Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, many main roads in rural regions are not even covered by a cellular network. Although investing in 5G may be a good thing, in the meantime, nothing is happening in rural areas. The Liberals are so out of touch that the word cellular is not even in their last budget. If the minister is ready to pull his head out of the sand, I would invite him to go on a little road trip with me. He would realize that there is a cellular dead zone just two hours from here.How much longer before people living in rural areas are not treated like second-class citizens by this minister?
Mr. Speaker, a terrorist convicted of attempted assassination was invited to an official dinner with the Prime Minister. There are two possible explanations for this. A Liberal MP says he invited the felon, but the Prime Minister himself says it was an Indian conspiracy.How can it be an Indian government plot against a Canadian trade mission if a Liberal MP says he is the one who invited that person, that terrorist?If the Prime Minister has evidence, let him present it to the House and answer questions to bring transparency
Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, Marielle Franco, a city councillor in Rio de Janeiro, was brutally murdered. Marielle was 38 years old. She was a black woman, a lesbian, a socialist, and a human rights advocate. For years, she had been speaking out against police brutality in the favelas. It is for all of these reasons that she was murdered by multiple gunshots to the head. We cannot stay silent in the face of this attempt to kill hope.Will Canada show leadership and demand that Brazil order an independent investigation into this politically motivated killing?
Mr. Speaker, when will the Prime Minister get his head out of the sand? Just last week, President Trump bragged that he made up figures while talking to the Prime Minister about the supposed trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada, and the Prime Minister said that he has full confidence in the President's being straight with him. Our Prime Minister is not being taken seriously by our largest trading partner and Canadians are worried. Does the Prime Minister still believe that the President is being straight with him? When will the Prime Minister be straight with Canadians and tell them exactly how he plans to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, we want to get our western farmers' grain to market as quickly as possible, unlike the previous government, which for 10 years did not do a darn thing to move grain and other commodities more efficiently. By the way, they voted against Bill C-49 and I would ask them to speak to their colleagues in the other House to speed up the process with Bill C-49.In the meantime, the Minister of Agriculture and I have spoken to CN and CP, and told them that they have to do better. They are doing better, but we will watch them very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, our government worked hard to secure an exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs for Canada. We will keep working hard until the possibility of such tariffs is completely and permanently eliminated. Our priority is to get the best possible outcomes for Canadians and their families.
I understand that we cannot mitigate the risk, Mr. Speaker. The question I am asking is this. What is the risk associated with our Canadian soldiers? They deserve to know this. This is the most dangerous mission in the world right now. This is something we are sending Canadian soldiers into without any information at all from the government. It is absolutely deplorable. Canadians deserve to have the answer. How many soldiers are projected to be lost in this mission?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the approval list for Canada summer jobs came out to the MPs. Compared to last year, 36 fewer organizations in my riding even applied. At least 15 of these organizations told me they did not because of the Liberals' values test. Instead of funding groups that provide housing and child care, the Liberals have dumped money into for-profit organizations and retailers. Will the Liberals admit this is wrong, vote in favour of our motion, and support Canadians who are trying to help their communities?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of this term, that is an election promise.That is a promise. The Liberals also promised they would eliminate $3 billion in spending after they did a comprehensive review to find waste. Having done that review over the last two years, the Liberals have come to the conclusion that there is not a single penny in waste that they can cancel. In fact, it gave them ideas on how they could spend even more.Will the Liberals keep their promise to eliminate $3 billion in annual spending waste by the end of this term, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced that Canadian soldiers will be taking part in a mission to Mali. In his own words, the Prime Minister has acknowledged that this is putting soldiers in harm's way. Mali is the UN's most dangerous peacekeeping mission it has currently, and the UN is experiencing the worst spate of UN peacekeeping fatalities in the organization's history. The Prime Minister would have been advised by his people as to the nature of the risk to soldiers, as well as the likelihood of casualties in this mission. Could the Prime Minister inform the House as to what the risk is to soldiers of a fatality?
Mr. Speaker, there are 300 workers at the Catalyst Paper mill in Powell River, who make the products that were recently slapped with a 22% punitive tariff by the U.S. government. Those tariffs directly threaten the mill, meaning that 300 good-paying Canadian jobs in a small community that needs the mill's payroll, taxes, and investment are at risk. These workers know that the government's words on the unfair tariffs are not worth the paper they are written on.Where is the leadership, the real action that our workers need from the government to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has finally made an announcement about peacekeeping. After two and a half years in power, after repeated calls by the United Nations and our international allies, and after the government's failure to deploy troops to Colombia when that country needed them, we still lack important information such as the start date of the mission and the number of women that will be deployed. Should two and a half years not have been enough to start putting together the answers to some of these questions? Why this lack of clarity?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is claiming to have made significant commitments to the budget to end pension theft, but this is just not true. There were no answers from the Prime Minister during his PR trip last week about changing the laws to protect workers' pensions. Workers have had enough talk. It is time for action. We can and we must end pension theft now. When will the government outline a real plan for the protection of workers' pensions, like the one I have already presented in Bill C-384?
Mr. Speaker, this is serious. The Prime Minister's national security adviser said there was a conspiracy theory, and the Prime Minister publicly supported the allegation. The Indian government categorically denied it. Now the Minister of Foreign Affairs is calling it a simple mistake. A simple mistake? Some 19 MPs and ministers take a trip to India, a terrorist gets an invitation, the PM does a half day's work in eight days in India, all on the taxpayers' dime, and this is being called a simple mistake. Will the Prime Minister apologize to the Indian government and to all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, amid a busy schedule of family vacations, the Prime Minister squeezed in some visits to Canadian steel plants. In Saskatchewan he visited Evraz where they manufacture pipelines. The Liberals' abdication of federal leadership on the Trans Mountain pipeline is hurting Evraz, the prairie oil and gas sector, as well as the Canadian steel industry. Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadian steelworkers that construction on Trans Mountain will start this spring?
Mr. Speaker, let us review the fiscal promises. The Liberals said they would cut $3 billion in waste. Instead, they found billions of dollars in increased spending. They said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been double that. They said that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now they say that will not happen for another 25 years, during which time they will add, or some government will add, half a trillion dollars of deficit. They said the middle class would pay less. Instead, the Fraser Institute said that 80% are paying more. With all of these broken promises, how can the Canadian people believe anything the Prime Minister says about their money?
Mr. Speaker, André Dionne, a federal public service manager from Montreal, will be in Federal Court tomorrow as part of his lawsuit to uphold his right to work in French, a right that has been trampled throughout his career. This is a violation of Bill 101 and is also a violation of Canadian law, as the Commissioner of Official Languages found eight years ago. This is the price Quebec has to pay for being subject to the Canadian system. Will the minister enforce employees' right to work in French at Canadian institutions in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program has always provided young people with good-quality job experiences, where they can gain valuable experience, and helped prepare them for school. Unlike the Conservatives, who have funded groups that promote anti-abortion, distribute graphic images, or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, we are going to ensure that we do not support groups that actively undermine Canadian rights. We predict a successful year ahead. We know the number of applications is on par with last year, and we look forward to doubling the Canada summer jobs opportunities for young people in the country again this year.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals claimed that their deficit spending would go to infrastructure, but now the Parliamentary Budget Officer has revealed that a quarter of that money has lapsed and just disappeared into the massive Liberal spending hole. Now there is this: Budget 2018 provides an incomplete account of the changes to the Governments $186.7 billion infrastructure spending plan. PBO requested the new plan but it does not exist. How does the government spend $186 billion with no plan?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we have committed to open information and discussions with the members opposite, with all members in the House, on the nature and the moving forward of missions like this. The previous government chose to wrap itself in the flag and use special forces as photo ops, while not informing the House about anything. What we are going to be doing is remaining open and responsible with all members in the House as we move forward and re-engage in UN peacekeeping missions to support our allies to move forward on peace in the world. That is what Canadians expect and that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, the plot surrounding the Atwal scandal continued to thicken even while the House was away, courtesy of Jaspal Atwal himself. He held a press conference where he directly refuted the Liberal government's claims about an Indian conspiracy. Mr. Atwal confirmed that he asked the MP for Surrey Centre for an invitation to the Prime Minister's event. Mr. Atwal confirmed that the Liberal government got him that invite and that he has never spoken to the Indian government. When will the Prime Minister rise in this House and apologize to India for this diplomatic incident?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to talk about the previous government, but the previous government always held a debate on sending troops on missions around the world. The Prime Minister has decided to send our troops on a peacekeeping mission in Mali where there currently is no peace to be had. Mali is a war zone. The Prime Minister seems to be unaware of that fact. He has demonstrated to Canada that safety is not really important to him. He is getting ready to send our troops to Mali, a country at war.Can the Prime Minister tell us what the chain of command will be for our troops in this war zone?
Mr. Speaker, it is not just our allies sounding the alarm but national security experts in Canada as well. Ward Elcock, a former CSIS director, told The Globe and Mail, I would not want to see Huawei equipment being incorporated into a 5G network in Canada. Dick Fadden, former national security adviser, is saying that we do not want Canadian infrastructure to be available to Huawei. With what these Canadian experts are saying, will the public safety minister commit to a re-evaluation of Canada's ties with China-owned Huawei?
Mr. Speaker, serious concerns are being raised about China-owned telecom company Huawei having access to 5G technology. Recently, a U.S. Senate committee heard compelling testimony from four U.S. agencies, including the FBI and the CIA, which says that Huawei poses a serious cybersecurity threat.Does the Prime Minister recognize that there may be a threat to Canadian cybersecurity? What is he doing to stop China-owned Huawei from spying on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that the first thing we did was we lowered taxes on the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest 1%. The other thing we have done is we have made the Canada child benefit a new and more progressive program to give more to those who need it the most. That has lifted 300,000 kids out of poverty. What we said to Canadians is that we will succeed where the Conservative government failed. We have grown this economy more than they ever did in the decade that they were in power. We have the fastest growth in the G7, and we will continue on that path.
Mr. Speaker, we are always vigilant, working across government, to ensure the best value for tax dollars, while we make important investments in the interests of Canadians today and in the future.The innovation review that we led, in fact working with ISED, actually resulted in a more responsive, focused, and targeted approach to innovation writ large across the Government of Canada.What I will say is we will not do what the Conservatives did, for instance, when they cut 700 pay advisers to save $70 million on the eve of an election, destroying the pay system for the Canadian
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.I move: That the House (a) acknowledge the strength of the ties and values that Canadians and the British people share; (b) condemn in the strongest terms the despicable use of a nerve agent on the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom in the March 4, 2018, chemical attack in Salisbury; (c) recognize that the Russian state bears responsibility for this act and has shown a total disregard for the rules-based international order; (d) call on Russia to co-operate fully with British investigators; and (e) stand in solidarity with the British people and the United Kingdom, a key NATO ally and G7 partner.
Mr. Speaker, we all want to see stability brought to conflict-ridden regions of this world. However, the reality is that there are 162 fatalities of UN peacekeepers in Mali alone. Less than two months ago, the UN Security Council was advised by the under-secretary general for peacekeeping operations that the objectives in the Mali mission were in question and it was urged to reassess this mission. I know the Prime Minister is happy that we are going to Mali, but there is a real and serious threat to our Canadian soldiers. Will those being deployed in this war zone be allowed to actively engage targets?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, Canadians had a choice between the Liberal Party's plan and the austerity measures being proposed by the Conservatives with results that we are all familiar with. They include the lowest growth since World War II, the worst growth in exports, and the worst job creation record. The Liberal Party's plan involved investing in infrastructure and communities, giving more to those who need it most in order to stimulate and bolster our economy, and investing in science, and that is what we did in the last budget. That is what we are doing. The results speak for themselves. Over the past two years, 600,000 jobs have been created, most of which are full time.That is a record we can be proud of.
Mr. Speaker, this morning, we began our parliamentary day by acknowledging the freedom that we enjoy in Canada. The Prime Minister and the Liberals are attacking that freedom: freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. Through their ideological and dogmatic approach, the Liberals are attacking the least fortunate and depriving our young people of good jobs. Will the Prime Minister and the Liberals use today's vote to support our motion to ensure that the Canada summer jobs program remains a program for creating jobs and not an attack on the freedoms that our soldiers fight for?
Mr. Speaker, the person at the centre of the Atwal scandal does not believe the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy claims. The Liberal MP for Surrey Centre does not believe the Prime Minister's claims, because he apologized and accepted responsibility. Even the foreign affairs minister does not believe the Prime Minister, because she admitted to apologizing to the Indian government, calling the Atwal invitation an honest mistake. It appears there are only two people who still believe in the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy theories: the Prime Minister and his national security adviser.When will the Prime Minister allow the national security adviser to brief the House in the same way they briefed the press gallery?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question. I also want to extend my deepest condolences to the Gervais family. This was a real tragedy.Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is a top priority for our government, and we are going to continue our work to do so. I have instructed Health Canada to immediately take action with regard to the proposal to restrict the amount of alcohol in single-serve highly sweetened, high-alcohol beverages.We are also going to meet with our provincial and territorial partners, as well as other partners, to ensure that we address this problem.
Mr. Speaker, the preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce are unjustified, and they are unacceptable to Canada. We stand with our forestry industry, and we are taking every possible action, including in international arenas, to support and defend our forestry industry.We stand with Canadian workers. We are fighting for them, and we will succeed.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to contributing in ways that bring the most value to the UN mission in Mali. We believe it is important for Canada to play a role in peace operations around the world. However, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains paramount during all operations. We always act to mitigate, as best as possible, the level of risk that Canadian Armed Forces personnel face while on operations. The personnel we will deploy on peace operations will be equipped with the appropriate equipment and will receive the necessary training for their assigned missions, although of course we cannot altogether eliminate the risks.
Mr. Speaker, in his most recent report, the parliamentary budget officer called on the Liberals to deliver a detailed plan for how they intend to dole out billions in infrastructure dollars to prevent further delays. He said that some funding would likely not be allocated or spent on time. He went so far as to say that the Liberals do not have a plan for spending the billions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure over the next 12 years. Municipalities have been waiting for too long and cannot wait any longer.On their behalf, I am asking the government, where is the plan to prevent delays?
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House have asked the government hundreds of times over the past two years when it will balance the budget.We have never even come close to getting an answer. We are not the only ones who are fed up. In a scathing report published last week, the parliamentary budget officer indicated that the government has completely lost control of the public purse and has no plan to balance the budget.Will the Prime Minister reassure Canadians, do as the parliamentary budget officer is asking, and tell us when his government will balance the budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health will be holding consultations to stop sugary, high-alcohol drinks from being sold in their current format, and that is a good thing. However, we also have a duty to be diligent and above all thorough in our actions, to prevent another tragedy from occurring. As part of these consultations, will the Minister of Health also consider banning the addition of guarana to these alcoholic drinks?
Mr. Speaker, while Canada is exempt for now from the U.S. President's global tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the President stated very clearly that he will use the threat of future tariffs to get what he wants in NAFTA renegotiations. Our steel and aluminum industries, forestry, aerospace, paper: what is next? Sixty-four billion dollars could be lost and half a million Canadian jobs are at risk, yet all the Prime Minister has done is pay lip service. Canadians need to know how many more tariffs or threats of tariffs the government will allow before it takes action.
Mr. Speaker, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains our top priority in every operation. We always take all necessary steps to mitigate as much as possible the operational risks that members of the Canadian Armed Forces might face.The personnel being deployed in peacekeeping operations will have the equipment and training they need to see their mission through. We have tremendous confidence in the ability of our armed forces and the positive influence that Canada can have on the world.
Mr. Speaker, western Canadian grain farmers have asked the Liberals for one thing: help them move their grain. We have given the Liberals the concrete actions they could take now to get grain moving. Instead they stand up and defend the rail duopoly. They have tarnished our reputation as a reliable trading partner. Time is of the essence and the crisis farmers are facing is critical. Railcars are not being delivered. Grain is not moving. Farmers are not getting paid.Does the agriculture minister not grasp the seriousness of this crisis? Why will the Liberals not take action now to move our grain?
Mr. Speaker, last month, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development released the results of our government's poverty reduction strategy consultations in a What We Heard report. I hosted one of those consultations in my riding where I heard from Canadians living in poverty and front-line workers about what it is like to live in poverty in our country. Can the minister please tell the House how budget 2018 will help low-income Canadians get the support that they need?
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts: two years and a few months ago, the Prime Minister published his mandate letter to his Minister of Finance. On page 4 of this letter, penned by the Prime Minister himself, he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20. These are not my words, they are the words of the Prime Minister himself. Could the Prime Minister stand up and tell Canadians that he is going to keep the promise he made to them in this letter he wrote himself?
Mr. Speaker, it was a real pleasure to speak with steelworkers in Hamilton about exactly how we were standing up for their jobs.We have been working with the American administration over the past year to ensure that we are standing up for Canadian jobs, that we are standing up for Canadian interests. We are moving forward in a responsible way to renegotiate NAFTA in ways that will improve it for Canadians, for Canadian workers, and for our partners. We are going to continue to take this approach that is working with the American government, regardless of what the NDP proposes.
We have to admit, Mr. Speaker, it is a bit of an interesting turn of events when the Conservatives think we are doing too much with our military and the New Democrats do not think we are doing enough. As I have said, we are pleased that we are moving forward on peace operations with the UN, re-engaging with the UN the way Canadians expect us to, the way we committed to two years ago during the election campaign. I very much look forward to working with opposition members to figure out a way to move forward on debate regarding this mission so that all Canadians can be apprised of what we are doing and how we are doing it.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister needs his notes because he has no understanding of what we are doing. That is why the decisions he makes behind closed doors should be put to parliamentarians here in the House of Commons so we can ask the right questions.Right now, we have no doubt that Canadian Armed Forces personnel are capable of carrying out any mission anywhere in the world. That is not the issue. The issue is that, right now, our people are in Mali on a so-called peacekeeping mission even though it is a war zone. Can the Prime Minister tell us what the rules of engagement are?
Mr. Speaker, two months ago, the Prime Minister was acting like the Davie shipyard's saviour, promising contracts would be forthcoming. The government has yet to sign a single contract with Davie, even after direct appeals by representatives of the service providers' association. This is an urgent matter for all of Quebec, but obviously not for the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Prime Minister honour his commitment? Is he waiting for permission from Seaspan and Irving?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House call on Health Canada to suspend the sale of high-sugar, high-alcohol drinks and alcoholic energy drinks containing guaranine for the duration of the consultations on this matter and until such time that new rules come into effect.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister believes that the budget will balance itself. As a result, Canada has a deficit of billions of dollars.Western grain farmers are facing a second crisis. They are unable to deliver their products. Like his Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture thinks that the crisis will resolve itself and is refusing to take action.The Liberals' record is one of deficits for everyone and millions of dollars in losses for all farmers. The farmers are here in town.Will the minister personally commit to taking action, rather than believing in fairy tales like his Prime Minister and waiting for the crisis to resolve itself?
Mr. Speaker, the government said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been nearly $20 billion. This year the deficit will be three times the size that the Liberals committed to in their platform, and they are unable to find a single penny in savings necessary to eventually return us to a balanced budget. Why does the member not just rise now and admit what the Parliamentary Budget Officer has already suggested, and what Canadians already know, which is that the Liberals will never balance Canada's budget?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell for all his hard work for Canadian agriculture. Our government is committed to supporting clean technology in Canadian agriculture. Today, I was proud to join the member to announce an investment of $25 million to develop and adapt clean technology in Canadian agriculture. This would help our farmers stay on the cutting edge, grow our economy, and help more people join the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to congratulate the member for TorontoDanforth for her strong commitment to reducing poverty.Budget 2018 introduces the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to lift tens of thousands of lower-wage Canadians out of poverty and also benefit more than two million vulnerable Canadians. Budget 2018 also introduced automatic enrolment, which will ensure that eligible Canadians actually receive the benefit. Starting in 2019, the new Canada workers benefit will help more vulnerable Canadians who work hard succeed in joining the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the minister, she is just not answering a very direct question. We have a motion before the House today that says that non-political, non-activist groups should be able to access the Canada summer jobs program regardless of their private convictions.We believe that it is a violation of fundamental charter rights to force an organization to disclose its private convictions if that has absolutely nothing to do with the activities it is involved in. If the government is sincere about not targeting faith-based charities, it could take one very simple step to reassure those organizations and support our motion today. Will it?
Mr. Speaker, I have two points very specifically. First, the invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded. Second, whenever senior government officials with long experience issue opinions, advice, and recommendations, they do so impartially and always acting in the best interests of Canada to defend the Canadian national interest. They have done that at all times.
Three hundred workers, Mr. Speaker, and those talking points help none of them.The federal government has failed so far to come to the defence of workers in British Columbia whose jobs are at risk with U.S. tariffs on groundwood paper. These are good-paying, family-supporting jobs in my riding, and the industry also supports thousands of indirect jobs throughout British Columbia.What is the government going to do to stand up to this unfair U.S. trade action? When will the Liberals finally show some strength in international trade talks and protect Canadian jobs?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's national security agencies are impartial and non-partisan. They are highly professional and competent. We trust them always to promote, protect, and defend the national interests of Canada, and I am confident that they have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canadian farmers are key economic drivers in this country and that they play a major role in combatting climate change.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on the important announcement we made to improve clean technology in Canadian agriculture, this morning at Terryland Farms in my riding?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, during the election campaign, we committed to re-engage Canadian soldiers in UN peacekeeping missions. We know that it is something that is important to Canadians, and is important to the world, that we be helping out in the best ways we can. That is why we are happy to respond to a direct request from the UN and from our allies to provide logistical and support helicopters to their mission in Mali. We will continue to work with the members opposite to determine the best way to move forward on debate in the House. We look forward to talking about that more in the coming days.
Mr. Speaker, our official languages are at the core of our Canadian values. We will ensure that public servants across Canada continue to have the right to speak in both official languages. This is something that is absolutely fundamental. We will continue to ensure that from coast to coast to coast Canadian public servants are respected, including their right to speak in both official languages.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my previous answer, our plan is working. We are moving forward with this plan to promote growth for Canada. We are doing this responsibly by keeping the ratio of the size of our debt to the size of our economy on a downward track. Canada's debt-to-GDP ratio is the best in the G7, and it is projected to reach its lowest level since the late 1970s by the end of this term.
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of co-operation, following the brutal chemical attack on British soil, there have been some basic discussions among the parties with respect to a motion involving the death of a Canadian citizen. If you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House (a) condemn the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Revolutionary Guard for the brutal oppression of its own citizens, which included the imprisonment and killing of a Canadian citizen, Kavous Seyed Emami, who was killed in Iranian custody; (b) call upon the government to immediately cease any and all negotiations or discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran until they accept responsibility for the death of Mr. Seyed Emami; and (c) stand with the people of Iran and recognize that they, like all people, have a fundamental right to freedom of conscience and religion, freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press, and other forms of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program serves a critical purpose in the country, and that is to make sure that young people get quality job experiences, oftentimes for the first time in their young careers. That is why we are going to make sure that funds do not go, in any way, to groups that actively work to undermine Canadians' rights. Young people are counting on us to stand up for their rights, to deliver this program in a way that is fair and equitable and respects all Canadians, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, the solemn acts we perform, like voting or signing a document, are very important. When we put our signature to a document, we are putting our honour on the line. Consequently, I am seeking unanimous consent to table a document signed by the Prime Minister's own hand. It is his mandate letter to the Minister of Finance, dated November 12, 2015, in which he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20.
Mr. Speaker, as we have made clear, our heart goes out to those Sears workers. We are taking their advice. We are taking advice from all sides of the House to look into how we can better the situation of pensioners in this country. We made that promise. We will continue to work in that regard, and we will continue to examine any suggestion that comes with it.
Mr. Speaker, we all want our western farmers to be able to get their grain to the global marketplace as quickly as possible. That is why the Minister of Agriculture and I spoke with CN and CP. We told them clearly that they were not doing an acceptable job right now, and we asked them to show us how they planned to address the current problems. Over the past two weeks, the situation has improved considerably, and we will continue to monitor their progress in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, the issue with respect to the invitation has been clearly discussed and responded to. The invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded, as it should have been.
Mr. Speaker, as we said during the campaign, we want to contribute to international peacekeeping and stabilization missions. We announced our commitment to send an air task force to Mali that will include Chinook and Griffon helicopters. Canadian Armed Forces members will also help with medical evacuations of soldiers and provide logistical support for the mission. We know that Canada's presence is important to maintaining peace and security around the world. We have already approached the opposition about how to proceed with a debate. We look forward to having these conversations.
Mr. Speaker, we worked very closely with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and with provinces and territories to develop a historic plan that is investing more than $180 billion to build the necessary infrastructure that has been neglected by the Harper government for a decade. We have approved 4,100 projects, with a combined investment of $35 billion. Last week, we signed three bilateral agreements with the Province of Ontario, New Brunswick, and Northwest Territories to deliver historic investments so communities get the infrastructure they need and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, we always take a very responsible fiscal approach, one that has been lauded by economists the world over. They all agree that in a slow economy, like the one we inherited from the previous Conservative government, the smart thing to do is to make investments where they are needed, in infrastructure, in our communities, to stimulate growth, to stimulate the economy. That is what we have done, and we are making sure that our debt-to-GDP ratio stays on a downward track.
Mr. Speaker, we have just completed a national security review of our cybersecurity systems. That has included every dimension of those systems, including how best to protect critical infrastructure. We will take every step necessary to make sure that this critical infrastructure, which is vital to Canada and to our relations with countries around the world, is properly protected and defended. There is nothing more important than that.
Mr. Speaker, aluminum is very important to some of our regions, including the Saguenay, and we are very proud of that fact. Despite President Trump's temporary exemption, workers in our regions are still worried and unsure about the future. Workers are entitled to strong representation and a hard-working government, which is what they are getting from the Government of Quebec.Will this government implement an action plan immediately?
Mr. Speaker, the minister referred earlier to an organization that I know received tens of thousands of dollars from the Liberal member for MississaugaErin Mills. However, that choice by the member does not have anything to do with our motion today, which speaks to non-political, non-activist groups that for reasons of conscience, and their conscience rights in section 2 of the charter, do not want to check this box. Will the minister support our motion, which would allow these charitable organizations to continue to provide this vital work? Will she look at the motion and support it on the basis of its support for non-political, non-activist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, cybersecurity is an extraordinarily important priority for the country and for the government. As the hon. member will have noticed in the last budget, the Minister of Finance has set aside something in excess of $700 million for investments over the next number of years, including the creation of a new cybersecurity centre, one that will pay particular attention to the critical infrastructure of this country, which we must indeed protect and defend by every means possible.
Mr. Speaker, a round of negotiations for a possible agreement with Mercosur will take place here in Ottawa tomorrow, March 20. This is a free trade agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Canada hopes to enter into a free trade agreement with this economic community, Mercosur. The primary objective is to diversity our international trade markets with countries that have similar goals and growing economies.I wonder if the Minister of International Trade could give us an update.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we are being completely transparent and are keen to have a good debate here in the House of Commons. We have already approached the opposition to talk about how to hold that debate, and we are pleased that plans will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, we are deeply disappointed with the unjustified preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Canada's forestry industry sustains good, middle-class jobs and provides economic opportunities for rural and indigenous communities across our country.We will continue to work with all our partners across Canada to defend this vital sector against unfair and unwarranted U.S. trade measures and practices.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman overlooks the fact that during the course of that mission there were about one billion dollars' worth of trade and investment identified, about 6,000 Canadian jobs created, and a number of different initiatives that went forward, including an agreement resolving a fumigation dispute with respect to Canadian pulse crop exports to India. At the end of the mission, the Prime Minister of India expressed his satisfaction with the success of what had been accomplished.
Mr. Speaker, we still have no details.The government made, and repeated, grand promises that Canada would return to UN peacekeeping, but we would not know it from our current contributions. At the end of last month, Canada had just under 40 troops and police officers on UN missions, a record low in the history of Canadian peacekeeping. Today's announcement likely falls short of meeting the peacekeeping commitments the government made. When will the government reveal exactly how it intends to fulfill the promises it made over two and a half years ago?
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to say, the environment and the economy go hand in hand. We continue to support the energy sector in a variety of ways, including the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline. I would like to add a number of other pipelines as well: the expanded export capacity for the Alberta Clipper, the Nova Gas pipeline, the Line 3 replacement project, and our support of the Keystone XL pipeline. I could go on and on.Our government has approved the Trans Mountain expansion and we stand by that approval.
Mr. Speaker, Davie is a major shipyard and we are still in talks with its representatives. We are exercising due diligence, and we will inform the House once we have made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, March 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rivière-des-Mille-Îles for her excellent work.Two weeks ago, I was in Asunción, Paraguay, to launch the Mercosur negotiations. Through our ambitious trade diversification program, Canada is positioning itself for success for decades to come.With Mercosur, our government is pursuing the most progressive trade negotiations our country has ever undertaken. For the first time ever, the negotiations will include a gender-based analysis and comprehensive assessments of the impact on labour, human rights, and indigenous peoples. I look forward to welcoming stakeholders this evening to get started.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's prosperity relies on ensuring that young people get the experience they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow. That is why the Canada summer jobs program has been so critical in ensuring that young people get that oftentimes first well-paying job that will help them identify their career path and gain the skills they need. We predict a very successful year ahead. The number of applications received, and currently under review, is on par with 2017. We know that we are going to continue to help young people get that experience and thrive going into the future.
Mr. Speaker, in this day and age, mobile communications and high-speed Internet are no longer luxuries, they are necessities. Our government recognizes that innovation is occurring everywhere in the regions, just as it is in major cities. That is why we want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the same technologies, no matter their postal code. It comes down to equal opportunity. Our connect to innovate program is addressing the digital divide and will enable our communities and businesses to seize opportunities provided by the global digital economy.
Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, human rights, including lesbian and gay rights, are a very important component of our foreign policy. They are important here in Canada, and we are working with our foreign partners to defend LGBT people around the world. We are going to continue with this vital work.
Mr. Speaker, that allows me to once again say what a pleasure it was for me to be able to spend time with steelworkers and aluminum workers last week across the country. The hard-working steelworkers at Stelco and aluminum workers at Alma have been working hard to continue to deliver. I was very pleased to be able to meet with them to listen to their concerns directly and to reassure them about the path forward we are taking. We have continued to defend the industry in this country and we will continue to do so. Whether it is moving forward on pipelines, whether it is moving forward on protecting our steel, we will continue
Mr. Speaker, the process this year asked organizations to commit to the fact that their core activities, their core mandate, and the job description for which they are applying would not in any way actively undermine the rights of young Canadians. In fact, we have had resounding applications, the same as last year. We anticipate that over 70,000 young people will have excellent job experiences across the country in a variety of different sectors that will help them gain the skills they need, determine their career paths, and earn a little extra money.We are incredibly proud of the fact that the government puts youth success at the forefront and knows that it is critically connected to our economic success.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the relationship we were able to build with the provinces, territories, and municipalities to deliver a historic infrastructure plan. Under our plan, we have approved more than 4,100 projects with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. These investments are creating jobs for the middle class, helping us build a stronger economy, moving us to a green economy, as well as improving people's living conditions.
Mr. Speaker, many main roads in rural regions are not even covered by a cellular network. Although investing in 5G may be a good thing, in the meantime, nothing is happening in rural areas. The Liberals are so out of touch that the word cellular is not even in their last budget. If the minister is ready to pull his head out of the sand, I would invite him to go on a little road trip with me. He would realize that there is a cellular dead zone just two hours from here.How much longer before people living in rural areas are not treated like second-class citizens by this minister?
Mr. Speaker, a terrorist convicted of attempted assassination was invited to an official dinner with the Prime Minister. There are two possible explanations for this. A Liberal MP says he invited the felon, but the Prime Minister himself says it was an Indian conspiracy.How can it be an Indian government plot against a Canadian trade mission if a Liberal MP says he is the one who invited that person, that terrorist?If the Prime Minister has evidence, let him present it to the House and answer questions to bring transparency
Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, Marielle Franco, a city councillor in Rio de Janeiro, was brutally murdered. Marielle was 38 years old. She was a black woman, a lesbian, a socialist, and a human rights advocate. For years, she had been speaking out against police brutality in the favelas. It is for all of these reasons that she was murdered by multiple gunshots to the head. We cannot stay silent in the face of this attempt to kill hope.Will Canada show leadership and demand that Brazil order an independent investigation into this politically motivated killing?
Mr. Speaker, when will the Prime Minister get his head out of the sand? Just last week, President Trump bragged that he made up figures while talking to the Prime Minister about the supposed trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada, and the Prime Minister said that he has full confidence in the President's being straight with him. Our Prime Minister is not being taken seriously by our largest trading partner and Canadians are worried. Does the Prime Minister still believe that the President is being straight with him? When will the Prime Minister be straight with Canadians and tell them exactly how he plans to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, we want to get our western farmers' grain to market as quickly as possible, unlike the previous government, which for 10 years did not do a darn thing to move grain and other commodities more efficiently. By the way, they voted against Bill C-49 and I would ask them to speak to their colleagues in the other House to speed up the process with Bill C-49.In the meantime, the Minister of Agriculture and I have spoken to CN and CP, and told them that they have to do better. They are doing better, but we will watch them very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, our government worked hard to secure an exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs for Canada. We will keep working hard until the possibility of such tariffs is completely and permanently eliminated. Our priority is to get the best possible outcomes for Canadians and their families.
I understand that we cannot mitigate the risk, Mr. Speaker. The question I am asking is this. What is the risk associated with our Canadian soldiers? They deserve to know this. This is the most dangerous mission in the world right now. This is something we are sending Canadian soldiers into without any information at all from the government. It is absolutely deplorable. Canadians deserve to have the answer. How many soldiers are projected to be lost in this mission?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the approval list for Canada summer jobs came out to the MPs. Compared to last year, 36 fewer organizations in my riding even applied. At least 15 of these organizations told me they did not because of the Liberals' values test. Instead of funding groups that provide housing and child care, the Liberals have dumped money into for-profit organizations and retailers. Will the Liberals admit this is wrong, vote in favour of our motion, and support Canadians who are trying to help their communities?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of this term, that is an election promise.That is a promise. The Liberals also promised they would eliminate $3 billion in spending after they did a comprehensive review to find waste. Having done that review over the last two years, the Liberals have come to the conclusion that there is not a single penny in waste that they can cancel. In fact, it gave them ideas on how they could spend even more.Will the Liberals keep their promise to eliminate $3 billion in annual spending waste by the end of this term, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced that Canadian soldiers will be taking part in a mission to Mali. In his own words, the Prime Minister has acknowledged that this is putting soldiers in harm's way. Mali is the UN's most dangerous peacekeeping mission it has currently, and the UN is experiencing the worst spate of UN peacekeeping fatalities in the organization's history. The Prime Minister would have been advised by his people as to the nature of the risk to soldiers, as well as the likelihood of casualties in this mission. Could the Prime Minister inform the House as to what the risk is to soldiers of a fatality?
Mr. Speaker, there are 300 workers at the Catalyst Paper mill in Powell River, who make the products that were recently slapped with a 22% punitive tariff by the U.S. government. Those tariffs directly threaten the mill, meaning that 300 good-paying Canadian jobs in a small community that needs the mill's payroll, taxes, and investment are at risk. These workers know that the government's words on the unfair tariffs are not worth the paper they are written on.Where is the leadership, the real action that our workers need from the government to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has finally made an announcement about peacekeeping. After two and a half years in power, after repeated calls by the United Nations and our international allies, and after the government's failure to deploy troops to Colombia when that country needed them, we still lack important information such as the start date of the mission and the number of women that will be deployed. Should two and a half years not have been enough to start putting together the answers to some of these questions? Why this lack of clarity?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is claiming to have made significant commitments to the budget to end pension theft, but this is just not true. There were no answers from the Prime Minister during his PR trip last week about changing the laws to protect workers' pensions. Workers have had enough talk. It is time for action. We can and we must end pension theft now. When will the government outline a real plan for the protection of workers' pensions, like the one I have already presented in Bill C-384?
Mr. Speaker, this is serious. The Prime Minister's national security adviser said there was a conspiracy theory, and the Prime Minister publicly supported the allegation. The Indian government categorically denied it. Now the Minister of Foreign Affairs is calling it a simple mistake. A simple mistake? Some 19 MPs and ministers take a trip to India, a terrorist gets an invitation, the PM does a half day's work in eight days in India, all on the taxpayers' dime, and this is being called a simple mistake. Will the Prime Minister apologize to the Indian government and to all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, amid a busy schedule of family vacations, the Prime Minister squeezed in some visits to Canadian steel plants. In Saskatchewan he visited Evraz where they manufacture pipelines. The Liberals' abdication of federal leadership on the Trans Mountain pipeline is hurting Evraz, the prairie oil and gas sector, as well as the Canadian steel industry. Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadian steelworkers that construction on Trans Mountain will start this spring?
Mr. Speaker, let us review the fiscal promises. The Liberals said they would cut $3 billion in waste. Instead, they found billions of dollars in increased spending. They said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been double that. They said that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now they say that will not happen for another 25 years, during which time they will add, or some government will add, half a trillion dollars of deficit. They said the middle class would pay less. Instead, the Fraser Institute said that 80% are paying more. With all of these broken promises, how can the Canadian people believe anything the Prime Minister says about their money?
Mr. Speaker, André Dionne, a federal public service manager from Montreal, will be in Federal Court tomorrow as part of his lawsuit to uphold his right to work in French, a right that has been trampled throughout his career. This is a violation of Bill 101 and is also a violation of Canadian law, as the Commissioner of Official Languages found eight years ago. This is the price Quebec has to pay for being subject to the Canadian system. Will the minister enforce employees' right to work in French at Canadian institutions in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program has always provided young people with good-quality job experiences, where they can gain valuable experience, and helped prepare them for school. Unlike the Conservatives, who have funded groups that promote anti-abortion, distribute graphic images, or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, we are going to ensure that we do not support groups that actively undermine Canadian rights. We predict a successful year ahead. We know the number of applications is on par with last year, and we look forward to doubling the Canada summer jobs opportunities for young people in the country again this year.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals claimed that their deficit spending would go to infrastructure, but now the Parliamentary Budget Officer has revealed that a quarter of that money has lapsed and just disappeared into the massive Liberal spending hole. Now there is this: Budget 2018 provides an incomplete account of the changes to the Governments $186.7 billion infrastructure spending plan. PBO requested the new plan but it does not exist. How does the government spend $186 billion with no plan?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we have committed to open information and discussions with the members opposite, with all members in the House, on the nature and the moving forward of missions like this. The previous government chose to wrap itself in the flag and use special forces as photo ops, while not informing the House about anything. What we are going to be doing is remaining open and responsible with all members in the House as we move forward and re-engage in UN peacekeeping missions to support our allies to move forward on peace in the world. That is what Canadians expect and that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, the plot surrounding the Atwal scandal continued to thicken even while the House was away, courtesy of Jaspal Atwal himself. He held a press conference where he directly refuted the Liberal government's claims about an Indian conspiracy. Mr. Atwal confirmed that he asked the MP for Surrey Centre for an invitation to the Prime Minister's event. Mr. Atwal confirmed that the Liberal government got him that invite and that he has never spoken to the Indian government. When will the Prime Minister rise in this House and apologize to India for this diplomatic incident?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to talk about the previous government, but the previous government always held a debate on sending troops on missions around the world. The Prime Minister has decided to send our troops on a peacekeeping mission in Mali where there currently is no peace to be had. Mali is a war zone. The Prime Minister seems to be unaware of that fact. He has demonstrated to Canada that safety is not really important to him. He is getting ready to send our troops to Mali, a country at war.Can the Prime Minister tell us what the chain of command will be for our troops in this war zone?
Mr. Speaker, it is not just our allies sounding the alarm but national security experts in Canada as well. Ward Elcock, a former CSIS director, told The Globe and Mail, I would not want to see Huawei equipment being incorporated into a 5G network in Canada. Dick Fadden, former national security adviser, is saying that we do not want Canadian infrastructure to be available to Huawei. With what these Canadian experts are saying, will the public safety minister commit to a re-evaluation of Canada's ties with China-owned Huawei?
Mr. Speaker, serious concerns are being raised about China-owned telecom company Huawei having access to 5G technology. Recently, a U.S. Senate committee heard compelling testimony from four U.S. agencies, including the FBI and the CIA, which says that Huawei poses a serious cybersecurity threat.Does the Prime Minister recognize that there may be a threat to Canadian cybersecurity? What is he doing to stop China-owned Huawei from spying on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that the first thing we did was we lowered taxes on the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest 1%. The other thing we have done is we have made the Canada child benefit a new and more progressive program to give more to those who need it the most. That has lifted 300,000 kids out of poverty. What we said to Canadians is that we will succeed where the Conservative government failed. We have grown this economy more than they ever did in the decade that they were in power. We have the fastest growth in the G7, and we will continue on that path.
Mr. Speaker, we are always vigilant, working across government, to ensure the best value for tax dollars, while we make important investments in the interests of Canadians today and in the future.The innovation review that we led, in fact working with ISED, actually resulted in a more responsive, focused, and targeted approach to innovation writ large across the Government of Canada.What I will say is we will not do what the Conservatives did, for instance, when they cut 700 pay advisers to save $70 million on the eve of an election, destroying the pay system for the Canadian
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.I move: That the House (a) acknowledge the strength of the ties and values that Canadians and the British people share; (b) condemn in the strongest terms the despicable use of a nerve agent on the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom in the March 4, 2018, chemical attack in Salisbury; (c) recognize that the Russian state bears responsibility for this act and has shown a total disregard for the rules-based international order; (d) call on Russia to co-operate fully with British investigators; and (e) stand in solidarity with the British people and the United Kingdom, a key NATO ally and G7 partner.
Mr. Speaker, we all want to see stability brought to conflict-ridden regions of this world. However, the reality is that there are 162 fatalities of UN peacekeepers in Mali alone. Less than two months ago, the UN Security Council was advised by the under-secretary general for peacekeeping operations that the objectives in the Mali mission were in question and it was urged to reassess this mission. I know the Prime Minister is happy that we are going to Mali, but there is a real and serious threat to our Canadian soldiers. Will those being deployed in this war zone be allowed to actively engage targets?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, Canadians had a choice between the Liberal Party's plan and the austerity measures being proposed by the Conservatives with results that we are all familiar with. They include the lowest growth since World War II, the worst growth in exports, and the worst job creation record. The Liberal Party's plan involved investing in infrastructure and communities, giving more to those who need it most in order to stimulate and bolster our economy, and investing in science, and that is what we did in the last budget. That is what we are doing. The results speak for themselves. Over the past two years, 600,000 jobs have been created, most of which are full time.That is a record we can be proud of.
Mr. Speaker, this morning, we began our parliamentary day by acknowledging the freedom that we enjoy in Canada. The Prime Minister and the Liberals are attacking that freedom: freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. Through their ideological and dogmatic approach, the Liberals are attacking the least fortunate and depriving our young people of good jobs. Will the Prime Minister and the Liberals use today's vote to support our motion to ensure that the Canada summer jobs program remains a program for creating jobs and not an attack on the freedoms that our soldiers fight for?
Mr. Speaker, the person at the centre of the Atwal scandal does not believe the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy claims. The Liberal MP for Surrey Centre does not believe the Prime Minister's claims, because he apologized and accepted responsibility. Even the foreign affairs minister does not believe the Prime Minister, because she admitted to apologizing to the Indian government, calling the Atwal invitation an honest mistake. It appears there are only two people who still believe in the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy theories: the Prime Minister and his national security adviser.When will the Prime Minister allow the national security adviser to brief the House in the same way they briefed the press gallery?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question. I also want to extend my deepest condolences to the Gervais family. This was a real tragedy.Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is a top priority for our government, and we are going to continue our work to do so. I have instructed Health Canada to immediately take action with regard to the proposal to restrict the amount of alcohol in single-serve highly sweetened, high-alcohol beverages.We are also going to meet with our provincial and territorial partners, as well as other partners, to ensure that we address this problem.
Mr. Speaker, the preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce are unjustified, and they are unacceptable to Canada. We stand with our forestry industry, and we are taking every possible action, including in international arenas, to support and defend our forestry industry.We stand with Canadian workers. We are fighting for them, and we will succeed.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to contributing in ways that bring the most value to the UN mission in Mali. We believe it is important for Canada to play a role in peace operations around the world. However, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains paramount during all operations. We always act to mitigate, as best as possible, the level of risk that Canadian Armed Forces personnel face while on operations. The personnel we will deploy on peace operations will be equipped with the appropriate equipment and will receive the necessary training for their assigned missions, although of course we cannot altogether eliminate the risks.
Mr. Speaker, in his most recent report, the parliamentary budget officer called on the Liberals to deliver a detailed plan for how they intend to dole out billions in infrastructure dollars to prevent further delays. He said that some funding would likely not be allocated or spent on time. He went so far as to say that the Liberals do not have a plan for spending the billions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure over the next 12 years. Municipalities have been waiting for too long and cannot wait any longer.On their behalf, I am asking the government, where is the plan to prevent delays?
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House have asked the government hundreds of times over the past two years when it will balance the budget.We have never even come close to getting an answer. We are not the only ones who are fed up. In a scathing report published last week, the parliamentary budget officer indicated that the government has completely lost control of the public purse and has no plan to balance the budget.Will the Prime Minister reassure Canadians, do as the parliamentary budget officer is asking, and tell us when his government will balance the budget?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health will be holding consultations to stop sugary, high-alcohol drinks from being sold in their current format, and that is a good thing. However, we also have a duty to be diligent and above all thorough in our actions, to prevent another tragedy from occurring. As part of these consultations, will the Minister of Health also consider banning the addition of guarana to these alcoholic drinks?
Mr. Speaker, while Canada is exempt for now from the U.S. President's global tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the President stated very clearly that he will use the threat of future tariffs to get what he wants in NAFTA renegotiations. Our steel and aluminum industries, forestry, aerospace, paper: what is next? Sixty-four billion dollars could be lost and half a million Canadian jobs are at risk, yet all the Prime Minister has done is pay lip service. Canadians need to know how many more tariffs or threats of tariffs the government will allow before it takes action.
Mr. Speaker, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains our top priority in every operation. We always take all necessary steps to mitigate as much as possible the operational risks that members of the Canadian Armed Forces might face.The personnel being deployed in peacekeeping operations will have the equipment and training they need to see their mission through. We have tremendous confidence in the ability of our armed forces and the positive influence that Canada can have on the world.
Mr. Speaker, western Canadian grain farmers have asked the Liberals for one thing: help them move their grain. We have given the Liberals the concrete actions they could take now to get grain moving. Instead they stand up and defend the rail duopoly. They have tarnished our reputation as a reliable trading partner. Time is of the essence and the crisis farmers are facing is critical. Railcars are not being delivered. Grain is not moving. Farmers are not getting paid.Does the agriculture minister not grasp the seriousness of this crisis? Why will the Liberals not take action now to move our grain?
Mr. Speaker, last month, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development released the results of our government's poverty reduction strategy consultations in a What We Heard report. I hosted one of those consultations in my riding where I heard from Canadians living in poverty and front-line workers about what it is like to live in poverty in our country. Can the minister please tell the House how budget 2018 will help low-income Canadians get the support that they need?
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts: two years and a few months ago, the Prime Minister published his mandate letter to his Minister of Finance. On page 4 of this letter, penned by the Prime Minister himself, he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20. These are not my words, they are the words of the Prime Minister himself. Could the Prime Minister stand up and tell Canadians that he is going to keep the promise he made to them in this letter he wrote himself?
Mr. Speaker, it was a real pleasure to speak with steelworkers in Hamilton about exactly how we were standing up for their jobs.We have been working with the American administration over the past year to ensure that we are standing up for Canadian jobs, that we are standing up for Canadian interests. We are moving forward in a responsible way to renegotiate NAFTA in ways that will improve it for Canadians, for Canadian workers, and for our partners. We are going to continue to take this approach that is working with the American government, regardless of what the NDP proposes.
We have to admit, Mr. Speaker, it is a bit of an interesting turn of events when the Conservatives think we are doing too much with our military and the New Democrats do not think we are doing enough. As I have said, we are pleased that we are moving forward on peace operations with the UN, re-engaging with the UN the way Canadians expect us to, the way we committed to two years ago during the election campaign. I very much look forward to working with opposition members to figure out a way to move forward on debate regarding this mission so that all Canadians can be apprised of what we are doing and how we are doing it.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister needs his notes because he has no understanding of what we are doing. That is why the decisions he makes behind closed doors should be put to parliamentarians here in the House of Commons so we can ask the right questions.Right now, we have no doubt that Canadian Armed Forces personnel are capable of carrying out any mission anywhere in the world. That is not the issue. The issue is that, right now, our people are in Mali on a so-called peacekeeping mission even though it is a war zone. Can the Prime Minister tell us what the rules of engagement are?
Mr. Speaker, two months ago, the Prime Minister was acting like the Davie shipyard's saviour, promising contracts would be forthcoming. The government has yet to sign a single contract with Davie, even after direct appeals by representatives of the service providers' association. This is an urgent matter for all of Quebec, but obviously not for the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Prime Minister honour his commitment? Is he waiting for permission from Seaspan and Irving?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House call on Health Canada to suspend the sale of high-sugar, high-alcohol drinks and alcoholic energy drinks containing guaranine for the duration of the consultations on this matter and until such time that new rules come into effect.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister believes that the budget will balance itself. As a result, Canada has a deficit of billions of dollars.Western grain farmers are facing a second crisis. They are unable to deliver their products. Like his Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture thinks that the crisis will resolve itself and is refusing to take action.The Liberals' record is one of deficits for everyone and millions of dollars in losses for all farmers. The farmers are here in town.Will the minister personally commit to taking action, rather than believing in fairy tales like his Prime Minister and waiting for the crisis to resolve itself?
Mr. Speaker, the government said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been nearly $20 billion. This year the deficit will be three times the size that the Liberals committed to in their platform, and they are unable to find a single penny in savings necessary to eventually return us to a balanced budget. Why does the member not just rise now and admit what the Parliamentary Budget Officer has already suggested, and what Canadians already know, which is that the Liberals will never balance Canada's budget?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell for all his hard work for Canadian agriculture. Our government is committed to supporting clean technology in Canadian agriculture. Today, I was proud to join the member to announce an investment of $25 million to develop and adapt clean technology in Canadian agriculture. This would help our farmers stay on the cutting edge, grow our economy, and help more people join the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to congratulate the member for TorontoDanforth for her strong commitment to reducing poverty.Budget 2018 introduces the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to lift tens of thousands of lower-wage Canadians out of poverty and also benefit more than two million vulnerable Canadians. Budget 2018 also introduced automatic enrolment, which will ensure that eligible Canadians actually receive the benefit. Starting in 2019, the new Canada workers benefit will help more vulnerable Canadians who work hard succeed in joining the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the minister, she is just not answering a very direct question. We have a motion before the House today that says that non-political, non-activist groups should be able to access the Canada summer jobs program regardless of their private convictions.We believe that it is a violation of fundamental charter rights to force an organization to disclose its private convictions if that has absolutely nothing to do with the activities it is involved in. If the government is sincere about not targeting faith-based charities, it could take one very simple step to reassure those organizations and support our motion today. Will it?
Mr. Speaker, I have two points very specifically. First, the invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded. Second, whenever senior government officials with long experience issue opinions, advice, and recommendations, they do so impartially and always acting in the best interests of Canada to defend the Canadian national interest. They have done that at all times.
Three hundred workers, Mr. Speaker, and those talking points help none of them.The federal government has failed so far to come to the defence of workers in British Columbia whose jobs are at risk with U.S. tariffs on groundwood paper. These are good-paying, family-supporting jobs in my riding, and the industry also supports thousands of indirect jobs throughout British Columbia.What is the government going to do to stand up to this unfair U.S. trade action? When will the Liberals finally show some strength in international trade talks and protect Canadian jobs?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's national security agencies are impartial and non-partisan. They are highly professional and competent. We trust them always to promote, protect, and defend the national interests of Canada, and I am confident that they have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canadian farmers are key economic drivers in this country and that they play a major role in combatting climate change.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on the important announcement we made to improve clean technology in Canadian agriculture, this morning at Terryland Farms in my riding?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, during the election campaign, we committed to re-engage Canadian soldiers in UN peacekeeping missions. We know that it is something that is important to Canadians, and is important to the world, that we be helping out in the best ways we can. That is why we are happy to respond to a direct request from the UN and from our allies to provide logistical and support helicopters to their mission in Mali. We will continue to work with the members opposite to determine the best way to move forward on debate in the House. We look forward to talking about that more in the coming days.
Mr. Speaker, our official languages are at the core of our Canadian values. We will ensure that public servants across Canada continue to have the right to speak in both official languages. This is something that is absolutely fundamental. We will continue to ensure that from coast to coast to coast Canadian public servants are respected, including their right to speak in both official languages.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my previous answer, our plan is working. We are moving forward with this plan to promote growth for Canada. We are doing this responsibly by keeping the ratio of the size of our debt to the size of our economy on a downward track. Canada's debt-to-GDP ratio is the best in the G7, and it is projected to reach its lowest level since the late 1970s by the end of this term.
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of co-operation, following the brutal chemical attack on British soil, there have been some basic discussions among the parties with respect to a motion involving the death of a Canadian citizen. If you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House (a) condemn the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Revolutionary Guard for the brutal oppression of its own citizens, which included the imprisonment and killing of a Canadian citizen, Kavous Seyed Emami, who was killed in Iranian custody; (b) call upon the government to immediately cease any and all negotiations or discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran until they accept responsibility for the death of Mr. Seyed Emami; and (c) stand with the people of Iran and recognize that they, like all people, have a fundamental right to freedom of conscience and religion, freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press, and other forms of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program serves a critical purpose in the country, and that is to make sure that young people get quality job experiences, oftentimes for the first time in their young careers. That is why we are going to make sure that funds do not go, in any way, to groups that actively work to undermine Canadians' rights. Young people are counting on us to stand up for their rights, to deliver this program in a way that is fair and equitable and respects all Canadians, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, the solemn acts we perform, like voting or signing a document, are very important. When we put our signature to a document, we are putting our honour on the line. Consequently, I am seeking unanimous consent to table a document signed by the Prime Minister's own hand. It is his mandate letter to the Minister of Finance, dated November 12, 2015, in which he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20.
Mr. Speaker, as we have made clear, our heart goes out to those Sears workers. We are taking their advice. We are taking advice from all sides of the House to look into how we can better the situation of pensioners in this country. We made that promise. We will continue to work in that regard, and we will continue to examine any suggestion that comes with it.
Mr. Speaker, we all want our western farmers to be able to get their grain to the global marketplace as quickly as possible. That is why the Minister of Agriculture and I spoke with CN and CP. We told them clearly that they were not doing an acceptable job right now, and we asked them to show us how they planned to address the current problems. Over the past two weeks, the situation has improved considerably, and we will continue to monitor their progress in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, the issue with respect to the invitation has been clearly discussed and responded to. The invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded, as it should have been.
Mr. Speaker, as we said during the campaign, we want to contribute to international peacekeeping and stabilization missions. We announced our commitment to send an air task force to Mali that will include Chinook and Griffon helicopters. Canadian Armed Forces members will also help with medical evacuations of soldiers and provide logistical support for the mission. We know that Canada's presence is important to maintaining peace and security around the world. We have already approached the opposition about how to proceed with a debate. We look forward to having these conversations.
Mr. Speaker, we worked very closely with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and with provinces and territories to develop a historic plan that is investing more than $180 billion to build the necessary infrastructure that has been neglected by the Harper government for a decade. We have approved 4,100 projects, with a combined investment of $35 billion. Last week, we signed three bilateral agreements with the Province of Ontario, New Brunswick, and Northwest Territories to deliver historic investments so communities get the infrastructure they need and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, we always take a very responsible fiscal approach, one that has been lauded by economists the world over. They all agree that in a slow economy, like the one we inherited from the previous Conservative government, the smart thing to do is to make investments where they are needed, in infrastructure, in our communities, to stimulate growth, to stimulate the economy. That is what we have done, and we are making sure that our debt-to-GDP ratio stays on a downward track.
Mr. Speaker, we have just completed a national security review of our cybersecurity systems. That has included every dimension of those systems, including how best to protect critical infrastructure. We will take every step necessary to make sure that this critical infrastructure, which is vital to Canada and to our relations with countries around the world, is properly protected and defended. There is nothing more important than that.
Mr. Speaker, aluminum is very important to some of our regions, including the Saguenay, and we are very proud of that fact. Despite President Trump's temporary exemption, workers in our regions are still worried and unsure about the future. Workers are entitled to strong representation and a hard-working government, which is what they are getting from the Government of Quebec.Will this government implement an action plan immediately?
Mr. Speaker, the minister referred earlier to an organization that I know received tens of thousands of dollars from the Liberal member for MississaugaErin Mills. However, that choice by the member does not have anything to do with our motion today, which speaks to non-political, non-activist groups that for reasons of conscience, and their conscience rights in section 2 of the charter, do not want to check this box. Will the minister support our motion, which would allow these charitable organizations to continue to provide this vital work? Will she look at the motion and support it on the basis of its support for non-political, non-activist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, cybersecurity is an extraordinarily important priority for the country and for the government. As the hon. member will have noticed in the last budget, the Minister of Finance has set aside something in excess of $700 million for investments over the next number of years, including the creation of a new cybersecurity centre, one that will pay particular attention to the critical infrastructure of this country, which we must indeed protect and defend by every means possible.
Mr. Speaker, a round of negotiations for a possible agreement with Mercosur will take place here in Ottawa tomorrow, March 20. This is a free trade agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Canada hopes to enter into a free trade agreement with this economic community, Mercosur. The primary objective is to diversity our international trade markets with countries that have similar goals and growing economies.I wonder if the Minister of International Trade could give us an update.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we are being completely transparent and are keen to have a good debate here in the House of Commons. We have already approached the opposition to talk about how to hold that debate, and we are pleased that plans will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, we are deeply disappointed with the unjustified preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Canada's forestry industry sustains good, middle-class jobs and provides economic opportunities for rural and indigenous communities across our country.We will continue to work with all our partners across Canada to defend this vital sector against unfair and unwarranted U.S. trade measures and practices.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman overlooks the fact that during the course of that mission there were about one billion dollars' worth of trade and investment identified, about 6,000 Canadian jobs created, and a number of different initiatives that went forward, including an agreement resolving a fumigation dispute with respect to Canadian pulse crop exports to India. At the end of the mission, the Prime Minister of India expressed his satisfaction with the success of what had been accomplished.
Mr. Speaker, we still have no details.The government made, and repeated, grand promises that Canada would return to UN peacekeeping, but we would not know it from our current contributions. At the end of last month, Canada had just under 40 troops and police officers on UN missions, a record low in the history of Canadian peacekeeping. Today's announcement likely falls short of meeting the peacekeeping commitments the government made. When will the government reveal exactly how it intends to fulfill the promises it made over two and a half years ago?
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to say, the environment and the economy go hand in hand. We continue to support the energy sector in a variety of ways, including the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline. I would like to add a number of other pipelines as well: the expanded export capacity for the Alberta Clipper, the Nova Gas pipeline, the Line 3 replacement project, and our support of the Keystone XL pipeline. I could go on and on.Our government has approved the Trans Mountain expansion and we stand by that approval.
Mr. Speaker, Davie is a major shipyard and we are still in talks with its representatives. We are exercising due diligence, and we will inform the House once we have made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, March 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rivière-des-Mille-Îles for her excellent work.Two weeks ago, I was in Asunción, Paraguay, to launch the Mercosur negotiations. Through our ambitious trade diversification program, Canada is positioning itself for success for decades to come.With Mercosur, our government is pursuing the most progressive trade negotiations our country has ever undertaken. For the first time ever, the negotiations will include a gender-based analysis and comprehensive assessments of the impact on labour, human rights, and indigenous peoples. I look forward to welcoming stakeholders this evening to get started.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's prosperity relies on ensuring that young people get the experience they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow. That is why the Canada summer jobs program has been so critical in ensuring that young people get that oftentimes first well-paying job that will help them identify their career path and gain the skills they need. We predict a very successful year ahead. The number of applications received, and currently under review, is on par with 2017. We know that we are going to continue to help young people get that experience and thrive going into the future.
Mr. Speaker, in this day and age, mobile communications and high-speed Internet are no longer luxuries, they are necessities. Our government recognizes that innovation is occurring everywhere in the regions, just as it is in major cities. That is why we want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the same technologies, no matter their postal code. It comes down to equal opportunity. Our connect to innovate program is addressing the digital divide and will enable our communities and businesses to seize opportunities provided by the global digital economy.
Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, human rights, including lesbian and gay rights, are a very important component of our foreign policy. They are important here in Canada, and we are working with our foreign partners to defend LGBT people around the world. We are going to continue with this vital work.
Mr. Speaker, that allows me to once again say what a pleasure it was for me to be able to spend time with steelworkers and aluminum workers last week across the country. The hard-working steelworkers at Stelco and aluminum workers at Alma have been working hard to continue to deliver. I was very pleased to be able to meet with them to listen to their concerns directly and to reassure them about the path forward we are taking. We have continued to defend the industry in this country and we will continue to do so. Whether it is moving forward on pipelines, whether it is moving forward on protecting our steel, we will continue
Mr. Speaker, the process this year asked organizations to commit to the fact that their core activities, their core mandate, and the job description for which they are applying would not in any way actively undermine the rights of young Canadians. In fact, we have had resounding applications, the same as last year. We anticipate that over 70,000 young people will have excellent job experiences across the country in a variety of different sectors that will help them gain the skills they need, determine their career paths, and earn a little extra money.We are incredibly proud of the fact that the government puts youth success at the forefront and knows that it is critically connected to our economic success.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the relationship we were able to build with the provinces, territories, and municipalities to deliver a historic infrastructure plan. Under our plan, we have approved more than 4,100 projects with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. These investments are creating jobs for the middle class, helping us build a stronger economy, moving us to a green economy, as well as improving people's living conditions.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts: two years and a few months ago, the Prime Minister published his mandate letter to his Minister of Finance. On page 4 of this letter, penned by the Prime Minister himself, he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20. These are not my words, they are the words of the Prime Minister himself. Could the Prime Minister stand up and tell Canadians that he is going to keep the promise he made to them in this letter he wrote himself?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the approval list for Canada summer jobs came out to the MPs. Compared to last year, 36 fewer organizations in my riding even applied. At least 15 of these organizations told me they did not because of the Liberals' values test. Instead of funding groups that provide housing and child care, the Liberals have dumped money into for-profit organizations and retailers. Will the Liberals admit this is wrong, vote in favour of our motion, and support Canadians who are trying to help their communities?
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House have asked the government hundreds of times over the past two years when it will balance the budget.We have never even come close to getting an answer. We are not the only ones who are fed up. In a scathing report published last week, the parliamentary budget officer indicated that the government has completely lost control of the public purse and has no plan to balance the budget.Will the Prime Minister reassure Canadians, do as the parliamentary budget officer is asking, and tell us when his government will balance the budget?
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to say, the environment and the economy go hand in hand. We continue to support the energy sector in a variety of ways, including the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline. I would like to add a number of other pipelines as well: the expanded export capacity for the Alberta Clipper, the Nova Gas pipeline, the Line 3 replacement project, and our support of the Keystone XL pipeline. I could go on and on.Our government has approved the Trans Mountain expansion and we stand by that approval.
Mr. Speaker, the government said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been nearly $20 billion. This year the deficit will be three times the size that the Liberals committed to in their platform, and they are unable to find a single penny in savings necessary to eventually return us to a balanced budget. Why does the member not just rise now and admit what the Parliamentary Budget Officer has already suggested, and what Canadians already know, which is that the Liberals will never balance Canada's budget?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of this term, that is an election promise.That is a promise. The Liberals also promised they would eliminate $3 billion in spending after they did a comprehensive review to find waste. Having done that review over the last two years, the Liberals have come to the conclusion that there is not a single penny in waste that they can cancel. In fact, it gave them ideas on how they could spend even more.Will the Liberals keep their promise to eliminate $3 billion in annual spending waste by the end of this term, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, there are 300 workers at the Catalyst Paper mill in Powell River, who make the products that were recently slapped with a 22% punitive tariff by the U.S. government. Those tariffs directly threaten the mill, meaning that 300 good-paying Canadian jobs in a small community that needs the mill's payroll, taxes, and investment are at risk. These workers know that the government's words on the unfair tariffs are not worth the paper they are written on.Where is the leadership, the real action that our workers need from the government to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, Marielle Franco, a city councillor in Rio de Janeiro, was brutally murdered. Marielle was 38 years old. She was a black woman, a lesbian, a socialist, and a human rights advocate. For years, she had been speaking out against police brutality in the favelas. It is for all of these reasons that she was murdered by multiple gunshots to the head. We cannot stay silent in the face of this attempt to kill hope.Will Canada show leadership and demand that Brazil order an independent investigation into this politically motivated killing?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced that Canadian soldiers will be taking part in a mission to Mali. In his own words, the Prime Minister has acknowledged that this is putting soldiers in harm's way. Mali is the UN's most dangerous peacekeeping mission it has currently, and the UN is experiencing the worst spate of UN peacekeeping fatalities in the organization's history. The Prime Minister would have been advised by his people as to the nature of the risk to soldiers, as well as the likelihood of casualties in this mission. Could the Prime Minister inform the House as to what the risk is to soldiers of a fatality?
Three hundred workers, Mr. Speaker, and those talking points help none of them.The federal government has failed so far to come to the defence of workers in British Columbia whose jobs are at risk with U.S. tariffs on groundwood paper. These are good-paying, family-supporting jobs in my riding, and the industry also supports thousands of indirect jobs throughout British Columbia.What is the government going to do to stand up to this unfair U.S. trade action? When will the Liberals finally show some strength in international trade talks and protect Canadian jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister believes that the budget will balance itself. As a result, Canada has a deficit of billions of dollars.Western grain farmers are facing a second crisis. They are unable to deliver their products. Like his Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture thinks that the crisis will resolve itself and is refusing to take action.The Liberals' record is one of deficits for everyone and millions of dollars in losses for all farmers. The farmers are here in town.Will the minister personally commit to taking action, rather than believing in fairy tales like his Prime Minister and waiting for the crisis to resolve itself?
Mr. Speaker, serious concerns are being raised about China-owned telecom company Huawei having access to 5G technology. Recently, a U.S. Senate committee heard compelling testimony from four U.S. agencies, including the FBI and the CIA, which says that Huawei poses a serious cybersecurity threat.Does the Prime Minister recognize that there may be a threat to Canadian cybersecurity? What is he doing to stop China-owned Huawei from spying on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, this is serious. The Prime Minister's national security adviser said there was a conspiracy theory, and the Prime Minister publicly supported the allegation. The Indian government categorically denied it. Now the Minister of Foreign Affairs is calling it a simple mistake. A simple mistake? Some 19 MPs and ministers take a trip to India, a terrorist gets an invitation, the PM does a half day's work in eight days in India, all on the taxpayers' dime, and this is being called a simple mistake. Will the Prime Minister apologize to the Indian government and to all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of co-operation, following the brutal chemical attack on British soil, there have been some basic discussions among the parties with respect to a motion involving the death of a Canadian citizen. If you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House (a) condemn the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Revolutionary Guard for the brutal oppression of its own citizens, which included the imprisonment and killing of a Canadian citizen, Kavous Seyed Emami, who was killed in Iranian custody; (b) call upon the government to immediately cease any and all negotiations or discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran until they accept responsibility for the death of Mr. Seyed Emami; and (c) stand with the people of Iran and recognize that they, like all people, have a fundamental right to freedom of conscience and religion, freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press, and other forms of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.
Mr. Speaker, let us review the fiscal promises. The Liberals said they would cut $3 billion in waste. Instead, they found billions of dollars in increased spending. They said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been double that. They said that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now they say that will not happen for another 25 years, during which time they will add, or some government will add, half a trillion dollars of deficit. They said the middle class would pay less. Instead, the Fraser Institute said that 80% are paying more. With all of these broken promises, how can the Canadian people believe anything the Prime Minister says about their money?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to talk about the previous government, but the previous government always held a debate on sending troops on missions around the world. The Prime Minister has decided to send our troops on a peacekeeping mission in Mali where there currently is no peace to be had. Mali is a war zone. The Prime Minister seems to be unaware of that fact. He has demonstrated to Canada that safety is not really important to him. He is getting ready to send our troops to Mali, a country at war.Can the Prime Minister tell us what the chain of command will be for our troops in this war zone?
Mr. Speaker, we are deeply disappointed with the unjustified preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Canada's forestry industry sustains good, middle-class jobs and provides economic opportunities for rural and indigenous communities across our country.We will continue to work with all our partners across Canada to defend this vital sector against unfair and unwarranted U.S. trade measures and practices.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has finally made an announcement about peacekeeping. After two and a half years in power, after repeated calls by the United Nations and our international allies, and after the government's failure to deploy troops to Colombia when that country needed them, we still lack important information such as the start date of the mission and the number of women that will be deployed. Should two and a half years not have been enough to start putting together the answers to some of these questions? Why this lack of clarity?
Mr. Speaker, Davie is a major shipyard and we are still in talks with its representatives. We are exercising due diligence, and we will inform the House once we have made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House call on Health Canada to suspend the sale of high-sugar, high-alcohol drinks and alcoholic energy drinks containing guaranine for the duration of the consultations on this matter and until such time that new rules come into effect.
Mr. Speaker, in this day and age, mobile communications and high-speed Internet are no longer luxuries, they are necessities. Our government recognizes that innovation is occurring everywhere in the regions, just as it is in major cities. That is why we want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the same technologies, no matter their postal code. It comes down to equal opportunity. Our connect to innovate program is addressing the digital divide and will enable our communities and businesses to seize opportunities provided by the global digital economy.
Mr. Speaker, a terrorist convicted of attempted assassination was invited to an official dinner with the Prime Minister. There are two possible explanations for this. A Liberal MP says he invited the felon, but the Prime Minister himself says it was an Indian conspiracy.How can it be an Indian government plot against a Canadian trade mission if a Liberal MP says he is the one who invited that person, that terrorist?If the Prime Minister has evidence, let him present it to the House and answer questions to bring transparency
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.I move: That the House (a) acknowledge the strength of the ties and values that Canadians and the British people share; (b) condemn in the strongest terms the despicable use of a nerve agent on the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom in the March 4, 2018, chemical attack in Salisbury; (c) recognize that the Russian state bears responsibility for this act and has shown a total disregard for the rules-based international order; (d) call on Russia to co-operate fully with British investigators; and (e) stand in solidarity with the British people and the United Kingdom, a key NATO ally and G7 partner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, March 22 shall be an allotted day.
I understand that we cannot mitigate the risk, Mr. Speaker. The question I am asking is this. What is the risk associated with our Canadian soldiers? They deserve to know this. This is the most dangerous mission in the world right now. This is something we are sending Canadian soldiers into without any information at all from the government. It is absolutely deplorable. Canadians deserve to have the answer. How many soldiers are projected to be lost in this mission?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we have committed to open information and discussions with the members opposite, with all members in the House, on the nature and the moving forward of missions like this. The previous government chose to wrap itself in the flag and use special forces as photo ops, while not informing the House about anything. What we are going to be doing is remaining open and responsible with all members in the House as we move forward and re-engage in UN peacekeeping missions to support our allies to move forward on peace in the world. That is what Canadians expect and that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, the preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce are unjustified, and they are unacceptable to Canada. We stand with our forestry industry, and we are taking every possible action, including in international arenas, to support and defend our forestry industry.We stand with Canadian workers. We are fighting for them, and we will succeed.
Mr. Speaker, two months ago, the Prime Minister was acting like the Davie shipyard's saviour, promising contracts would be forthcoming. The government has yet to sign a single contract with Davie, even after direct appeals by representatives of the service providers' association. This is an urgent matter for all of Quebec, but obviously not for the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Prime Minister honour his commitment? Is he waiting for permission from Seaspan and Irving?
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister needs his notes because he has no understanding of what we are doing. That is why the decisions he makes behind closed doors should be put to parliamentarians here in the House of Commons so we can ask the right questions.Right now, we have no doubt that Canadian Armed Forces personnel are capable of carrying out any mission anywhere in the world. That is not the issue. The issue is that, right now, our people are in Mali on a so-called peacekeeping mission even though it is a war zone. Can the Prime Minister tell us what the rules of engagement are?
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to congratulate the member for TorontoDanforth for her strong commitment to reducing poverty.Budget 2018 introduces the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to lift tens of thousands of lower-wage Canadians out of poverty and also benefit more than two million vulnerable Canadians. Budget 2018 also introduced automatic enrolment, which will ensure that eligible Canadians actually receive the benefit. Starting in 2019, the new Canada workers benefit will help more vulnerable Canadians who work hard succeed in joining the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, last month, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development released the results of our government's poverty reduction strategy consultations in a What We Heard report. I hosted one of those consultations in my riding where I heard from Canadians living in poverty and front-line workers about what it is like to live in poverty in our country. Can the minister please tell the House how budget 2018 will help low-income Canadians get the support that they need?
Mr. Speaker, western Canadian grain farmers have asked the Liberals for one thing: help them move their grain. We have given the Liberals the concrete actions they could take now to get grain moving. Instead they stand up and defend the rail duopoly. They have tarnished our reputation as a reliable trading partner. Time is of the essence and the crisis farmers are facing is critical. Railcars are not being delivered. Grain is not moving. Farmers are not getting paid.Does the agriculture minister not grasp the seriousness of this crisis? Why will the Liberals not take action now to move our grain?
Mr. Speaker, it was a real pleasure to speak with steelworkers in Hamilton about exactly how we were standing up for their jobs.We have been working with the American administration over the past year to ensure that we are standing up for Canadian jobs, that we are standing up for Canadian interests. We are moving forward in a responsible way to renegotiate NAFTA in ways that will improve it for Canadians, for Canadian workers, and for our partners. We are going to continue to take this approach that is working with the American government, regardless of what the NDP proposes.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals claimed that their deficit spending would go to infrastructure, but now the Parliamentary Budget Officer has revealed that a quarter of that money has lapsed and just disappeared into the massive Liberal spending hole. Now there is this: Budget 2018 provides an incomplete account of the changes to the Governments $186.7 billion infrastructure spending plan. PBO requested the new plan but it does not exist. How does the government spend $186 billion with no plan?
Mr. Speaker, we all want to see stability brought to conflict-ridden regions of this world. However, the reality is that there are 162 fatalities of UN peacekeepers in Mali alone. Less than two months ago, the UN Security Council was advised by the under-secretary general for peacekeeping operations that the objectives in the Mali mission were in question and it was urged to reassess this mission. I know the Prime Minister is happy that we are going to Mali, but there is a real and serious threat to our Canadian soldiers. Will those being deployed in this war zone be allowed to actively engage targets?
Mr. Speaker, we still have no details.The government made, and repeated, grand promises that Canada would return to UN peacekeeping, but we would not know it from our current contributions. At the end of last month, Canada had just under 40 troops and police officers on UN missions, a record low in the history of Canadian peacekeeping. Today's announcement likely falls short of meeting the peacekeeping commitments the government made. When will the government reveal exactly how it intends to fulfill the promises it made over two and a half years ago?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, Canadians had a choice between the Liberal Party's plan and the austerity measures being proposed by the Conservatives with results that we are all familiar with. They include the lowest growth since World War II, the worst growth in exports, and the worst job creation record. The Liberal Party's plan involved investing in infrastructure and communities, giving more to those who need it most in order to stimulate and bolster our economy, and investing in science, and that is what we did in the last budget. That is what we are doing. The results speak for themselves. Over the past two years, 600,000 jobs have been created, most of which are full time.That is a record we can be proud of.
Mr. Speaker, we all want our western farmers to be able to get their grain to the global marketplace as quickly as possible. That is why the Minister of Agriculture and I spoke with CN and CP. We told them clearly that they were not doing an acceptable job right now, and we asked them to show us how they planned to address the current problems. Over the past two weeks, the situation has improved considerably, and we will continue to monitor their progress in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is claiming to have made significant commitments to the budget to end pension theft, but this is just not true. There were no answers from the Prime Minister during his PR trip last week about changing the laws to protect workers' pensions. Workers have had enough talk. It is time for action. We can and we must end pension theft now. When will the government outline a real plan for the protection of workers' pensions, like the one I have already presented in Bill C-384?
Mr. Speaker, in his most recent report, the parliamentary budget officer called on the Liberals to deliver a detailed plan for how they intend to dole out billions in infrastructure dollars to prevent further delays. He said that some funding would likely not be allocated or spent on time. He went so far as to say that the Liberals do not have a plan for spending the billions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure over the next 12 years. Municipalities have been waiting for too long and cannot wait any longer.On their behalf, I am asking the government, where is the plan to prevent delays?
Mr. Speaker, the person at the centre of the Atwal scandal does not believe the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy claims. The Liberal MP for Surrey Centre does not believe the Prime Minister's claims, because he apologized and accepted responsibility. Even the foreign affairs minister does not believe the Prime Minister, because she admitted to apologizing to the Indian government, calling the Atwal invitation an honest mistake. It appears there are only two people who still believe in the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy theories: the Prime Minister and his national security adviser.When will the Prime Minister allow the national security adviser to brief the House in the same way they briefed the press gallery?
Mr. Speaker, André Dionne, a federal public service manager from Montreal, will be in Federal Court tomorrow as part of his lawsuit to uphold his right to work in French, a right that has been trampled throughout his career. This is a violation of Bill 101 and is also a violation of Canadian law, as the Commissioner of Official Languages found eight years ago. This is the price Quebec has to pay for being subject to the Canadian system. Will the minister enforce employees' right to work in French at Canadian institutions in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, the issue with respect to the invitation has been clearly discussed and responded to. The invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded, as it should have been.
Mr. Speaker, it is not just our allies sounding the alarm but national security experts in Canada as well. Ward Elcock, a former CSIS director, told The Globe and Mail, I would not want to see Huawei equipment being incorporated into a 5G network in Canada. Dick Fadden, former national security adviser, is saying that we do not want Canadian infrastructure to be available to Huawei. With what these Canadian experts are saying, will the public safety minister commit to a re-evaluation of Canada's ties with China-owned Huawei?
Mr. Speaker, amid a busy schedule of family vacations, the Prime Minister squeezed in some visits to Canadian steel plants. In Saskatchewan he visited Evraz where they manufacture pipelines. The Liberals' abdication of federal leadership on the Trans Mountain pipeline is hurting Evraz, the prairie oil and gas sector, as well as the Canadian steel industry. Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadian steelworkers that construction on Trans Mountain will start this spring?
Mr. Speaker, cybersecurity is an extraordinarily important priority for the country and for the government. As the hon. member will have noticed in the last budget, the Minister of Finance has set aside something in excess of $700 million for investments over the next number of years, including the creation of a new cybersecurity centre, one that will pay particular attention to the critical infrastructure of this country, which we must indeed protect and defend by every means possible.
Mr. Speaker, we always take a very responsible fiscal approach, one that has been lauded by economists the world over. They all agree that in a slow economy, like the one we inherited from the previous Conservative government, the smart thing to do is to make investments where they are needed, in infrastructure, in our communities, to stimulate growth, to stimulate the economy. That is what we have done, and we are making sure that our debt-to-GDP ratio stays on a downward track.
Mr. Speaker, we want to get our western farmers' grain to market as quickly as possible, unlike the previous government, which for 10 years did not do a darn thing to move grain and other commodities more efficiently. By the way, they voted against Bill C-49 and I would ask them to speak to their colleagues in the other House to speed up the process with Bill C-49.In the meantime, the Minister of Agriculture and I have spoken to CN and CP, and told them that they have to do better. They are doing better, but we will watch them very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health will be holding consultations to stop sugary, high-alcohol drinks from being sold in their current format, and that is a good thing. However, we also have a duty to be diligent and above all thorough in our actions, to prevent another tragedy from occurring. As part of these consultations, will the Minister of Health also consider banning the addition of guarana to these alcoholic drinks?
Mr. Speaker, we worked very closely with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and with provinces and territories to develop a historic plan that is investing more than $180 billion to build the necessary infrastructure that has been neglected by the Harper government for a decade. We have approved 4,100 projects, with a combined investment of $35 billion. Last week, we signed three bilateral agreements with the Province of Ontario, New Brunswick, and Northwest Territories to deliver historic investments so communities get the infrastructure they need and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, a round of negotiations for a possible agreement with Mercosur will take place here in Ottawa tomorrow, March 20. This is a free trade agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Canada hopes to enter into a free trade agreement with this economic community, Mercosur. The primary objective is to diversity our international trade markets with countries that have similar goals and growing economies.I wonder if the Minister of International Trade could give us an update.
Mr. Speaker, when will the Prime Minister get his head out of the sand? Just last week, President Trump bragged that he made up figures while talking to the Prime Minister about the supposed trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada, and the Prime Minister said that he has full confidence in the President's being straight with him. Our Prime Minister is not being taken seriously by our largest trading partner and Canadians are worried. Does the Prime Minister still believe that the President is being straight with him? When will the Prime Minister be straight with Canadians and tell them exactly how he plans to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, many main roads in rural regions are not even covered by a cellular network. Although investing in 5G may be a good thing, in the meantime, nothing is happening in rural areas. The Liberals are so out of touch that the word cellular is not even in their last budget. If the minister is ready to pull his head out of the sand, I would invite him to go on a little road trip with me. He would realize that there is a cellular dead zone just two hours from here.How much longer before people living in rural areas are not treated like second-class citizens by this minister?
Mr. Speaker, our government worked hard to secure an exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs for Canada. We will keep working hard until the possibility of such tariffs is completely and permanently eliminated. Our priority is to get the best possible outcomes for Canadians and their families.
Mr. Speaker, as we said during the campaign, we want to contribute to international peacekeeping and stabilization missions. We announced our commitment to send an air task force to Mali that will include Chinook and Griffon helicopters. Canadian Armed Forces members will also help with medical evacuations of soldiers and provide logistical support for the mission. We know that Canada's presence is important to maintaining peace and security around the world. We have already approached the opposition about how to proceed with a debate. We look forward to having these conversations.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program has always provided young people with good-quality job experiences, where they can gain valuable experience, and helped prepare them for school. Unlike the Conservatives, who have funded groups that promote anti-abortion, distribute graphic images, or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, we are going to ensure that we do not support groups that actively undermine Canadian rights. We predict a successful year ahead. We know the number of applications is on par with last year, and we look forward to doubling the Canada summer jobs opportunities for young people in the country again this year.
Mr. Speaker, while Canada is exempt for now from the U.S. President's global tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the President stated very clearly that he will use the threat of future tariffs to get what he wants in NAFTA renegotiations. Our steel and aluminum industries, forestry, aerospace, paper: what is next? Sixty-four billion dollars could be lost and half a million Canadian jobs are at risk, yet all the Prime Minister has done is pay lip service. Canadians need to know how many more tariffs or threats of tariffs the government will allow before it takes action.
Mr. Speaker, our official languages are at the core of our Canadian values. We will ensure that public servants across Canada continue to have the right to speak in both official languages. This is something that is absolutely fundamental. We will continue to ensure that from coast to coast to coast Canadian public servants are respected, including their right to speak in both official languages.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question. I also want to extend my deepest condolences to the Gervais family. This was a real tragedy.Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is a top priority for our government, and we are going to continue our work to do so. I have instructed Health Canada to immediately take action with regard to the proposal to restrict the amount of alcohol in single-serve highly sweetened, high-alcohol beverages.We are also going to meet with our provincial and territorial partners, as well as other partners, to ensure that we address this problem.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell for all his hard work for Canadian agriculture. Our government is committed to supporting clean technology in Canadian agriculture. Today, I was proud to join the member to announce an investment of $25 million to develop and adapt clean technology in Canadian agriculture. This would help our farmers stay on the cutting edge, grow our economy, and help more people join the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, the process this year asked organizations to commit to the fact that their core activities, their core mandate, and the job description for which they are applying would not in any way actively undermine the rights of young Canadians. In fact, we have had resounding applications, the same as last year. We anticipate that over 70,000 young people will have excellent job experiences across the country in a variety of different sectors that will help them gain the skills they need, determine their career paths, and earn a little extra money.We are incredibly proud of the fact that the government puts youth success at the forefront and knows that it is critically connected to our economic success.
Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, human rights, including lesbian and gay rights, are a very important component of our foreign policy. They are important here in Canada, and we are working with our foreign partners to defend LGBT people around the world. We are going to continue with this vital work.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my previous answer, our plan is working. We are moving forward with this plan to promote growth for Canada. We are doing this responsibly by keeping the ratio of the size of our debt to the size of our economy on a downward track. Canada's debt-to-GDP ratio is the best in the G7, and it is projected to reach its lowest level since the late 1970s by the end of this term.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the minister, she is just not answering a very direct question. We have a motion before the House today that says that non-political, non-activist groups should be able to access the Canada summer jobs program regardless of their private convictions.We believe that it is a violation of fundamental charter rights to force an organization to disclose its private convictions if that has absolutely nothing to do with the activities it is involved in. If the government is sincere about not targeting faith-based charities, it could take one very simple step to reassure those organizations and support our motion today. Will it?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's prosperity relies on ensuring that young people get the experience they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow. That is why the Canada summer jobs program has been so critical in ensuring that young people get that oftentimes first well-paying job that will help them identify their career path and gain the skills they need. We predict a very successful year ahead. The number of applications received, and currently under review, is on par with 2017. We know that we are going to continue to help young people get that experience and thrive going into the future.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that the first thing we did was we lowered taxes on the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest 1%. The other thing we have done is we have made the Canada child benefit a new and more progressive program to give more to those who need it the most. That has lifted 300,000 kids out of poverty. What we said to Canadians is that we will succeed where the Conservative government failed. We have grown this economy more than they ever did in the decade that they were in power. We have the fastest growth in the G7, and we will continue on that path.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman overlooks the fact that during the course of that mission there were about one billion dollars' worth of trade and investment identified, about 6,000 Canadian jobs created, and a number of different initiatives that went forward, including an agreement resolving a fumigation dispute with respect to Canadian pulse crop exports to India. At the end of the mission, the Prime Minister of India expressed his satisfaction with the success of what had been accomplished.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canadian farmers are key economic drivers in this country and that they play a major role in combatting climate change.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on the important announcement we made to improve clean technology in Canadian agriculture, this morning at Terryland Farms in my riding?
Mr. Speaker, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains our top priority in every operation. We always take all necessary steps to mitigate as much as possible the operational risks that members of the Canadian Armed Forces might face.The personnel being deployed in peacekeeping operations will have the equipment and training they need to see their mission through. We have tremendous confidence in the ability of our armed forces and the positive influence that Canada can have on the world.
We have to admit, Mr. Speaker, it is a bit of an interesting turn of events when the Conservatives think we are doing too much with our military and the New Democrats do not think we are doing enough. As I have said, we are pleased that we are moving forward on peace operations with the UN, re-engaging with the UN the way Canadians expect us to, the way we committed to two years ago during the election campaign. I very much look forward to working with opposition members to figure out a way to move forward on debate regarding this mission so that all Canadians can be apprised of what we are doing and how we are doing it.
Mr. Speaker, I have two points very specifically. First, the invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded. Second, whenever senior government officials with long experience issue opinions, advice, and recommendations, they do so impartially and always acting in the best interests of Canada to defend the Canadian national interest. They have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, the minister referred earlier to an organization that I know received tens of thousands of dollars from the Liberal member for MississaugaErin Mills. However, that choice by the member does not have anything to do with our motion today, which speaks to non-political, non-activist groups that for reasons of conscience, and their conscience rights in section 2 of the charter, do not want to check this box. Will the minister support our motion, which would allow these charitable organizations to continue to provide this vital work? Will she look at the motion and support it on the basis of its support for non-political, non-activist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program serves a critical purpose in the country, and that is to make sure that young people get quality job experiences, oftentimes for the first time in their young careers. That is why we are going to make sure that funds do not go, in any way, to groups that actively work to undermine Canadians' rights. Young people are counting on us to stand up for their rights, to deliver this program in a way that is fair and equitable and respects all Canadians, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, that allows me to once again say what a pleasure it was for me to be able to spend time with steelworkers and aluminum workers last week across the country. The hard-working steelworkers at Stelco and aluminum workers at Alma have been working hard to continue to deliver. I was very pleased to be able to meet with them to listen to their concerns directly and to reassure them about the path forward we are taking. We have continued to defend the industry in this country and we will continue to do so. Whether it is moving forward on pipelines, whether it is moving forward on protecting our steel, we will continue
Mr. Speaker, this morning, we began our parliamentary day by acknowledging the freedom that we enjoy in Canada. The Prime Minister and the Liberals are attacking that freedom: freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. Through their ideological and dogmatic approach, the Liberals are attacking the least fortunate and depriving our young people of good jobs. Will the Prime Minister and the Liberals use today's vote to support our motion to ensure that the Canada summer jobs program remains a program for creating jobs and not an attack on the freedoms that our soldiers fight for?
Mr. Speaker, we have just completed a national security review of our cybersecurity systems. That has included every dimension of those systems, including how best to protect critical infrastructure. We will take every step necessary to make sure that this critical infrastructure, which is vital to Canada and to our relations with countries around the world, is properly protected and defended. There is nothing more important than that.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we are being completely transparent and are keen to have a good debate here in the House of Commons. We have already approached the opposition to talk about how to hold that debate, and we are pleased that plans will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the relationship we were able to build with the provinces, territories, and municipalities to deliver a historic infrastructure plan. Under our plan, we have approved more than 4,100 projects with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. These investments are creating jobs for the middle class, helping us build a stronger economy, moving us to a green economy, as well as improving people's living conditions.
Mr. Speaker, as we have made clear, our heart goes out to those Sears workers. We are taking their advice. We are taking advice from all sides of the House to look into how we can better the situation of pensioners in this country. We made that promise. We will continue to work in that regard, and we will continue to examine any suggestion that comes with it.
Mr. Speaker, the plot surrounding the Atwal scandal continued to thicken even while the House was away, courtesy of Jaspal Atwal himself. He held a press conference where he directly refuted the Liberal government's claims about an Indian conspiracy. Mr. Atwal confirmed that he asked the MP for Surrey Centre for an invitation to the Prime Minister's event. Mr. Atwal confirmed that the Liberal government got him that invite and that he has never spoken to the Indian government. When will the Prime Minister rise in this House and apologize to India for this diplomatic incident?
Mr. Speaker, we are always vigilant, working across government, to ensure the best value for tax dollars, while we make important investments in the interests of Canadians today and in the future.The innovation review that we led, in fact working with ISED, actually resulted in a more responsive, focused, and targeted approach to innovation writ large across the Government of Canada.What I will say is we will not do what the Conservatives did, for instance, when they cut 700 pay advisers to save $70 million on the eve of an election, destroying the pay system for the Canadian
Mr. Speaker, Canada's national security agencies are impartial and non-partisan. They are highly professional and competent. We trust them always to promote, protect, and defend the national interests of Canada, and I am confident that they have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rivière-des-Mille-Îles for her excellent work.Two weeks ago, I was in Asunción, Paraguay, to launch the Mercosur negotiations. Through our ambitious trade diversification program, Canada is positioning itself for success for decades to come.With Mercosur, our government is pursuing the most progressive trade negotiations our country has ever undertaken. For the first time ever, the negotiations will include a gender-based analysis and comprehensive assessments of the impact on labour, human rights, and indigenous peoples. I look forward to welcoming stakeholders this evening to get started.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to contributing in ways that bring the most value to the UN mission in Mali. We believe it is important for Canada to play a role in peace operations around the world. However, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains paramount during all operations. We always act to mitigate, as best as possible, the level of risk that Canadian Armed Forces personnel face while on operations. The personnel we will deploy on peace operations will be equipped with the appropriate equipment and will receive the necessary training for their assigned missions, although of course we cannot altogether eliminate the risks.
Mr. Speaker, aluminum is very important to some of our regions, including the Saguenay, and we are very proud of that fact. Despite President Trump's temporary exemption, workers in our regions are still worried and unsure about the future. Workers are entitled to strong representation and a hard-working government, which is what they are getting from the Government of Quebec.Will this government implement an action plan immediately?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, during the election campaign, we committed to re-engage Canadian soldiers in UN peacekeeping missions. We know that it is something that is important to Canadians, and is important to the world, that we be helping out in the best ways we can. That is why we are happy to respond to a direct request from the UN and from our allies to provide logistical and support helicopters to their mission in Mali. We will continue to work with the members opposite to determine the best way to move forward on debate in the House. We look forward to talking about that more in the coming days.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, the solemn acts we perform, like voting or signing a document, are very important. When we put our signature to a document, we are putting our honour on the line. Consequently, I am seeking unanimous consent to table a document signed by the Prime Minister's own hand. It is his mandate letter to the Minister of Finance, dated November 12, 2015, in which he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20.
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts: two years and a few months ago, the Prime Minister published his mandate letter to his Minister of Finance. On page 4 of this letter, penned by the Prime Minister himself, he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20. These are not my words, they are the words of the Prime Minister himself. Could the Prime Minister stand up and tell Canadians that he is going to keep the promise he made to them in this letter he wrote himself?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the approval list for Canada summer jobs came out to the MPs. Compared to last year, 36 fewer organizations in my riding even applied. At least 15 of these organizations told me they did not because of the Liberals' values test. Instead of funding groups that provide housing and child care, the Liberals have dumped money into for-profit organizations and retailers. Will the Liberals admit this is wrong, vote in favour of our motion, and support Canadians who are trying to help their communities?
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House have asked the government hundreds of times over the past two years when it will balance the budget.We have never even come close to getting an answer. We are not the only ones who are fed up. In a scathing report published last week, the parliamentary budget officer indicated that the government has completely lost control of the public purse and has no plan to balance the budget.Will the Prime Minister reassure Canadians, do as the parliamentary budget officer is asking, and tell us when his government will balance the budget?
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to say, the environment and the economy go hand in hand. We continue to support the energy sector in a variety of ways, including the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline. I would like to add a number of other pipelines as well: the expanded export capacity for the Alberta Clipper, the Nova Gas pipeline, the Line 3 replacement project, and our support of the Keystone XL pipeline. I could go on and on.Our government has approved the Trans Mountain expansion and we stand by that approval.
Mr. Speaker, the government said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been nearly $20 billion. This year the deficit will be three times the size that the Liberals committed to in their platform, and they are unable to find a single penny in savings necessary to eventually return us to a balanced budget. Why does the member not just rise now and admit what the Parliamentary Budget Officer has already suggested, and what Canadians already know, which is that the Liberals will never balance Canada's budget?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of this term, that is an election promise.That is a promise. The Liberals also promised they would eliminate $3 billion in spending after they did a comprehensive review to find waste. Having done that review over the last two years, the Liberals have come to the conclusion that there is not a single penny in waste that they can cancel. In fact, it gave them ideas on how they could spend even more.Will the Liberals keep their promise to eliminate $3 billion in annual spending waste by the end of this term, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, there are 300 workers at the Catalyst Paper mill in Powell River, who make the products that were recently slapped with a 22% punitive tariff by the U.S. government. Those tariffs directly threaten the mill, meaning that 300 good-paying Canadian jobs in a small community that needs the mill's payroll, taxes, and investment are at risk. These workers know that the government's words on the unfair tariffs are not worth the paper they are written on.Where is the leadership, the real action that our workers need from the government to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, Marielle Franco, a city councillor in Rio de Janeiro, was brutally murdered. Marielle was 38 years old. She was a black woman, a lesbian, a socialist, and a human rights advocate. For years, she had been speaking out against police brutality in the favelas. It is for all of these reasons that she was murdered by multiple gunshots to the head. We cannot stay silent in the face of this attempt to kill hope.Will Canada show leadership and demand that Brazil order an independent investigation into this politically motivated killing?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced that Canadian soldiers will be taking part in a mission to Mali. In his own words, the Prime Minister has acknowledged that this is putting soldiers in harm's way. Mali is the UN's most dangerous peacekeeping mission it has currently, and the UN is experiencing the worst spate of UN peacekeeping fatalities in the organization's history. The Prime Minister would have been advised by his people as to the nature of the risk to soldiers, as well as the likelihood of casualties in this mission. Could the Prime Minister inform the House as to what the risk is to soldiers of a fatality?
Three hundred workers, Mr. Speaker, and those talking points help none of them.The federal government has failed so far to come to the defence of workers in British Columbia whose jobs are at risk with U.S. tariffs on groundwood paper. These are good-paying, family-supporting jobs in my riding, and the industry also supports thousands of indirect jobs throughout British Columbia.What is the government going to do to stand up to this unfair U.S. trade action? When will the Liberals finally show some strength in international trade talks and protect Canadian jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister believes that the budget will balance itself. As a result, Canada has a deficit of billions of dollars.Western grain farmers are facing a second crisis. They are unable to deliver their products. Like his Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture thinks that the crisis will resolve itself and is refusing to take action.The Liberals' record is one of deficits for everyone and millions of dollars in losses for all farmers. The farmers are here in town.Will the minister personally commit to taking action, rather than believing in fairy tales like his Prime Minister and waiting for the crisis to resolve itself?
Mr. Speaker, serious concerns are being raised about China-owned telecom company Huawei having access to 5G technology. Recently, a U.S. Senate committee heard compelling testimony from four U.S. agencies, including the FBI and the CIA, which says that Huawei poses a serious cybersecurity threat.Does the Prime Minister recognize that there may be a threat to Canadian cybersecurity? What is he doing to stop China-owned Huawei from spying on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, this is serious. The Prime Minister's national security adviser said there was a conspiracy theory, and the Prime Minister publicly supported the allegation. The Indian government categorically denied it. Now the Minister of Foreign Affairs is calling it a simple mistake. A simple mistake? Some 19 MPs and ministers take a trip to India, a terrorist gets an invitation, the PM does a half day's work in eight days in India, all on the taxpayers' dime, and this is being called a simple mistake. Will the Prime Minister apologize to the Indian government and to all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of co-operation, following the brutal chemical attack on British soil, there have been some basic discussions among the parties with respect to a motion involving the death of a Canadian citizen. If you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House (a) condemn the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Revolutionary Guard for the brutal oppression of its own citizens, which included the imprisonment and killing of a Canadian citizen, Kavous Seyed Emami, who was killed in Iranian custody; (b) call upon the government to immediately cease any and all negotiations or discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran until they accept responsibility for the death of Mr. Seyed Emami; and (c) stand with the people of Iran and recognize that they, like all people, have a fundamental right to freedom of conscience and religion, freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press, and other forms of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.
Mr. Speaker, let us review the fiscal promises. The Liberals said they would cut $3 billion in waste. Instead, they found billions of dollars in increased spending. They said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been double that. They said that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now they say that will not happen for another 25 years, during which time they will add, or some government will add, half a trillion dollars of deficit. They said the middle class would pay less. Instead, the Fraser Institute said that 80% are paying more. With all of these broken promises, how can the Canadian people believe anything the Prime Minister says about their money?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to talk about the previous government, but the previous government always held a debate on sending troops on missions around the world. The Prime Minister has decided to send our troops on a peacekeeping mission in Mali where there currently is no peace to be had. Mali is a war zone. The Prime Minister seems to be unaware of that fact. He has demonstrated to Canada that safety is not really important to him. He is getting ready to send our troops to Mali, a country at war.Can the Prime Minister tell us what the chain of command will be for our troops in this war zone?
Mr. Speaker, we are deeply disappointed with the unjustified preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Canada's forestry industry sustains good, middle-class jobs and provides economic opportunities for rural and indigenous communities across our country.We will continue to work with all our partners across Canada to defend this vital sector against unfair and unwarranted U.S. trade measures and practices.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has finally made an announcement about peacekeeping. After two and a half years in power, after repeated calls by the United Nations and our international allies, and after the government's failure to deploy troops to Colombia when that country needed them, we still lack important information such as the start date of the mission and the number of women that will be deployed. Should two and a half years not have been enough to start putting together the answers to some of these questions? Why this lack of clarity?
Mr. Speaker, Davie is a major shipyard and we are still in talks with its representatives. We are exercising due diligence, and we will inform the House once we have made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House call on Health Canada to suspend the sale of high-sugar, high-alcohol drinks and alcoholic energy drinks containing guaranine for the duration of the consultations on this matter and until such time that new rules come into effect.
Mr. Speaker, in this day and age, mobile communications and high-speed Internet are no longer luxuries, they are necessities. Our government recognizes that innovation is occurring everywhere in the regions, just as it is in major cities. That is why we want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the same technologies, no matter their postal code. It comes down to equal opportunity. Our connect to innovate program is addressing the digital divide and will enable our communities and businesses to seize opportunities provided by the global digital economy.
Mr. Speaker, a terrorist convicted of attempted assassination was invited to an official dinner with the Prime Minister. There are two possible explanations for this. A Liberal MP says he invited the felon, but the Prime Minister himself says it was an Indian conspiracy.How can it be an Indian government plot against a Canadian trade mission if a Liberal MP says he is the one who invited that person, that terrorist?If the Prime Minister has evidence, let him present it to the House and answer questions to bring transparency
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.I move: That the House (a) acknowledge the strength of the ties and values that Canadians and the British people share; (b) condemn in the strongest terms the despicable use of a nerve agent on the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom in the March 4, 2018, chemical attack in Salisbury; (c) recognize that the Russian state bears responsibility for this act and has shown a total disregard for the rules-based international order; (d) call on Russia to co-operate fully with British investigators; and (e) stand in solidarity with the British people and the United Kingdom, a key NATO ally and G7 partner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, March 22 shall be an allotted day.
I understand that we cannot mitigate the risk, Mr. Speaker. The question I am asking is this. What is the risk associated with our Canadian soldiers? They deserve to know this. This is the most dangerous mission in the world right now. This is something we are sending Canadian soldiers into without any information at all from the government. It is absolutely deplorable. Canadians deserve to have the answer. How many soldiers are projected to be lost in this mission?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we have committed to open information and discussions with the members opposite, with all members in the House, on the nature and the moving forward of missions like this. The previous government chose to wrap itself in the flag and use special forces as photo ops, while not informing the House about anything. What we are going to be doing is remaining open and responsible with all members in the House as we move forward and re-engage in UN peacekeeping missions to support our allies to move forward on peace in the world. That is what Canadians expect and that is what we are going to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, the preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce are unjustified, and they are unacceptable to Canada. We stand with our forestry industry, and we are taking every possible action, including in international arenas, to support and defend our forestry industry.We stand with Canadian workers. We are fighting for them, and we will succeed.
Mr. Speaker, two months ago, the Prime Minister was acting like the Davie shipyard's saviour, promising contracts would be forthcoming. The government has yet to sign a single contract with Davie, even after direct appeals by representatives of the service providers' association. This is an urgent matter for all of Quebec, but obviously not for the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Prime Minister honour his commitment? Is he waiting for permission from Seaspan and Irving?
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister needs his notes because he has no understanding of what we are doing. That is why the decisions he makes behind closed doors should be put to parliamentarians here in the House of Commons so we can ask the right questions.Right now, we have no doubt that Canadian Armed Forces personnel are capable of carrying out any mission anywhere in the world. That is not the issue. The issue is that, right now, our people are in Mali on a so-called peacekeeping mission even though it is a war zone. Can the Prime Minister tell us what the rules of engagement are?
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to congratulate the member for TorontoDanforth for her strong commitment to reducing poverty.Budget 2018 introduces the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to lift tens of thousands of lower-wage Canadians out of poverty and also benefit more than two million vulnerable Canadians. Budget 2018 also introduced automatic enrolment, which will ensure that eligible Canadians actually receive the benefit. Starting in 2019, the new Canada workers benefit will help more vulnerable Canadians who work hard succeed in joining the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, last month, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development released the results of our government's poverty reduction strategy consultations in a What We Heard report. I hosted one of those consultations in my riding where I heard from Canadians living in poverty and front-line workers about what it is like to live in poverty in our country. Can the minister please tell the House how budget 2018 will help low-income Canadians get the support that they need?
Mr. Speaker, western Canadian grain farmers have asked the Liberals for one thing: help them move their grain. We have given the Liberals the concrete actions they could take now to get grain moving. Instead they stand up and defend the rail duopoly. They have tarnished our reputation as a reliable trading partner. Time is of the essence and the crisis farmers are facing is critical. Railcars are not being delivered. Grain is not moving. Farmers are not getting paid.Does the agriculture minister not grasp the seriousness of this crisis? Why will the Liberals not take action now to move our grain?
Mr. Speaker, it was a real pleasure to speak with steelworkers in Hamilton about exactly how we were standing up for their jobs.We have been working with the American administration over the past year to ensure that we are standing up for Canadian jobs, that we are standing up for Canadian interests. We are moving forward in a responsible way to renegotiate NAFTA in ways that will improve it for Canadians, for Canadian workers, and for our partners. We are going to continue to take this approach that is working with the American government, regardless of what the NDP proposes.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals claimed that their deficit spending would go to infrastructure, but now the Parliamentary Budget Officer has revealed that a quarter of that money has lapsed and just disappeared into the massive Liberal spending hole. Now there is this: Budget 2018 provides an incomplete account of the changes to the Governments $186.7 billion infrastructure spending plan. PBO requested the new plan but it does not exist. How does the government spend $186 billion with no plan?
Mr. Speaker, we all want to see stability brought to conflict-ridden regions of this world. However, the reality is that there are 162 fatalities of UN peacekeepers in Mali alone. Less than two months ago, the UN Security Council was advised by the under-secretary general for peacekeeping operations that the objectives in the Mali mission were in question and it was urged to reassess this mission. I know the Prime Minister is happy that we are going to Mali, but there is a real and serious threat to our Canadian soldiers. Will those being deployed in this war zone be allowed to actively engage targets?
Mr. Speaker, we still have no details.The government made, and repeated, grand promises that Canada would return to UN peacekeeping, but we would not know it from our current contributions. At the end of last month, Canada had just under 40 troops and police officers on UN missions, a record low in the history of Canadian peacekeeping. Today's announcement likely falls short of meeting the peacekeeping commitments the government made. When will the government reveal exactly how it intends to fulfill the promises it made over two and a half years ago?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, Canadians had a choice between the Liberal Party's plan and the austerity measures being proposed by the Conservatives with results that we are all familiar with. They include the lowest growth since World War II, the worst growth in exports, and the worst job creation record. The Liberal Party's plan involved investing in infrastructure and communities, giving more to those who need it most in order to stimulate and bolster our economy, and investing in science, and that is what we did in the last budget. That is what we are doing. The results speak for themselves. Over the past two years, 600,000 jobs have been created, most of which are full time.That is a record we can be proud of.
Mr. Speaker, we all want our western farmers to be able to get their grain to the global marketplace as quickly as possible. That is why the Minister of Agriculture and I spoke with CN and CP. We told them clearly that they were not doing an acceptable job right now, and we asked them to show us how they planned to address the current problems. Over the past two weeks, the situation has improved considerably, and we will continue to monitor their progress in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is claiming to have made significant commitments to the budget to end pension theft, but this is just not true. There were no answers from the Prime Minister during his PR trip last week about changing the laws to protect workers' pensions. Workers have had enough talk. It is time for action. We can and we must end pension theft now. When will the government outline a real plan for the protection of workers' pensions, like the one I have already presented in Bill C-384?
Mr. Speaker, in his most recent report, the parliamentary budget officer called on the Liberals to deliver a detailed plan for how they intend to dole out billions in infrastructure dollars to prevent further delays. He said that some funding would likely not be allocated or spent on time. He went so far as to say that the Liberals do not have a plan for spending the billions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure over the next 12 years. Municipalities have been waiting for too long and cannot wait any longer.On their behalf, I am asking the government, where is the plan to prevent delays?
Mr. Speaker, the person at the centre of the Atwal scandal does not believe the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy claims. The Liberal MP for Surrey Centre does not believe the Prime Minister's claims, because he apologized and accepted responsibility. Even the foreign affairs minister does not believe the Prime Minister, because she admitted to apologizing to the Indian government, calling the Atwal invitation an honest mistake. It appears there are only two people who still believe in the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy theories: the Prime Minister and his national security adviser.When will the Prime Minister allow the national security adviser to brief the House in the same way they briefed the press gallery?
Mr. Speaker, André Dionne, a federal public service manager from Montreal, will be in Federal Court tomorrow as part of his lawsuit to uphold his right to work in French, a right that has been trampled throughout his career. This is a violation of Bill 101 and is also a violation of Canadian law, as the Commissioner of Official Languages found eight years ago. This is the price Quebec has to pay for being subject to the Canadian system. Will the minister enforce employees' right to work in French at Canadian institutions in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, the issue with respect to the invitation has been clearly discussed and responded to. The invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded, as it should have been.
Mr. Speaker, it is not just our allies sounding the alarm but national security experts in Canada as well. Ward Elcock, a former CSIS director, told The Globe and Mail, I would not want to see Huawei equipment being incorporated into a 5G network in Canada. Dick Fadden, former national security adviser, is saying that we do not want Canadian infrastructure to be available to Huawei. With what these Canadian experts are saying, will the public safety minister commit to a re-evaluation of Canada's ties with China-owned Huawei?
Mr. Speaker, amid a busy schedule of family vacations, the Prime Minister squeezed in some visits to Canadian steel plants. In Saskatchewan he visited Evraz where they manufacture pipelines. The Liberals' abdication of federal leadership on the Trans Mountain pipeline is hurting Evraz, the prairie oil and gas sector, as well as the Canadian steel industry. Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadian steelworkers that construction on Trans Mountain will start this spring?
Mr. Speaker, cybersecurity is an extraordinarily important priority for the country and for the government. As the hon. member will have noticed in the last budget, the Minister of Finance has set aside something in excess of $700 million for investments over the next number of years, including the creation of a new cybersecurity centre, one that will pay particular attention to the critical infrastructure of this country, which we must indeed protect and defend by every means possible.
Mr. Speaker, we always take a very responsible fiscal approach, one that has been lauded by economists the world over. They all agree that in a slow economy, like the one we inherited from the previous Conservative government, the smart thing to do is to make investments where they are needed, in infrastructure, in our communities, to stimulate growth, to stimulate the economy. That is what we have done, and we are making sure that our debt-to-GDP ratio stays on a downward track.
Mr. Speaker, we want to get our western farmers' grain to market as quickly as possible, unlike the previous government, which for 10 years did not do a darn thing to move grain and other commodities more efficiently. By the way, they voted against Bill C-49 and I would ask them to speak to their colleagues in the other House to speed up the process with Bill C-49.In the meantime, the Minister of Agriculture and I have spoken to CN and CP, and told them that they have to do better. They are doing better, but we will watch them very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health will be holding consultations to stop sugary, high-alcohol drinks from being sold in their current format, and that is a good thing. However, we also have a duty to be diligent and above all thorough in our actions, to prevent another tragedy from occurring. As part of these consultations, will the Minister of Health also consider banning the addition of guarana to these alcoholic drinks?
Mr. Speaker, we worked very closely with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and with provinces and territories to develop a historic plan that is investing more than $180 billion to build the necessary infrastructure that has been neglected by the Harper government for a decade. We have approved 4,100 projects, with a combined investment of $35 billion. Last week, we signed three bilateral agreements with the Province of Ontario, New Brunswick, and Northwest Territories to deliver historic investments so communities get the infrastructure they need and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, a round of negotiations for a possible agreement with Mercosur will take place here in Ottawa tomorrow, March 20. This is a free trade agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Canada hopes to enter into a free trade agreement with this economic community, Mercosur. The primary objective is to diversity our international trade markets with countries that have similar goals and growing economies.I wonder if the Minister of International Trade could give us an update.
Mr. Speaker, when will the Prime Minister get his head out of the sand? Just last week, President Trump bragged that he made up figures while talking to the Prime Minister about the supposed trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada, and the Prime Minister said that he has full confidence in the President's being straight with him. Our Prime Minister is not being taken seriously by our largest trading partner and Canadians are worried. Does the Prime Minister still believe that the President is being straight with him? When will the Prime Minister be straight with Canadians and tell them exactly how he plans to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, many main roads in rural regions are not even covered by a cellular network. Although investing in 5G may be a good thing, in the meantime, nothing is happening in rural areas. The Liberals are so out of touch that the word cellular is not even in their last budget. If the minister is ready to pull his head out of the sand, I would invite him to go on a little road trip with me. He would realize that there is a cellular dead zone just two hours from here.How much longer before people living in rural areas are not treated like second-class citizens by this minister?
Mr. Speaker, our government worked hard to secure an exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs for Canada. We will keep working hard until the possibility of such tariffs is completely and permanently eliminated. Our priority is to get the best possible outcomes for Canadians and their families.
Mr. Speaker, as we said during the campaign, we want to contribute to international peacekeeping and stabilization missions. We announced our commitment to send an air task force to Mali that will include Chinook and Griffon helicopters. Canadian Armed Forces members will also help with medical evacuations of soldiers and provide logistical support for the mission. We know that Canada's presence is important to maintaining peace and security around the world. We have already approached the opposition about how to proceed with a debate. We look forward to having these conversations.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program has always provided young people with good-quality job experiences, where they can gain valuable experience, and helped prepare them for school. Unlike the Conservatives, who have funded groups that promote anti-abortion, distribute graphic images, or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, we are going to ensure that we do not support groups that actively undermine Canadian rights. We predict a successful year ahead. We know the number of applications is on par with last year, and we look forward to doubling the Canada summer jobs opportunities for young people in the country again this year.
Mr. Speaker, while Canada is exempt for now from the U.S. President's global tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the President stated very clearly that he will use the threat of future tariffs to get what he wants in NAFTA renegotiations. Our steel and aluminum industries, forestry, aerospace, paper: what is next? Sixty-four billion dollars could be lost and half a million Canadian jobs are at risk, yet all the Prime Minister has done is pay lip service. Canadians need to know how many more tariffs or threats of tariffs the government will allow before it takes action.
Mr. Speaker, our official languages are at the core of our Canadian values. We will ensure that public servants across Canada continue to have the right to speak in both official languages. This is something that is absolutely fundamental. We will continue to ensure that from coast to coast to coast Canadian public servants are respected, including their right to speak in both official languages.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question. I also want to extend my deepest condolences to the Gervais family. This was a real tragedy.Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is a top priority for our government, and we are going to continue our work to do so. I have instructed Health Canada to immediately take action with regard to the proposal to restrict the amount of alcohol in single-serve highly sweetened, high-alcohol beverages.We are also going to meet with our provincial and territorial partners, as well as other partners, to ensure that we address this problem.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell for all his hard work for Canadian agriculture. Our government is committed to supporting clean technology in Canadian agriculture. Today, I was proud to join the member to announce an investment of $25 million to develop and adapt clean technology in Canadian agriculture. This would help our farmers stay on the cutting edge, grow our economy, and help more people join the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, the process this year asked organizations to commit to the fact that their core activities, their core mandate, and the job description for which they are applying would not in any way actively undermine the rights of young Canadians. In fact, we have had resounding applications, the same as last year. We anticipate that over 70,000 young people will have excellent job experiences across the country in a variety of different sectors that will help them gain the skills they need, determine their career paths, and earn a little extra money.We are incredibly proud of the fact that the government puts youth success at the forefront and knows that it is critically connected to our economic success.
Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, human rights, including lesbian and gay rights, are a very important component of our foreign policy. They are important here in Canada, and we are working with our foreign partners to defend LGBT people around the world. We are going to continue with this vital work.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my previous answer, our plan is working. We are moving forward with this plan to promote growth for Canada. We are doing this responsibly by keeping the ratio of the size of our debt to the size of our economy on a downward track. Canada's debt-to-GDP ratio is the best in the G7, and it is projected to reach its lowest level since the late 1970s by the end of this term.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the minister, she is just not answering a very direct question. We have a motion before the House today that says that non-political, non-activist groups should be able to access the Canada summer jobs program regardless of their private convictions.We believe that it is a violation of fundamental charter rights to force an organization to disclose its private convictions if that has absolutely nothing to do with the activities it is involved in. If the government is sincere about not targeting faith-based charities, it could take one very simple step to reassure those organizations and support our motion today. Will it?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's prosperity relies on ensuring that young people get the experience they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow. That is why the Canada summer jobs program has been so critical in ensuring that young people get that oftentimes first well-paying job that will help them identify their career path and gain the skills they need. We predict a very successful year ahead. The number of applications received, and currently under review, is on par with 2017. We know that we are going to continue to help young people get that experience and thrive going into the future.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that the first thing we did was we lowered taxes on the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest 1%. The other thing we have done is we have made the Canada child benefit a new and more progressive program to give more to those who need it the most. That has lifted 300,000 kids out of poverty. What we said to Canadians is that we will succeed where the Conservative government failed. We have grown this economy more than they ever did in the decade that they were in power. We have the fastest growth in the G7, and we will continue on that path.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman overlooks the fact that during the course of that mission there were about one billion dollars' worth of trade and investment identified, about 6,000 Canadian jobs created, and a number of different initiatives that went forward, including an agreement resolving a fumigation dispute with respect to Canadian pulse crop exports to India. At the end of the mission, the Prime Minister of India expressed his satisfaction with the success of what had been accomplished.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canadian farmers are key economic drivers in this country and that they play a major role in combatting climate change.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on the important announcement we made to improve clean technology in Canadian agriculture, this morning at Terryland Farms in my riding?
Mr. Speaker, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains our top priority in every operation. We always take all necessary steps to mitigate as much as possible the operational risks that members of the Canadian Armed Forces might face.The personnel being deployed in peacekeeping operations will have the equipment and training they need to see their mission through. We have tremendous confidence in the ability of our armed forces and the positive influence that Canada can have on the world.
We have to admit, Mr. Speaker, it is a bit of an interesting turn of events when the Conservatives think we are doing too much with our military and the New Democrats do not think we are doing enough. As I have said, we are pleased that we are moving forward on peace operations with the UN, re-engaging with the UN the way Canadians expect us to, the way we committed to two years ago during the election campaign. I very much look forward to working with opposition members to figure out a way to move forward on debate regarding this mission so that all Canadians can be apprised of what we are doing and how we are doing it.
Mr. Speaker, I have two points very specifically. First, the invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded. Second, whenever senior government officials with long experience issue opinions, advice, and recommendations, they do so impartially and always acting in the best interests of Canada to defend the Canadian national interest. They have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, the minister referred earlier to an organization that I know received tens of thousands of dollars from the Liberal member for MississaugaErin Mills. However, that choice by the member does not have anything to do with our motion today, which speaks to non-political, non-activist groups that for reasons of conscience, and their conscience rights in section 2 of the charter, do not want to check this box. Will the minister support our motion, which would allow these charitable organizations to continue to provide this vital work? Will she look at the motion and support it on the basis of its support for non-political, non-activist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program serves a critical purpose in the country, and that is to make sure that young people get quality job experiences, oftentimes for the first time in their young careers. That is why we are going to make sure that funds do not go, in any way, to groups that actively work to undermine Canadians' rights. Young people are counting on us to stand up for their rights, to deliver this program in a way that is fair and equitable and respects all Canadians, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, that allows me to once again say what a pleasure it was for me to be able to spend time with steelworkers and aluminum workers last week across the country. The hard-working steelworkers at Stelco and aluminum workers at Alma have been working hard to continue to deliver. I was very pleased to be able to meet with them to listen to their concerns directly and to reassure them about the path forward we are taking. We have continued to defend the industry in this country and we will continue to do so. Whether it is moving forward on pipelines, whether it is moving forward on protecting our steel, we will continue
Mr. Speaker, this morning, we began our parliamentary day by acknowledging the freedom that we enjoy in Canada. The Prime Minister and the Liberals are attacking that freedom: freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. Through their ideological and dogmatic approach, the Liberals are attacking the least fortunate and depriving our young people of good jobs. Will the Prime Minister and the Liberals use today's vote to support our motion to ensure that the Canada summer jobs program remains a program for creating jobs and not an attack on the freedoms that our soldiers fight for?
Mr. Speaker, we have just completed a national security review of our cybersecurity systems. That has included every dimension of those systems, including how best to protect critical infrastructure. We will take every step necessary to make sure that this critical infrastructure, which is vital to Canada and to our relations with countries around the world, is properly protected and defended. There is nothing more important than that.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we are being completely transparent and are keen to have a good debate here in the House of Commons. We have already approached the opposition to talk about how to hold that debate, and we are pleased that plans will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the relationship we were able to build with the provinces, territories, and municipalities to deliver a historic infrastructure plan. Under our plan, we have approved more than 4,100 projects with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. These investments are creating jobs for the middle class, helping us build a stronger economy, moving us to a green economy, as well as improving people's living conditions.
Mr. Speaker, as we have made clear, our heart goes out to those Sears workers. We are taking their advice. We are taking advice from all sides of the House to look into how we can better the situation of pensioners in this country. We made that promise. We will continue to work in that regard, and we will continue to examine any suggestion that comes with it.
Mr. Speaker, the plot surrounding the Atwal scandal continued to thicken even while the House was away, courtesy of Jaspal Atwal himself. He held a press conference where he directly refuted the Liberal government's claims about an Indian conspiracy. Mr. Atwal confirmed that he asked the MP for Surrey Centre for an invitation to the Prime Minister's event. Mr. Atwal confirmed that the Liberal government got him that invite and that he has never spoken to the Indian government. When will the Prime Minister rise in this House and apologize to India for this diplomatic incident?
Mr. Speaker, we are always vigilant, working across government, to ensure the best value for tax dollars, while we make important investments in the interests of Canadians today and in the future.The innovation review that we led, in fact working with ISED, actually resulted in a more responsive, focused, and targeted approach to innovation writ large across the Government of Canada.What I will say is we will not do what the Conservatives did, for instance, when they cut 700 pay advisers to save $70 million on the eve of an election, destroying the pay system for the Canadian
Mr. Speaker, Canada's national security agencies are impartial and non-partisan. They are highly professional and competent. We trust them always to promote, protect, and defend the national interests of Canada, and I am confident that they have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rivière-des-Mille-Îles for her excellent work.Two weeks ago, I was in Asunción, Paraguay, to launch the Mercosur negotiations. Through our ambitious trade diversification program, Canada is positioning itself for success for decades to come.With Mercosur, our government is pursuing the most progressive trade negotiations our country has ever undertaken. For the first time ever, the negotiations will include a gender-based analysis and comprehensive assessments of the impact on labour, human rights, and indigenous peoples. I look forward to welcoming stakeholders this evening to get started.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to contributing in ways that bring the most value to the UN mission in Mali. We believe it is important for Canada to play a role in peace operations around the world. However, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains paramount during all operations. We always act to mitigate, as best as possible, the level of risk that Canadian Armed Forces personnel face while on operations. The personnel we will deploy on peace operations will be equipped with the appropriate equipment and will receive the necessary training for their assigned missions, although of course we cannot altogether eliminate the risks.
Mr. Speaker, aluminum is very important to some of our regions, including the Saguenay, and we are very proud of that fact. Despite President Trump's temporary exemption, workers in our regions are still worried and unsure about the future. Workers are entitled to strong representation and a hard-working government, which is what they are getting from the Government of Quebec.Will this government implement an action plan immediately?
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, during the election campaign, we committed to re-engage Canadian soldiers in UN peacekeeping missions. We know that it is something that is important to Canadians, and is important to the world, that we be helping out in the best ways we can. That is why we are happy to respond to a direct request from the UN and from our allies to provide logistical and support helicopters to their mission in Mali. We will continue to work with the members opposite to determine the best way to move forward on debate in the House. We look forward to talking about that more in the coming days.
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, the solemn acts we perform, like voting or signing a document, are very important. When we put our signature to a document, we are putting our honour on the line. Consequently, I am seeking unanimous consent to table a document signed by the Prime Minister's own hand. It is his mandate letter to the Minister of Finance, dated November 12, 2015, in which he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20.
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Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, the solemn acts we perform, like voting or signing a document, are very important. When we put our signature to a document, we are putting our honour on the line. Consequently, I am seeking unanimous consent to table a document signed by the Prime Minister's own hand. It is his mandate letter to the Minister of Finance, dated November 12, 2015, in which he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20.
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, during the election campaign, we committed to re-engage Canadian soldiers in UN peacekeeping missions. We know that it is something that is important to Canadians, and is important to the world, that we be helping out in the best ways we can. That is why we are happy to respond to a direct request from the UN and from our allies to provide logistical and support helicopters to their mission in Mali. We will continue to work with the members opposite to determine the best way to move forward on debate in the House. We look forward to talking about that more in the coming days.
Mr. Speaker, aluminum is very important to some of our regions, including the Saguenay, and we are very proud of that fact. Despite President Trump's temporary exemption, workers in our regions are still worried and unsure about the future. Workers are entitled to strong representation and a hard-working government, which is what they are getting from the Government of Quebec.Will this government implement an action plan immediately?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to contributing in ways that bring the most value to the UN mission in Mali. We believe it is important for Canada to play a role in peace operations around the world. However, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains paramount during all operations. We always act to mitigate, as best as possible, the level of risk that Canadian Armed Forces personnel face while on operations. The personnel we will deploy on peace operations will be equipped with the appropriate equipment and will receive the necessary training for their assigned missions, although of course we cannot altogether eliminate the risks.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rivière-des-Mille-Îles for her excellent work.Two weeks ago, I was in Asunción, Paraguay, to launch the Mercosur negotiations. Through our ambitious trade diversification program, Canada is positioning itself for success for decades to come.With Mercosur, our government is pursuing the most progressive trade negotiations our country has ever undertaken. For the first time ever, the negotiations will include a gender-based analysis and comprehensive assessments of the impact on labour, human rights, and indigenous peoples. I look forward to welcoming stakeholders this evening to get started.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's national security agencies are impartial and non-partisan. They are highly professional and competent. We trust them always to promote, protect, and defend the national interests of Canada, and I am confident that they have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, we are always vigilant, working across government, to ensure the best value for tax dollars, while we make important investments in the interests of Canadians today and in the future.The innovation review that we led, in fact working with ISED, actually resulted in a more responsive, focused, and targeted approach to innovation writ large across the Government of Canada.What I will say is we will not do what the Conservatives did, for instance, when they cut 700 pay advisers to save $70 million on the eve of an election, destroying the pay system for the Canadian
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the relationship we were able to build with the provinces, territories, and municipalities to deliver a historic infrastructure plan. Under our plan, we have approved more than 4,100 projects with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. These investments are creating jobs for the middle class, helping us build a stronger economy, moving us to a green economy, as well as improving people's living conditions.
Mr. Speaker, as we have made clear, our heart goes out to those Sears workers. We are taking their advice. We are taking advice from all sides of the House to look into how we can better the situation of pensioners in this country. We made that promise. We will continue to work in that regard, and we will continue to examine any suggestion that comes with it.
Mr. Speaker, the plot surrounding the Atwal scandal continued to thicken even while the House was away, courtesy of Jaspal Atwal himself. He held a press conference where he directly refuted the Liberal government's claims about an Indian conspiracy. Mr. Atwal confirmed that he asked the MP for Surrey Centre for an invitation to the Prime Minister's event. Mr. Atwal confirmed that the Liberal government got him that invite and that he has never spoken to the Indian government. When will the Prime Minister rise in this House and apologize to India for this diplomatic incident?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we are being completely transparent and are keen to have a good debate here in the House of Commons. We have already approached the opposition to talk about how to hold that debate, and we are pleased that plans will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, we have just completed a national security review of our cybersecurity systems. That has included every dimension of those systems, including how best to protect critical infrastructure. We will take every step necessary to make sure that this critical infrastructure, which is vital to Canada and to our relations with countries around the world, is properly protected and defended. There is nothing more important than that.
Mr. Speaker, this morning, we began our parliamentary day by acknowledging the freedom that we enjoy in Canada. The Prime Minister and the Liberals are attacking that freedom: freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. Through their ideological and dogmatic approach, the Liberals are attacking the least fortunate and depriving our young people of good jobs. Will the Prime Minister and the Liberals use today's vote to support our motion to ensure that the Canada summer jobs program remains a program for creating jobs and not an attack on the freedoms that our soldiers fight for?
Mr. Speaker, that allows me to once again say what a pleasure it was for me to be able to spend time with steelworkers and aluminum workers last week across the country. The hard-working steelworkers at Stelco and aluminum workers at Alma have been working hard to continue to deliver. I was very pleased to be able to meet with them to listen to their concerns directly and to reassure them about the path forward we are taking. We have continued to defend the industry in this country and we will continue to do so. Whether it is moving forward on pipelines, whether it is moving forward on protecting our steel, we will continue
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program serves a critical purpose in the country, and that is to make sure that young people get quality job experiences, oftentimes for the first time in their young careers. That is why we are going to make sure that funds do not go, in any way, to groups that actively work to undermine Canadians' rights. Young people are counting on us to stand up for their rights, to deliver this program in a way that is fair and equitable and respects all Canadians, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, I have two points very specifically. First, the invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded. Second, whenever senior government officials with long experience issue opinions, advice, and recommendations, they do so impartially and always acting in the best interests of Canada to defend the Canadian national interest. They have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, the minister referred earlier to an organization that I know received tens of thousands of dollars from the Liberal member for MississaugaErin Mills. However, that choice by the member does not have anything to do with our motion today, which speaks to non-political, non-activist groups that for reasons of conscience, and their conscience rights in section 2 of the charter, do not want to check this box. Will the minister support our motion, which would allow these charitable organizations to continue to provide this vital work? Will she look at the motion and support it on the basis of its support for non-political, non-activist organizations?
We have to admit, Mr. Speaker, it is a bit of an interesting turn of events when the Conservatives think we are doing too much with our military and the New Democrats do not think we are doing enough. As I have said, we are pleased that we are moving forward on peace operations with the UN, re-engaging with the UN the way Canadians expect us to, the way we committed to two years ago during the election campaign. I very much look forward to working with opposition members to figure out a way to move forward on debate regarding this mission so that all Canadians can be apprised of what we are doing and how we are doing it.
Mr. Speaker, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains our top priority in every operation. We always take all necessary steps to mitigate as much as possible the operational risks that members of the Canadian Armed Forces might face.The personnel being deployed in peacekeeping operations will have the equipment and training they need to see their mission through. We have tremendous confidence in the ability of our armed forces and the positive influence that Canada can have on the world.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canadian farmers are key economic drivers in this country and that they play a major role in combatting climate change.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on the important announcement we made to improve clean technology in Canadian agriculture, this morning at Terryland Farms in my riding?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman overlooks the fact that during the course of that mission there were about one billion dollars' worth of trade and investment identified, about 6,000 Canadian jobs created, and a number of different initiatives that went forward, including an agreement resolving a fumigation dispute with respect to Canadian pulse crop exports to India. At the end of the mission, the Prime Minister of India expressed his satisfaction with the success of what had been accomplished.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that the first thing we did was we lowered taxes on the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest 1%. The other thing we have done is we have made the Canada child benefit a new and more progressive program to give more to those who need it the most. That has lifted 300,000 kids out of poverty. What we said to Canadians is that we will succeed where the Conservative government failed. We have grown this economy more than they ever did in the decade that they were in power. We have the fastest growth in the G7, and we will continue on that path.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's prosperity relies on ensuring that young people get the experience they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow. That is why the Canada summer jobs program has been so critical in ensuring that young people get that oftentimes first well-paying job that will help them identify their career path and gain the skills they need. We predict a very successful year ahead. The number of applications received, and currently under review, is on par with 2017. We know that we are going to continue to help young people get that experience and thrive going into the future.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the minister, she is just not answering a very direct question. We have a motion before the House today that says that non-political, non-activist groups should be able to access the Canada summer jobs program regardless of their private convictions.We believe that it is a violation of fundamental charter rights to force an organization to disclose its private convictions if that has absolutely nothing to do with the activities it is involved in. If the government is sincere about not targeting faith-based charities, it could take one very simple step to reassure those organizations and support our motion today. Will it?
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my previous answer, our plan is working. We are moving forward with this plan to promote growth for Canada. We are doing this responsibly by keeping the ratio of the size of our debt to the size of our economy on a downward track. Canada's debt-to-GDP ratio is the best in the G7, and it is projected to reach its lowest level since the late 1970s by the end of this term.
Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, human rights, including lesbian and gay rights, are a very important component of our foreign policy. They are important here in Canada, and we are working with our foreign partners to defend LGBT people around the world. We are going to continue with this vital work.
Mr. Speaker, the process this year asked organizations to commit to the fact that their core activities, their core mandate, and the job description for which they are applying would not in any way actively undermine the rights of young Canadians. In fact, we have had resounding applications, the same as last year. We anticipate that over 70,000 young people will have excellent job experiences across the country in a variety of different sectors that will help them gain the skills they need, determine their career paths, and earn a little extra money.We are incredibly proud of the fact that the government puts youth success at the forefront and knows that it is critically connected to our economic success.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell for all his hard work for Canadian agriculture. Our government is committed to supporting clean technology in Canadian agriculture. Today, I was proud to join the member to announce an investment of $25 million to develop and adapt clean technology in Canadian agriculture. This would help our farmers stay on the cutting edge, grow our economy, and help more people join the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question. I also want to extend my deepest condolences to the Gervais family. This was a real tragedy.Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is a top priority for our government, and we are going to continue our work to do so. I have instructed Health Canada to immediately take action with regard to the proposal to restrict the amount of alcohol in single-serve highly sweetened, high-alcohol beverages.We are also going to meet with our provincial and territorial partners, as well as other partners, to ensure that we address this problem.
Mr. Speaker, our official languages are at the core of our Canadian values. We will ensure that public servants across Canada continue to have the right to speak in both official languages. This is something that is absolutely fundamental. We will continue to ensure that from coast to coast to coast Canadian public servants are respected, including their right to speak in both official languages.
Mr. Speaker, while Canada is exempt for now from the U.S. President's global tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the President stated very clearly that he will use the threat of future tariffs to get what he wants in NAFTA renegotiations. Our steel and aluminum industries, forestry, aerospace, paper: what is next? Sixty-four billion dollars could be lost and half a million Canadian jobs are at risk, yet all the Prime Minister has done is pay lip service. Canadians need to know how many more tariffs or threats of tariffs the government will allow before it takes action.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program has always provided young people with good-quality job experiences, where they can gain valuable experience, and helped prepare them for school. Unlike the Conservatives, who have funded groups that promote anti-abortion, distribute graphic images, or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, we are going to ensure that we do not support groups that actively undermine Canadian rights. We predict a successful year ahead. We know the number of applications is on par with last year, and we look forward to doubling the Canada summer jobs opportunities for young people in the country again this year.
Mr. Speaker, as we said during the campaign, we want to contribute to international peacekeeping and stabilization missions. We announced our commitment to send an air task force to Mali that will include Chinook and Griffon helicopters. Canadian Armed Forces members will also help with medical evacuations of soldiers and provide logistical support for the mission. We know that Canada's presence is important to maintaining peace and security around the world. We have already approached the opposition about how to proceed with a debate. We look forward to having these conversations.
Mr. Speaker, our government worked hard to secure an exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs for Canada. We will keep working hard until the possibility of such tariffs is completely and permanently eliminated. Our priority is to get the best possible outcomes for Canadians and their families.
Mr. Speaker, many main roads in rural regions are not even covered by a cellular network. Although investing in 5G may be a good thing, in the meantime, nothing is happening in rural areas. The Liberals are so out of touch that the word cellular is not even in their last budget. If the minister is ready to pull his head out of the sand, I would invite him to go on a little road trip with me. He would realize that there is a cellular dead zone just two hours from here.How much longer before people living in rural areas are not treated like second-class citizens by this minister?
Mr. Speaker, when will the Prime Minister get his head out of the sand? Just last week, President Trump bragged that he made up figures while talking to the Prime Minister about the supposed trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada, and the Prime Minister said that he has full confidence in the President's being straight with him. Our Prime Minister is not being taken seriously by our largest trading partner and Canadians are worried. Does the Prime Minister still believe that the President is being straight with him? When will the Prime Minister be straight with Canadians and tell them exactly how he plans to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, a round of negotiations for a possible agreement with Mercosur will take place here in Ottawa tomorrow, March 20. This is a free trade agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Canada hopes to enter into a free trade agreement with this economic community, Mercosur. The primary objective is to diversity our international trade markets with countries that have similar goals and growing economies.I wonder if the Minister of International Trade could give us an update.
Mr. Speaker, we worked very closely with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and with provinces and territories to develop a historic plan that is investing more than $180 billion to build the necessary infrastructure that has been neglected by the Harper government for a decade. We have approved 4,100 projects, with a combined investment of $35 billion. Last week, we signed three bilateral agreements with the Province of Ontario, New Brunswick, and Northwest Territories to deliver historic investments so communities get the infrastructure they need and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health will be holding consultations to stop sugary, high-alcohol drinks from being sold in their current format, and that is a good thing. However, we also have a duty to be diligent and above all thorough in our actions, to prevent another tragedy from occurring. As part of these consultations, will the Minister of Health also consider banning the addition of guarana to these alcoholic drinks?
Mr. Speaker, we want to get our western farmers' grain to market as quickly as possible, unlike the previous government, which for 10 years did not do a darn thing to move grain and other commodities more efficiently. By the way, they voted against Bill C-49 and I would ask them to speak to their colleagues in the other House to speed up the process with Bill C-49.In the meantime, the Minister of Agriculture and I have spoken to CN and CP, and told them that they have to do better. They are doing better, but we will watch them very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, we always take a very responsible fiscal approach, one that has been lauded by economists the world over. They all agree that in a slow economy, like the one we inherited from the previous Conservative government, the smart thing to do is to make investments where they are needed, in infrastructure, in our communities, to stimulate growth, to stimulate the economy. That is what we have done, and we are making sure that our debt-to-GDP ratio stays on a downward track.
Mr. Speaker, cybersecurity is an extraordinarily important priority for the country and for the government. As the hon. member will have noticed in the last budget, the Minister of Finance has set aside something in excess of $700 million for investments over the next number of years, including the creation of a new cybersecurity centre, one that will pay particular attention to the critical infrastructure of this country, which we must indeed protect and defend by every means possible.
Mr. Speaker, the issue with respect to the invitation has been clearly discussed and responded to. The invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded, as it should have been.
Mr. Speaker, it is not just our allies sounding the alarm but national security experts in Canada as well. Ward Elcock, a former CSIS director, told The Globe and Mail, I would not want to see Huawei equipment being incorporated into a 5G network in Canada. Dick Fadden, former national security adviser, is saying that we do not want Canadian infrastructure to be available to Huawei. With what these Canadian experts are saying, will the public safety minister commit to a re-evaluation of Canada's ties with China-owned Huawei?
Mr. Speaker, amid a busy schedule of family vacations, the Prime Minister squeezed in some visits to Canadian steel plants. In Saskatchewan he visited Evraz where they manufacture pipelines. The Liberals' abdication of federal leadership on the Trans Mountain pipeline is hurting Evraz, the prairie oil and gas sector, as well as the Canadian steel industry. Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadian steelworkers that construction on Trans Mountain will start this spring?
Mr. Speaker, André Dionne, a federal public service manager from Montreal, will be in Federal Court tomorrow as part of his lawsuit to uphold his right to work in French, a right that has been trampled throughout his career. This is a violation of Bill 101 and is also a violation of Canadian law, as the Commissioner of Official Languages found eight years ago. This is the price Quebec has to pay for being subject to the Canadian system. Will the minister enforce employees' right to work in French at Canadian institutions in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, the person at the centre of the Atwal scandal does not believe the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy claims. The Liberal MP for Surrey Centre does not believe the Prime Minister's claims, because he apologized and accepted responsibility. Even the foreign affairs minister does not believe the Prime Minister, because she admitted to apologizing to the Indian government, calling the Atwal invitation an honest mistake. It appears there are only two people who still believe in the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy theories: the Prime Minister and his national security adviser.When will the Prime Minister allow the national security adviser to brief the House in the same way they briefed the press gallery?
Mr. Speaker, in his most recent report, the parliamentary budget officer called on the Liberals to deliver a detailed plan for how they intend to dole out billions in infrastructure dollars to prevent further delays. He said that some funding would likely not be allocated or spent on time. He went so far as to say that the Liberals do not have a plan for spending the billions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure over the next 12 years. Municipalities have been waiting for too long and cannot wait any longer.On their behalf, I am asking the government, where is the plan to prevent delays?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is claiming to have made significant commitments to the budget to end pension theft, but this is just not true. There were no answers from the Prime Minister during his PR trip last week about changing the laws to protect workers' pensions. Workers have had enough talk. It is time for action. We can and we must end pension theft now. When will the government outline a real plan for the protection of workers' pensions, like the one I have already presented in Bill C-384?
Mr. Speaker, we all want our western farmers to be able to get their grain to the global marketplace as quickly as possible. That is why the Minister of Agriculture and I spoke with CN and CP. We told them clearly that they were not doing an acceptable job right now, and we asked them to show us how they planned to address the current problems. Over the past two weeks, the situation has improved considerably, and we will continue to monitor their progress in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, Canadians had a choice between the Liberal Party's plan and the austerity measures being proposed by the Conservatives with results that we are all familiar with. They include the lowest growth since World War II, the worst growth in exports, and the worst job creation record. The Liberal Party's plan involved investing in infrastructure and communities, giving more to those who need it most in order to stimulate and bolster our economy, and investing in science, and that is what we did in the last budget. That is what we are doing. The results speak for themselves. Over the past two years, 600,000 jobs have been created, most of which are full time.That is a record we can be proud of.
Mr. Speaker, we still have no details.The government made, and repeated, grand promises that Canada would return to UN peacekeeping, but we would not know it from our current contributions. At the end of last month, Canada had just under 40 troops and police officers on UN missions, a record low in the history of Canadian peacekeeping. Today's announcement likely falls short of meeting the peacekeeping commitments the government made. When will the government reveal exactly how it intends to fulfill the promises it made over two and a half years ago?
Mr. Speaker, we all want to see stability brought to conflict-ridden regions of this world. However, the reality is that there are 162 fatalities of UN peacekeepers in Mali alone. Less than two months ago, the UN Security Council was advised by the under-secretary general for peacekeeping operations that the objectives in the Mali mission were in question and it was urged to reassess this mission. I know the Prime Minister is happy that we are going to Mali, but there is a real and serious threat to our Canadian soldiers. Will those being deployed in this war zone be allowed to actively engage targets?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals claimed that their deficit spending would go to infrastructure, but now the Parliamentary Budget Officer has revealed that a quarter of that money has lapsed and just disappeared into the massive Liberal spending hole. Now there is this: Budget 2018 provides an incomplete account of the changes to the Governments $186.7 billion infrastructure spending plan. PBO requested the new plan but it does not exist. How does the government spend $186 billion with no plan?
Mr. Speaker, it was a real pleasure to speak with steelworkers in Hamilton about exactly how we were standing up for their jobs.We have been working with the American administration over the past year to ensure that we are standing up for Canadian jobs, that we are standing up for Canadian interests. We are moving forward in a responsible way to renegotiate NAFTA in ways that will improve it for Canadians, for Canadian workers, and for our partners. We are going to continue to take this approach that is working with the American government, regardless of what the NDP proposes.
Mr. Speaker, western Canadian grain farmers have asked the Liberals for one thing: help them move their grain. We have given the Liberals the concrete actions they could take now to get grain moving. Instead they stand up and defend the rail duopoly. They have tarnished our reputation as a reliable trading partner. Time is of the essence and the crisis farmers are facing is critical. Railcars are not being delivered. Grain is not moving. Farmers are not getting paid.Does the agriculture minister not grasp the seriousness of this crisis? Why will the Liberals not take action now to move our grain?
Mr. Speaker, last month, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development released the results of our government's poverty reduction strategy consultations in a What We Heard report. I hosted one of those consultations in my riding where I heard from Canadians living in poverty and front-line workers about what it is like to live in poverty in our country. Can the minister please tell the House how budget 2018 will help low-income Canadians get the support that they need?
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to congratulate the member for TorontoDanforth for her strong commitment to reducing poverty.Budget 2018 introduces the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to lift tens of thousands of lower-wage Canadians out of poverty and also benefit more than two million vulnerable Canadians. Budget 2018 also introduced automatic enrolment, which will ensure that eligible Canadians actually receive the benefit. Starting in 2019, the new Canada workers benefit will help more vulnerable Canadians who work hard succeed in joining the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister needs his notes because he has no understanding of what we are doing. That is why the decisions he makes behind closed doors should be put to parliamentarians here in the House of Commons so we can ask the right questions.Right now, we have no doubt that Canadian Armed Forces personnel are capable of carrying out any mission anywhere in the world. That is not the issue. The issue is that, right now, our people are in Mali on a so-called peacekeeping mission even though it is a war zone. Can the Prime Minister tell us what the rules of engagement are?
Mr. Speaker, two months ago, the Prime Minister was acting like the Davie shipyard's saviour, promising contracts would be forthcoming. The government has yet to sign a single contract with Davie, even after direct appeals by representatives of the service providers' association. This is an urgent matter for all of Quebec, but obviously not for the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Prime Minister honour his commitment? Is he waiting for permission from Seaspan and Irving?
Mr. Speaker, the preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce are unjustified, and they are unacceptable to Canada. We stand with our forestry industry, and we are taking every possible action, including in international arenas, to support and defend our forestry industry.We stand with Canadian workers. We are fighting for them, and we will succeed.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we have committed to open information and discussions with the members opposite, with all members in the House, on the nature and the moving forward of missions like this. The previous government chose to wrap itself in the flag and use special forces as photo ops, while not informing the House about anything. What we are going to be doing is remaining open and responsible with all members in the House as we move forward and re-engage in UN peacekeeping missions to support our allies to move forward on peace in the world. That is what Canadians expect and that is what we are going to deliver.
I understand that we cannot mitigate the risk, Mr. Speaker. The question I am asking is this. What is the risk associated with our Canadian soldiers? They deserve to know this. This is the most dangerous mission in the world right now. This is something we are sending Canadian soldiers into without any information at all from the government. It is absolutely deplorable. Canadians deserve to have the answer. How many soldiers are projected to be lost in this mission?
Mr. Speaker, a terrorist convicted of attempted assassination was invited to an official dinner with the Prime Minister. There are two possible explanations for this. A Liberal MP says he invited the felon, but the Prime Minister himself says it was an Indian conspiracy.How can it be an Indian government plot against a Canadian trade mission if a Liberal MP says he is the one who invited that person, that terrorist?If the Prime Minister has evidence, let him present it to the House and answer questions to bring transparency
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.I move: That the House (a) acknowledge the strength of the ties and values that Canadians and the British people share; (b) condemn in the strongest terms the despicable use of a nerve agent on the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom in the March 4, 2018, chemical attack in Salisbury; (c) recognize that the Russian state bears responsibility for this act and has shown a total disregard for the rules-based international order; (d) call on Russia to co-operate fully with British investigators; and (e) stand in solidarity with the British people and the United Kingdom, a key NATO ally and G7 partner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, March 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, in this day and age, mobile communications and high-speed Internet are no longer luxuries, they are necessities. Our government recognizes that innovation is occurring everywhere in the regions, just as it is in major cities. That is why we want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the same technologies, no matter their postal code. It comes down to equal opportunity. Our connect to innovate program is addressing the digital divide and will enable our communities and businesses to seize opportunities provided by the global digital economy.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House call on Health Canada to suspend the sale of high-sugar, high-alcohol drinks and alcoholic energy drinks containing guaranine for the duration of the consultations on this matter and until such time that new rules come into effect.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has finally made an announcement about peacekeeping. After two and a half years in power, after repeated calls by the United Nations and our international allies, and after the government's failure to deploy troops to Colombia when that country needed them, we still lack important information such as the start date of the mission and the number of women that will be deployed. Should two and a half years not have been enough to start putting together the answers to some of these questions? Why this lack of clarity?
Mr. Speaker, Davie is a major shipyard and we are still in talks with its representatives. We are exercising due diligence, and we will inform the House once we have made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, we are deeply disappointed with the unjustified preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Canada's forestry industry sustains good, middle-class jobs and provides economic opportunities for rural and indigenous communities across our country.We will continue to work with all our partners across Canada to defend this vital sector against unfair and unwarranted U.S. trade measures and practices.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to talk about the previous government, but the previous government always held a debate on sending troops on missions around the world. The Prime Minister has decided to send our troops on a peacekeeping mission in Mali where there currently is no peace to be had. Mali is a war zone. The Prime Minister seems to be unaware of that fact. He has demonstrated to Canada that safety is not really important to him. He is getting ready to send our troops to Mali, a country at war.Can the Prime Minister tell us what the chain of command will be for our troops in this war zone?
Mr. Speaker, let us review the fiscal promises. The Liberals said they would cut $3 billion in waste. Instead, they found billions of dollars in increased spending. They said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been double that. They said that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now they say that will not happen for another 25 years, during which time they will add, or some government will add, half a trillion dollars of deficit. They said the middle class would pay less. Instead, the Fraser Institute said that 80% are paying more. With all of these broken promises, how can the Canadian people believe anything the Prime Minister says about their money?
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of co-operation, following the brutal chemical attack on British soil, there have been some basic discussions among the parties with respect to a motion involving the death of a Canadian citizen. If you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House (a) condemn the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Revolutionary Guard for the brutal oppression of its own citizens, which included the imprisonment and killing of a Canadian citizen, Kavous Seyed Emami, who was killed in Iranian custody; (b) call upon the government to immediately cease any and all negotiations or discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran until they accept responsibility for the death of Mr. Seyed Emami; and (c) stand with the people of Iran and recognize that they, like all people, have a fundamental right to freedom of conscience and religion, freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press, and other forms of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.
Mr. Speaker, this is serious. The Prime Minister's national security adviser said there was a conspiracy theory, and the Prime Minister publicly supported the allegation. The Indian government categorically denied it. Now the Minister of Foreign Affairs is calling it a simple mistake. A simple mistake? Some 19 MPs and ministers take a trip to India, a terrorist gets an invitation, the PM does a half day's work in eight days in India, all on the taxpayers' dime, and this is being called a simple mistake. Will the Prime Minister apologize to the Indian government and to all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, serious concerns are being raised about China-owned telecom company Huawei having access to 5G technology. Recently, a U.S. Senate committee heard compelling testimony from four U.S. agencies, including the FBI and the CIA, which says that Huawei poses a serious cybersecurity threat.Does the Prime Minister recognize that there may be a threat to Canadian cybersecurity? What is he doing to stop China-owned Huawei from spying on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced that Canadian soldiers will be taking part in a mission to Mali. In his own words, the Prime Minister has acknowledged that this is putting soldiers in harm's way. Mali is the UN's most dangerous peacekeeping mission it has currently, and the UN is experiencing the worst spate of UN peacekeeping fatalities in the organization's history. The Prime Minister would have been advised by his people as to the nature of the risk to soldiers, as well as the likelihood of casualties in this mission. Could the Prime Minister inform the House as to what the risk is to soldiers of a fatality?
Three hundred workers, Mr. Speaker, and those talking points help none of them.The federal government has failed so far to come to the defence of workers in British Columbia whose jobs are at risk with U.S. tariffs on groundwood paper. These are good-paying, family-supporting jobs in my riding, and the industry also supports thousands of indirect jobs throughout British Columbia.What is the government going to do to stand up to this unfair U.S. trade action? When will the Liberals finally show some strength in international trade talks and protect Canadian jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister believes that the budget will balance itself. As a result, Canada has a deficit of billions of dollars.Western grain farmers are facing a second crisis. They are unable to deliver their products. Like his Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture thinks that the crisis will resolve itself and is refusing to take action.The Liberals' record is one of deficits for everyone and millions of dollars in losses for all farmers. The farmers are here in town.Will the minister personally commit to taking action, rather than believing in fairy tales like his Prime Minister and waiting for the crisis to resolve itself?
Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, Marielle Franco, a city councillor in Rio de Janeiro, was brutally murdered. Marielle was 38 years old. She was a black woman, a lesbian, a socialist, and a human rights advocate. For years, she had been speaking out against police brutality in the favelas. It is for all of these reasons that she was murdered by multiple gunshots to the head. We cannot stay silent in the face of this attempt to kill hope.Will Canada show leadership and demand that Brazil order an independent investigation into this politically motivated killing?
Mr. Speaker, there are 300 workers at the Catalyst Paper mill in Powell River, who make the products that were recently slapped with a 22% punitive tariff by the U.S. government. Those tariffs directly threaten the mill, meaning that 300 good-paying Canadian jobs in a small community that needs the mill's payroll, taxes, and investment are at risk. These workers know that the government's words on the unfair tariffs are not worth the paper they are written on.Where is the leadership, the real action that our workers need from the government to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of this term, that is an election promise.That is a promise. The Liberals also promised they would eliminate $3 billion in spending after they did a comprehensive review to find waste. Having done that review over the last two years, the Liberals have come to the conclusion that there is not a single penny in waste that they can cancel. In fact, it gave them ideas on how they could spend even more.Will the Liberals keep their promise to eliminate $3 billion in annual spending waste by the end of this term, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the government said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been nearly $20 billion. This year the deficit will be three times the size that the Liberals committed to in their platform, and they are unable to find a single penny in savings necessary to eventually return us to a balanced budget. Why does the member not just rise now and admit what the Parliamentary Budget Officer has already suggested, and what Canadians already know, which is that the Liberals will never balance Canada's budget?
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House have asked the government hundreds of times over the past two years when it will balance the budget.We have never even come close to getting an answer. We are not the only ones who are fed up. In a scathing report published last week, the parliamentary budget officer indicated that the government has completely lost control of the public purse and has no plan to balance the budget.Will the Prime Minister reassure Canadians, do as the parliamentary budget officer is asking, and tell us when his government will balance the budget?
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to say, the environment and the economy go hand in hand. We continue to support the energy sector in a variety of ways, including the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline. I would like to add a number of other pipelines as well: the expanded export capacity for the Alberta Clipper, the Nova Gas pipeline, the Line 3 replacement project, and our support of the Keystone XL pipeline. I could go on and on.Our government has approved the Trans Mountain expansion and we stand by that approval.
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts: two years and a few months ago, the Prime Minister published his mandate letter to his Minister of Finance. On page 4 of this letter, penned by the Prime Minister himself, he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20. These are not my words, they are the words of the Prime Minister himself. Could the Prime Minister stand up and tell Canadians that he is going to keep the promise he made to them in this letter he wrote himself?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the approval list for Canada summer jobs came out to the MPs. Compared to last year, 36 fewer organizations in my riding even applied. At least 15 of these organizations told me they did not because of the Liberals' values test. Instead of funding groups that provide housing and child care, the Liberals have dumped money into for-profit organizations and retailers. Will the Liberals admit this is wrong, vote in favour of our motion, and support Canadians who are trying to help their communities?
Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, the solemn acts we perform, like voting or signing a document, are very important. When we put our signature to a document, we are putting our honour on the line. Consequently, I am seeking unanimous consent to table a document signed by the Prime Minister's own hand. It is his mandate letter to the Minister of Finance, dated November 12, 2015, in which he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20.
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, during the election campaign, we committed to re-engage Canadian soldiers in UN peacekeeping missions. We know that it is something that is important to Canadians, and is important to the world, that we be helping out in the best ways we can. That is why we are happy to respond to a direct request from the UN and from our allies to provide logistical and support helicopters to their mission in Mali. We will continue to work with the members opposite to determine the best way to move forward on debate in the House. We look forward to talking about that more in the coming days.
Mr. Speaker, aluminum is very important to some of our regions, including the Saguenay, and we are very proud of that fact. Despite President Trump's temporary exemption, workers in our regions are still worried and unsure about the future. Workers are entitled to strong representation and a hard-working government, which is what they are getting from the Government of Quebec.Will this government implement an action plan immediately?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to contributing in ways that bring the most value to the UN mission in Mali. We believe it is important for Canada to play a role in peace operations around the world. However, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains paramount during all operations. We always act to mitigate, as best as possible, the level of risk that Canadian Armed Forces personnel face while on operations. The personnel we will deploy on peace operations will be equipped with the appropriate equipment and will receive the necessary training for their assigned missions, although of course we cannot altogether eliminate the risks.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rivière-des-Mille-Îles for her excellent work.Two weeks ago, I was in Asunción, Paraguay, to launch the Mercosur negotiations. Through our ambitious trade diversification program, Canada is positioning itself for success for decades to come.With Mercosur, our government is pursuing the most progressive trade negotiations our country has ever undertaken. For the first time ever, the negotiations will include a gender-based analysis and comprehensive assessments of the impact on labour, human rights, and indigenous peoples. I look forward to welcoming stakeholders this evening to get started.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's national security agencies are impartial and non-partisan. They are highly professional and competent. We trust them always to promote, protect, and defend the national interests of Canada, and I am confident that they have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, we are always vigilant, working across government, to ensure the best value for tax dollars, while we make important investments in the interests of Canadians today and in the future.The innovation review that we led, in fact working with ISED, actually resulted in a more responsive, focused, and targeted approach to innovation writ large across the Government of Canada.What I will say is we will not do what the Conservatives did, for instance, when they cut 700 pay advisers to save $70 million on the eve of an election, destroying the pay system for the Canadian
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the relationship we were able to build with the provinces, territories, and municipalities to deliver a historic infrastructure plan. Under our plan, we have approved more than 4,100 projects with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. These investments are creating jobs for the middle class, helping us build a stronger economy, moving us to a green economy, as well as improving people's living conditions.
Mr. Speaker, as we have made clear, our heart goes out to those Sears workers. We are taking their advice. We are taking advice from all sides of the House to look into how we can better the situation of pensioners in this country. We made that promise. We will continue to work in that regard, and we will continue to examine any suggestion that comes with it.
Mr. Speaker, the plot surrounding the Atwal scandal continued to thicken even while the House was away, courtesy of Jaspal Atwal himself. He held a press conference where he directly refuted the Liberal government's claims about an Indian conspiracy. Mr. Atwal confirmed that he asked the MP for Surrey Centre for an invitation to the Prime Minister's event. Mr. Atwal confirmed that the Liberal government got him that invite and that he has never spoken to the Indian government. When will the Prime Minister rise in this House and apologize to India for this diplomatic incident?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we are being completely transparent and are keen to have a good debate here in the House of Commons. We have already approached the opposition to talk about how to hold that debate, and we are pleased that plans will be finalized in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, we have just completed a national security review of our cybersecurity systems. That has included every dimension of those systems, including how best to protect critical infrastructure. We will take every step necessary to make sure that this critical infrastructure, which is vital to Canada and to our relations with countries around the world, is properly protected and defended. There is nothing more important than that.
Mr. Speaker, this morning, we began our parliamentary day by acknowledging the freedom that we enjoy in Canada. The Prime Minister and the Liberals are attacking that freedom: freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. Through their ideological and dogmatic approach, the Liberals are attacking the least fortunate and depriving our young people of good jobs. Will the Prime Minister and the Liberals use today's vote to support our motion to ensure that the Canada summer jobs program remains a program for creating jobs and not an attack on the freedoms that our soldiers fight for?
Mr. Speaker, that allows me to once again say what a pleasure it was for me to be able to spend time with steelworkers and aluminum workers last week across the country. The hard-working steelworkers at Stelco and aluminum workers at Alma have been working hard to continue to deliver. I was very pleased to be able to meet with them to listen to their concerns directly and to reassure them about the path forward we are taking. We have continued to defend the industry in this country and we will continue to do so. Whether it is moving forward on pipelines, whether it is moving forward on protecting our steel, we will continue
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program serves a critical purpose in the country, and that is to make sure that young people get quality job experiences, oftentimes for the first time in their young careers. That is why we are going to make sure that funds do not go, in any way, to groups that actively work to undermine Canadians' rights. Young people are counting on us to stand up for their rights, to deliver this program in a way that is fair and equitable and respects all Canadians, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, I have two points very specifically. First, the invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded. Second, whenever senior government officials with long experience issue opinions, advice, and recommendations, they do so impartially and always acting in the best interests of Canada to defend the Canadian national interest. They have done that at all times.
Mr. Speaker, the minister referred earlier to an organization that I know received tens of thousands of dollars from the Liberal member for MississaugaErin Mills. However, that choice by the member does not have anything to do with our motion today, which speaks to non-political, non-activist groups that for reasons of conscience, and their conscience rights in section 2 of the charter, do not want to check this box. Will the minister support our motion, which would allow these charitable organizations to continue to provide this vital work? Will she look at the motion and support it on the basis of its support for non-political, non-activist organizations?
We have to admit, Mr. Speaker, it is a bit of an interesting turn of events when the Conservatives think we are doing too much with our military and the New Democrats do not think we are doing enough. As I have said, we are pleased that we are moving forward on peace operations with the UN, re-engaging with the UN the way Canadians expect us to, the way we committed to two years ago during the election campaign. I very much look forward to working with opposition members to figure out a way to move forward on debate regarding this mission so that all Canadians can be apprised of what we are doing and how we are doing it.
Mr. Speaker, the safety of our men and women in uniform remains our top priority in every operation. We always take all necessary steps to mitigate as much as possible the operational risks that members of the Canadian Armed Forces might face.The personnel being deployed in peacekeeping operations will have the equipment and training they need to see their mission through. We have tremendous confidence in the ability of our armed forces and the positive influence that Canada can have on the world.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canadian farmers are key economic drivers in this country and that they play a major role in combatting climate change.Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on the important announcement we made to improve clean technology in Canadian agriculture, this morning at Terryland Farms in my riding?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman overlooks the fact that during the course of that mission there were about one billion dollars' worth of trade and investment identified, about 6,000 Canadian jobs created, and a number of different initiatives that went forward, including an agreement resolving a fumigation dispute with respect to Canadian pulse crop exports to India. At the end of the mission, the Prime Minister of India expressed his satisfaction with the success of what had been accomplished.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that the first thing we did was we lowered taxes on the middle class and raised them on the wealthiest 1%. The other thing we have done is we have made the Canada child benefit a new and more progressive program to give more to those who need it the most. That has lifted 300,000 kids out of poverty. What we said to Canadians is that we will succeed where the Conservative government failed. We have grown this economy more than they ever did in the decade that they were in power. We have the fastest growth in the G7, and we will continue on that path.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's prosperity relies on ensuring that young people get the experience they need for the jobs of today and tomorrow. That is why the Canada summer jobs program has been so critical in ensuring that young people get that oftentimes first well-paying job that will help them identify their career path and gain the skills they need. We predict a very successful year ahead. The number of applications received, and currently under review, is on par with 2017. We know that we are going to continue to help young people get that experience and thrive going into the future.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the minister, she is just not answering a very direct question. We have a motion before the House today that says that non-political, non-activist groups should be able to access the Canada summer jobs program regardless of their private convictions.We believe that it is a violation of fundamental charter rights to force an organization to disclose its private convictions if that has absolutely nothing to do with the activities it is involved in. If the government is sincere about not targeting faith-based charities, it could take one very simple step to reassure those organizations and support our motion today. Will it?
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my previous answer, our plan is working. We are moving forward with this plan to promote growth for Canada. We are doing this responsibly by keeping the ratio of the size of our debt to the size of our economy on a downward track. Canada's debt-to-GDP ratio is the best in the G7, and it is projected to reach its lowest level since the late 1970s by the end of this term.
Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, human rights, including lesbian and gay rights, are a very important component of our foreign policy. They are important here in Canada, and we are working with our foreign partners to defend LGBT people around the world. We are going to continue with this vital work.
Mr. Speaker, the process this year asked organizations to commit to the fact that their core activities, their core mandate, and the job description for which they are applying would not in any way actively undermine the rights of young Canadians. In fact, we have had resounding applications, the same as last year. We anticipate that over 70,000 young people will have excellent job experiences across the country in a variety of different sectors that will help them gain the skills they need, determine their career paths, and earn a little extra money.We are incredibly proud of the fact that the government puts youth success at the forefront and knows that it is critically connected to our economic success.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell for all his hard work for Canadian agriculture. Our government is committed to supporting clean technology in Canadian agriculture. Today, I was proud to join the member to announce an investment of $25 million to develop and adapt clean technology in Canadian agriculture. This would help our farmers stay on the cutting edge, grow our economy, and help more people join the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question. I also want to extend my deepest condolences to the Gervais family. This was a real tragedy.Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is a top priority for our government, and we are going to continue our work to do so. I have instructed Health Canada to immediately take action with regard to the proposal to restrict the amount of alcohol in single-serve highly sweetened, high-alcohol beverages.We are also going to meet with our provincial and territorial partners, as well as other partners, to ensure that we address this problem.
Mr. Speaker, our official languages are at the core of our Canadian values. We will ensure that public servants across Canada continue to have the right to speak in both official languages. This is something that is absolutely fundamental. We will continue to ensure that from coast to coast to coast Canadian public servants are respected, including their right to speak in both official languages.
Mr. Speaker, while Canada is exempt for now from the U.S. President's global tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the President stated very clearly that he will use the threat of future tariffs to get what he wants in NAFTA renegotiations. Our steel and aluminum industries, forestry, aerospace, paper: what is next? Sixty-four billion dollars could be lost and half a million Canadian jobs are at risk, yet all the Prime Minister has done is pay lip service. Canadians need to know how many more tariffs or threats of tariffs the government will allow before it takes action.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada summer jobs program has always provided young people with good-quality job experiences, where they can gain valuable experience, and helped prepare them for school. Unlike the Conservatives, who have funded groups that promote anti-abortion, distribute graphic images, or discriminate against the LGBTQ community, we are going to ensure that we do not support groups that actively undermine Canadian rights. We predict a successful year ahead. We know the number of applications is on par with last year, and we look forward to doubling the Canada summer jobs opportunities for young people in the country again this year.
Mr. Speaker, as we said during the campaign, we want to contribute to international peacekeeping and stabilization missions. We announced our commitment to send an air task force to Mali that will include Chinook and Griffon helicopters. Canadian Armed Forces members will also help with medical evacuations of soldiers and provide logistical support for the mission. We know that Canada's presence is important to maintaining peace and security around the world. We have already approached the opposition about how to proceed with a debate. We look forward to having these conversations.
Mr. Speaker, our government worked hard to secure an exemption from steel and aluminum tariffs for Canada. We will keep working hard until the possibility of such tariffs is completely and permanently eliminated. Our priority is to get the best possible outcomes for Canadians and their families.
Mr. Speaker, many main roads in rural regions are not even covered by a cellular network. Although investing in 5G may be a good thing, in the meantime, nothing is happening in rural areas. The Liberals are so out of touch that the word cellular is not even in their last budget. If the minister is ready to pull his head out of the sand, I would invite him to go on a little road trip with me. He would realize that there is a cellular dead zone just two hours from here.How much longer before people living in rural areas are not treated like second-class citizens by this minister?
Mr. Speaker, when will the Prime Minister get his head out of the sand? Just last week, President Trump bragged that he made up figures while talking to the Prime Minister about the supposed trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada, and the Prime Minister said that he has full confidence in the President's being straight with him. Our Prime Minister is not being taken seriously by our largest trading partner and Canadians are worried. Does the Prime Minister still believe that the President is being straight with him? When will the Prime Minister be straight with Canadians and tell them exactly how he plans to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, a round of negotiations for a possible agreement with Mercosur will take place here in Ottawa tomorrow, March 20. This is a free trade agreement between Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Canada hopes to enter into a free trade agreement with this economic community, Mercosur. The primary objective is to diversity our international trade markets with countries that have similar goals and growing economies.I wonder if the Minister of International Trade could give us an update.
Mr. Speaker, we worked very closely with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and with provinces and territories to develop a historic plan that is investing more than $180 billion to build the necessary infrastructure that has been neglected by the Harper government for a decade. We have approved 4,100 projects, with a combined investment of $35 billion. Last week, we signed three bilateral agreements with the Province of Ontario, New Brunswick, and Northwest Territories to deliver historic investments so communities get the infrastructure they need and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health will be holding consultations to stop sugary, high-alcohol drinks from being sold in their current format, and that is a good thing. However, we also have a duty to be diligent and above all thorough in our actions, to prevent another tragedy from occurring. As part of these consultations, will the Minister of Health also consider banning the addition of guarana to these alcoholic drinks?
Mr. Speaker, we want to get our western farmers' grain to market as quickly as possible, unlike the previous government, which for 10 years did not do a darn thing to move grain and other commodities more efficiently. By the way, they voted against Bill C-49 and I would ask them to speak to their colleagues in the other House to speed up the process with Bill C-49.In the meantime, the Minister of Agriculture and I have spoken to CN and CP, and told them that they have to do better. They are doing better, but we will watch them very carefully.
Mr. Speaker, we always take a very responsible fiscal approach, one that has been lauded by economists the world over. They all agree that in a slow economy, like the one we inherited from the previous Conservative government, the smart thing to do is to make investments where they are needed, in infrastructure, in our communities, to stimulate growth, to stimulate the economy. That is what we have done, and we are making sure that our debt-to-GDP ratio stays on a downward track.
Mr. Speaker, cybersecurity is an extraordinarily important priority for the country and for the government. As the hon. member will have noticed in the last budget, the Minister of Finance has set aside something in excess of $700 million for investments over the next number of years, including the creation of a new cybersecurity centre, one that will pay particular attention to the critical infrastructure of this country, which we must indeed protect and defend by every means possible.
Mr. Speaker, the issue with respect to the invitation has been clearly discussed and responded to. The invitation should never have been issued. When it was discovered, it was rescinded, as it should have been.
Mr. Speaker, it is not just our allies sounding the alarm but national security experts in Canada as well. Ward Elcock, a former CSIS director, told The Globe and Mail, I would not want to see Huawei equipment being incorporated into a 5G network in Canada. Dick Fadden, former national security adviser, is saying that we do not want Canadian infrastructure to be available to Huawei. With what these Canadian experts are saying, will the public safety minister commit to a re-evaluation of Canada's ties with China-owned Huawei?
Mr. Speaker, amid a busy schedule of family vacations, the Prime Minister squeezed in some visits to Canadian steel plants. In Saskatchewan he visited Evraz where they manufacture pipelines. The Liberals' abdication of federal leadership on the Trans Mountain pipeline is hurting Evraz, the prairie oil and gas sector, as well as the Canadian steel industry. Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadian steelworkers that construction on Trans Mountain will start this spring?
Mr. Speaker, André Dionne, a federal public service manager from Montreal, will be in Federal Court tomorrow as part of his lawsuit to uphold his right to work in French, a right that has been trampled throughout his career. This is a violation of Bill 101 and is also a violation of Canadian law, as the Commissioner of Official Languages found eight years ago. This is the price Quebec has to pay for being subject to the Canadian system. Will the minister enforce employees' right to work in French at Canadian institutions in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, the person at the centre of the Atwal scandal does not believe the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy claims. The Liberal MP for Surrey Centre does not believe the Prime Minister's claims, because he apologized and accepted responsibility. Even the foreign affairs minister does not believe the Prime Minister, because she admitted to apologizing to the Indian government, calling the Atwal invitation an honest mistake. It appears there are only two people who still believe in the Prime Minister's wild conspiracy theories: the Prime Minister and his national security adviser.When will the Prime Minister allow the national security adviser to brief the House in the same way they briefed the press gallery?
Mr. Speaker, in his most recent report, the parliamentary budget officer called on the Liberals to deliver a detailed plan for how they intend to dole out billions in infrastructure dollars to prevent further delays. He said that some funding would likely not be allocated or spent on time. He went so far as to say that the Liberals do not have a plan for spending the billions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure over the next 12 years. Municipalities have been waiting for too long and cannot wait any longer.On their behalf, I am asking the government, where is the plan to prevent delays?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is claiming to have made significant commitments to the budget to end pension theft, but this is just not true. There were no answers from the Prime Minister during his PR trip last week about changing the laws to protect workers' pensions. Workers have had enough talk. It is time for action. We can and we must end pension theft now. When will the government outline a real plan for the protection of workers' pensions, like the one I have already presented in Bill C-384?
Mr. Speaker, we all want our western farmers to be able to get their grain to the global marketplace as quickly as possible. That is why the Minister of Agriculture and I spoke with CN and CP. We told them clearly that they were not doing an acceptable job right now, and we asked them to show us how they planned to address the current problems. Over the past two weeks, the situation has improved considerably, and we will continue to monitor their progress in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, Canadians had a choice between the Liberal Party's plan and the austerity measures being proposed by the Conservatives with results that we are all familiar with. They include the lowest growth since World War II, the worst growth in exports, and the worst job creation record. The Liberal Party's plan involved investing in infrastructure and communities, giving more to those who need it most in order to stimulate and bolster our economy, and investing in science, and that is what we did in the last budget. That is what we are doing. The results speak for themselves. Over the past two years, 600,000 jobs have been created, most of which are full time.That is a record we can be proud of.
Mr. Speaker, we still have no details.The government made, and repeated, grand promises that Canada would return to UN peacekeeping, but we would not know it from our current contributions. At the end of last month, Canada had just under 40 troops and police officers on UN missions, a record low in the history of Canadian peacekeeping. Today's announcement likely falls short of meeting the peacekeeping commitments the government made. When will the government reveal exactly how it intends to fulfill the promises it made over two and a half years ago?
Mr. Speaker, we all want to see stability brought to conflict-ridden regions of this world. However, the reality is that there are 162 fatalities of UN peacekeepers in Mali alone. Less than two months ago, the UN Security Council was advised by the under-secretary general for peacekeeping operations that the objectives in the Mali mission were in question and it was urged to reassess this mission. I know the Prime Minister is happy that we are going to Mali, but there is a real and serious threat to our Canadian soldiers. Will those being deployed in this war zone be allowed to actively engage targets?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals claimed that their deficit spending would go to infrastructure, but now the Parliamentary Budget Officer has revealed that a quarter of that money has lapsed and just disappeared into the massive Liberal spending hole. Now there is this: Budget 2018 provides an incomplete account of the changes to the Governments $186.7 billion infrastructure spending plan. PBO requested the new plan but it does not exist. How does the government spend $186 billion with no plan?
Mr. Speaker, it was a real pleasure to speak with steelworkers in Hamilton about exactly how we were standing up for their jobs.We have been working with the American administration over the past year to ensure that we are standing up for Canadian jobs, that we are standing up for Canadian interests. We are moving forward in a responsible way to renegotiate NAFTA in ways that will improve it for Canadians, for Canadian workers, and for our partners. We are going to continue to take this approach that is working with the American government, regardless of what the NDP proposes.
Mr. Speaker, western Canadian grain farmers have asked the Liberals for one thing: help them move their grain. We have given the Liberals the concrete actions they could take now to get grain moving. Instead they stand up and defend the rail duopoly. They have tarnished our reputation as a reliable trading partner. Time is of the essence and the crisis farmers are facing is critical. Railcars are not being delivered. Grain is not moving. Farmers are not getting paid.Does the agriculture minister not grasp the seriousness of this crisis? Why will the Liberals not take action now to move our grain?
Mr. Speaker, last month, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development released the results of our government's poverty reduction strategy consultations in a What We Heard report. I hosted one of those consultations in my riding where I heard from Canadians living in poverty and front-line workers about what it is like to live in poverty in our country. Can the minister please tell the House how budget 2018 will help low-income Canadians get the support that they need?
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to congratulate the member for TorontoDanforth for her strong commitment to reducing poverty.Budget 2018 introduces the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to lift tens of thousands of lower-wage Canadians out of poverty and also benefit more than two million vulnerable Canadians. Budget 2018 also introduced automatic enrolment, which will ensure that eligible Canadians actually receive the benefit. Starting in 2019, the new Canada workers benefit will help more vulnerable Canadians who work hard succeed in joining the middle class.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister needs his notes because he has no understanding of what we are doing. That is why the decisions he makes behind closed doors should be put to parliamentarians here in the House of Commons so we can ask the right questions.Right now, we have no doubt that Canadian Armed Forces personnel are capable of carrying out any mission anywhere in the world. That is not the issue. The issue is that, right now, our people are in Mali on a so-called peacekeeping mission even though it is a war zone. Can the Prime Minister tell us what the rules of engagement are?
Mr. Speaker, two months ago, the Prime Minister was acting like the Davie shipyard's saviour, promising contracts would be forthcoming. The government has yet to sign a single contract with Davie, even after direct appeals by representatives of the service providers' association. This is an urgent matter for all of Quebec, but obviously not for the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Prime Minister honour his commitment? Is he waiting for permission from Seaspan and Irving?
Mr. Speaker, the preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce are unjustified, and they are unacceptable to Canada. We stand with our forestry industry, and we are taking every possible action, including in international arenas, to support and defend our forestry industry.We stand with Canadian workers. We are fighting for them, and we will succeed.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous government, we have committed to open information and discussions with the members opposite, with all members in the House, on the nature and the moving forward of missions like this. The previous government chose to wrap itself in the flag and use special forces as photo ops, while not informing the House about anything. What we are going to be doing is remaining open and responsible with all members in the House as we move forward and re-engage in UN peacekeeping missions to support our allies to move forward on peace in the world. That is what Canadians expect and that is what we are going to deliver.
I understand that we cannot mitigate the risk, Mr. Speaker. The question I am asking is this. What is the risk associated with our Canadian soldiers? They deserve to know this. This is the most dangerous mission in the world right now. This is something we are sending Canadian soldiers into without any information at all from the government. It is absolutely deplorable. Canadians deserve to have the answer. How many soldiers are projected to be lost in this mission?
Mr. Speaker, a terrorist convicted of attempted assassination was invited to an official dinner with the Prime Minister. There are two possible explanations for this. A Liberal MP says he invited the felon, but the Prime Minister himself says it was an Indian conspiracy.How can it be an Indian government plot against a Canadian trade mission if a Liberal MP says he is the one who invited that person, that terrorist?If the Prime Minister has evidence, let him present it to the House and answer questions to bring transparency
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.I move: That the House (a) acknowledge the strength of the ties and values that Canadians and the British people share; (b) condemn in the strongest terms the despicable use of a nerve agent on the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom in the March 4, 2018, chemical attack in Salisbury; (c) recognize that the Russian state bears responsibility for this act and has shown a total disregard for the rules-based international order; (d) call on Russia to co-operate fully with British investigators; and (e) stand in solidarity with the British people and the United Kingdom, a key NATO ally and G7 partner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Thursday, March 22 shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, in this day and age, mobile communications and high-speed Internet are no longer luxuries, they are necessities. Our government recognizes that innovation is occurring everywhere in the regions, just as it is in major cities. That is why we want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the same technologies, no matter their postal code. It comes down to equal opportunity. Our connect to innovate program is addressing the digital divide and will enable our communities and businesses to seize opportunities provided by the global digital economy.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House call on Health Canada to suspend the sale of high-sugar, high-alcohol drinks and alcoholic energy drinks containing guaranine for the duration of the consultations on this matter and until such time that new rules come into effect.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has finally made an announcement about peacekeeping. After two and a half years in power, after repeated calls by the United Nations and our international allies, and after the government's failure to deploy troops to Colombia when that country needed them, we still lack important information such as the start date of the mission and the number of women that will be deployed. Should two and a half years not have been enough to start putting together the answers to some of these questions? Why this lack of clarity?
Mr. Speaker, Davie is a major shipyard and we are still in talks with its representatives. We are exercising due diligence, and we will inform the House once we have made a decision.
Mr. Speaker, we are deeply disappointed with the unjustified preliminary rates announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Canada's forestry industry sustains good, middle-class jobs and provides economic opportunities for rural and indigenous communities across our country.We will continue to work with all our partners across Canada to defend this vital sector against unfair and unwarranted U.S. trade measures and practices.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to talk about the previous government, but the previous government always held a debate on sending troops on missions around the world. The Prime Minister has decided to send our troops on a peacekeeping mission in Mali where there currently is no peace to be had. Mali is a war zone. The Prime Minister seems to be unaware of that fact. He has demonstrated to Canada that safety is not really important to him. He is getting ready to send our troops to Mali, a country at war.Can the Prime Minister tell us what the chain of command will be for our troops in this war zone?
Mr. Speaker, let us review the fiscal promises. The Liberals said they would cut $3 billion in waste. Instead, they found billions of dollars in increased spending. They said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been double that. They said that the budget would be balanced by 2019. Now they say that will not happen for another 25 years, during which time they will add, or some government will add, half a trillion dollars of deficit. They said the middle class would pay less. Instead, the Fraser Institute said that 80% are paying more. With all of these broken promises, how can the Canadian people believe anything the Prime Minister says about their money?
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of co-operation, following the brutal chemical attack on British soil, there have been some basic discussions among the parties with respect to a motion involving the death of a Canadian citizen. If you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House (a) condemn the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Revolutionary Guard for the brutal oppression of its own citizens, which included the imprisonment and killing of a Canadian citizen, Kavous Seyed Emami, who was killed in Iranian custody; (b) call upon the government to immediately cease any and all negotiations or discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran until they accept responsibility for the death of Mr. Seyed Emami; and (c) stand with the people of Iran and recognize that they, like all people, have a fundamental right to freedom of conscience and religion, freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press, and other forms of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.
Mr. Speaker, this is serious. The Prime Minister's national security adviser said there was a conspiracy theory, and the Prime Minister publicly supported the allegation. The Indian government categorically denied it. Now the Minister of Foreign Affairs is calling it a simple mistake. A simple mistake? Some 19 MPs and ministers take a trip to India, a terrorist gets an invitation, the PM does a half day's work in eight days in India, all on the taxpayers' dime, and this is being called a simple mistake. Will the Prime Minister apologize to the Indian government and to all Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, serious concerns are being raised about China-owned telecom company Huawei having access to 5G technology. Recently, a U.S. Senate committee heard compelling testimony from four U.S. agencies, including the FBI and the CIA, which says that Huawei poses a serious cybersecurity threat.Does the Prime Minister recognize that there may be a threat to Canadian cybersecurity? What is he doing to stop China-owned Huawei from spying on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced that Canadian soldiers will be taking part in a mission to Mali. In his own words, the Prime Minister has acknowledged that this is putting soldiers in harm's way. Mali is the UN's most dangerous peacekeeping mission it has currently, and the UN is experiencing the worst spate of UN peacekeeping fatalities in the organization's history. The Prime Minister would have been advised by his people as to the nature of the risk to soldiers, as well as the likelihood of casualties in this mission. Could the Prime Minister inform the House as to what the risk is to soldiers of a fatality?
Three hundred workers, Mr. Speaker, and those talking points help none of them.The federal government has failed so far to come to the defence of workers in British Columbia whose jobs are at risk with U.S. tariffs on groundwood paper. These are good-paying, family-supporting jobs in my riding, and the industry also supports thousands of indirect jobs throughout British Columbia.What is the government going to do to stand up to this unfair U.S. trade action? When will the Liberals finally show some strength in international trade talks and protect Canadian jobs?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister believes that the budget will balance itself. As a result, Canada has a deficit of billions of dollars.Western grain farmers are facing a second crisis. They are unable to deliver their products. Like his Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture thinks that the crisis will resolve itself and is refusing to take action.The Liberals' record is one of deficits for everyone and millions of dollars in losses for all farmers. The farmers are here in town.Will the minister personally commit to taking action, rather than believing in fairy tales like his Prime Minister and waiting for the crisis to resolve itself?
Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, Marielle Franco, a city councillor in Rio de Janeiro, was brutally murdered. Marielle was 38 years old. She was a black woman, a lesbian, a socialist, and a human rights advocate. For years, she had been speaking out against police brutality in the favelas. It is for all of these reasons that she was murdered by multiple gunshots to the head. We cannot stay silent in the face of this attempt to kill hope.Will Canada show leadership and demand that Brazil order an independent investigation into this politically motivated killing?
Mr. Speaker, there are 300 workers at the Catalyst Paper mill in Powell River, who make the products that were recently slapped with a 22% punitive tariff by the U.S. government. Those tariffs directly threaten the mill, meaning that 300 good-paying Canadian jobs in a small community that needs the mill's payroll, taxes, and investment are at risk. These workers know that the government's words on the unfair tariffs are not worth the paper they are written on.Where is the leadership, the real action that our workers need from the government to protect their jobs?
Mr. Speaker, by the end of this term, that is an election promise.That is a promise. The Liberals also promised they would eliminate $3 billion in spending after they did a comprehensive review to find waste. Having done that review over the last two years, the Liberals have come to the conclusion that there is not a single penny in waste that they can cancel. In fact, it gave them ideas on how they could spend even more.Will the Liberals keep their promise to eliminate $3 billion in annual spending waste by the end of this term, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the government said that the deficit would be just $10 billion. It has been nearly $20 billion. This year the deficit will be three times the size that the Liberals committed to in their platform, and they are unable to find a single penny in savings necessary to eventually return us to a balanced budget. Why does the member not just rise now and admit what the Parliamentary Budget Officer has already suggested, and what Canadians already know, which is that the Liberals will never balance Canada's budget?
Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House have asked the government hundreds of times over the past two years when it will balance the budget.We have never even come close to getting an answer. We are not the only ones who are fed up. In a scathing report published last week, the parliamentary budget officer indicated that the government has completely lost control of the public purse and has no plan to balance the budget.Will the Prime Minister reassure Canadians, do as the parliamentary budget officer is asking, and tell us when his government will balance the budget?
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to say, the environment and the economy go hand in hand. We continue to support the energy sector in a variety of ways, including the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline. I would like to add a number of other pipelines as well: the expanded export capacity for the Alberta Clipper, the Nova Gas pipeline, the Line 3 replacement project, and our support of the Keystone XL pipeline. I could go on and on.Our government has approved the Trans Mountain expansion and we stand by that approval.
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts: two years and a few months ago, the Prime Minister published his mandate letter to his Minister of Finance. On page 4 of this letter, penned by the Prime Minister himself, he refers to balancing the budget in 2019/20. These are not my words, they are the words of the Prime Minister himself. Could the Prime Minister stand up and tell Canadians that he is going to keep the promise he made to them in this letter he wrote himself?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the approval list for Canada summer jobs came out to the MPs. Compared to last year, 36 fewer organizations in my riding even applied. At least 15 of these organizations told me they did not because of the Liberals' values test. Instead of funding groups that provide housing and child care, the Liberals have dumped money into for-profit organizations and retailers. Will the Liberals admit this is wrong, vote in favour of our motion, and support Canadians who are trying to help their communities?