2018-04-17

Mr. Speaker, I will say one final time that Canada's position is strong and clear. We condemn the use of chemical weapons by the murderous Assad regime. The Assad regime must end the indiscriminate violence against its own people and it must engage in meaningful negotiations.

Mr. Speaker, I have had the chance to stand twice now and I will do it a third time to reiterate this government's clear position of condemnation against the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime. We have been clear that the Assad regime must end its indiscriminate killing of its own citizens and engage in meaningful negotiation to achieve a just and lasting peace in Syria. We have been clear from the very beginning, and we will continue to condemn the use of chemical weapons and the indiscriminate killing of citizens done by the Assad regime.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his Liberals are asleep at the wheel. We are talking about 300 to 400 illegal migrants entering per day through Lacolle. It is going to be a chaotic mess. Meanwhile, they are slamming the door in the Quebec government's face. Four exasperated ministers are demanding action and support. You break it, you buy it.

Mr. Speaker, the member for Mississauga—Erin Mills may be willing to stand with an extremist supporter she addresses as “brother Amin”. She may be willing to praise a man who denies President Assad is a murderer and a butcher in return for support in the next federal election.Will the Prime Minister disassociate himself from this misguided tribute to extremism made by the member in the Prime Minister's name?

Mr. Speaker, what we have here is a blatant, inexcusable endorsement of a notorious apologist for the brutal terror sponsoring, human rights abusing President of Syria, words of praise not offered by a merely misguided member of Parliament pandering for votes with an organization with a history of support for extremism and terror, but on a behalf of the Prime Minister of Canada.Will the Prime Minister distance himself from this outrageous tribute in his name?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister did lay out a plan. It is too bad that the Leader of the Opposition did not hang around long enough to hear it before he took to the airwaves, before the Premier of Alberta spoke and before the Prime Minister of Canada spoke. He did not have to hear the Prime Minister's plan. Somehow he intuited what it might be.It might have been more respectful for the Leader of the Opposition to do a little listening before he did a little talking.

Mr. Speaker, today, on Equality Day, I gave Liberals a failing grade in our NDP report card on women's equality in budget 2018. While the Prime Minister claims he is a feminist, he has failed to act on the most pressing challenges facing women in Canada. The budget provides zero dollars for pay equity, no money for universal affordable child care, and does not reform EI requirements that discriminate against women.When will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and stop making women wait?

Mr. Speaker, our government has been clear in its position of condemnation against the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons and its indiscriminate violence against its own citizens. We have been clear that it must end and that they must engage in meaningful negotiation. We have been equally clear on our position that Canada is a steadfast ally and friend of Israel and of the Palestinian people. We are committed to a just, lasting, and durable peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace with Israel.

Mr. Speaker, once again, we have been clear in our condemnation of the use of chemical weapons against the people of eastern Ghouta. We supported the decision of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France to take measures to weaken the Assad regime's ability to launch chemical attacks against its own people. We condemn the Assad regime and its supporters, Russia and Iran, for these repeated human rights violations and the deliberate targeting of civilians.

Mr. Speaker, there is no answer from the minister. Let me tell him that $80 billion have left in the last two years under the failed policies of the minister and the Prime Minister. Those numbers do not lie. Things like the carbon tax, extra red tape for investors, and erroneous failed policies are why investors are saying they are leaving Canada. How many more billions of dollars have to leave the country before the Liberals reverse their terrible anti-energy policy?

Mr. Speaker, because the Liberals are so soft on border security, Quebec's temporary shelters are stretched to the limit, and a further wave of illegal migrants is expected this summer. Will Quebec have to open the Olympic stadium? The Liberals are not taking the situation seriously. The Prime Minister thinks he can fix everything with a selfie and some sweet talk, but it does not work that way. When will the Prime Minister and the Liberals face up to their responsibilities and tackle a problem of their own creation by supporting the Quebec government?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister recently sent the Liberal MP for Mississauga—Erin Mills to bring greetings on his behalf at an event organized by the anti-Israel Palestine House. This event starred a Palestinian activist who supports suicide bombings and met with President Assad of Syria in 2017. The activist said, “I'm proud of my meeting with President Assad...President Assad is not a murderer or a butcher.” This was after Assad had used illegal chemical weapons against innocent civilians.Why would the Prime Minister send greetings to an event starring a friend of Assad?

Mr. Speaker, today in Calgary, first degree murder charges involving notorious gang leader Nick Chan were thrown out of court due to delay. A year and a half ago, 10 new judicial spots were established to deal with the backlog in Alberta's courts. A year and a half later, the Minister of Justice has managed to fill just one of these vacancies. Clearly, the minister is not doing her job.Will she take responsibility for the release of this dangerous criminal?

Mr. Speaker, indigenous opposition to Kinder Morgan's pipeline expansion is strong, it is growing, and several first nations have already taken the government to court for having violated its constitutional duty to consult. It is a sad day when, despite lofty rhetoric, the government also is ignoring its constitutional obligations. The government wants to talk about the rule of law. How about respecting section 35 of the Constitution? How about respecting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples' free, prior, and informed consent? Whatever happened to that most important relationship with indigenous peoples?

Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadians are paying more under these Liberals. One woman told me that she lost her home because of the government. What about diabetics who are unreasonably being denied the disability tax credit? Instead of actually helping Canadians, we see the Minister of Natural Resources buying 3,600 Facebook likes for $5,000. Does the Minister of Natural Resources believe that $5,000 is better spent purchasing Facebook likes than on helping vulnerable Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, due to a lack of funding, the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre has had to discontinue its hotline after decades of service. Year in, year out, the hotline has helped hundreds of women in Victoria. Across the country, rape crisis centres face the same urgent problem, and with the surge of victims coming forward after the #MeToo movement, the situation just gets worse.If the Prime Minister is truly concerned with the well-being of women and sexual assault victims, why does the budget not provide stable, predictable, operating funding to rape crisis centres?

Mr. Speaker, farmers and manufacturers employ millions of Canadians and contribute billions of dollars to our economy. Due to the Liberal government's weak response to the current rail transportation crisis and the many flaws in Bill C-49, our farmers and shippers will continue to suffer. This morning I met with a manufacturer who has already lost $40 million this year due to shipping issues.When will the Minister of Transport stop ignoring the plight of our farmers, shippers, and manufacturers, and do his job?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his commitment to gender equality. I would point out that budget 2018 built on our investments to advance gender equality in Canada. Funding for women's organizations doubled. Funding for rape crisis centres doubled. That does not include the addition of the first gender-based violence strategy for prevention in the history of this country. I would ask that the member from the party opposite please add that to the report card, which has so unkindly missed this important investment in Canadian women.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's lack of ethics and his inconsistency have already cost us too much, but it gets worse. Things have gone way too far. We have now learned that the Prime Minister and his team are very accommodating in dealing with Assad regime supporters, and Canadians need an explanation for this new gaffe.Will the Prime Minister tell us why he sent greetings to an event where the guest of honour is a friend of Assad?

Mr. Speaker, British Columbians have legitimate concerns about the Trans Mountain pipeline project, and they recently elected government a that takes these concerns seriously. In fact, they gave their newly elected government a clear mandate on this issue. The B.C. government is just doing what it was elected to do. Standing up and following through on an election promise is what governments are supposed to do. The Liberals could stand to learn a lesson from this. How can the government continue to ignore both its own election promises and the real concerns of British Columbians?

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec is asking for help. Since the beginning of the year, the number of irregular migrants has tripled. Welcome centres in Quebec are at 71% capacity. The federal government is responsible for our borders, but Quebec is footing the bill.Groups in our ridings are already overwhelmed. Ottawa needs to do its part. It must lower processing times for files. Files currently take two years to be processed, when they should be processed in 60 days. Will the Liberal government listen to Quebec's heartfelt appeal?

Mr. Speaker, words without action are simply words, and the reality is that this government has a record of making great announcements but an appalling record of actually implementing the things it is announcing. We have the third-largest oil reserves in the world, and our economy depends upon the success of this industry. The uncertainty over Trans Mountain is costing us $40 million a day, and billions of dollars more are fleeing our country. Why is the Prime Minister shortchanging Canadians through his failure to deliver?

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of visiting Fort McMurray with the Prime Minister when we talked to energy workers. We talked about how much progress was being made.It would be good for members of the opposition to every once in a while talk about the progress that is being made in Alberta on sustainably developing our resource on GHG emission and reductions as a result of the innovation and entrepreneurship. We on this side of the House place an awful lot of stock in the innovation and entrepreneurship of business leadership in Alberta. We wish members opposite shared our optimism.

Mr. Speaker, the NDP presented its report card on women in budget 2018. It shows that the government has essentially failed when it comes to the most important issues for women. Nothing has been done to make it easier for women to access public transportation, which they use more than men and which is severely lacking in rural regions. Nothing has been done to ensure pay equity or to implement a universal, affordable child care program.Will the government commit to immediately providing the funding necessary to achieve gender equality?

Mr. Speaker, the minister speaks of one province, but this is not a crisis that is caused by one province or another; it is a crisis that is caused simply by the lack of leadership and the inability of the government to actually get the job done. We have seen this before, and as long as the government fails to step up, we are going to see it again. Eighty billion dollars in investment has left the energy sector, as well as 100,000 well-paying Canadian jobs. These results are simply unacceptable. When will the Prime Minister stop failing the Canadian families who are relying on these projects?

Mr. Speaker, on February 22, the foreign affairs minister apologized to her Indian counterpart for Canada's honest mistake in inviting Jaspal Atwal to the Prime Minister's event. Now Mr. Atwal says the Liberal MP for Surrey Centre warned him he would need security clearance before he could attend. Was the honest mistake the invitation itself, or the department's failure to vet the invitation for security and protocol concerns?

Mr. Speaker, it was members of the opposition who made that accusation in the House of Commons time and time again, and they were wrong.

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians of good faith want this project to work. This is a $7.5-billion project that, it is important to note, has the support of over 40 first nations communities. First nations that will be directly affected by this project want it to happen. Canadians want it. The problem is that the Prime Minister of Canada does not believe in Canadian oil and does not like it. Over a year ago, he said “it's time to phase them out”, to cut back on Canadian oil and get rid of it.With such a bad salesperson, is it any wonder the project is stalled?

Mr. Speaker, a headline last week characterized the opposition's position in this matter rather well. The headline said, “Conservatives duped by false story”. In fact, they need to have the classified briefing to fully understand the facts and the context. That briefing was offered three weeks ago. The opposition has now accepted the briefing. It is being scheduled in the next short while, and that is a good thing to make sure they are not duped anymore.

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege concerning the premature disclosure of the contents of Bill C-75, an act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other acts and to make consequential amendments. The Minister of Justice introduced the bill on Holy Thursday, before the Easter long weekend, on March 29, 2018, at 12:11 p.m. At 12:19 p.m., eight minutes after the minister introduced the bill, CBC posted an article entitled “Liberals propose major criminal justice changes to unclog Canada's courts”. The article goes into detail about Bill C-75 to make a prima facie case that CBC had prior knowledge of the contents of Bill C-75 before it was introduced.For example, the article states that “The Liberal government tabled a major bill today to reform Canada's criminal justice system”, saying it contained measures designed to close gaps in the system and speed up court proceedings, including putting an end to preliminary inquiries except for the most serious crimes that carry a life sentence. It said, “The changes also include an end to peremptory challenges in jury selection” and that another proposed reform of the bill will “impose a reverse onus on bail applications by people who have a history of [domestic] abuse, which would require them to justify their release following a charge.” Bill C-75 is an omnibus bill containing 302 pages. While I appreciate the quality of journalism at the CBC, I do not think anyone can believe that someone could read 302 pages, analyze what was read, write an article, and then post the article on the Internet with various links in just eight minutes. If such extraordinary human capabilities exist at CBC or if unknown technology exists to make this happen, then the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs would like to hear about it.All I am asking of you, Mr. Speaker, is to find a prima facie case on the question of privilege to allow a motion to be moved instructing the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to look into this matter.On March 21, 1978, at page 3,975 of Debates, Mr. Speaker Jerome quoted a British procedure committee report of 1967, which states in part: ...the Speaker should ask himself, when he has to decide whether to grant precedence over other public business to a motion which a Member who has complained of some act or conduct as constituting a breach of privilege desires to move, should be, not--do I consider that, assuming that the facts are as stated, the act or conduct constitutes a breach of privilege, but could it reasonably be held to be a breach of privilege, or to put it shortly, has the Member an arguable point? If the Speaker feels any doubt on the question, he should, in my view, leave it to the House. Now, whether it be superhuman capabilities or advanced unknown technology available only to the media, it is unacceptable for members of Parliament to be left behind playing catch-up while the public debate on a government bill takes place outside the House, minutes after its introduction, between a well-briefed media and a well-briefed Minister of Justice.It has become an established practice in this House that when a bill is on notice for introduction, the House has the first right to the contents of that legislation.On April 14, 2016, the former opposition leader and current Leader of the Opposition raised a question concerning the premature disclosure of Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying). The Leader of the Opposition pointed out that specific and detailed information contained in Bill C-14 was reported in a newspaper article and elsewhere in the media before the bill had been introduced in the House. The member stressed the need for members to access information in order to fulfill their parliamentary responsibilities, as well as the respect required for the essential role of the House in legislative matters. On April 19, 2016, the Speaker agreed with the Leader of the Opposition and found that there was indeed a prima facia case of privilege regarding Bill C-14. He said: As honourable members know, one of my most important responsibilities as Speaker is to safeguard the rights and privileges of members, individually and collectively. Central to the matter before us today is the fact that, due to its pre-eminent role in the legislative process, the House cannot allow precise legislative information to be distributed to others before it has been made accessible to all members. Previous Speakers have regularly upheld not only this fundamental right, but also expectation, of the House. The Speaker's concluding remarks on April 19, 2016, were as follows: In this instance, the chair must conclude that the House's right of first access to legislative information was not respected. The chair appreciates the chief government whip's assertion that no one in the government was authorized to publicly release the specific details of the bill before its introduction. Still, it did happen, and these kinds of incidents cause grave concern among hon. members. I believe it is a good reason why extra care should be taken to ensure that matters that ought properly to be brought to the House first do not in any way get out in the public domain prematurely. On October 4, 2010, on page 4,711 of the House of Commons Debates, Speaker Milliken said: It is indisputable that it is a well-established practice and accepted convention that this House has the right of first access to the text of bills that it will consider. There was a similar case March 19, 2001, regarding the Department of Justice briefing the media on a bill before members of Parliament. This was referenced by the Leader of the Opposition in his submission on the Bill C-14 case, in which he quoted Speaker Milliken as saying, at page 1,840 of the House of Commons Debates: In preparing legislation, the government may wish to hold extensive consultations and such consultations may be held entirely at the government's discretion. However, with respect to material to be placed before parliament, the House must take precedence. Once a bill has been placed on notice, whether it has been presented in a different form to a different session of parliament has no bearing and the bill is considered a new matter. The convention of the confidentiality of bills on notice is necessary, not only so that members themselves may be well informed, but also because of the pre-eminent rule which the House plays and must play in the legislative affairs of the nation. The Speaker found another case of contempt on October 15, 2001, after the Department of Justice briefed the media on the contents of a bill prior to the legislation being introduced in the House. The leak of Bill C-75 is another example of the government's disregard for Parliament and its role in the legislative process. It is important that we in the opposition call out the government for these abuses of Parliament and place before the Chair any breaches of the privileges of the House of Commons.Speaker Milliken said: To deny to members information concerning business that is about to come before the House, while at the same time providing such information to media that will likely be questioning members about that business, is a situation that the Chair cannot condone. You, Mr. Speaker, said, on March 20 of this year: ...respecting members’ needs for timely and accurate information remains essential. There is no question that the work of members of Parliament is made more difficult without expeditious access to legislative information. Given this reality, there is a rightful expectation that those responsible for the information should do their utmost to ensure members’ access to it. Not respecting this expectation does a disservice to all. It is particularly disconcerting when the government gives priority to the media over the members of Parliament. Given the facts presented and the clear precedents on this matter, I believe, Mr. Speaker, you should have no trouble in finding a prima facie question of privilege. In that event, I am prepared to move the appropriate motion.

Mr. Speaker, in 10 years of the Harper government, they failed—

Mr. Speaker, the minister is right. The national security adviser testified, after two months of asking, and after all-night votes in this chamber. The government was blocking that, only to have the national security adviser confirm that the suggestion by the government that there was an Indian conspiracy was not true. Yesterday, the government refused to be transparent and release a full list of the Prime Minister's itinerary, events, and guests in India.We know that one former convicted terrorist made his way onto that invitation list. Is the government's unwillingness to release the full list a sign that there are more?

Mr. Speaker, we understand the uncertainty that has been surrounding the project, an uncertainty that is due in large part to the actions and the threat of actions by the Government of British Columbia, which is why the Prime Minister said very clearly to all Canadians on Sunday that he has asked the Minister of Finance to engage in financial discussions with Kinder Morgan and others while the government looks at all legislative options.

Mr. Speaker, in 2017, the mass arrival of asylum seekers prompted a crisis in Quebec and Manitoba. This crisis did not come as a surprise, I should point out.Everyone is calling on the government to get a plan. A year later, the same thing is happening again. Where is the plan? It does not exist or it is well hidden, because we have not seen anything. The messages on Twitter saying that they are welcome is not enough. We need action.When will the government step up, present a plan, and respond to Quebec's demands?

Mr. Speaker, we welcome the release of Mr. Rae's report and the recommendations contained within. We have certainly remained seized by the unacceptable persecution of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people. These are clear crimes against humanity, which is why we have sanctioned a key military leader responsible for these crimes. In addition, Canada has been one of the top donors to this crisis. Since the beginning of 2017, we have allocated nearly $46 million of humanitarian aid. We will be assessing the recommendations in this report and will have a reply in the coming weeks with further measures that Canada will take.

Well, the mistakes continue, Mr. Speaker.Today, speaking in France, the Prime Minister reiterated his desire to see the Alberta energy sector done away with, phased out. He is doing a very good job already.Under the Prime Minister, major projects that would see our oil and gas get to new world markets have been cancelled. Pacific NorthWest, gateway, and energy east pipelines have all died.Our fight to keep Trans Mountain alive is so essential because the Prime Minister has killed all of the other options.Does the minister support the Prime Minister's plan to phase out the Alberta oil and gas sector?

Mr. Speaker, will they meet with her?The National Assembly has unanimously passed a motion in support of Raif Badawi. Canadian citizenship could be a crucial factor in his release and his safety. The Prime Minister promised to help him in 2015, but he has been completely ignoring the case since then. Out of sight, out of mind. His wife is in Ottawa today. Even after six years of imprisonment, she has never given up.Does this government, specifically the Minister of Immigration and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, believe in freedom of expression?Do they believe in protecting Canadian families? If so, they must meet with her.

Mr. Speaker, we approved the TMX. We approved Enbridge Line 3. The previous Conservative government ruined the chances of northern gateway by insufficiently consulting with indigenous peoples. Jobs were lost in the energy sector during its 10 failed years in government.We actually have to thank the Conservatives, because we are learning from their mistakes.

Mr. Speaker, our government presented last fall a very balanced bill to address the issue of the transportation of grain, which is so important to our farmers, and of other commodities. I cannot believe that still today, the Harper Conservatives voted against that bill. They say they are the friends of farmers, but they voted against that bill.I will take no lessons from a party that does not even support our farmers.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister brags about his feminist budget, but it still leaves many women behind. It does nothing to address the specific challenges faced by indigenous and racialized women. We know they face higher rates of violence, poverty, housing insecurity, and the list goes on. While the government claims to care about them, there is no action to prove it.When will the Prime Minister stop spinning us and the world on his faux feminism and actually invest in improving women's lives?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has said he wants to phase out the oil sands. Well, he is doing it.By introducing Bill C-69 and the carbon tax, the Prime Minister is driving investors out of the country. Petronas, Shell, and ConocoPhillips have all left. Gateway and energy east have been cancelled and the Trans Mountain pipeline is on life support.The government claims to make evidence-based decisions. When will it accept the evidence that the resources approach is failing, and reverse these job-killing policies?

Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate our commitment to continuing to raise the case of Mr. Badawi at the highest level. We have done that in the past and we will continue to do so. The minister and I have been in touch with the wife of Mr. Badawi on her courageous work. We support her in her endeavour and we will not stop until this family is reunited.

Mr. Speaker, most of those so-called agreements are letters of understanding, MOUs. We can hardly call them agreements.A letter of understanding does not mean consent for the project. We have had enough of these false characterizations at the expense of indigenous communities. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, which represents over half of all first nations in the province, remains resolutely opposed to the project. When will this government finally get serious about its most important relationship, the relationship with indigenous peoples?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's failure to take leadership and the total abdication of his responsibility has shaken investor confidence in Canada. His failure puts at risk billions of dollars in investment and billions of dollars in future government revenue for important programs like health care. This crisis is about more than even the pipeline itself. It is about the confidence job-creating businesses have in Canada. Could the government tell the House how many jobs have been lost in this industry since 2015?

Mr. Speaker, that is correct.I would like to thank the hon. member for Niagara Falls for his point of order today on the breach of privilege. This is of grave concern to our party and obviously to the official opposition, but all members in this House should be very concerned. This is not the first time that this has happened. This seems to be a trend coming from the Liberal government, a complete disregard and disrespect for this House. As much as I have respect for the CBC, I do have concerns with the fact that eight minutes after the bill was tabled in this House, it had an article published, so there seems to be a problem here. This is an omnibus budget bill, over 300 and some odd pages, so everybody in this House should be very concerned about this trend. I look forward to coming back to you, Mr. Speaker, with more information.I look forward to your ruling on the question of privilege raised by my colleague from Niagara Falls.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has failed the energy sector, and it is not just with respect to Trans Mountain. The climate that he has created in Canada has become so toxic for investment that investment and jobs are leaving in droves. The energy sector is speaking with its wallet. In fact, we have not seen such a decline in energy investment in over 70 years.Here is my question for the Minister of Natural Resources. Does he even know how many billions of dollars have left the country over the last two years under his watch?

Mr. Speaker, I take full responsibility for continuing to appoint the most meritorious candidates to the superior court benches across this country. To date, I have appointed 167 judges to the benches. We will continue to follow a thorough review process, going through the independent judicial advisory boards, to continue to apply and appoint judges in all provinces, including in the province of Alberta.

I know why they would be sensitive. It is because not one kilometre of pipeline was built so that we could access global markets. Ninety-nine per cent of the exports of oil and gas go to one country, the United States. I think all members of the House would agree that this is not in Canada's interest. The Prime Minister could not be clearer. This project is good for Canada, and it will be built.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's commitment to gender equality, but I have to point out the inaccuracies and omissions in the NDP report card. The women's groups across the country, and indeed around the world, are applauding our Prime Minister and our government's efforts to advance gender equality. The first budget to have an intersectional gender lens applied to it was budget 2018, but it will not be the last. We will be legislating this process so that future governments can see this work. Pay equity is going to be introduced in this House in the fall, and I am sure it will have her support.

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, this is an important case to the Government of Canada. We are on it. We have raised this case repeatedly and we will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, we know how important this project is. The Trans Mountain expansion is in the national interest. That is why we support it, and that is why it will get built. We believe Canada's economic growth goes hand in hand with important environmental responsibilities. Alberta's natural resources are important to Canada. British Columbia has a role to play and a responsibility. The federal government will ensure that this bill goes through.

Mr. Speaker, the government is so invested in this project that the Prime Minister said that we need to gradually phase out Canadian oil. It was the Prime Minister of Canada himself who said that. It makes no sense.We all know that we are in this mess because of British Columbia, the NDP government, and the Greens, but we have known that for 10 months now.What did the Prime Minister do to ensure that this project would go through today?

Mr. Speaker, when we invest in women, we grow the economy for everyone. This philosophy is at the heart of our investments in communities across the country.I have to add that my hon. colleague is wrong. We are investing in lifting hundreds of thousands of Canadian kids out of poverty. We are investing historic amounts in infrastructure, including public transit. We have committed to introducing pay equity legislation this fall, with additional funds focused on pay transparency. We also have invested in a historic strategy to advance and prevent gender-based violence, while doubling funding for women's organizations, because when we invest in women, we grow the economy for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard nothing since the final report by Bob Rae, Canada's special envoy to Myanmar. He argued that Canada should take a leadership role in responding to the Rohingya crisis by leading an international effort to investigate and collect evidence of crimes against humanity, ramping up humanitarian aid, and welcoming more Rohingya refugees. We have heard nothing.Will the government respond to these calls to action, and will there be more targeted sanctions?

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the House what we have been focused on. We have been focused on the economy. In this last budget, we increased funding for regional development agencies to particularly help rural and remote communities. Does the House know what the members opposite did? They opposed that time and time again. For 21 hours, they opposed our budget measures to help Canadians. I can tell the House right now that our plan is working. It has helped to create 600,000 jobs. We have a low and historic unemployment rate. We will continue to focus on the economy and continue to focus on Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we know these energy projects are divisive by their very nature. We know provincial governments do not agree. We have seen all kinds of evidence of that. We know that even within the New Democratic Party, premiers do not agree. We know that within indigenous communities also. There are those who are on the side of developing the project and those who are not. Ultimately, a decision has to be taken with respect to our constitutional obligations that is mindful of Canada's interest.

Mr. Speaker, we can discuss this further to determine who was duped, because yesterday we heard the testimony of the national security adviser, Daniel Jean. We hoped that his remarks would shed light on the Atwal affair, but they did not. The Prime Minister is complicating the situation by refusing to answer questions. Perhaps I will be more successful today if I ask a very simple question. Who, in the Prime Minister's Office, authorized Daniel Jean to brief the media?

Mr. Speaker, on the government side, we take our responsibilities very seriously. We know that the decision on this pipeline, which will run through two provinces, is a federal responsibility. This is recognized not only in the Constitution, but also by the Supreme Court. The federal jurisdiction must be upheld. We are currently in talks with the two provinces. The Prime Minister spoke with the two provincial premiers last Sunday. We are working on a solution, and that is the most constructive approach.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and this government are taking the necessary steps to ensure that this project is built. We acknowledge our responsibilities. The Prime Minister has always said it was important to ensure that the economy and the environment go hand in hand. That is what we are doing.Our Prime Minister initiated a dialogue with Canada's indigenous peoples, something Mr. Harper's Conservatives never did. We implemented a strategy for the environment, something Mr. Harper's Conservatives never did. We are building pipelines, something the Conservatives never did.

Mr. Speaker, the shocking answer is 110,000 jobs. To make matters worse, the Prime Minister is imposing a carbon tax and new regulations that penalize Canadian oil exports. Industry associations, oil and gas companies, and CEOs of major Canadian banks and investment management portfolios warn that we are in a serious crisis. When will the government finally listen to the experts, but, more important, Canadian workers who are demanding the Prime Minister lay out a plan to ensure this pipeline gets built?

Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased to report that jobs are being added to this industry in 2018. As the members opposite I am sure know, business confidence in Canada grew, was enhanced, in 2017. Many nations are looking to Canada, looking at the recipe for economic growth and performance, understanding that in this country energy policy and economic policy go hand in hand, something that completely escaped the understanding of the Conservative government that came before.

Mr. Speaker, Raif Badawi has been in prison for six years as of today. His wife, Ensaf Haidar, has come to Ottawa to ask that the Canadian government do everything in its power to secure his release. Quebec passed a unanimous motion on this last week. To protect her husband, Ms. Haidar is calling on Canada to grant him honorary citizenship.Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship take action on this humanitarian case and meet with Ms. Haidar?

Mr. Speaker, after the meeting on Sunday, the Prime Minister said he was determined to impose a solution on British Columbia and Alberta to resolve the Trans Mountain pipeline dispute. The federal government should be trying to calm the waters, not adding fuel to the fire. The Government of Quebec reminded Ottawa that it is also indisputable that governments must work together when analyzing projects that affect more than one Canadian jurisdiction.The government cannot have it both ways. Either it works with the provinces, or it imposes its will on the provinces. Which is it going to be?

Mr. Speaker, we take the matter seriously. I will look into it and get back and report to the House at a later time.

Mr. Speaker, reducing processing times for work permits from three months to three weeks is not doing nothing. It is doing something. Issuing 12,000 work permits for asylum seekers so that we minimize pressure on Quebec social services is doing something. Increasing settlement and integration services money by $112 million is doing something. Increasing the Canada social transfer envelope by almost $80 million is doing something.We are here taking action and working with Quebec, collaborating closely. They are the party that left us with a broken immigration system.

Mr. Speaker, problem solving and technical expertise are crucial if we want to develop our defence industry and combat emerging threats. Through innovation, we are developing the capabilities we need to overcome modern security challenges.With our new defence policy, “Strong, Secure, Engaged”, our government announced that it would invest $1.6 billion into Canada's innovation community over the next 20 years.Could the minister inform the House on how our government is fulfilling its commitments to reaching out to Canada's most innovative and creative minds?

Mr. Speaker, we know the natural resources sector is a very important part of the Canadian economy. We are happy to report that the Canadian economy is doing very well. It is leading the G7. We have created more than 600,000 jobs with the help of Canadians, small business people, full-time jobs. We know Alberta is leading the recovery of the nation. Why does the opposition not celebrate the accomplishment of Albertans?

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada approved the pipeline because of the jobs that it will create, because of the better price we will get for our natural resources in export markets, and because of the importance not only for western Canadians but for the whole country to learn that the future of the energy industry in Canada is vital to our economic growth. The Prime Minister has reiterated that objective as recently as two days ago.

Mr. Speaker, no relationship is more important to this government than its relationship with indigenous peoples. Far beyond my province of British Columbia, the Trans Mountain expansion project stands to create jobs, grow Canada's economy, and respect environmental commitments. Benefits include over $300 million in mutual beneficial agreements signed with 43 first nations. Many first nations recognize this project as a source of prosperity and opportunity. Can the minister responsible inform this House of our approach to engage meaningfully with indigenous peoples on this crucial resource development project?

Mr. Speaker, the government recently launched the federal community housing initiative, a program that will protect housing affordability and provide greater stability for residents of over 55,000 federally administered community housing units across the country.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this new initiative aligns with the goals of Canada's first-ever national housing strategy?

Mr. Speaker, the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline was announced with a promise of a $7.4 billion investment in our economy and the creation of 37,000 Canadian jobs. It was great news for an industry that was already suffering from the loss of previously announced projects, such as energy east.Now, just months after this approval, we find ourselves in a crisis and the future of this project in serious danger. Was the Prime Minister really serious when he said he wanted to phase out the oil sands from the Canadian economy?

Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Alberta was elected on a mandate to have the pipeline built. The Premier of British Columbia was elected on a mandate to use every tool kit to see that the project would not be built. The Government of Canada, the only government that speaks for all Canadians, will make sure the project is built.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the member for Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle for her commendable work in support of community housing and all her constituents.On November 22, we announced and launched this country's first-ever national housing strategy, which will provide $40 billion over 10 years to get 530,000 Canadian families out of unaffordable or unacceptable housing. On April 4, we launched the federal community housing initiative, which will protect 555,000 Canadian families at risk of losing their community housing and ending up on the street. We will keep working very hard to ensure that all Canadians—

Mr. Speaker, what is clear is that the national security adviser confirmed yesterday that India was not part of a conspiracy to undermine Canada.However, the Prime Minister unequivocally stated the opposite. Given that the national security adviser is contradicting the Prime Minister, and given that it is clear that the Prime Minister was wrong to make such accusations, will the Prime Minister finally apologize to the Government of India for making up the conspiracy theory?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and Mr. Jean have been completely in sync with each other in what they have said publicly about this matter. The only contradiction, if we check the record in the House and outside the House, is in fact coming from the opposition. The solution for that is the classified briefing that was offered three weeks ago to the Leader of the Opposition. That offer has now been accepted, the briefing is being scheduled, and that is a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Court of Appeal in the northern gateway case quashed the approval, not because Enbridge did not consult sufficiently, not because the National Energy Board did not consult sufficiently, but because the Harper government did not. We were left with a decision whether to use the same process that had failed the court test. We decided there had to be much greater consultation. Now we know that 43 indigenous communities benefit from this, 33 of them in British Columbia. We have co-developed with indigenous communities. Monitoring this pipeline—

Mr. Speaker, we have made the necessary investments. For example, last summer, Quebec approached us through the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration and said we should help them with faster processing of work permits for asylum seekers. We have done that. We have slashed that timeline from three months to three weeks, and we have issued over 12,000 work permits for asylum seekers in Quebec.In addition to that, as part of budget 2018, we are delivering an additional $112 million for more settlement and integration services for newcomers in Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, our country is an open and welcoming place for people seeking protection. However, our government is committed to ensuring an orderly immigration process.We work very closely with Quebec, and collaborate closely on issues affecting Quebec and other provinces through the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration. We have listened carefully to concerns raised by Quebec. Part of budget 2018 contains a $173-million investment in faster processing of asylum claims, as well as border security operations. We will continue to work closely with Quebec to address any—

Mr. Speaker, Canada remains open and welcoming to people who need protection. However, our government is determined to maintain regular immigration.We work with the provinces through the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration. As part of budget 2018, we are investing $173 million for border security operations, as well as more investments for faster processing of refugee claims. We have fast-tracked work permits for asylum claimants so they can put less pressure on provincial services. We will continue to do the good work we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, budget 2018 was the first federal budget in the history of Confederation to have an intersectional gendered lens applied to all new spending, because we believe that when we invest in women, we improve the economy for the middle class and those working hard to join it. We have invested in women's organizations. We have invested in indigenous communities in historic ways, and there is more work remaining. We are listening to women's leaders across the country, who are applauding our efforts for advancing gender equality. We are also leading the G7 in this work, through our presidency this year.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge for the important work that he does for his constituents.Last week, I was proud to announce a $313-million investment in the new innovation for defence excellence and security program, IDEaS, for short.Our government believes that investing in science and innovation will help the Canadian Armed Forces remain at the cutting edge of technology. Through IDEaS, we are calling on Canada's most creative and innovative minds to help develop solutions to today's and tomorrow's defence challenges.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I moved a motion for concurrence in “The Trudeau Report”. We debated that motion as well as an amendment we made to the report. We were hoping we could vote on it, but the government filibustered, which was rather interesting to watch. There have been consultations, and I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That notwithstanding any Standing Orders or usual practices of the House, the report of the Ethics Commissioner entitled “The Trudeau Report”, tabled on Monday, January 29, 2018, be not now concurred in, but that pursuant to section 28(13) of the conflict of interest code for members of the House of Commons, it be referred back to the commissioner with instructions that he amend the same to include recommendations to close the loopholes in the code as well as the Conflict of Interest Act that allowed the Prime Minister to withhold from the public the nature of the unacceptable gifts he received from the Aga Khan, because the public registry includes only acceptable gifts within the meaning of section 14 of the code and section 11 of the Conflict of Interest Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his support of this important project.The review of the TMX project was the most exhaustive in the history of pipelines in Canada. There were 118 indigenous groups who had their voices heard, and we co-developed with first nations a historic indigenous advisory and monitoring committee to ensure that the project moves forward in the safest and most sustainable way possible.Environmental protection, economic growth, and a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples are the pillars of this government's approach to resource development.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the national security adviser testified before the public safety committee. I understand that as of today arrangements are being made for a specific appointment for the Leader of the Opposition to be briefed and to receive the classified briefing that would be appropriate. It has taken over three weeks, but it is happening and it is a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, we know the people of Alberta have suffered as a result of the low commodity prices. We know some 120,000 were jobs lost, but thankfully at least half of them have returned. We know we have approved the Enbridge Line 3 replacement. We have approved the Trans Mountain expansion. We are in favour of the KXL pipeline. We have met with energy workers. We have met with CEOs of the energy industry. They realize this government stands with energy workers.

Mr. Speaker, what we have here is a blatant, inexcusable endorsement of a notorious apologist for the brutal terror sponsoring, human rights abusing President of Syria, words of praise not offered by a merely misguided member of Parliament pandering for votes with an organization with a history of support for extremism and terror, but on a behalf of the Prime Minister of Canada.Will the Prime Minister distance himself from this outrageous tribute in his name?

Mr. Speaker, it was members of the opposition who made that accusation in the House of Commons time and time again, and they were wrong.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the member for Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle for her commendable work in support of community housing and all her constituents.On November 22, we announced and launched this country's first-ever national housing strategy, which will provide $40 billion over 10 years to get 530,000 Canadian families out of unaffordable or unacceptable housing. On April 4, we launched the federal community housing initiative, which will protect 555,000 Canadian families at risk of losing their community housing and ending up on the street. We will keep working very hard to ensure that all Canadians—

Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate our commitment to continuing to raise the case of Mr. Badawi at the highest level. We have done that in the past and we will continue to do so. The minister and I have been in touch with the wife of Mr. Badawi on her courageous work. We support her in her endeavour and we will not stop until this family is reunited.

Mr. Speaker, we approved the TMX. We approved Enbridge Line 3. The previous Conservative government ruined the chances of northern gateway by insufficiently consulting with indigenous peoples. Jobs were lost in the energy sector during its 10 failed years in government.We actually have to thank the Conservatives, because we are learning from their mistakes.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his Liberals are asleep at the wheel. We are talking about 300 to 400 illegal migrants entering per day through Lacolle. It is going to be a chaotic mess. Meanwhile, they are slamming the door in the Quebec government's face. Four exasperated ministers are demanding action and support. You break it, you buy it.

Mr. Speaker, we know the people of Alberta have suffered as a result of the low commodity prices. We know some 120,000 were jobs lost, but thankfully at least half of them have returned. We know we have approved the Enbridge Line 3 replacement. We have approved the Trans Mountain expansion. We are in favour of the KXL pipeline. We have met with energy workers. We have met with CEOs of the energy industry. They realize this government stands with energy workers.

Mr. Speaker, there is no answer from the minister. Let me tell him that $80 billion have left in the last two years under the failed policies of the minister and the Prime Minister. Those numbers do not lie. Things like the carbon tax, extra red tape for investors, and erroneous failed policies are why investors are saying they are leaving Canada. How many more billions of dollars have to leave the country before the Liberals reverse their terrible anti-energy policy?

Mr. Speaker, when we invest in women, we grow the economy for everyone. This philosophy is at the heart of our investments in communities across the country.I have to add that my hon. colleague is wrong. We are investing in lifting hundreds of thousands of Canadian kids out of poverty. We are investing historic amounts in infrastructure, including public transit. We have committed to introducing pay equity legislation this fall, with additional funds focused on pay transparency. We also have invested in a historic strategy to advance and prevent gender-based violence, while doubling funding for women's organizations, because when we invest in women, we grow the economy for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, we take the matter seriously. I will look into it and get back and report to the House at a later time.

Mr. Speaker, today in Calgary, first degree murder charges involving notorious gang leader Nick Chan were thrown out of court due to delay. A year and a half ago, 10 new judicial spots were established to deal with the backlog in Alberta's courts. A year and a half later, the Minister of Justice has managed to fill just one of these vacancies. Clearly, the minister is not doing her job.Will she take responsibility for the release of this dangerous criminal?

Mr. Speaker, the minister speaks of one province, but this is not a crisis that is caused by one province or another; it is a crisis that is caused simply by the lack of leadership and the inability of the government to actually get the job done. We have seen this before, and as long as the government fails to step up, we are going to see it again. Eighty billion dollars in investment has left the energy sector, as well as 100,000 well-paying Canadian jobs. These results are simply unacceptable. When will the Prime Minister stop failing the Canadian families who are relying on these projects?

Mr. Speaker, the government is so invested in this project that the Prime Minister said that we need to gradually phase out Canadian oil. It was the Prime Minister of Canada himself who said that. It makes no sense.We all know that we are in this mess because of British Columbia, the NDP government, and the Greens, but we have known that for 10 months now.What did the Prime Minister do to ensure that this project would go through today?

Mr. Speaker, the shocking answer is 110,000 jobs. To make matters worse, the Prime Minister is imposing a carbon tax and new regulations that penalize Canadian oil exports. Industry associations, oil and gas companies, and CEOs of major Canadian banks and investment management portfolios warn that we are in a serious crisis. When will the government finally listen to the experts, but, more important, Canadian workers who are demanding the Prime Minister lay out a plan to ensure this pipeline gets built?

Mr. Speaker, reducing processing times for work permits from three months to three weeks is not doing nothing. It is doing something. Issuing 12,000 work permits for asylum seekers so that we minimize pressure on Quebec social services is doing something. Increasing settlement and integration services money by $112 million is doing something. Increasing the Canada social transfer envelope by almost $80 million is doing something.We are here taking action and working with Quebec, collaborating closely. They are the party that left us with a broken immigration system.

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of visiting Fort McMurray with the Prime Minister when we talked to energy workers. We talked about how much progress was being made.It would be good for members of the opposition to every once in a while talk about the progress that is being made in Alberta on sustainably developing our resource on GHG emission and reductions as a result of the innovation and entrepreneurship. We on this side of the House place an awful lot of stock in the innovation and entrepreneurship of business leadership in Alberta. We wish members opposite shared our optimism.

Mr. Speaker, farmers and manufacturers employ millions of Canadians and contribute billions of dollars to our economy. Due to the Liberal government's weak response to the current rail transportation crisis and the many flaws in Bill C-49, our farmers and shippers will continue to suffer. This morning I met with a manufacturer who has already lost $40 million this year due to shipping issues.When will the Minister of Transport stop ignoring the plight of our farmers, shippers, and manufacturers, and do his job?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister did lay out a plan. It is too bad that the Leader of the Opposition did not hang around long enough to hear it before he took to the airwaves, before the Premier of Alberta spoke and before the Prime Minister of Canada spoke. He did not have to hear the Prime Minister's plan. Somehow he intuited what it might be.It might have been more respectful for the Leader of the Opposition to do a little listening before he did a little talking.

Mr. Speaker, will they meet with her?The National Assembly has unanimously passed a motion in support of Raif Badawi. Canadian citizenship could be a crucial factor in his release and his safety. The Prime Minister promised to help him in 2015, but he has been completely ignoring the case since then. Out of sight, out of mind. His wife is in Ottawa today. Even after six years of imprisonment, she has never given up.Does this government, specifically the Minister of Immigration and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, believe in freedom of expression?Do they believe in protecting Canadian families? If so, they must meet with her.

Mr. Speaker, our country is an open and welcoming place for people seeking protection. However, our government is committed to ensuring an orderly immigration process.We work very closely with Quebec, and collaborate closely on issues affecting Quebec and other provinces through the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration. We have listened carefully to concerns raised by Quebec. Part of budget 2018 contains a $173-million investment in faster processing of asylum claims, as well as border security operations. We will continue to work closely with Quebec to address any—

Mr. Speaker, the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline was announced with a promise of a $7.4 billion investment in our economy and the creation of 37,000 Canadian jobs. It was great news for an industry that was already suffering from the loss of previously announced projects, such as energy east.Now, just months after this approval, we find ourselves in a crisis and the future of this project in serious danger. Was the Prime Minister really serious when he said he wanted to phase out the oil sands from the Canadian economy?

Mr. Speaker, in 10 years of the Harper government, they failed—

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Court of Appeal in the northern gateway case quashed the approval, not because Enbridge did not consult sufficiently, not because the National Energy Board did not consult sufficiently, but because the Harper government did not. We were left with a decision whether to use the same process that had failed the court test. We decided there had to be much greater consultation. Now we know that 43 indigenous communities benefit from this, 33 of them in British Columbia. We have co-developed with indigenous communities. Monitoring this pipeline—

Mr. Speaker, today, on Equality Day, I gave Liberals a failing grade in our NDP report card on women's equality in budget 2018. While the Prime Minister claims he is a feminist, he has failed to act on the most pressing challenges facing women in Canada. The budget provides zero dollars for pay equity, no money for universal affordable child care, and does not reform EI requirements that discriminate against women.When will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and stop making women wait?

Mr. Speaker, on the government side, we take our responsibilities very seriously. We know that the decision on this pipeline, which will run through two provinces, is a federal responsibility. This is recognized not only in the Constitution, but also by the Supreme Court. The federal jurisdiction must be upheld. We are currently in talks with the two provinces. The Prime Minister spoke with the two provincial premiers last Sunday. We are working on a solution, and that is the most constructive approach.

Mr. Speaker, what is clear is that the national security adviser confirmed yesterday that India was not part of a conspiracy to undermine Canada.However, the Prime Minister unequivocally stated the opposite. Given that the national security adviser is contradicting the Prime Minister, and given that it is clear that the Prime Minister was wrong to make such accusations, will the Prime Minister finally apologize to the Government of India for making up the conspiracy theory?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has failed the energy sector, and it is not just with respect to Trans Mountain. The climate that he has created in Canada has become so toxic for investment that investment and jobs are leaving in droves. The energy sector is speaking with its wallet. In fact, we have not seen such a decline in energy investment in over 70 years.Here is my question for the Minister of Natural Resources. Does he even know how many billions of dollars have left the country over the last two years under his watch?

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I moved a motion for concurrence in “The Trudeau Report”. We debated that motion as well as an amendment we made to the report. We were hoping we could vote on it, but the government filibustered, which was rather interesting to watch. There have been consultations, and I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That notwithstanding any Standing Orders or usual practices of the House, the report of the Ethics Commissioner entitled “The Trudeau Report”, tabled on Monday, January 29, 2018, be not now concurred in, but that pursuant to section 28(13) of the conflict of interest code for members of the House of Commons, it be referred back to the commissioner with instructions that he amend the same to include recommendations to close the loopholes in the code as well as the Conflict of Interest Act that allowed the Prime Minister to withhold from the public the nature of the unacceptable gifts he received from the Aga Khan, because the public registry includes only acceptable gifts within the meaning of section 14 of the code and section 11 of the Conflict of Interest Act.

Mr. Speaker, because the Liberals are so soft on border security, Quebec's temporary shelters are stretched to the limit, and a further wave of illegal migrants is expected this summer. Will Quebec have to open the Olympic stadium? The Liberals are not taking the situation seriously. The Prime Minister thinks he can fix everything with a selfie and some sweet talk, but it does not work that way. When will the Prime Minister and the Liberals face up to their responsibilities and tackle a problem of their own creation by supporting the Quebec government?

Mr. Speaker, we understand the uncertainty that has been surrounding the project, an uncertainty that is due in large part to the actions and the threat of actions by the Government of British Columbia, which is why the Prime Minister said very clearly to all Canadians on Sunday that he has asked the Minister of Finance to engage in financial discussions with Kinder Morgan and others while the government looks at all legislative options.

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the House what we have been focused on. We have been focused on the economy. In this last budget, we increased funding for regional development agencies to particularly help rural and remote communities. Does the House know what the members opposite did? They opposed that time and time again. For 21 hours, they opposed our budget measures to help Canadians. I can tell the House right now that our plan is working. It has helped to create 600,000 jobs. We have a low and historic unemployment rate. We will continue to focus on the economy and continue to focus on Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's lack of ethics and his inconsistency have already cost us too much, but it gets worse. Things have gone way too far. We have now learned that the Prime Minister and his team are very accommodating in dealing with Assad regime supporters, and Canadians need an explanation for this new gaffe.Will the Prime Minister tell us why he sent greetings to an event where the guest of honour is a friend of Assad?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister brags about his feminist budget, but it still leaves many women behind. It does nothing to address the specific challenges faced by indigenous and racialized women. We know they face higher rates of violence, poverty, housing insecurity, and the list goes on. While the government claims to care about them, there is no action to prove it.When will the Prime Minister stop spinning us and the world on his faux feminism and actually invest in improving women's lives?

Mr. Speaker, most of those so-called agreements are letters of understanding, MOUs. We can hardly call them agreements.A letter of understanding does not mean consent for the project. We have had enough of these false characterizations at the expense of indigenous communities. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, which represents over half of all first nations in the province, remains resolutely opposed to the project. When will this government finally get serious about its most important relationship, the relationship with indigenous peoples?

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege concerning the premature disclosure of the contents of Bill C-75, an act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other acts and to make consequential amendments. The Minister of Justice introduced the bill on Holy Thursday, before the Easter long weekend, on March 29, 2018, at 12:11 p.m. At 12:19 p.m., eight minutes after the minister introduced the bill, CBC posted an article entitled “Liberals propose major criminal justice changes to unclog Canada's courts”. The article goes into detail about Bill C-75 to make a prima facie case that CBC had prior knowledge of the contents of Bill C-75 before it was introduced.For example, the article states that “The Liberal government tabled a major bill today to reform Canada's criminal justice system”, saying it contained measures designed to close gaps in the system and speed up court proceedings, including putting an end to preliminary inquiries except for the most serious crimes that carry a life sentence. It said, “The changes also include an end to peremptory challenges in jury selection” and that another proposed reform of the bill will “impose a reverse onus on bail applications by people who have a history of [domestic] abuse, which would require them to justify their release following a charge.” Bill C-75 is an omnibus bill containing 302 pages. While I appreciate the quality of journalism at the CBC, I do not think anyone can believe that someone could read 302 pages, analyze what was read, write an article, and then post the article on the Internet with various links in just eight minutes. If such extraordinary human capabilities exist at CBC or if unknown technology exists to make this happen, then the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs would like to hear about it.All I am asking of you, Mr. Speaker, is to find a prima facie case on the question of privilege to allow a motion to be moved instructing the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to look into this matter.On March 21, 1978, at page 3,975 of Debates, Mr. Speaker Jerome quoted a British procedure committee report of 1967, which states in part: ...the Speaker should ask himself, when he has to decide whether to grant precedence over other public business to a motion which a Member who has complained of some act or conduct as constituting a breach of privilege desires to move, should be, not--do I consider that, assuming that the facts are as stated, the act or conduct constitutes a breach of privilege, but could it reasonably be held to be a breach of privilege, or to put it shortly, has the Member an arguable point? If the Speaker feels any doubt on the question, he should, in my view, leave it to the House. Now, whether it be superhuman capabilities or advanced unknown technology available only to the media, it is unacceptable for members of Parliament to be left behind playing catch-up while the public debate on a government bill takes place outside the House, minutes after its introduction, between a well-briefed media and a well-briefed Minister of Justice.It has become an established practice in this House that when a bill is on notice for introduction, the House has the first right to the contents of that legislation.On April 14, 2016, the former opposition leader and current Leader of the Opposition raised a question concerning the premature disclosure of Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying). The Leader of the Opposition pointed out that specific and detailed information contained in Bill C-14 was reported in a newspaper article and elsewhere in the media before the bill had been introduced in the House. The member stressed the need for members to access information in order to fulfill their parliamentary responsibilities, as well as the respect required for the essential role of the House in legislative matters. On April 19, 2016, the Speaker agreed with the Leader of the Opposition and found that there was indeed a prima facia case of privilege regarding Bill C-14. He said: As honourable members know, one of my most important responsibilities as Speaker is to safeguard the rights and privileges of members, individually and collectively. Central to the matter before us today is the fact that, due to its pre-eminent role in the legislative process, the House cannot allow precise legislative information to be distributed to others before it has been made accessible to all members. Previous Speakers have regularly upheld not only this fundamental right, but also expectation, of the House. The Speaker's concluding remarks on April 19, 2016, were as follows: In this instance, the chair must conclude that the House's right of first access to legislative information was not respected. The chair appreciates the chief government whip's assertion that no one in the government was authorized to publicly release the specific details of the bill before its introduction. Still, it did happen, and these kinds of incidents cause grave concern among hon. members. I believe it is a good reason why extra care should be taken to ensure that matters that ought properly to be brought to the House first do not in any way get out in the public domain prematurely. On October 4, 2010, on page 4,711 of the House of Commons Debates, Speaker Milliken said: It is indisputable that it is a well-established practice and accepted convention that this House has the right of first access to the text of bills that it will consider. There was a similar case March 19, 2001, regarding the Department of Justice briefing the media on a bill before members of Parliament. This was referenced by the Leader of the Opposition in his submission on the Bill C-14 case, in which he quoted Speaker Milliken as saying, at page 1,840 of the House of Commons Debates: In preparing legislation, the government may wish to hold extensive consultations and such consultations may be held entirely at the government's discretion. However, with respect to material to be placed before parliament, the House must take precedence. Once a bill has been placed on notice, whether it has been presented in a different form to a different session of parliament has no bearing and the bill is considered a new matter. The convention of the confidentiality of bills on notice is necessary, not only so that members themselves may be well informed, but also because of the pre-eminent rule which the House plays and must play in the legislative affairs of the nation. The Speaker found another case of contempt on October 15, 2001, after the Department of Justice briefed the media on the contents of a bill prior to the legislation being introduced in the House. The leak of Bill C-75 is another example of the government's disregard for Parliament and its role in the legislative process. It is important that we in the opposition call out the government for these abuses of Parliament and place before the Chair any breaches of the privileges of the House of Commons.Speaker Milliken said: To deny to members information concerning business that is about to come before the House, while at the same time providing such information to media that will likely be questioning members about that business, is a situation that the Chair cannot condone. You, Mr. Speaker, said, on March 20 of this year: ...respecting members’ needs for timely and accurate information remains essential. There is no question that the work of members of Parliament is made more difficult without expeditious access to legislative information. Given this reality, there is a rightful expectation that those responsible for the information should do their utmost to ensure members’ access to it. Not respecting this expectation does a disservice to all. It is particularly disconcerting when the government gives priority to the media over the members of Parliament. Given the facts presented and the clear precedents on this matter, I believe, Mr. Speaker, you should have no trouble in finding a prima facie question of privilege. In that event, I am prepared to move the appropriate motion.

Mr. Speaker, British Columbians have legitimate concerns about the Trans Mountain pipeline project, and they recently elected government a that takes these concerns seriously. In fact, they gave their newly elected government a clear mandate on this issue. The B.C. government is just doing what it was elected to do. Standing up and following through on an election promise is what governments are supposed to do. The Liberals could stand to learn a lesson from this. How can the government continue to ignore both its own election promises and the real concerns of British Columbians?

Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadians are paying more under these Liberals. One woman told me that she lost her home because of the government. What about diabetics who are unreasonably being denied the disability tax credit? Instead of actually helping Canadians, we see the Minister of Natural Resources buying 3,600 Facebook likes for $5,000. Does the Minister of Natural Resources believe that $5,000 is better spent purchasing Facebook likes than on helping vulnerable Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Raif Badawi has been in prison for six years as of today. His wife, Ensaf Haidar, has come to Ottawa to ask that the Canadian government do everything in its power to secure his release. Quebec passed a unanimous motion on this last week. To protect her husband, Ms. Haidar is calling on Canada to grant him honorary citizenship.Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship take action on this humanitarian case and meet with Ms. Haidar?

Mr. Speaker, budget 2018 was the first federal budget in the history of Confederation to have an intersectional gendered lens applied to all new spending, because we believe that when we invest in women, we improve the economy for the middle class and those working hard to join it. We have invested in women's organizations. We have invested in indigenous communities in historic ways, and there is more work remaining. We are listening to women's leaders across the country, who are applauding our efforts for advancing gender equality. We are also leading the G7 in this work, through our presidency this year.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has said he wants to phase out the oil sands. Well, he is doing it.By introducing Bill C-69 and the carbon tax, the Prime Minister is driving investors out of the country. Petronas, Shell, and ConocoPhillips have all left. Gateway and energy east have been cancelled and the Trans Mountain pipeline is on life support.The government claims to make evidence-based decisions. When will it accept the evidence that the resources approach is failing, and reverse these job-killing policies?

Mr. Speaker, in 2017, the mass arrival of asylum seekers prompted a crisis in Quebec and Manitoba. This crisis did not come as a surprise, I should point out.Everyone is calling on the government to get a plan. A year later, the same thing is happening again. Where is the plan? It does not exist or it is well hidden, because we have not seen anything. The messages on Twitter saying that they are welcome is not enough. We need action.When will the government step up, present a plan, and respond to Quebec's demands?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's failure to take leadership and the total abdication of his responsibility has shaken investor confidence in Canada. His failure puts at risk billions of dollars in investment and billions of dollars in future government revenue for important programs like health care. This crisis is about more than even the pipeline itself. It is about the confidence job-creating businesses have in Canada. Could the government tell the House how many jobs have been lost in this industry since 2015?

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada approved the pipeline because of the jobs that it will create, because of the better price we will get for our natural resources in export markets, and because of the importance not only for western Canadians but for the whole country to learn that the future of the energy industry in Canada is vital to our economic growth. The Prime Minister has reiterated that objective as recently as two days ago.

Mr. Speaker, we know these energy projects are divisive by their very nature. We know provincial governments do not agree. We have seen all kinds of evidence of that. We know that even within the New Democratic Party, premiers do not agree. We know that within indigenous communities also. There are those who are on the side of developing the project and those who are not. Ultimately, a decision has to be taken with respect to our constitutional obligations that is mindful of Canada's interest.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and Mr. Jean have been completely in sync with each other in what they have said publicly about this matter. The only contradiction, if we check the record in the House and outside the House, is in fact coming from the opposition. The solution for that is the classified briefing that was offered three weeks ago to the Leader of the Opposition. That offer has now been accepted, the briefing is being scheduled, and that is a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, the NDP presented its report card on women in budget 2018. It shows that the government has essentially failed when it comes to the most important issues for women. Nothing has been done to make it easier for women to access public transportation, which they use more than men and which is severely lacking in rural regions. Nothing has been done to ensure pay equity or to implement a universal, affordable child care program.Will the government commit to immediately providing the funding necessary to achieve gender equality?

Mr. Speaker, our government presented last fall a very balanced bill to address the issue of the transportation of grain, which is so important to our farmers, and of other commodities. I cannot believe that still today, the Harper Conservatives voted against that bill. They say they are the friends of farmers, but they voted against that bill.I will take no lessons from a party that does not even support our farmers.

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians of good faith want this project to work. This is a $7.5-billion project that, it is important to note, has the support of over 40 first nations communities. First nations that will be directly affected by this project want it to happen. Canadians want it. The problem is that the Prime Minister of Canada does not believe in Canadian oil and does not like it. Over a year ago, he said “it's time to phase them out”, to cut back on Canadian oil and get rid of it.With such a bad salesperson, is it any wonder the project is stalled?

Well, the mistakes continue, Mr. Speaker.Today, speaking in France, the Prime Minister reiterated his desire to see the Alberta energy sector done away with, phased out. He is doing a very good job already.Under the Prime Minister, major projects that would see our oil and gas get to new world markets have been cancelled. Pacific NorthWest, gateway, and energy east pipelines have all died.Our fight to keep Trans Mountain alive is so essential because the Prime Minister has killed all of the other options.Does the minister support the Prime Minister's plan to phase out the Alberta oil and gas sector?

Mr. Speaker, words without action are simply words, and the reality is that this government has a record of making great announcements but an appalling record of actually implementing the things it is announcing. We have the third-largest oil reserves in the world, and our economy depends upon the success of this industry. The uncertainty over Trans Mountain is costing us $40 million a day, and billions of dollars more are fleeing our country. Why is the Prime Minister shortchanging Canadians through his failure to deliver?

Mr. Speaker, a headline last week characterized the opposition's position in this matter rather well. The headline said, “Conservatives duped by false story”. In fact, they need to have the classified briefing to fully understand the facts and the context. That briefing was offered three weeks ago. The opposition has now accepted the briefing. It is being scheduled in the next short while, and that is a good thing to make sure they are not duped anymore.

Mr. Speaker, due to a lack of funding, the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre has had to discontinue its hotline after decades of service. Year in, year out, the hotline has helped hundreds of women in Victoria. Across the country, rape crisis centres face the same urgent problem, and with the surge of victims coming forward after the #MeToo movement, the situation just gets worse.If the Prime Minister is truly concerned with the well-being of women and sexual assault victims, why does the budget not provide stable, predictable, operating funding to rape crisis centres?

Mr. Speaker, that is correct.I would like to thank the hon. member for Niagara Falls for his point of order today on the breach of privilege. This is of grave concern to our party and obviously to the official opposition, but all members in this House should be very concerned. This is not the first time that this has happened. This seems to be a trend coming from the Liberal government, a complete disregard and disrespect for this House. As much as I have respect for the CBC, I do have concerns with the fact that eight minutes after the bill was tabled in this House, it had an article published, so there seems to be a problem here. This is an omnibus budget bill, over 300 and some odd pages, so everybody in this House should be very concerned about this trend. I look forward to coming back to you, Mr. Speaker, with more information.I look forward to your ruling on the question of privilege raised by my colleague from Niagara Falls.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Alberta was elected on a mandate to have the pipeline built. The Premier of British Columbia was elected on a mandate to use every tool kit to see that the project would not be built. The Government of Canada, the only government that speaks for all Canadians, will make sure the project is built.

Mr. Speaker, we have made the necessary investments. For example, last summer, Quebec approached us through the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration and said we should help them with faster processing of work permits for asylum seekers. We have done that. We have slashed that timeline from three months to three weeks, and we have issued over 12,000 work permits for asylum seekers in Quebec.In addition to that, as part of budget 2018, we are delivering an additional $112 million for more settlement and integration services for newcomers in Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, the member for Mississauga—Erin Mills may be willing to stand with an extremist supporter she addresses as “brother Amin”. She may be willing to praise a man who denies President Assad is a murderer and a butcher in return for support in the next federal election.Will the Prime Minister disassociate himself from this misguided tribute to extremism made by the member in the Prime Minister's name?

Mr. Speaker, indigenous opposition to Kinder Morgan's pipeline expansion is strong, it is growing, and several first nations have already taken the government to court for having violated its constitutional duty to consult. It is a sad day when, despite lofty rhetoric, the government also is ignoring its constitutional obligations. The government wants to talk about the rule of law. How about respecting section 35 of the Constitution? How about respecting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples' free, prior, and informed consent? Whatever happened to that most important relationship with indigenous peoples?

Mr. Speaker, the minister is right. The national security adviser testified, after two months of asking, and after all-night votes in this chamber. The government was blocking that, only to have the national security adviser confirm that the suggestion by the government that there was an Indian conspiracy was not true. Yesterday, the government refused to be transparent and release a full list of the Prime Minister's itinerary, events, and guests in India.We know that one former convicted terrorist made his way onto that invitation list. Is the government's unwillingness to release the full list a sign that there are more?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's commitment to gender equality, but I have to point out the inaccuracies and omissions in the NDP report card. The women's groups across the country, and indeed around the world, are applauding our Prime Minister and our government's efforts to advance gender equality. The first budget to have an intersectional gender lens applied to it was budget 2018, but it will not be the last. We will be legislating this process so that future governments can see this work. Pay equity is going to be introduced in this House in the fall, and I am sure it will have her support.

Mr. Speaker, on February 22, the foreign affairs minister apologized to her Indian counterpart for Canada's honest mistake in inviting Jaspal Atwal to the Prime Minister's event. Now Mr. Atwal says the Liberal MP for Surrey Centre warned him he would need security clearance before he could attend. Was the honest mistake the invitation itself, or the department's failure to vet the invitation for security and protocol concerns?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and this government are taking the necessary steps to ensure that this project is built. We acknowledge our responsibilities. The Prime Minister has always said it was important to ensure that the economy and the environment go hand in hand. That is what we are doing.Our Prime Minister initiated a dialogue with Canada's indigenous peoples, something Mr. Harper's Conservatives never did. We implemented a strategy for the environment, something Mr. Harper's Conservatives never did. We are building pipelines, something the Conservatives never did.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister recently sent the Liberal MP for Mississauga—Erin Mills to bring greetings on his behalf at an event organized by the anti-Israel Palestine House. This event starred a Palestinian activist who supports suicide bombings and met with President Assad of Syria in 2017. The activist said, “I'm proud of my meeting with President Assad...President Assad is not a murderer or a butcher.” This was after Assad had used illegal chemical weapons against innocent civilians.Why would the Prime Minister send greetings to an event starring a friend of Assad?

Mr. Speaker, I have had the chance to stand twice now and I will do it a third time to reiterate this government's clear position of condemnation against the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime. We have been clear that the Assad regime must end its indiscriminate killing of its own citizens and engage in meaningful negotiation to achieve a just and lasting peace in Syria. We have been clear from the very beginning, and we will continue to condemn the use of chemical weapons and the indiscriminate killing of citizens done by the Assad regime.

Mr. Speaker, we welcome the release of Mr. Rae's report and the recommendations contained within. We have certainly remained seized by the unacceptable persecution of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people. These are clear crimes against humanity, which is why we have sanctioned a key military leader responsible for these crimes. In addition, Canada has been one of the top donors to this crisis. Since the beginning of 2017, we have allocated nearly $46 million of humanitarian aid. We will be assessing the recommendations in this report and will have a reply in the coming weeks with further measures that Canada will take.

Mr. Speaker, Canada remains open and welcoming to people who need protection. However, our government is determined to maintain regular immigration.We work with the provinces through the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration. As part of budget 2018, we are investing $173 million for border security operations, as well as more investments for faster processing of refugee claims. We have fast-tracked work permits for asylum claimants so they can put less pressure on provincial services. We will continue to do the good work we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, the government recently launched the federal community housing initiative, a program that will protect housing affordability and provide greater stability for residents of over 55,000 federally administered community housing units across the country.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this new initiative aligns with the goals of Canada's first-ever national housing strategy?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his commitment to gender equality. I would point out that budget 2018 built on our investments to advance gender equality in Canada. Funding for women's organizations doubled. Funding for rape crisis centres doubled. That does not include the addition of the first gender-based violence strategy for prevention in the history of this country. I would ask that the member from the party opposite please add that to the report card, which has so unkindly missed this important investment in Canadian women.

Mr. Speaker, our government has been clear in its position of condemnation against the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons and its indiscriminate violence against its own citizens. We have been clear that it must end and that they must engage in meaningful negotiation. We have been equally clear on our position that Canada is a steadfast ally and friend of Israel and of the Palestinian people. We are committed to a just, lasting, and durable peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace with Israel.

Mr. Speaker, once again, we have been clear in our condemnation of the use of chemical weapons against the people of eastern Ghouta. We supported the decision of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France to take measures to weaken the Assad regime's ability to launch chemical attacks against its own people. We condemn the Assad regime and its supporters, Russia and Iran, for these repeated human rights violations and the deliberate targeting of civilians.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard nothing since the final report by Bob Rae, Canada's special envoy to Myanmar. He argued that Canada should take a leadership role in responding to the Rohingya crisis by leading an international effort to investigate and collect evidence of crimes against humanity, ramping up humanitarian aid, and welcoming more Rohingya refugees. We have heard nothing.Will the government respond to these calls to action, and will there be more targeted sanctions?

Mr. Speaker, we know how important this project is. The Trans Mountain expansion is in the national interest. That is why we support it, and that is why it will get built. We believe Canada's economic growth goes hand in hand with important environmental responsibilities. Alberta's natural resources are important to Canada. British Columbia has a role to play and a responsibility. The federal government will ensure that this bill goes through.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec is asking for help. Since the beginning of the year, the number of irregular migrants has tripled. Welcome centres in Quebec are at 71% capacity. The federal government is responsible for our borders, but Quebec is footing the bill.Groups in our ridings are already overwhelmed. Ottawa needs to do its part. It must lower processing times for files. Files currently take two years to be processed, when they should be processed in 60 days. Will the Liberal government listen to Quebec's heartfelt appeal?

I know why they would be sensitive. It is because not one kilometre of pipeline was built so that we could access global markets. Ninety-nine per cent of the exports of oil and gas go to one country, the United States. I think all members of the House would agree that this is not in Canada's interest. The Prime Minister could not be clearer. This project is good for Canada, and it will be built.

Mr. Speaker, after the meeting on Sunday, the Prime Minister said he was determined to impose a solution on British Columbia and Alberta to resolve the Trans Mountain pipeline dispute. The federal government should be trying to calm the waters, not adding fuel to the fire. The Government of Quebec reminded Ottawa that it is also indisputable that governments must work together when analyzing projects that affect more than one Canadian jurisdiction.The government cannot have it both ways. Either it works with the provinces, or it imposes its will on the provinces. Which is it going to be?

Mr. Speaker, problem solving and technical expertise are crucial if we want to develop our defence industry and combat emerging threats. Through innovation, we are developing the capabilities we need to overcome modern security challenges.With our new defence policy, “Strong, Secure, Engaged”, our government announced that it would invest $1.6 billion into Canada's innovation community over the next 20 years.Could the minister inform the House on how our government is fulfilling its commitments to reaching out to Canada's most innovative and creative minds?

Mr. Speaker, no relationship is more important to this government than its relationship with indigenous peoples. Far beyond my province of British Columbia, the Trans Mountain expansion project stands to create jobs, grow Canada's economy, and respect environmental commitments. Benefits include over $300 million in mutual beneficial agreements signed with 43 first nations. Many first nations recognize this project as a source of prosperity and opportunity. Can the minister responsible inform this House of our approach to engage meaningfully with indigenous peoples on this crucial resource development project?

Mr. Speaker, we can discuss this further to determine who was duped, because yesterday we heard the testimony of the national security adviser, Daniel Jean. We hoped that his remarks would shed light on the Atwal affair, but they did not. The Prime Minister is complicating the situation by refusing to answer questions. Perhaps I will be more successful today if I ask a very simple question. Who, in the Prime Minister's Office, authorized Daniel Jean to brief the media?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the national security adviser testified before the public safety committee. I understand that as of today arrangements are being made for a specific appointment for the Leader of the Opposition to be briefed and to receive the classified briefing that would be appropriate. It has taken over three weeks, but it is happening and it is a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased to report that jobs are being added to this industry in 2018. As the members opposite I am sure know, business confidence in Canada grew, was enhanced, in 2017. Many nations are looking to Canada, looking at the recipe for economic growth and performance, understanding that in this country energy policy and economic policy go hand in hand, something that completely escaped the understanding of the Conservative government that came before.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his support of this important project.The review of the TMX project was the most exhaustive in the history of pipelines in Canada. There were 118 indigenous groups who had their voices heard, and we co-developed with first nations a historic indigenous advisory and monitoring committee to ensure that the project moves forward in the safest and most sustainable way possible.Environmental protection, economic growth, and a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples are the pillars of this government's approach to resource development.

Mr. Speaker, we know the natural resources sector is a very important part of the Canadian economy. We are happy to report that the Canadian economy is doing very well. It is leading the G7. We have created more than 600,000 jobs with the help of Canadians, small business people, full-time jobs. We know Alberta is leading the recovery of the nation. Why does the opposition not celebrate the accomplishment of Albertans?

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge for the important work that he does for his constituents.Last week, I was proud to announce a $313-million investment in the new innovation for defence excellence and security program, IDEaS, for short.Our government believes that investing in science and innovation will help the Canadian Armed Forces remain at the cutting edge of technology. Through IDEaS, we are calling on Canada's most creative and innovative minds to help develop solutions to today's and tomorrow's defence challenges.

Mr. Speaker, I will say one final time that Canada's position is strong and clear. We condemn the use of chemical weapons by the murderous Assad regime. The Assad regime must end the indiscriminate violence against its own people and it must engage in meaningful negotiations.

Mr. Speaker, I take full responsibility for continuing to appoint the most meritorious candidates to the superior court benches across this country. To date, I have appointed 167 judges to the benches. We will continue to follow a thorough review process, going through the independent judicial advisory boards, to continue to apply and appoint judges in all provinces, including in the province of Alberta.

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, this is an important case to the Government of Canada. We are on it. We have raised this case repeatedly and we will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, this is an important case to the Government of Canada. We are on it. We have raised this case repeatedly and we will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I take full responsibility for continuing to appoint the most meritorious candidates to the superior court benches across this country. To date, I have appointed 167 judges to the benches. We will continue to follow a thorough review process, going through the independent judicial advisory boards, to continue to apply and appoint judges in all provinces, including in the province of Alberta.

Mr. Speaker, I will say one final time that Canada's position is strong and clear. We condemn the use of chemical weapons by the murderous Assad regime. The Assad regime must end the indiscriminate violence against its own people and it must engage in meaningful negotiations.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge for the important work that he does for his constituents.Last week, I was proud to announce a $313-million investment in the new innovation for defence excellence and security program, IDEaS, for short.Our government believes that investing in science and innovation will help the Canadian Armed Forces remain at the cutting edge of technology. Through IDEaS, we are calling on Canada's most creative and innovative minds to help develop solutions to today's and tomorrow's defence challenges.

Mr. Speaker, we know the natural resources sector is a very important part of the Canadian economy. We are happy to report that the Canadian economy is doing very well. It is leading the G7. We have created more than 600,000 jobs with the help of Canadians, small business people, full-time jobs. We know Alberta is leading the recovery of the nation. Why does the opposition not celebrate the accomplishment of Albertans?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his support of this important project.The review of the TMX project was the most exhaustive in the history of pipelines in Canada. There were 118 indigenous groups who had their voices heard, and we co-developed with first nations a historic indigenous advisory and monitoring committee to ensure that the project moves forward in the safest and most sustainable way possible.Environmental protection, economic growth, and a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples are the pillars of this government's approach to resource development.

Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased to report that jobs are being added to this industry in 2018. As the members opposite I am sure know, business confidence in Canada grew, was enhanced, in 2017. Many nations are looking to Canada, looking at the recipe for economic growth and performance, understanding that in this country energy policy and economic policy go hand in hand, something that completely escaped the understanding of the Conservative government that came before.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the national security adviser testified before the public safety committee. I understand that as of today arrangements are being made for a specific appointment for the Leader of the Opposition to be briefed and to receive the classified briefing that would be appropriate. It has taken over three weeks, but it is happening and it is a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, we can discuss this further to determine who was duped, because yesterday we heard the testimony of the national security adviser, Daniel Jean. We hoped that his remarks would shed light on the Atwal affair, but they did not. The Prime Minister is complicating the situation by refusing to answer questions. Perhaps I will be more successful today if I ask a very simple question. Who, in the Prime Minister's Office, authorized Daniel Jean to brief the media?

Mr. Speaker, no relationship is more important to this government than its relationship with indigenous peoples. Far beyond my province of British Columbia, the Trans Mountain expansion project stands to create jobs, grow Canada's economy, and respect environmental commitments. Benefits include over $300 million in mutual beneficial agreements signed with 43 first nations. Many first nations recognize this project as a source of prosperity and opportunity. Can the minister responsible inform this House of our approach to engage meaningfully with indigenous peoples on this crucial resource development project?

Mr. Speaker, problem solving and technical expertise are crucial if we want to develop our defence industry and combat emerging threats. Through innovation, we are developing the capabilities we need to overcome modern security challenges.With our new defence policy, “Strong, Secure, Engaged”, our government announced that it would invest $1.6 billion into Canada's innovation community over the next 20 years.Could the minister inform the House on how our government is fulfilling its commitments to reaching out to Canada's most innovative and creative minds?

I know why they would be sensitive. It is because not one kilometre of pipeline was built so that we could access global markets. Ninety-nine per cent of the exports of oil and gas go to one country, the United States. I think all members of the House would agree that this is not in Canada's interest. The Prime Minister could not be clearer. This project is good for Canada, and it will be built.

Mr. Speaker, after the meeting on Sunday, the Prime Minister said he was determined to impose a solution on British Columbia and Alberta to resolve the Trans Mountain pipeline dispute. The federal government should be trying to calm the waters, not adding fuel to the fire. The Government of Quebec reminded Ottawa that it is also indisputable that governments must work together when analyzing projects that affect more than one Canadian jurisdiction.The government cannot have it both ways. Either it works with the provinces, or it imposes its will on the provinces. Which is it going to be?

Mr. Speaker, we know how important this project is. The Trans Mountain expansion is in the national interest. That is why we support it, and that is why it will get built. We believe Canada's economic growth goes hand in hand with important environmental responsibilities. Alberta's natural resources are important to Canada. British Columbia has a role to play and a responsibility. The federal government will ensure that this bill goes through.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec is asking for help. Since the beginning of the year, the number of irregular migrants has tripled. Welcome centres in Quebec are at 71% capacity. The federal government is responsible for our borders, but Quebec is footing the bill.Groups in our ridings are already overwhelmed. Ottawa needs to do its part. It must lower processing times for files. Files currently take two years to be processed, when they should be processed in 60 days. Will the Liberal government listen to Quebec's heartfelt appeal?

Mr. Speaker, we have heard nothing since the final report by Bob Rae, Canada's special envoy to Myanmar. He argued that Canada should take a leadership role in responding to the Rohingya crisis by leading an international effort to investigate and collect evidence of crimes against humanity, ramping up humanitarian aid, and welcoming more Rohingya refugees. We have heard nothing.Will the government respond to these calls to action, and will there be more targeted sanctions?

Mr. Speaker, once again, we have been clear in our condemnation of the use of chemical weapons against the people of eastern Ghouta. We supported the decision of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France to take measures to weaken the Assad regime's ability to launch chemical attacks against its own people. We condemn the Assad regime and its supporters, Russia and Iran, for these repeated human rights violations and the deliberate targeting of civilians.

Mr. Speaker, our government has been clear in its position of condemnation against the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons and its indiscriminate violence against its own citizens. We have been clear that it must end and that they must engage in meaningful negotiation. We have been equally clear on our position that Canada is a steadfast ally and friend of Israel and of the Palestinian people. We are committed to a just, lasting, and durable peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace with Israel.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his commitment to gender equality. I would point out that budget 2018 built on our investments to advance gender equality in Canada. Funding for women's organizations doubled. Funding for rape crisis centres doubled. That does not include the addition of the first gender-based violence strategy for prevention in the history of this country. I would ask that the member from the party opposite please add that to the report card, which has so unkindly missed this important investment in Canadian women.

Mr. Speaker, the government recently launched the federal community housing initiative, a program that will protect housing affordability and provide greater stability for residents of over 55,000 federally administered community housing units across the country.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this new initiative aligns with the goals of Canada's first-ever national housing strategy?

Mr. Speaker, Canada remains open and welcoming to people who need protection. However, our government is determined to maintain regular immigration.We work with the provinces through the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration. As part of budget 2018, we are investing $173 million for border security operations, as well as more investments for faster processing of refugee claims. We have fast-tracked work permits for asylum claimants so they can put less pressure on provincial services. We will continue to do the good work we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, we welcome the release of Mr. Rae's report and the recommendations contained within. We have certainly remained seized by the unacceptable persecution of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people. These are clear crimes against humanity, which is why we have sanctioned a key military leader responsible for these crimes. In addition, Canada has been one of the top donors to this crisis. Since the beginning of 2017, we have allocated nearly $46 million of humanitarian aid. We will be assessing the recommendations in this report and will have a reply in the coming weeks with further measures that Canada will take.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and this government are taking the necessary steps to ensure that this project is built. We acknowledge our responsibilities. The Prime Minister has always said it was important to ensure that the economy and the environment go hand in hand. That is what we are doing.Our Prime Minister initiated a dialogue with Canada's indigenous peoples, something Mr. Harper's Conservatives never did. We implemented a strategy for the environment, something Mr. Harper's Conservatives never did. We are building pipelines, something the Conservatives never did.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister recently sent the Liberal MP for Mississauga—Erin Mills to bring greetings on his behalf at an event organized by the anti-Israel Palestine House. This event starred a Palestinian activist who supports suicide bombings and met with President Assad of Syria in 2017. The activist said, “I'm proud of my meeting with President Assad...President Assad is not a murderer or a butcher.” This was after Assad had used illegal chemical weapons against innocent civilians.Why would the Prime Minister send greetings to an event starring a friend of Assad?

Mr. Speaker, I have had the chance to stand twice now and I will do it a third time to reiterate this government's clear position of condemnation against the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime. We have been clear that the Assad regime must end its indiscriminate killing of its own citizens and engage in meaningful negotiation to achieve a just and lasting peace in Syria. We have been clear from the very beginning, and we will continue to condemn the use of chemical weapons and the indiscriminate killing of citizens done by the Assad regime.

Mr. Speaker, on February 22, the foreign affairs minister apologized to her Indian counterpart for Canada's honest mistake in inviting Jaspal Atwal to the Prime Minister's event. Now Mr. Atwal says the Liberal MP for Surrey Centre warned him he would need security clearance before he could attend. Was the honest mistake the invitation itself, or the department's failure to vet the invitation for security and protocol concerns?

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's commitment to gender equality, but I have to point out the inaccuracies and omissions in the NDP report card. The women's groups across the country, and indeed around the world, are applauding our Prime Minister and our government's efforts to advance gender equality. The first budget to have an intersectional gender lens applied to it was budget 2018, but it will not be the last. We will be legislating this process so that future governments can see this work. Pay equity is going to be introduced in this House in the fall, and I am sure it will have her support.

Mr. Speaker, the minister is right. The national security adviser testified, after two months of asking, and after all-night votes in this chamber. The government was blocking that, only to have the national security adviser confirm that the suggestion by the government that there was an Indian conspiracy was not true. Yesterday, the government refused to be transparent and release a full list of the Prime Minister's itinerary, events, and guests in India.We know that one former convicted terrorist made his way onto that invitation list. Is the government's unwillingness to release the full list a sign that there are more?

Mr. Speaker, indigenous opposition to Kinder Morgan's pipeline expansion is strong, it is growing, and several first nations have already taken the government to court for having violated its constitutional duty to consult. It is a sad day when, despite lofty rhetoric, the government also is ignoring its constitutional obligations. The government wants to talk about the rule of law. How about respecting section 35 of the Constitution? How about respecting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples' free, prior, and informed consent? Whatever happened to that most important relationship with indigenous peoples?

Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Alberta was elected on a mandate to have the pipeline built. The Premier of British Columbia was elected on a mandate to use every tool kit to see that the project would not be built. The Government of Canada, the only government that speaks for all Canadians, will make sure the project is built.

Mr. Speaker, we have made the necessary investments. For example, last summer, Quebec approached us through the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration and said we should help them with faster processing of work permits for asylum seekers. We have done that. We have slashed that timeline from three months to three weeks, and we have issued over 12,000 work permits for asylum seekers in Quebec.In addition to that, as part of budget 2018, we are delivering an additional $112 million for more settlement and integration services for newcomers in Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, the member for Mississauga—Erin Mills may be willing to stand with an extremist supporter she addresses as “brother Amin”. She may be willing to praise a man who denies President Assad is a murderer and a butcher in return for support in the next federal election.Will the Prime Minister disassociate himself from this misguided tribute to extremism made by the member in the Prime Minister's name?

Mr. Speaker, that is correct.I would like to thank the hon. member for Niagara Falls for his point of order today on the breach of privilege. This is of grave concern to our party and obviously to the official opposition, but all members in this House should be very concerned. This is not the first time that this has happened. This seems to be a trend coming from the Liberal government, a complete disregard and disrespect for this House. As much as I have respect for the CBC, I do have concerns with the fact that eight minutes after the bill was tabled in this House, it had an article published, so there seems to be a problem here. This is an omnibus budget bill, over 300 and some odd pages, so everybody in this House should be very concerned about this trend. I look forward to coming back to you, Mr. Speaker, with more information.I look forward to your ruling on the question of privilege raised by my colleague from Niagara Falls.

Mr. Speaker, due to a lack of funding, the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre has had to discontinue its hotline after decades of service. Year in, year out, the hotline has helped hundreds of women in Victoria. Across the country, rape crisis centres face the same urgent problem, and with the surge of victims coming forward after the #MeToo movement, the situation just gets worse.If the Prime Minister is truly concerned with the well-being of women and sexual assault victims, why does the budget not provide stable, predictable, operating funding to rape crisis centres?

Mr. Speaker, a headline last week characterized the opposition's position in this matter rather well. The headline said, “Conservatives duped by false story”. In fact, they need to have the classified briefing to fully understand the facts and the context. That briefing was offered three weeks ago. The opposition has now accepted the briefing. It is being scheduled in the next short while, and that is a good thing to make sure they are not duped anymore.

Mr. Speaker, words without action are simply words, and the reality is that this government has a record of making great announcements but an appalling record of actually implementing the things it is announcing. We have the third-largest oil reserves in the world, and our economy depends upon the success of this industry. The uncertainty over Trans Mountain is costing us $40 million a day, and billions of dollars more are fleeing our country. Why is the Prime Minister shortchanging Canadians through his failure to deliver?

Well, the mistakes continue, Mr. Speaker.Today, speaking in France, the Prime Minister reiterated his desire to see the Alberta energy sector done away with, phased out. He is doing a very good job already.Under the Prime Minister, major projects that would see our oil and gas get to new world markets have been cancelled. Pacific NorthWest, gateway, and energy east pipelines have all died.Our fight to keep Trans Mountain alive is so essential because the Prime Minister has killed all of the other options.Does the minister support the Prime Minister's plan to phase out the Alberta oil and gas sector?

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians of good faith want this project to work. This is a $7.5-billion project that, it is important to note, has the support of over 40 first nations communities. First nations that will be directly affected by this project want it to happen. Canadians want it. The problem is that the Prime Minister of Canada does not believe in Canadian oil and does not like it. Over a year ago, he said “it's time to phase them out”, to cut back on Canadian oil and get rid of it.With such a bad salesperson, is it any wonder the project is stalled?

Mr. Speaker, our government presented last fall a very balanced bill to address the issue of the transportation of grain, which is so important to our farmers, and of other commodities. I cannot believe that still today, the Harper Conservatives voted against that bill. They say they are the friends of farmers, but they voted against that bill.I will take no lessons from a party that does not even support our farmers.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and Mr. Jean have been completely in sync with each other in what they have said publicly about this matter. The only contradiction, if we check the record in the House and outside the House, is in fact coming from the opposition. The solution for that is the classified briefing that was offered three weeks ago to the Leader of the Opposition. That offer has now been accepted, the briefing is being scheduled, and that is a good thing.

Mr. Speaker, the NDP presented its report card on women in budget 2018. It shows that the government has essentially failed when it comes to the most important issues for women. Nothing has been done to make it easier for women to access public transportation, which they use more than men and which is severely lacking in rural regions. Nothing has been done to ensure pay equity or to implement a universal, affordable child care program.Will the government commit to immediately providing the funding necessary to achieve gender equality?

Mr. Speaker, we know these energy projects are divisive by their very nature. We know provincial governments do not agree. We have seen all kinds of evidence of that. We know that even within the New Democratic Party, premiers do not agree. We know that within indigenous communities also. There are those who are on the side of developing the project and those who are not. Ultimately, a decision has to be taken with respect to our constitutional obligations that is mindful of Canada's interest.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada approved the pipeline because of the jobs that it will create, because of the better price we will get for our natural resources in export markets, and because of the importance not only for western Canadians but for the whole country to learn that the future of the energy industry in Canada is vital to our economic growth. The Prime Minister has reiterated that objective as recently as two days ago.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's failure to take leadership and the total abdication of his responsibility has shaken investor confidence in Canada. His failure puts at risk billions of dollars in investment and billions of dollars in future government revenue for important programs like health care. This crisis is about more than even the pipeline itself. It is about the confidence job-creating businesses have in Canada. Could the government tell the House how many jobs have been lost in this industry since 2015?

Mr. Speaker, in 2017, the mass arrival of asylum seekers prompted a crisis in Quebec and Manitoba. This crisis did not come as a surprise, I should point out.Everyone is calling on the government to get a plan. A year later, the same thing is happening again. Where is the plan? It does not exist or it is well hidden, because we have not seen anything. The messages on Twitter saying that they are welcome is not enough. We need action.When will the government step up, present a plan, and respond to Quebec's demands?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has said he wants to phase out the oil sands. Well, he is doing it.By introducing Bill C-69 and the carbon tax, the Prime Minister is driving investors out of the country. Petronas, Shell, and ConocoPhillips have all left. Gateway and energy east have been cancelled and the Trans Mountain pipeline is on life support.The government claims to make evidence-based decisions. When will it accept the evidence that the resources approach is failing, and reverse these job-killing policies?

Mr. Speaker, budget 2018 was the first federal budget in the history of Confederation to have an intersectional gendered lens applied to all new spending, because we believe that when we invest in women, we improve the economy for the middle class and those working hard to join it. We have invested in women's organizations. We have invested in indigenous communities in historic ways, and there is more work remaining. We are listening to women's leaders across the country, who are applauding our efforts for advancing gender equality. We are also leading the G7 in this work, through our presidency this year.

Mr. Speaker, Raif Badawi has been in prison for six years as of today. His wife, Ensaf Haidar, has come to Ottawa to ask that the Canadian government do everything in its power to secure his release. Quebec passed a unanimous motion on this last week. To protect her husband, Ms. Haidar is calling on Canada to grant him honorary citizenship.Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship take action on this humanitarian case and meet with Ms. Haidar?

Mr. Speaker, middle-class Canadians are paying more under these Liberals. One woman told me that she lost her home because of the government. What about diabetics who are unreasonably being denied the disability tax credit? Instead of actually helping Canadians, we see the Minister of Natural Resources buying 3,600 Facebook likes for $5,000. Does the Minister of Natural Resources believe that $5,000 is better spent purchasing Facebook likes than on helping vulnerable Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, British Columbians have legitimate concerns about the Trans Mountain pipeline project, and they recently elected government a that takes these concerns seriously. In fact, they gave their newly elected government a clear mandate on this issue. The B.C. government is just doing what it was elected to do. Standing up and following through on an election promise is what governments are supposed to do. The Liberals could stand to learn a lesson from this. How can the government continue to ignore both its own election promises and the real concerns of British Columbians?

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege concerning the premature disclosure of the contents of Bill C-75, an act to amend the Criminal Code, the Youth Criminal Justice Act and other acts and to make consequential amendments. The Minister of Justice introduced the bill on Holy Thursday, before the Easter long weekend, on March 29, 2018, at 12:11 p.m. At 12:19 p.m., eight minutes after the minister introduced the bill, CBC posted an article entitled “Liberals propose major criminal justice changes to unclog Canada's courts”. The article goes into detail about Bill C-75 to make a prima facie case that CBC had prior knowledge of the contents of Bill C-75 before it was introduced.For example, the article states that “The Liberal government tabled a major bill today to reform Canada's criminal justice system”, saying it contained measures designed to close gaps in the system and speed up court proceedings, including putting an end to preliminary inquiries except for the most serious crimes that carry a life sentence. It said, “The changes also include an end to peremptory challenges in jury selection” and that another proposed reform of the bill will “impose a reverse onus on bail applications by people who have a history of [domestic] abuse, which would require them to justify their release following a charge.” Bill C-75 is an omnibus bill containing 302 pages. While I appreciate the quality of journalism at the CBC, I do not think anyone can believe that someone could read 302 pages, analyze what was read, write an article, and then post the article on the Internet with various links in just eight minutes. If such extraordinary human capabilities exist at CBC or if unknown technology exists to make this happen, then the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs would like to hear about it.All I am asking of you, Mr. Speaker, is to find a prima facie case on the question of privilege to allow a motion to be moved instructing the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to look into this matter.On March 21, 1978, at page 3,975 of Debates, Mr. Speaker Jerome quoted a British procedure committee report of 1967, which states in part: ...the Speaker should ask himself, when he has to decide whether to grant precedence over other public business to a motion which a Member who has complained of some act or conduct as constituting a breach of privilege desires to move, should be, not--do I consider that, assuming that the facts are as stated, the act or conduct constitutes a breach of privilege, but could it reasonably be held to be a breach of privilege, or to put it shortly, has the Member an arguable point? If the Speaker feels any doubt on the question, he should, in my view, leave it to the House. Now, whether it be superhuman capabilities or advanced unknown technology available only to the media, it is unacceptable for members of Parliament to be left behind playing catch-up while the public debate on a government bill takes place outside the House, minutes after its introduction, between a well-briefed media and a well-briefed Minister of Justice.It has become an established practice in this House that when a bill is on notice for introduction, the House has the first right to the contents of that legislation.On April 14, 2016, the former opposition leader and current Leader of the Opposition raised a question concerning the premature disclosure of Bill C-14, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying). The Leader of the Opposition pointed out that specific and detailed information contained in Bill C-14 was reported in a newspaper article and elsewhere in the media before the bill had been introduced in the House. The member stressed the need for members to access information in order to fulfill their parliamentary responsibilities, as well as the respect required for the essential role of the House in legislative matters. On April 19, 2016, the Speaker agreed with the Leader of the Opposition and found that there was indeed a prima facia case of privilege regarding Bill C-14. He said: As honourable members know, one of my most important responsibilities as Speaker is to safeguard the rights and privileges of members, individually and collectively. Central to the matter before us today is the fact that, due to its pre-eminent role in the legislative process, the House cannot allow precise legislative information to be distributed to others before it has been made accessible to all members. Previous Speakers have regularly upheld not only this fundamental right, but also expectation, of the House. The Speaker's concluding remarks on April 19, 2016, were as follows: In this instance, the chair must conclude that the House's right of first access to legislative information was not respected. The chair appreciates the chief government whip's assertion that no one in the government was authorized to publicly release the specific details of the bill before its introduction. Still, it did happen, and these kinds of incidents cause grave concern among hon. members. I believe it is a good reason why extra care should be taken to ensure that matters that ought properly to be brought to the House first do not in any way get out in the public domain prematurely. On October 4, 2010, on page 4,711 of the House of Commons Debates, Speaker Milliken said: It is indisputable that it is a well-established practice and accepted convention that this House has the right of first access to the text of bills that it will consider. There was a similar case March 19, 2001, regarding the Department of Justice briefing the media on a bill before members of Parliament. This was referenced by the Leader of the Opposition in his submission on the Bill C-14 case, in which he quoted Speaker Milliken as saying, at page 1,840 of the House of Commons Debates: In preparing legislation, the government may wish to hold extensive consultations and such consultations may be held entirely at the government's discretion. However, with respect to material to be placed before parliament, the House must take precedence. Once a bill has been placed on notice, whether it has been presented in a different form to a different session of parliament has no bearing and the bill is considered a new matter. The convention of the confidentiality of bills on notice is necessary, not only so that members themselves may be well informed, but also because of the pre-eminent rule which the House plays and must play in the legislative affairs of the nation. The Speaker found another case of contempt on October 15, 2001, after the Department of Justice briefed the media on the contents of a bill prior to the legislation being introduced in the House. The leak of Bill C-75 is another example of the government's disregard for Parliament and its role in the legislative process. It is important that we in the opposition call out the government for these abuses of Parliament and place before the Chair any breaches of the privileges of the House of Commons.Speaker Milliken said: To deny to members information concerning business that is about to come before the House, while at the same time providing such information to media that will likely be questioning members about that business, is a situation that the Chair cannot condone. You, Mr. Speaker, said, on March 20 of this year: ...respecting members’ needs for timely and accurate information remains essential. There is no question that the work of members of Parliament is made more difficult without expeditious access to legislative information. Given this reality, there is a rightful expectation that those responsible for the information should do their utmost to ensure members’ access to it. Not respecting this expectation does a disservice to all. It is particularly disconcerting when the government gives priority to the media over the members of Parliament. Given the facts presented and the clear precedents on this matter, I believe, Mr. Speaker, you should have no trouble in finding a prima facie question of privilege. In that event, I am prepared to move the appropriate motion.

Mr. Speaker, most of those so-called agreements are letters of understanding, MOUs. We can hardly call them agreements.A letter of understanding does not mean consent for the project. We have had enough of these false characterizations at the expense of indigenous communities. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, which represents over half of all first nations in the province, remains resolutely opposed to the project. When will this government finally get serious about its most important relationship, the relationship with indigenous peoples?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister brags about his feminist budget, but it still leaves many women behind. It does nothing to address the specific challenges faced by indigenous and racialized women. We know they face higher rates of violence, poverty, housing insecurity, and the list goes on. While the government claims to care about them, there is no action to prove it.When will the Prime Minister stop spinning us and the world on his faux feminism and actually invest in improving women's lives?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's lack of ethics and his inconsistency have already cost us too much, but it gets worse. Things have gone way too far. We have now learned that the Prime Minister and his team are very accommodating in dealing with Assad regime supporters, and Canadians need an explanation for this new gaffe.Will the Prime Minister tell us why he sent greetings to an event where the guest of honour is a friend of Assad?

Mr. Speaker, I will tell the House what we have been focused on. We have been focused on the economy. In this last budget, we increased funding for regional development agencies to particularly help rural and remote communities. Does the House know what the members opposite did? They opposed that time and time again. For 21 hours, they opposed our budget measures to help Canadians. I can tell the House right now that our plan is working. It has helped to create 600,000 jobs. We have a low and historic unemployment rate. We will continue to focus on the economy and continue to focus on Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we understand the uncertainty that has been surrounding the project, an uncertainty that is due in large part to the actions and the threat of actions by the Government of British Columbia, which is why the Prime Minister said very clearly to all Canadians on Sunday that he has asked the Minister of Finance to engage in financial discussions with Kinder Morgan and others while the government looks at all legislative options.

Mr. Speaker, because the Liberals are so soft on border security, Quebec's temporary shelters are stretched to the limit, and a further wave of illegal migrants is expected this summer. Will Quebec have to open the Olympic stadium? The Liberals are not taking the situation seriously. The Prime Minister thinks he can fix everything with a selfie and some sweet talk, but it does not work that way. When will the Prime Minister and the Liberals face up to their responsibilities and tackle a problem of their own creation by supporting the Quebec government?

Mr. Speaker, earlier today I moved a motion for concurrence in “The Trudeau Report”. We debated that motion as well as an amendment we made to the report. We were hoping we could vote on it, but the government filibustered, which was rather interesting to watch. There have been consultations, and I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That notwithstanding any Standing Orders or usual practices of the House, the report of the Ethics Commissioner entitled “The Trudeau Report”, tabled on Monday, January 29, 2018, be not now concurred in, but that pursuant to section 28(13) of the conflict of interest code for members of the House of Commons, it be referred back to the commissioner with instructions that he amend the same to include recommendations to close the loopholes in the code as well as the Conflict of Interest Act that allowed the Prime Minister to withhold from the public the nature of the unacceptable gifts he received from the Aga Khan, because the public registry includes only acceptable gifts within the meaning of section 14 of the code and section 11 of the Conflict of Interest Act.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has failed the energy sector, and it is not just with respect to Trans Mountain. The climate that he has created in Canada has become so toxic for investment that investment and jobs are leaving in droves. The energy sector is speaking with its wallet. In fact, we have not seen such a decline in energy investment in over 70 years.Here is my question for the Minister of Natural Resources. Does he even know how many billions of dollars have left the country over the last two years under his watch?

Mr. Speaker, what is clear is that the national security adviser confirmed yesterday that India was not part of a conspiracy to undermine Canada.However, the Prime Minister unequivocally stated the opposite. Given that the national security adviser is contradicting the Prime Minister, and given that it is clear that the Prime Minister was wrong to make such accusations, will the Prime Minister finally apologize to the Government of India for making up the conspiracy theory?

Mr. Speaker, on the government side, we take our responsibilities very seriously. We know that the decision on this pipeline, which will run through two provinces, is a federal responsibility. This is recognized not only in the Constitution, but also by the Supreme Court. The federal jurisdiction must be upheld. We are currently in talks with the two provinces. The Prime Minister spoke with the two provincial premiers last Sunday. We are working on a solution, and that is the most constructive approach.

Mr. Speaker, in 10 years of the Harper government, they failed—

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Court of Appeal in the northern gateway case quashed the approval, not because Enbridge did not consult sufficiently, not because the National Energy Board did not consult sufficiently, but because the Harper government did not. We were left with a decision whether to use the same process that had failed the court test. We decided there had to be much greater consultation. Now we know that 43 indigenous communities benefit from this, 33 of them in British Columbia. We have co-developed with indigenous communities. Monitoring this pipeline—

Mr. Speaker, today, on Equality Day, I gave Liberals a failing grade in our NDP report card on women's equality in budget 2018. While the Prime Minister claims he is a feminist, he has failed to act on the most pressing challenges facing women in Canada. The budget provides zero dollars for pay equity, no money for universal affordable child care, and does not reform EI requirements that discriminate against women.When will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and stop making women wait?

Mr. Speaker, the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline was announced with a promise of a $7.4 billion investment in our economy and the creation of 37,000 Canadian jobs. It was great news for an industry that was already suffering from the loss of previously announced projects, such as energy east.Now, just months after this approval, we find ourselves in a crisis and the future of this project in serious danger. Was the Prime Minister really serious when he said he wanted to phase out the oil sands from the Canadian economy?

Mr. Speaker, our country is an open and welcoming place for people seeking protection. However, our government is committed to ensuring an orderly immigration process.We work very closely with Quebec, and collaborate closely on issues affecting Quebec and other provinces through the intergovernmental task force on irregular migration. We have listened carefully to concerns raised by Quebec. Part of budget 2018 contains a $173-million investment in faster processing of asylum claims, as well as border security operations. We will continue to work closely with Quebec to address any—

Mr. Speaker, will they meet with her?The National Assembly has unanimously passed a motion in support of Raif Badawi. Canadian citizenship could be a crucial factor in his release and his safety. The Prime Minister promised to help him in 2015, but he has been completely ignoring the case since then. Out of sight, out of mind. His wife is in Ottawa today. Even after six years of imprisonment, she has never given up.Does this government, specifically the Minister of Immigration and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, believe in freedom of expression?Do they believe in protecting Canadian families? If so, they must meet with her.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister did lay out a plan. It is too bad that the Leader of the Opposition did not hang around long enough to hear it before he took to the airwaves, before the Premier of Alberta spoke and before the Prime Minister of Canada spoke. He did not have to hear the Prime Minister's plan. Somehow he intuited what it might be.It might have been more respectful for the Leader of the Opposition to do a little listening before he did a little talking.

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of visiting Fort McMurray with the Prime Minister when we talked to energy workers. We talked about how much progress was being made.It would be good for members of the opposition to every once in a while talk about the progress that is being made in Alberta on sustainably developing our resource on GHG emission and reductions as a result of the innovation and entrepreneurship. We on this side of the House place an awful lot of stock in the innovation and entrepreneurship of business leadership in Alberta. We wish members opposite shared our optimism.

Mr. Speaker, farmers and manufacturers employ millions of Canadians and contribute billions of dollars to our economy. Due to the Liberal government's weak response to the current rail transportation crisis and the many flaws in Bill C-49, our farmers and shippers will continue to suffer. This morning I met with a manufacturer who has already lost $40 million this year due to shipping issues.When will the Minister of Transport stop ignoring the plight of our farmers, shippers, and manufacturers, and do his job?

Mr. Speaker, reducing processing times for work permits from three months to three weeks is not doing nothing. It is doing something. Issuing 12,000 work permits for asylum seekers so that we minimize pressure on Quebec social services is doing something. Increasing settlement and integration services money by $112 million is doing something. Increasing the Canada social transfer envelope by almost $80 million is doing something.We are here taking action and working with Quebec, collaborating closely. They are the party that left us with a broken immigration system.

Mr. Speaker, the shocking answer is 110,000 jobs. To make matters worse, the Prime Minister is imposing a carbon tax and new regulations that penalize Canadian oil exports. Industry associations, oil and gas companies, and CEOs of major Canadian banks and investment management portfolios warn that we are in a serious crisis. When will the government finally listen to the experts, but, more important, Canadian workers who are demanding the Prime Minister lay out a plan to ensure this pipeline gets built?

Mr. Speaker, the government is so invested in this project that the Prime Minister said that we need to gradually phase out Canadian oil. It was the Prime Minister of Canada himself who said that. It makes no sense.We all know that we are in this mess because of British Columbia, the NDP government, and the Greens, but we have known that for 10 months now.What did the Prime Minister do to ensure that this project would go through today?

Mr. Speaker, the minister speaks of one province, but this is not a crisis that is caused by one province or another; it is a crisis that is caused simply by the lack of leadership and the inability of the government to actually get the job done. We have seen this before, and as long as the government fails to step up, we are going to see it again. Eighty billion dollars in investment has left the energy sector, as well as 100,000 well-paying Canadian jobs. These results are simply unacceptable. When will the Prime Minister stop failing the Canadian families who are relying on these projects?

Mr. Speaker, today in Calgary, first degree murder charges involving notorious gang leader Nick Chan were thrown out of court due to delay. A year and a half ago, 10 new judicial spots were established to deal with the backlog in Alberta's courts. A year and a half later, the Minister of Justice has managed to fill just one of these vacancies. Clearly, the minister is not doing her job.Will she take responsibility for the release of this dangerous criminal?

Mr. Speaker, we take the matter seriously. I will look into it and get back and report to the House at a later time.

Mr. Speaker, when we invest in women, we grow the economy for everyone. This philosophy is at the heart of our investments in communities across the country.I have to add that my hon. colleague is wrong. We are investing in lifting hundreds of thousands of Canadian kids out of poverty. We are investing historic amounts in infrastructure, including public transit. We have committed to introducing pay equity legislation this fall, with additional funds focused on pay transparency. We also have invested in a historic strategy to advance and prevent gender-based violence, while doubling funding for women's organizations, because when we invest in women, we grow the economy for everyone.

Mr. Speaker, there is no answer from the minister. Let me tell him that $80 billion have left in the last two years under the failed policies of the minister and the Prime Minister. Those numbers do not lie. Things like the carbon tax, extra red tape for investors, and erroneous failed policies are why investors are saying they are leaving Canada. How many more billions of dollars have to leave the country before the Liberals reverse their terrible anti-energy policy?

Mr. Speaker, we know the people of Alberta have suffered as a result of the low commodity prices. We know some 120,000 were jobs lost, but thankfully at least half of them have returned. We know we have approved the Enbridge Line 3 replacement. We have approved the Trans Mountain expansion. We are in favour of the KXL pipeline. We have met with energy workers. We have met with CEOs of the energy industry. They realize this government stands with energy workers.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his Liberals are asleep at the wheel. We are talking about 300 to 400 illegal migrants entering per day through Lacolle. It is going to be a chaotic mess. Meanwhile, they are slamming the door in the Quebec government's face. Four exasperated ministers are demanding action and support. You break it, you buy it.

Mr. Speaker, we approved the TMX. We approved Enbridge Line 3. The previous Conservative government ruined the chances of northern gateway by insufficiently consulting with indigenous peoples. Jobs were lost in the energy sector during its 10 failed years in government.We actually have to thank the Conservatives, because we are learning from their mistakes.

Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate our commitment to continuing to raise the case of Mr. Badawi at the highest level. We have done that in the past and we will continue to do so. The minister and I have been in touch with the wife of Mr. Badawi on her courageous work. We support her in her endeavour and we will not stop until this family is reunited.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the member for Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle for her commendable work in support of community housing and all her constituents.On November 22, we announced and launched this country's first-ever national housing strategy, which will provide $40 billion over 10 years to get 530,000 Canadian families out of unaffordable or unacceptable housing. On April 4, we launched the federal community housing initiative, which will protect 555,000 Canadian families at risk of losing their community housing and ending up on the street. We will keep working very hard to ensure that all Canadians—

Mr. Speaker, it was members of the opposition who made that accusation in the House of Commons time and time again, and they were wrong.

Mr. Speaker, what we have here is a blatant, inexcusable endorsement of a notorious apologist for the brutal terror sponsoring, human rights abusing President of Syria, words of praise not offered by a merely misguided member of Parliament pandering for votes with an organization with a history of support for extremism and terror, but on a behalf of the Prime Minister of Canada.Will the Prime Minister distance himself from this outrageous tribute in his name?