-based selection process. We have confidence in that process. We know we will be putting forward a name that will work hard for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the assertion by the member opposite that we have removed anything from a final citizenship guide is completely inaccurate. Just to be clear, the content for the new guide has not been finalized. Unlike the party opposite, we actually listened to stakeholders, we listened to experts. I want to remind the member opposite that it was her party that removed any references to LBGTQ2 rights, including anti-discrimination laws, from the citizenship guide. We will ensure that the new citizenship guide reflects all Canadians, not just a few.

Mr. Speaker, our government values the work of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We have put in place a new appointment process that supports an open, transparent, and merit-based selection that is open to all Canadians to apply to.We have confidence in this process, and it is from this process that a nominee will be named. The selection process requires a comprehensive approach. We will not undermine the process. The government has a responsibility to put forward a nominee, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We are committed to identifying the most qualified candidate through this process as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, our objective is that we will always stand behind the family business model. We have reduced taxes for small businesses from 11% to 10.5%, and to 9% by 2019. That is because we realize the importance of small businesses contributing to the prosperity and growth of Canada. We have great results. Our plan is working. We have the fastest growth in the G7, and 600,000 jobs were created in the last two years, most of them full-time. That is the work of this finance minister and this government supporting small business owners from coast to coast to coast.

Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner's term expires on January 8, but she has not finished her investigation into the Prime Minister's holiday to billionaire island. She has not finished her investigations into the finance minister's multiple conflicts of interest either. We have no commitment from the government that she will complete these investigations by January 8. We have no guarantee that the new ethics commissioner will pick up these investigations where she left off. What assurances can the government give that these ethics investigations into the Prime Minister and the finance minister will not simply be swept under the rug?

Mr. Speaker, on May 2, an internal Canada Revenue Agency email instructed officers to deny 80% of tax credit claims from diabetics.Last Friday, the agency announced that it would review all rejected claims. This is clearly an admission of guilt by the government. There is one thing that this government lacks, and that is honour.Could someone in this government rise and apologize to diabetics on behalf of their government?

Mr. Speaker, after two months of questions by the opposition and pressure from Diabetes Canada, the Liberals have finally said they will revert to their pre-May 2 policy. The strange thing is that even while the minister reverses her policy, she continues to deny she ever made a change in the first place.Will the minister finally admit that she made a choice to deny the credit she is now trying to cover her tracks in regard to, and will she apologize to type 1 diabetics?

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, we learned that more than 30 local and community newspapers throughout Ontario will shut down. These newspapers employ 291 people, who will all lose their jobs. Some of these local papers have been publishing since the 1800s.The people of Essex are lucky to still have their community news, but if the attitude of the Heritage Minister, who says the Liberals will not bail out local media, does not change, local newspapers will shut down in the communities of all members.How can the minister continue to sit back and do nothing when Canadians are losing jobs and their news sources?

Mr. Speaker, as I have just responded, we have put in place a new process, an open, transparent, and merit-based appointment process, in which Canadians are eligible to apply, as all positions are appointed online. We look forward to the outcomes of this process and putting forward a name. We look forward to working with opposition parties to ensure that the new nominee can start to work as soon as possible.

Mr. Speaker, as a registered nurse, I know how important it is to vulnerable groups to have their voices heard.With the announcement of the disability advisory committee last week, we will make sure of how the agency administers its credits and benefits for people with disabilities. Following concerns raised by Canadians, the agency is evaluating applications to determine whether or not there has been an impact on the delivery of the DTC. We will continue to take steps to improve the agency's services to all Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable in our country.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the workers and their families affected by the cuts in the print media industry. Canadians value local news, and our government will continue to support it. We know that reliable journalistic content is critical to a healthy democracy. We have already announced that we will be modernizing our programs to better support local media in both paper and digital formats. Our approach will be to support innovation, adaptation, and transition to the digital era. This is something our government takes very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, I have recused myself from any discussion concerning the appointment of the next conflict of interest and ethics commissioner. Moreover, four of my staff members have set up an ethics screen to prevent them from participating in these discussions.Having said that, my team responsible for appointments will continue to provide the same support to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and her staff as it does to all other ministers' offices, and as it has done for hundreds of appointments right across government.

Mr. Speaker, newspapers are closing across the country, and the principle of a free and democratic press is actually in jeopardy. The favouritism that the government is showing to American digital giants such as Netflix is a large part of the problem. After confusingly defending her scheme, the heritage minister threw the ball in the finance minister's court, who left her hanging by confirming that he will continue giving Netflix a free pass. With his cabinet in disarray on this issue, the Prime Minister must step in and defend the press. Will he do it?

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our goal has always been to ensure that family members who work in the family business can continue to do so and be be paid for it. We simply want to enhance tax fairness because at the moment some Canadians have access to tax benefits that are not available to the majority of Canada's middle class. I would like to remind the House that by 2019, all SME owners will benefit from a lower SME tax rate, which will be reduced from 10.5% to 9%. We are doing this because we recognize just how important SMEs are to Canada's prosperity and economic vitality.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is currently under investigation because he accepted a free trip, and his Minister of Finance is under investigation for a potential conflict of interest concerning the pension bill. The Ethics Commissioner is so busy with the Liberals that we are not certain that she will complete her investigations by the end of her term in office.Will the Prime Minister commit to ensuring that the investigations will continue after the Ethics Commissioner is replaced?

Mr. Speaker, considering the Liberal government's numerous ethical problems, the appointment of a new Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is a priority for Canadians. Canadians need assurances that the appointment will not be partisan.Can the Liberals assure us that the next Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner will continue the ongoing investigations into the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, all that remains to be done now is the rubber stamp of the Investment Canada Act for one of Canada's largest construction companies, Aecon, to be sold to a state-owned enterprise of the People's Republic of China, the China Communications Construction Company, CCCI. This company has a very troubling human rights, environmental, and safety record, yet it has not come before this House. We are not hearing about it. Could the Prime Minister assure this place that this sale will be put through a thorough review before Investment Canada rubber-stamps it?

Mr. Speaker, Le Courrier de Saint-Hyacinthe, which has been in print since 1853, is the oldest French newspaper in America and is a member of the Coalition pour la pérennité de la presse d'information au Québec.Local media are a pillar of democracy, and in all of our ridings, they are losing a significant portion of their ad revenue to web giants. This government keeps saying that it cares about information and about the future of our local media.When will this government support our local media, as it has done for so many other industries?

Mr. Speaker, we know that trustworthy journalistic content is essential to a healthy democracy. Our thoughts are with the employees and their families who have been affected by these cuts. Canadians value local media, and we will continue to support this industry. We have already announced that we are going to modernize our programs to better support the newspaper industry, both in print and online. We take this issue very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, our government has always been clear on this, and our position has not changed. We understand the concerns of the francophone cultural sector. We want to reassure people and and remind them that we have made historic investments in support of our culture.We have made massive investments in arts and culture, over $2.3 billion to be precise. We have reinvested in the Canada media fund to support television production. These investments have a tangible impact on our artists' lives.

Mr. Speaker, our government has always been very clear on this, and our position has not changed. We understand the concerns of the francophone cultural sector. We want to reassure the cultural sector of our support and point out that we have made historic investments in support of our culture. We have made massive investments in arts and culture, over $2.3 billion to be precise. We have reinvested in the Canada media fund to support television production. These investments have a tangible impact on our artists' lives.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of a government that makes the well-being of our seniors a priority not just for today, but for generations to come. In June 2016, the Minister of Finance partnered with the provinces and territories once again to implement a historic agreement to enhance the Canada pension plan, which should free 25% of Canadians from the burden of financial insecurity over the next few years. We are going to keep working very hard with the provinces and territories to ensure that these substantial improvements benefit as many Canadians as possible.

Mr. Speaker, the first thing we did when we came into office was to lower taxes on the middle class and raise them on the wealthiest 1%. Therefore, despite what the Conservatives and the NDP propose, we will not be raising taxes on Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to thalidomide survivors and we remain deeply committed to offering the support they need to live the rest of their lives with dignity and with respect.The thalidomide survivors contribution program is helping to support 122 Canadian thalidomide survivors, 25 of whom were identified using the objective review process that was put in place to access the eligibility of unconfirmed individuals. We wish to acknowledge and thank the health committee for its important work on this matter. We are reviewing its important report and we will be responding in due course.

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of the kind of patronage that the previous government put forward, we put forward an independent, merit-based process for government appointments. This ensures that government appointments are not only of the highest quality, but reflect the range and scope of experiences and diversity that make Canada strong.I know that every member of this House relies on the impartial and expert advice that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics commissioner will give, and I have the utmost confidence that the government House leader is managing this appointment process appropriately and as must be expected.

Mr. Speaker, the assertion by the member opposite is completely inaccurate. To be clear, the content of the new guide has not been finalized. Unlike the previous government, we are engaging with a range of stakeholders and subject matter experts to make sure the new guide better captures the contributions of women, the role of indigenous people, and members of the LGBTQ2 and francophone communities. I will remind the member opposite that it was her party that removed any references to the LGBTQ2 community rights, including anti-discrimination laws, from the citizenship guide.

Mr. Speaker, here is what happened. For 10 years, the Conservative government closed veterans' service centres. It exploited the image of veterans, yet neglected to provide them with the services and benefits they were entitled to. However, over the past two years, we have reopened these service centres and invested much more money to support veterans, in addition to providing them with much more help. Veterans are starting to come to us with suggestions. After losing hope under the previous government, they are getting back into the system, our new system, and that is a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, our government values the work of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.We have put in place a new appointment process based on an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process. All interested Canadians may apply. We have confidence in this process, and it is from this process that the next person will be appointed. We are committed to identifying the most qualified candidates through this process as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has aggravated the crisis in local media by slashing its own advertising in Canadian publications, while pouring millions of dollars into American digital giants. In a report tabled last week, the government operations committee unanimously recommended increasing the share of federal advertising in Canadian publications.Will the government follow this all-party recommendation to support our local media and reach more Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Canada 150 has been a rousing success, and no more so than in St. John's East where we celebrated Canada Day for the 69th time, with cultural events that brought us together as Canadians.As Canada 150 winds down, the Avalon Celtics, a peewee hockey team from my riding of St. John's East, are very excited to have the opportunity to participate in the closing celebrations on Parliament Hill.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage talk about the success of Canada 150 and—

Mr. Speaker, a renewed nation-to-nation relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership with the indigenous peoples of Canada is a top priority for our government.We are working with the five Nuu-chah-nulth nations to resolve fisheries disputes and to maintain stability and operational predictability in the interests of all fishers in British Columbia.Since this case is before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on it at this time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague from the opposition that the details will be coming in very shortly. Our objective is to bring more tax fairness to a system where there are inequities built into the system. Our objective is also to always support the family business model. We have no intention of impacting the family members who work in a business. I might also remind the member that what is good for small businesses is the fact that we have reduced taxes for small businesses from 11% to 10.5%, to eventually 9% by 2019. The growth in Canada is the fastest in the G7, and 600,000 jobs were created. That is good for all businesses.

Mr. Speaker, our trade agenda puts people at the centre of what we do. In budget 2017, we announced regulatory amendments to ensure that unions would have the right to participate in trade remedy proceedings. New regulations will come into force early in 2018 and will require relevant unions to be identified in dumping and subsidy complaints and to explicitly identify trade unions as interested parties in various trade remedy proceedings. Canadian workers deserve to have a voice in these proceedings, and we are taking action to ensure they are heard.

Mr. Speaker, our government took another step to making government more open and transparent and accountable by delivering on our commitment to eliminate partisan advertising and to modernize its communications. We now have a process in place for conducting independent reviews of paid government advertising to ensure that it is non-partisan. In addition to that, we have reduced our advertising budget by 50% compared to the previous Conservative government with its partisan advertising.We are proud of what we are doing, and we appreciate the work of the committee in looking at the advertising budget for the future years.

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to be part of a government that has lifted 13,000 seniors out of poverty over the past few years by increasing the guaranteed income supplement. In addition, thanks to our decision to bring the age of eligibility for old age security from 67 back down to 65, 100,000 seniors have been able to escape destitution.I am proud to be part of a government that is working with the provinces and territories right now to make the Canada pension plan even more flexible and generous for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, in Canada's new defence policy, we are committed to making sure we modernize our Canadian navy. As part of the national shipbuilding strategy, two permanent joint supply ships are required for our navy. However, because of the previous cuts, a capability gap was left and because of that, the interim capability gap will be filled by Davie shipyard, which built the Asterix. We thank it very much for its tremendous work.

Mr. Speaker, delay is the deadliest form of denial. Canadians can clearly see, by the Liberals' unacceptable delay in appointing a new Ethics Commissioner and the PM's flippant disregard of the ethics laws and regulations fundamental to the House, that ethical practices are discretionary for Liberals.Canadians deserve rulings on the ethical lapses of the Prime Minister and his finance minister. Will he commit to appointing a new Ethics Commissioner who will continue these important investigations?

Mr. Speaker, there was no need for a committee to resolve a situation that was completely unacceptable.When we were in power, 80% of claims were approved. When the Liberals are in power, 80% of claims are denied. The Minister of National Revenue rose 23 times in the House and stated that there had been no changes in the rules. Last Friday, her department said the exact opposite.I will ask my question again. Is there anyone in this government who will do the honourable thing and rise to tell diabetics that the government made a mistake and is apologizing?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The government has put a lot of emphasis on protecting and promoting human rights in Canada and abroad. The first-ever national housing strategy is a perfect example. The government has announced the progressive implementation of every Canadian's right to adequate housing.Could the minister responsible for housing tell us what that means for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Nuu-chah-nulth people are eager to reconcile but the Liberals keep fighting them in court. Nuu-chah-nulth fishers have waited since 2009 to exercise their right to catch and sell fish in their own territories. The courts, right up to the Supreme Court of Canada, have confirmed their right to do so, yet the current government still does not honour their rights. The Liberals claim their most important relationship is with indigenous people. Therefore, when will they prove they are serious about reconciliation, end this costly prosecution of the Nuu-chah-nulth people, and finally recognize their fishing rights?

Mr. Speaker, our minister and our senior officials have been meeting on this file for over two years. We share a consensus in every part of this country that the current system of cannabis control is failing our kids, enriching organized crime, and putting the health of Canadians at risk.We continue to remain committed to a respectful discussion with our provincial, territorial, and municipal partners to ensure that those who have responsibilities have the resources they need to fulfill those responsibilities.

Mr. Speaker, the clock continues to tick on three important investigations by the Ethics Commissioner: two of the Prime Minister's conflict of interest holiday violations and, of course, the most recent of several involving the finance minister. However, as Canadians wait patiently for the commissioner to report, her spokesperson says that if these reports are not completed before she leaves office in the coming weeks, it will be up to her unnamed successor to continue, restart, or abandon those investigations.Will the Prime Minister commit to appointing someone who will continue these important investigations?

Mr. Speaker, six months ago, the health committee reported to the minister that Canada's thalidomide program needed to be revamped to include the forgotten survivors, beyond the 25 that the government continues to reference. It is almost Christmas again and these survivors are still suffering pain, discrimination, and humiliation.When will the minister show some compassion, do the right thing, and include the forgotten survivors in the compensation program?

Mr. Speaker, like many Canadians, veterans are now realizing that the Prime Minister said just about anything during the campaign to get elected. It is the Liberal government's record that has resulted in an increase of 50% for the backlogs of these cases. That is on him and his government, nobody else's.The defence ombudsman has made simple, easy recommendations to improve the transition of our armed forces members onto the veterans affairs payroll, and this Prime Minister has yet to act on any of them. When will he start listening to the advice of experts and stand up for our vets?

Mr. Speaker, every proposed investment of this scale is examined on a case-by-case basis to ensure that it is in Canada's best interest. This rigorous process is done in consultation with our national security agencies. When it comes to the health and safety of Canadian workers, this is an issue we take very seriously. We are currently working with provinces and territories to improve occupational health and safety regulations. We expect all companies operating in Canada to follow all provincial and federal regulations and make sure workers have a safe working environment.

Mr. Speaker, again, let me be absolutely clear that the law and the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit have not changed. We will continue to improve the accessibility of this credit to Canadians and have already taken extremely important actions. We have simplified the application form. We have allowed more nurse practitioners to certify those patients' applications, and with the reinstatement of the disability advisory committee, we are bringing stakeholders back to the table to better determine how we can improve access even more.

Mr. Speaker, it is fairly straightforward what happened. So many veterans had abandoned the idea of getting help under the previous government that now that we are putting in place systems and benefits they can access, reopening offices that Conservatives shuttered, more and more veterans are coming forward to claim what this government, and all governments, owe them.This is a good thing. What is great is that we have been tooling up over the past years so that we can give all the veterans what they are entitled to. The veterans coming forward to claim their benefits—

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking and commending my colleague from Brossard—Saint-Lambert for the remarkable work she does for her constituents and to support the right to housing. The right to housing is a fundamental right that must be guaranteed to all Canadians. The right to housing is also the cornerstone of the Government of Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, a strategy that will reduce homelessness in Canada by 50% and help 500,000 Canadians out of unaffordable or substandard housing conditions. Canadians are all very pleased that the Government of Canada is back as a strong, reliable, long-term housing partner.

Mr. Speaker, our government believes that the benefits of free trade should result in opportunities for all Canadians. Could the Minister of Finance update the House on what our government is doing to deliver on its commitment to allow for participation of unions in Canadian trade remedy proceedings?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for St. John's East for his question and for his excellent work.Last week, for the first time ever, a temporary family skating rink was installed on Parliament Hill.In addition to free family skating time, 32 peewee hockey teams from coast to coast to coast will be here to compete in the “Hockey on the Hill” tournament. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these young players. We look forward to welcoming all Canadians as we close out the Canada 150 celebrations.

Mr. Speaker, with the Preserver and the Protecteur out of service, there is an operational gap at the Royal Canadian Navy. We are talking about a decade. Even the Standing Committee on National Defence, on which the Liberals have the majority, has recognized this vulnerability caused by delays in the naval procurement strategy. Our Conservative government did not hesitate. We commissioned the Asterix, which was built on time.The Minister of National Defence is out of excuses for failing to honour his own policy and award a contract to the shipyard for the Obelix.When will we see the Obelix?

Mr. Speaker, with the Preserver and the Protecteur out of service, there is an operational gap at the Royal Canadian Navy. We are talking about a decade. Even the Standing Committee on National Defence, on which the Liberals have the majority, has recognized this vulnerability caused by delays in the naval procurement strategy. Our Conservative government did not hesitate. We commissioned the Asterix, which was built on time.The Minister of National Defence is out of excuses for failing to honour his own policy and award a contract to the shipyard for the Obelix.When will we see the Obelix?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for St. John's East for his question and for his excellent work.Last week, for the first time ever, a temporary family skating rink was installed on Parliament Hill.In addition to free family skating time, 32 peewee hockey teams from coast to coast to coast will be here to compete in the “Hockey on the Hill” tournament. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these young players. We look forward to welcoming all Canadians as we close out the Canada 150 celebrations.

Mr. Speaker, our government believes that the benefits of free trade should result in opportunities for all Canadians. Could the Minister of Finance update the House on what our government is doing to deliver on its commitment to allow for participation of unions in Canadian trade remedy proceedings?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking and commending my colleague from Brossard—Saint-Lambert for the remarkable work she does for her constituents and to support the right to housing. The right to housing is a fundamental right that must be guaranteed to all Canadians. The right to housing is also the cornerstone of the Government of Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, a strategy that will reduce homelessness in Canada by 50% and help 500,000 Canadians out of unaffordable or substandard housing conditions. Canadians are all very pleased that the Government of Canada is back as a strong, reliable, long-term housing partner.

Mr. Speaker, it is fairly straightforward what happened. So many veterans had abandoned the idea of getting help under the previous government that now that we are putting in place systems and benefits they can access, reopening offices that Conservatives shuttered, more and more veterans are coming forward to claim what this government, and all governments, owe them.This is a good thing. What is great is that we have been tooling up over the past years so that we can give all the veterans what they are entitled to. The veterans coming forward to claim their benefits—

Mr. Speaker, again, let me be absolutely clear that the law and the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit have not changed. We will continue to improve the accessibility of this credit to Canadians and have already taken extremely important actions. We have simplified the application form. We have allowed more nurse practitioners to certify those patients' applications, and with the reinstatement of the disability advisory committee, we are bringing stakeholders back to the table to better determine how we can improve access even more.

Mr. Speaker, every proposed investment of this scale is examined on a case-by-case basis to ensure that it is in Canada's best interest. This rigorous process is done in consultation with our national security agencies. When it comes to the health and safety of Canadian workers, this is an issue we take very seriously. We are currently working with provinces and territories to improve occupational health and safety regulations. We expect all companies operating in Canada to follow all provincial and federal regulations and make sure workers have a safe working environment.

Mr. Speaker, like many Canadians, veterans are now realizing that the Prime Minister said just about anything during the campaign to get elected. It is the Liberal government's record that has resulted in an increase of 50% for the backlogs of these cases. That is on him and his government, nobody else's.The defence ombudsman has made simple, easy recommendations to improve the transition of our armed forces members onto the veterans affairs payroll, and this Prime Minister has yet to act on any of them. When will he start listening to the advice of experts and stand up for our vets?

Mr. Speaker, six months ago, the health committee reported to the minister that Canada's thalidomide program needed to be revamped to include the forgotten survivors, beyond the 25 that the government continues to reference. It is almost Christmas again and these survivors are still suffering pain, discrimination, and humiliation.When will the minister show some compassion, do the right thing, and include the forgotten survivors in the compensation program?

Mr. Speaker, the clock continues to tick on three important investigations by the Ethics Commissioner: two of the Prime Minister's conflict of interest holiday violations and, of course, the most recent of several involving the finance minister. However, as Canadians wait patiently for the commissioner to report, her spokesperson says that if these reports are not completed before she leaves office in the coming weeks, it will be up to her unnamed successor to continue, restart, or abandon those investigations.Will the Prime Minister commit to appointing someone who will continue these important investigations?

Mr. Speaker, our minister and our senior officials have been meeting on this file for over two years. We share a consensus in every part of this country that the current system of cannabis control is failing our kids, enriching organized crime, and putting the health of Canadians at risk.We continue to remain committed to a respectful discussion with our provincial, territorial, and municipal partners to ensure that those who have responsibilities have the resources they need to fulfill those responsibilities.

Mr. Speaker, the Nuu-chah-nulth people are eager to reconcile but the Liberals keep fighting them in court. Nuu-chah-nulth fishers have waited since 2009 to exercise their right to catch and sell fish in their own territories. The courts, right up to the Supreme Court of Canada, have confirmed their right to do so, yet the current government still does not honour their rights. The Liberals claim their most important relationship is with indigenous people. Therefore, when will they prove they are serious about reconciliation, end this costly prosecution of the Nuu-chah-nulth people, and finally recognize their fishing rights?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The government has put a lot of emphasis on protecting and promoting human rights in Canada and abroad. The first-ever national housing strategy is a perfect example. The government has announced the progressive implementation of every Canadian's right to adequate housing.Could the minister responsible for housing tell us what that means for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, there was no need for a committee to resolve a situation that was completely unacceptable.When we were in power, 80% of claims were approved. When the Liberals are in power, 80% of claims are denied. The Minister of National Revenue rose 23 times in the House and stated that there had been no changes in the rules. Last Friday, her department said the exact opposite.I will ask my question again. Is there anyone in this government who will do the honourable thing and rise to tell diabetics that the government made a mistake and is apologizing?

Mr. Speaker, delay is the deadliest form of denial. Canadians can clearly see, by the Liberals' unacceptable delay in appointing a new Ethics Commissioner and the PM's flippant disregard of the ethics laws and regulations fundamental to the House, that ethical practices are discretionary for Liberals.Canadians deserve rulings on the ethical lapses of the Prime Minister and his finance minister. Will he commit to appointing a new Ethics Commissioner who will continue these important investigations?

Mr. Speaker, in Canada's new defence policy, we are committed to making sure we modernize our Canadian navy. As part of the national shipbuilding strategy, two permanent joint supply ships are required for our navy. However, because of the previous cuts, a capability gap was left and because of that, the interim capability gap will be filled by Davie shipyard, which built the Asterix. We thank it very much for its tremendous work.

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to be part of a government that has lifted 13,000 seniors out of poverty over the past few years by increasing the guaranteed income supplement. In addition, thanks to our decision to bring the age of eligibility for old age security from 67 back down to 65, 100,000 seniors have been able to escape destitution.I am proud to be part of a government that is working with the provinces and territories right now to make the Canada pension plan even more flexible and generous for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, our government took another step to making government more open and transparent and accountable by delivering on our commitment to eliminate partisan advertising and to modernize its communications. We now have a process in place for conducting independent reviews of paid government advertising to ensure that it is non-partisan. In addition to that, we have reduced our advertising budget by 50% compared to the previous Conservative government with its partisan advertising.We are proud of what we are doing, and we appreciate the work of the committee in looking at the advertising budget for the future years.

Mr. Speaker, our trade agenda puts people at the centre of what we do. In budget 2017, we announced regulatory amendments to ensure that unions would have the right to participate in trade remedy proceedings. New regulations will come into force early in 2018 and will require relevant unions to be identified in dumping and subsidy complaints and to explicitly identify trade unions as interested parties in various trade remedy proceedings. Canadian workers deserve to have a voice in these proceedings, and we are taking action to ensure they are heard.

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague from the opposition that the details will be coming in very shortly. Our objective is to bring more tax fairness to a system where there are inequities built into the system. Our objective is also to always support the family business model. We have no intention of impacting the family members who work in a business. I might also remind the member that what is good for small businesses is the fact that we have reduced taxes for small businesses from 11% to 10.5%, to eventually 9% by 2019. The growth in Canada is the fastest in the G7, and 600,000 jobs were created. That is good for all businesses.

Mr. Speaker, a renewed nation-to-nation relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership with the indigenous peoples of Canada is a top priority for our government.We are working with the five Nuu-chah-nulth nations to resolve fisheries disputes and to maintain stability and operational predictability in the interests of all fishers in British Columbia.Since this case is before the Supreme Court of British Columbia, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on it at this time.

Mr. Speaker, Canada 150 has been a rousing success, and no more so than in St. John's East where we celebrated Canada Day for the 69th time, with cultural events that brought us together as Canadians.As Canada 150 winds down, the Avalon Celtics, a peewee hockey team from my riding of St. John's East, are very excited to have the opportunity to participate in the closing celebrations on Parliament Hill.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage talk about the success of Canada 150 and—

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has aggravated the crisis in local media by slashing its own advertising in Canadian publications, while pouring millions of dollars into American digital giants. In a report tabled last week, the government operations committee unanimously recommended increasing the share of federal advertising in Canadian publications.Will the government follow this all-party recommendation to support our local media and reach more Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, our government values the work of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.We have put in place a new appointment process based on an open, transparent, and merit-based selection process. All interested Canadians may apply. We have confidence in this process, and it is from this process that the next person will be appointed. We are committed to identifying the most qualified candidates through this process as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, here is what happened. For 10 years, the Conservative government closed veterans' service centres. It exploited the image of veterans, yet neglected to provide them with the services and benefits they were entitled to. However, over the past two years, we have reopened these service centres and invested much more money to support veterans, in addition to providing them with much more help. Veterans are starting to come to us with suggestions. After losing hope under the previous government, they are getting back into the system, our new system, and that is a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, the assertion by the member opposite is completely inaccurate. To be clear, the content of the new guide has not been finalized. Unlike the previous government, we are engaging with a range of stakeholders and subject matter experts to make sure the new guide better captures the contributions of women, the role of indigenous people, and members of the LGBTQ2 and francophone communities. I will remind the member opposite that it was her party that removed any references to the LGBTQ2 community rights, including anti-discrimination laws, from the citizenship guide.

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of the kind of patronage that the previous government put forward, we put forward an independent, merit-based process for government appointments. This ensures that government appointments are not only of the highest quality, but reflect the range and scope of experiences and diversity that make Canada strong.I know that every member of this House relies on the impartial and expert advice that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics commissioner will give, and I have the utmost confidence that the government House leader is managing this appointment process appropriately and as must be expected.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to thalidomide survivors and we remain deeply committed to offering the support they need to live the rest of their lives with dignity and with respect.The thalidomide survivors contribution program is helping to support 122 Canadian thalidomide survivors, 25 of whom were identified using the objective review process that was put in place to access the eligibility of unconfirmed individuals. We wish to acknowledge and thank the health committee for its important work on this matter. We are reviewing its important report and we will be responding in due course.

Mr. Speaker, the first thing we did when we came into office was to lower taxes on the middle class and raise them on the wealthiest 1%. Therefore, despite what the Conservatives and the NDP propose, we will not be raising taxes on Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be part of a government that makes the well-being of our seniors a priority not just for today, but for generations to come. In June 2016, the Minister of Finance partnered with the provinces and territories once again to implement a historic agreement to enhance the Canada pension plan, which should free 25% of Canadians from the burden of financial insecurity over the next few years. We are going to keep working very hard with the provinces and territories to ensure that these substantial improvements benefit as many Canadians as possible.

Mr. Speaker, our government has always been very clear on this, and our position has not changed. We understand the concerns of the francophone cultural sector. We want to reassure the cultural sector of our support and point out that we have made historic investments in support of our culture. We have made massive investments in arts and culture, over $2.3 billion to be precise. We have reinvested in the Canada media fund to support television production. These investments have a tangible impact on our artists' lives.

Mr. Speaker, our government has always been clear on this, and our position has not changed. We understand the concerns of the francophone cultural sector. We want to reassure people and and remind them that we have made historic investments in support of our culture.We have made massive investments in arts and culture, over $2.3 billion to be precise. We have reinvested in the Canada media fund to support television production. These investments have a tangible impact on our artists' lives.

Mr. Speaker, we know that trustworthy journalistic content is essential to a healthy democracy. Our thoughts are with the employees and their families who have been affected by these cuts. Canadians value local media, and we will continue to support this industry. We have already announced that we are going to modernize our programs to better support the newspaper industry, both in print and online. We take this issue very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, Le Courrier de Saint-Hyacinthe, which has been in print since 1853, is the oldest French newspaper in America and is a member of the Coalition pour la pérennité de la presse d'information au Québec.Local media are a pillar of democracy, and in all of our ridings, they are losing a significant portion of their ad revenue to web giants. This government keeps saying that it cares about information and about the future of our local media.When will this government support our local media, as it has done for so many other industries?

Mr. Speaker, all that remains to be done now is the rubber stamp of the Investment Canada Act for one of Canada's largest construction companies, Aecon, to be sold to a state-owned enterprise of the People's Republic of China, the China Communications Construction Company, CCCI. This company has a very troubling human rights, environmental, and safety record, yet it has not come before this House. We are not hearing about it. Could the Prime Minister assure this place that this sale will be put through a thorough review before Investment Canada rubber-stamps it?

Mr. Speaker, considering the Liberal government's numerous ethical problems, the appointment of a new Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is a priority for Canadians. Canadians need assurances that the appointment will not be partisan.Can the Liberals assure us that the next Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner will continue the ongoing investigations into the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is currently under investigation because he accepted a free trip, and his Minister of Finance is under investigation for a potential conflict of interest concerning the pension bill. The Ethics Commissioner is so busy with the Liberals that we are not certain that she will complete her investigations by the end of her term in office.Will the Prime Minister commit to ensuring that the investigations will continue after the Ethics Commissioner is replaced?

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our goal has always been to ensure that family members who work in the family business can continue to do so and be be paid for it. We simply want to enhance tax fairness because at the moment some Canadians have access to tax benefits that are not available to the majority of Canada's middle class. I would like to remind the House that by 2019, all SME owners will benefit from a lower SME tax rate, which will be reduced from 10.5% to 9%. We are doing this because we recognize just how important SMEs are to Canada's prosperity and economic vitality.

Mr. Speaker, newspapers are closing across the country, and the principle of a free and democratic press is actually in jeopardy. The favouritism that the government is showing to American digital giants such as Netflix is a large part of the problem. After confusingly defending her scheme, the heritage minister threw the ball in the finance minister's court, who left her hanging by confirming that he will continue giving Netflix a free pass. With his cabinet in disarray on this issue, the Prime Minister must step in and defend the press. Will he do it?

Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, I have recused myself from any discussion concerning the appointment of the next conflict of interest and ethics commissioner. Moreover, four of my staff members have set up an ethics screen to prevent them from participating in these discussions.Having said that, my team responsible for appointments will continue to provide the same support to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and her staff as it does to all other ministers' offices, and as it has done for hundreds of appointments right across government.

Mr. Speaker, as a registered nurse, I know how important it is to vulnerable groups to have their voices heard.With the announcement of the disability advisory committee last week, we will make sure of how the agency administers its credits and benefits for people with disabilities. Following concerns raised by Canadians, the agency is evaluating applications to determine whether or not there has been an impact on the delivery of the DTC. We will continue to take steps to improve the agency's services to all Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable in our country.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the workers and their families affected by the cuts in the print media industry. Canadians value local news, and our government will continue to support it. We know that reliable journalistic content is critical to a healthy democracy. We have already announced that we will be modernizing our programs to better support local media in both paper and digital formats. Our approach will be to support innovation, adaptation, and transition to the digital era. This is something our government takes very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, as I have just responded, we have put in place a new process, an open, transparent, and merit-based appointment process, in which Canadians are eligible to apply, as all positions are appointed online. We look forward to the outcomes of this process and putting forward a name. We look forward to working with opposition parties to ensure that the new nominee can start to work as soon as possible.

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, we learned that more than 30 local and community newspapers throughout Ontario will shut down. These newspapers employ 291 people, who will all lose their jobs. Some of these local papers have been publishing since the 1800s.The people of Essex are lucky to still have their community news, but if the attitude of the Heritage Minister, who says the Liberals will not bail out local media, does not change, local newspapers will shut down in the communities of all members.How can the minister continue to sit back and do nothing when Canadians are losing jobs and their news sources?

Mr. Speaker, on May 2, an internal Canada Revenue Agency email instructed officers to deny 80% of tax credit claims from diabetics.Last Friday, the agency announced that it would review all rejected claims. This is clearly an admission of guilt by the government. There is one thing that this government lacks, and that is honour.Could someone in this government rise and apologize to diabetics on behalf of their government?

Mr. Speaker, after two months of questions by the opposition and pressure from Diabetes Canada, the Liberals have finally said they will revert to their pre-May 2 policy. The strange thing is that even while the minister reverses her policy, she continues to deny she ever made a change in the first place.Will the minister finally admit that she made a choice to deny the credit she is now trying to cover her tracks in regard to, and will she apologize to type 1 diabetics?

Mr. Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner's term expires on January 8, but she has not finished her investigation into the Prime Minister's holiday to billionaire island. She has not finished her investigations into the finance minister's multiple conflicts of interest either. We have no commitment from the government that she will complete these investigations by January 8. We have no guarantee that the new ethics commissioner will pick up these investigations where she left off. What assurances can the government give that these ethics investigations into the Prime Minister and the finance minister will not simply be swept under the rug?

Mr. Speaker, our objective is that we will always stand behind the family business model. We have reduced taxes for small businesses from 11% to 10.5%, and to 9% by 2019. That is because we realize the importance of small businesses contributing to the prosperity and growth of Canada. We have great results. Our plan is working. We have the fastest growth in the G7, and 600,000 jobs were created in the last two years, most of them full-time. That is the work of this finance minister and this government supporting small business owners from coast to coast to coast.

Mr. Speaker, our government values the work of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. We have put in place a new appointment process that supports an open, transparent, and merit-based selection that is open to all Canadians to apply to.We have confidence in this process, and it is from this process that a nominee will be named. The selection process requires a comprehensive approach. We will not undermine the process. The government has a responsibility to put forward a nominee, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We are committed to identifying the most qualified candidate through this process as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, the assertion by the member opposite that we have removed anything from a final citizenship guide is completely inaccurate. Just to be clear, the content for the new guide has not been finalized. Unlike the party opposite, we actually listened to stakeholders, we listened to experts. I want to remind the member opposite that it was her party that removed any references to LBGTQ2 rights, including anti-discrimination laws, from the citizenship guide. We will ensure that the new citizenship guide reflects all Canadians, not just a few.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our government values the work of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. That is something we will always continue to do. I encourage members opposite to have regard for those officers and the important work they do. We have an open, transparent, merit-based selection process. We have confidence in that process. We know we will be putting forward a name that will work hard for all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our objective has always been clear, to ensure that Canadians have access to the credits they are eligible to. With the reinstatement of the disability advisory committee, the agency will have a formal advisory process to work on improving the accessibility of its services to Canadians with disabilities. We are giving these groups back their seat at the table, which the Conservatives took away in 2006. This formal process will ensure that any future actions taken by the agency will be made in consultation with stakeholders.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committing to ensuring that all Canadians who are eligible for credits and benefits have access to them. Following concerns raised by Canadians, the agency is evaluating applications to determine whether or not there has been an impact on the delivery of the DTC. Through the disability advisory committee, disability advocates, medical professionals, indigenous advocates, and other important stakeholders will now be consulted on how the agency can improve its services to Canadians with disabilities. Unlike the previous government, we want these groups at the table.

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the Prime Minister promised that no veterans would have to fight their own government for the support and compensation they had earned. For the past two years, however, our veterans have been forced to fight this Prime Minister. Now there are reports that the backlog for veterans' disability benefits has grown by 50% since the end of March. Our veterans deserve unqualified respect, because they defended Canada. Why is the Prime Minister not defending them?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was Human Rights Day. Female genital mutilation is a human rights violation. Even though FGM is a crime in many countries, the practice continues because it is allowed to be shrouded in silence and victims can face stigma or much worse if they come forward. This is why Plan International charges us with raising awareness of the problem. With reports of FGM practitioners entering Canada, will the minister reverse his decision to remove listing FGM as an intolerable practice from Canada's citizenship guide?

Mr. Speaker, on January 1, not long from now, the tax reform will come into force and have an adverse effect on small and medium sized enterprises. They have not received any details. Tax experts have been clear that it is already too late. The minister will be squeezing even more money from businesses. It seems like they are getting a lump of coal for Christmas.Would the Prime Minister not give Canadians an actual gift instead by firing his Minister of Finance and giving our job creators a break from these repeated attacks?

Mr. Speaker, regarding the unfair treatment that benefits Netflix over its competitors, the Minister of Finance, and now the Prime Minister as well, are slamming the door on Quebeckers yet again. The Minister of Canadian Heritage was first in line, although clearly, her voice does not carry much weight around the cabinet table, nor do the voices of Liberal members from Quebec. They refuse to listen to the consensus in Quebec. The Minister of Canadian Heritage says one thing and then the Minister of Finance says the opposite. They need to get their stories straight.When will the government stop ignoring the consensus in Quebec?

Actually, Mr. Speaker, it was the former Conservative government that first included LGBTQ rights in Canada's citizenship guide.A leaked copy of Canada's new citizenship guide removed references to female genital mutilation. I do not understand why the minister cannot just condemn this process. It is ridiculous. Will the minister finally commit to reversing his decision to remove listing FGM as an intolerable practice from Canada's citizenship guide? This is a no-brainer.

Mr. Speaker, only to a Liberal would increasing spending and getting worse results be a good thing. Canadians are sick at this point of the attitude. It is not just veterans who are realizing that the government has had a mean-spirited and cold-hearted attitude towards them. Those who have applied for disability tax credits have realized it as well.Just last week, the Minister of National Revenue told this House, “I would like to reassure all Canadians who receive the disability tax credit that the eligibility criteria have not changed.”However, on Friday, her parliamentary secretary apologized for that very change, which saw 80% of applicants seeing their claims denied.Can the Prime Minister explain, if there was not a policy change, exactly what did his government apologize for?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that we have worked very, very hard over the past two years to restore the kinds of benefits that our veterans deserve and that they did not get under 10 years of a Conservative government. There is much to do, and there continues to be more to do. We look forward to continuing to work with veterans groups to ensure that the new lifelong pension is restored to the level that everyone can expect. These are the kinds of things that we know need to happen, and they need to happen right, and that is why we are taking it so very, very seriously.

Mr. Speaker, with less than a third of cases actually meeting departmental targets, the government is barely paying lip service to veterans. The department remains understaffed, thanks to Conservative cuts and the Liberals' failure to hire enough staff to meet increased demands, and veterans are still waiting to hear what the government's new promised pension scheme will be.What is the delay? Where is the plan? Will the minister release his plan for our country's veterans before the House rises?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister plans a reasonableness test to determine what small businesses can pay their family members. Here is what the former chief justice of the tax court says about it: “I think it’s going to substantially increase the number of cases that go to the court, because it’s going to be a battle between the CRA and the taxpayers as to what ‘reasonable’ means in various situations.”How much will this cobweb of rules cost the CRA to enforce, small businesses to comply with, and both of them to litigate?

Mr. Speaker, we listened to Canadians and business owners from coast to coast to coast. We reviewed the proposals that were submitted over the past few months. Details about income sprinkling as it relates to our tax reform will soon be available to all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, a year ago, I wrote to the finance minister, asking him to use his meeting with the country's finance ministers to fix his flawed CPP enhancement legislation and restore the drop out provisions for child rearing and those living with disabilities. Despite promising to bring it up as a priority with his counterparts, we have not heard of any results to date. Is this another item on the list of hollow promises from the government? Will the finance minister use today's meeting to do the right thing and finally fix the problem that will affect 14 million Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the drop out provisions were not included in the changes to the Canada pension plan, and this omission will affect 14 million Canadians, especially women and people with disabilities.The NDP has been raising this issue for over a year, but the Liberals have yet to do anything about it. However, they still have time to fix this major omission.Will the minister roll up his sleeves for women and people with disabilities and bring up the subject of the Canada pension plan at the finance ministers' meeting, in order to fix the flaws in this bill?

Mr. Speaker, we are extremely concerned and disappointed with India's increase in import duties of 50% on all peas without providing any advance notification. We are raising our concerns with the Government of India, including the recent trade mission, led by the Minister of International Trade, who raises this issue at every opportunity. We will continue to work with our farmers to make sure they get every opportunity possible.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage came back to Montreal on Friday to say the same thing she had said two months ago. The only difference was that she added that she had heard Quebec and would stop defending Netflix's tax break, but that the Minister of Finance would have to be consulted. Quebec is united in condemning the unfair tax treatment enjoyed by Netflix and other web giants. Everyone is against it, including unions, business leaders, the media, journalists, and artists. Did the Minister of Finance give any answer other than no? This is pathetic. Is that how important Quebec's unanimous opinion is to this government and to the Prime Minister?Do they have anything to offer besides the same old blather at UNESCO and standing up to defend our culture, or are they going to defend the indefensible—

Mr. Speaker, with Canada's $4-billion pulse industry in jeopardy, a Liberal trade mission to India, which did not include the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, came back empty-handed. Grain companies have stopped buying peas because of a 50% duty. Pulse producers have lost $360 million and they face some very difficult decisions as they prepare for next season. The Liberals bet Canada's farm when they went all in on China, and they lost. Now critical trade agreements, along with alternative market access, are in serious jeopardy.When is the agriculture minister going to start doing his job and start fighting to secure vital market access for Canada's pulse producers?

Mr. Speaker, things have been going downhill for veterans ever since this government came to power two years ago. Sooner or later, the government is going to have to take responsibility for that.It is the Government of Canada's responsibility and duty to ensure that those who have served our country are not left out in the cold, but apparently 71% of veterans are still waiting longer than three months to get their pension. That has a significant negative impact on their finances and their lives.Will the Prime Minister ensure that pensions and support for veterans and their families are in place before they leave the army?

Mr. Speaker, do they remember the last time that the Liberals said these small business tax increases were no big deal and the small business owners should not worry? That did not go so well for the Liberals. Have the Liberals learned absolutely nothing? They are punishing small businesses again, not just with this hypocritical tax increase, but by the minister's ignoring small business owners' very substantial questions for some information. The Minister of Finance always seems to be hiding something, does he not? What is he hiding now from small business owners?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage must be pretty hard of hearing because it took her three months to hear what everyone in Quebec was telling her.It is dangerous to give breaks to foreign multinationals. The minister may have heard but she will not listen; she is knuckling under to the Minister of Finance, who has said no. The Liberals are a bunch of puppets.Does anyone over there realize that refusing to tax online transactions compromises not just our culture, but the whole of our economy?

Mr. Speaker, let me reassure my colleague. The details about our reform regarding income sprinkling will be announced very soon. I would remind my hon. colleague that our goal is not to have an impact on family businesses so much as to inject a bit of tax fairness into our system. We think that it is unfair that some wealthier Canadians can use a private corporation to save the equivalent of the average annual salary in Canada, or $48,000. We want to enhance tax fairness. I know that that is a difficult concept for the opposition to understand.

Mr. Speaker, with only three weeks left until the tax changes come into effect, the Minister of Finance refuses to tell small businesses what effect the changes will have on them. He says that it is no big deal. We know it is not a big deal for the minister, because he has his millions sheltered from taxes in offshore accounts and numbered companies, but it is a big deal to local small business owners who are trying to deal with hypocritical and unfair Liberal tax changes. Why is the Minister of Finance so disrespectful to our small business owners?

Mr. Speaker, over the past two years, we have worked hard to restore the level of service our veterans expect and deserve.We still have work to do, but we note that many veterans are submitting their applications under a system that failed them for 10 years under the Conservative government.That is why we are working very hard to meet the requirements. We have reopened nine service centres for veterans, and we will keep working hard to ensure that this government recognizes our veterans' extraordinary service and sacrifices.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, it would be my pleasure to work with the member opposite to explain the details when they are known. The details regarding income sprinkling should be known imminently. We will always stand behind small business owners. That is why we will reduce the small business tax rate from 11% down to 9% by 2019, because we recognize the importance of small business. We will always be behind the family business model, and we want to continue to work to make sure that prosperity is trickling down to everyone in this country.

Mr. Speaker, the question was for the finance minister. He is the one who says he is going to impose a reasonableness test on what family businesses can pay their family members. It is not just the past chief justice of the tax court, but the current chief justice who, in an extraordinary comment, said these rules are so vague that no one will know how to enforce them or interpret them.Why does the government not listen to the judges and small businesses and do away with this complex web of tax increases?

Mr. Speaker, allow me to read an excerpt from one of the hundreds of letters I get at my office. I am outraged to see that our Minister of Finance wants to trample on the fundamental right of all Canadians to plan their financial affairs for tax purposes. Every small business owner is being penalized. The injustice is twofold: a bad tax reform coupled with no chance for planning. The minister should step down for such hypocrisy and lack of accountability. Signed, an angry citizen, Pierre Can the Prime Minister do the right thing—

Mr. Speaker, over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of travelling all over Quebec, including Lac-Saint-Jean, where I talked to Quebeckers about their priorities. I can say that not one Quebecker asked me to raise their taxes. Even though the Conservatives and the NDP want to raise taxes on consumers, we are not going to raise taxes on consumers. We are going to continue lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest Canadians, not on ordinary folk.

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we are committed to ensuring that citizens get all the benefits to which they are entitled. That is something we have been focused on over the past two years, and that is something that we are delivering on. We have heard that the clarification letter has resulted in negative impacts, and that is why we are looking at it carefully, to ensure that indeed we are getting the delivery of services that Canadians expect.

Mr. Speaker, I can understand how inconvenient it is for the cabinet that the Prime Minister cannot answer these questions because he is under investigation. However, Canadians need to know. Normally a new ethics commissioner would be appointed by government after consulting with the opposition and a parliamentary committee hearing for the nominee, but the Liberals are trying to ram this appointment through.If the Prime Minister cannot answer this himself, is there someone over there who could make the commitment that members of Parliament will have the opportunity to interview the nominee for the Ethics Commissioner before the appointment is official?

Mr. Speaker, there is no reason to be reassured. What we see is that the Liberal government could not care less about the consensus in Quebec.The Minister of Finance says that he is flexible when it comes to sharing the revenue from the cannabis tax.Is he prepared to agree to splitting the tax revenue, with no conditions, on a cost basis? That would mean 100% for Quebec, the provinces, and municipalities, and nothing for Ottawa.

Mr. Speaker, during the meeting with stakeholders on November 30, the minister insisted there was no evidence that there had been any change to the disability tax credit. During that same meeting, type 1 diabetics produced the evidence. They showed her documents that proved that the eligibility criteria had changed.This minister's treatment of diabetics has been terrible. Will she finally quit fighting type 1 diabetics and apologize for her appalling conduct?