Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, tweeted that Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor in the West Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated. This is nothing less than an incitement to genocide, and Conservatives condemn it in the strongest possible language. The Iranian regime is a state sponsor of terror that supports Hamas. This is another reason why it is important for Canada to stand with Israel when it comes under attack, but this also highlights the fact that Canada cannot tolerate this hatred. Will the Prime Minister commit now to ending all efforts to normalize relations with Iran?
Mr. Speaker, a couple of Kinder Morgan executives must be laughing today.The two top executives responsible for the Trans Mountain expansion each pocketed $1.5 million in bonuses. That adds up to $3 million in bonuses alone. That is absolutely ridiculous.Even now, the Prime Minister is breaking his promise to end oil industry subsidies and helping the rich get richer. Great job.Does the Prime Minister think it is okay
Mr. Speaker, we were shocked to discover on the Government of Canada website that Liberal ministers and MPs supposedly funded organizations in several ridings that support terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are associated with anti-Semitism and violent homophobia. The religious leader for one of these organizations was recently criticized for his appalling anti-Semitism.Now that the Liberals have specifically introduced an attestation on respect for human rights, how can the Prime Minister justify the unjustifiable and unacceptable?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers are dealing with a two-faced Liberal government that claims here in the House to be protecting supply management, while it negotiates supply management market share with the Americans behind closed doors. That is exactly what the Prime Minister admitted in an interview on NBC: Canada will be flexible on access to the agricultural market to ease negotiations on NAFTA. How hypocritical.I am calling for an honest answer. Have the Liberals proposed an agreement to the Americans that would sacrifice market share in supply management, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the position of Iran is unacceptable, and our position on Iran is clear: We oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the Assad regime.Canada is a steadfast friend of Israel and a friend to the Palestinian people. We are committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We continue to support the building of conditions necessary for both parties to find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has killed thousands of jobs in the energy sector by killing northern gateway and cancelling energy east. Last week, he announced that he is forcing Canadians to pay $4.5 billion for his failure to get Trans Mountain built. It is bad enough that the Prime Minister is sending taxpayers' money to Texas to be invested in American projects, but now we learn that he is paying two executives over $3 million in bonuses. Why is it that every time the Prime Minister bails out a big company, executives get paid off?
Mr. Speaker, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. All Canadians deserve the opportunity to participate in a sport environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and abuse.We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment, discrimination, and abuse in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policies in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen our policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, for a government that claims that no relationship is as important as its relationship with indigenous peoples, I suspect it might be embarrassing to purchase a pipeline and force it on the people despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous communities. In fact, it should be ashamed.Does the government think that imposing this pipeline expansion at all costs after a botched, flawed process really respects the Constitution and honours the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that one suicide is one too many.I am continuing to work with the Minister of National Defence on this as a priority of our government. To this end, we have hired 460 new front-line staff, and 4,000 mental health professionals that we work with. We have opened 11 operational stress injury clinics that deal with PTSD. We announced the opening of a new centre of excellence on PTSD just recently. In fact our newly proposed pension for life is centred around the flexibility required for the treatment of PTSD.
Mr. Speaker, Global Affairs Canada has told farmers not to spread manure during the G7. Once again, Ottawa does not understand the regions.Here is how it works. Farmers have only until June 15 to finish planting their crops, but they have to spread manure before planting. These farms produce the food that the ministers from the big city will find on their expensive menus at the G7. That is what happens when events take place in rural areas. The scenery is beautiful, but people are hard at work.Does the government realize that its directive is unrealistic?
Mr. Speaker, even today, there are indigenous children living on reserves in Canada who cannot safely drink, bathe in, or even play in the water that comes out of their taps. This is why we committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserves by March 2021. Could the hon. Minister of Indigenous Services please update the House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are in favour of Trans Mountain. They want the project to move forward, but they do not want their money to be used to make Americans richer. The government is sending $4.5 billion straight to Texas, not to mention all the executive bonuses. Come on. This makes no sense.Why does the government keep pushing this? It could have done something in the past year and a half, but it did nothing, and now the pipeline is being nationalized.Does the minister truly think it is a good idea to take $4.5 billion of taxpayer money and send it to Texas?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal attack on agriculture is devastating: front-of-pack labelling, food guide, grain backlog, bungled trade agreements, and tax hikes. Now the agriculture minister is claiming that farmers support the Liberal carbon tax. Has he even spoken to Canadian farmers?The chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association said, Im not sure who has been briefing [the minister], but he is dead wrong if he thinks that most farmers support a carbon tax.How can the minister speak for agriculture if he is so out of touch with Canadian farmers?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals paid $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to purchase the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, while Kinder Morgan is taking $7.4 billion of private investment planned for its expansion out of Canada. Apparently the gift of tax dollars will also pay $1.5-million bonuses each to two Kinder Morgan executives, which is good news for the rich executives and bad news for Canadian energy workers. Why is the Prime Minister paying mega-bonuses to millionaires with taxpayer dollars while middle-class Canadians in the same industry struggle to find work?
Mr. Speaker, Kinder Morgan did not actually need one cent of taxpayer money. The Liberals just had to enforce federal jurisdiction, which they did promise to legislate, but they nationalized the old pipeline instead. It is a bad signal for future private sector investment in pipelines and Canadian oil and gas. Since 2015, the Liberals have jeopardized Canada's energy sector, killed hundreds of billions of dollars in major energy projects, and sacrificed hundreds of thousands of jobs. Why is the Prime Minister giving money to rich millionaires while families in the energy sector are struggling to make ends meet because of him?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were stunned to watch this climate-fighting Prime Minister promise to end fossil fuel subsidies and then go out and buy himself a used pipeline, a 65-year-old pipeline, with our money. These geniuses paid eight times the price that it was bought for just a few years ago. Adding insult to injury in this public bailout, it includes a $3-million bonus to Kinder Morgan executives. Sorry, not sorry is not going to cut it this time.Will the Liberals come clean and table the deal on the Kinder Morgan bailout so all Canadians can see how they ripped us off?
Mr. Speaker, we fully support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to work in partnership with them.On this side of the House, we will listen to all indigenous voices. We will not ignore those who stay silent or who say things we do not want to hear. It would be nice if all parties of the House could see both sides of the issue. We are listening to people who adamantly oppose pipelines, as well as those who see the economic benefit for them and their communities. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel and aluminum workers are facing considerable uncertainty. The decision to hit our industries with these punitive tariffs is completely scandalous. The Trump administration has gone too far, and the Canadian steel and aluminum industries are going to pay the price.We are glad that the government is meeting with industry to discuss a solution, but it has to meet the needs of the workers. That is important.Will the Prime Minister put in place a support program to protect workers, like Quebec is preparing to do?
Mr. Speaker, last week, because of another failure of the Prime Minister, Canadians involuntarily became shareholders in the Trans Mountain pipeline.As if the initial expenditure of $4.5 billion was not enough, we now know that some of that money was used to give very generous bonuses of over $1 billion to Kinder Morgan executives.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he knew that Canadians' money was going to be used like that? Why does he think that is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report to the heritage minister, indicating that urgent reforms are needed to sustain Canadian culture in television, film, and music and that the current system is simply unsustainable. It is critical that large corporations and web giants chip in their fair share to preserve Canadian content on our screens. We do not need another study or yet another consultation; we need action now.Will the Liberal government stop dragging its feet and commit to reforms today?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Canadian farmers do not support a carbon tax. The ag minister is clearly dead wrong on that. In fact, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers said that the carbon tax is bad for farmers. It is going to put them at a huge disadvantage on the world stage.Will the ag minister finally admit that the carbon tax is bad for farm families, and maybe while he is at it, tell those families how much the carbon tax is going to cost them?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. These tariffs are completely unacceptable. Our government will and has taken responsive measures to defend Canada's interests after consulting with Canadians to make sure that no Canadians are adversely impacted on the detailed target list that we promulgated on our websites. These tariffs are not acceptable. They will harm U.S. workers and their industry, as well as Canadians. In fact, the U.S. has a surplus in trade with Canada vis-à-vis steel. Canada is also a safe and secure supplier of fairly traded steel and aluminum to the U.S. Members can rest assured that Canadian workers can absolutely count
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Oakville for his hard work on the health committee.As mentioned, the Harper Conservatives' approach to cannabis did not work and does not work. It has allowed criminals and organized crime to profit while it has failed to keep it out of the hands of our youth. However, since forming government, we have taken a public health approach, one that maximizes education and minimizes the harm. Last week, I was extremely pleased to announce that we are partnering with the Canadian Hockey League to allow youth to hear from players about how making healthy choices can help them achieve their life goals.
Mr. Speaker, for several years, the Liberals have been proudly saying to anyone who will listen that the EI gap is fixed. Oddly enough, seasonal workers in the Atlantic provinces have a completely different experience. The training program does not fix the EI gap. In a few months, their nightmare will begin anew. Putting money into half measures is not enough. Seasonal workers want EI reform, as promised.When will this reform happen?
Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely aghast that the member opposite is fearmongering in this way. We take foreign influence in our elections extraordinarily seriously, including with regard to foreign funds, which is what we are doing in this legislation to ensure that it will be limited not just with the six months prior to an election as the previous Conservative government did, but also, in fact, requiring that third parties report all the time the funding they have, and open a bank account to assert that the only money used is Canadian. Furthermore, we are also taking actions with regard to the cybersphere and foreign influence. We are going to protect our next election.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, this was a small reimbursement that was clearly welcomed by Quebec. However, the Prime Minister accuses us of sowing fear and division whenever we remind him of his responsibility to enforce our border and immigration laws. Meanwhile, 800 employees from all over Canada have been reassigned to Quebec, the biometric collection system for asylum seekers has broken down, security screening interviews have been cut down from eight hours to two, and just 135 of the more than 30,000 people who have entered Canada illegally have been deported. This is not about fear. It is about enforcing Canada's sovereignty.Where is the plan?
Mr. Speaker, everybody knows that Donald Trump wants to take our money and our jobs. What we cannot understand is why the Government of Canada is helping him. Higher taxes here at home make it very difficult for Canadian businesses to compete south of the border. In fact, Canadian investment in the United States is up two-thirds since the current Prime Minister took office, and American investment in Canada is down by half. Money is going that way, and jobs will soon follow. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning, the minister has prioritized his Liberal family and friends over the hard-working, good people of Grand Bank. He compromised a 25-year surf clam success story for partisan gain. In the words of the Fisheries Council of Canada, he has undermined Canada's fisheries sector. With all the controversy, it now appears the minister has been informed that Five Nations cannot even secure financing.When will the minister admit he has created a disaster, start a new, fair, and open and transparent process, and recuse himself from the file?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite's assertion is absolutely false. We are doing everything we can to ensure that we do not have foreign funding within our elections here in Canada. In fact, it is already illegal for foreign entities or individuals to contribute to political parties or campaigns. We are ensuring that we are tightening loopholes with regard to third parties. Third parties, in the next election, should this legislation pass, would be required to open a bank account. They would be required to report all the time the contributions they receive, and they would have a limit on their spending during an election and during the pre-writ period.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are saying they are trying to put a price on something. What they are doing is putting a price on hiring Canadian workers. Those same workers will bring with them higher payroll taxes, and now higher carbon taxes, taxes that those companies will not have to pay south of the border. While the Government of Canada is now sending $4.5 billion to a Texas company to build pipelines in a jurisdiction that competes with Canada, it is raising taxes here at home to drive jobs outside of our country. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, I am totally aghast that the Liberals are continually trying to sweep this problem under the rug. Is it that the Liberals know that they benefit from this shady third party foreign spending? I say this because under this new legislation, third parties would still be able to take unlimited amounts of foreign cash as long as they do so before June 30. That money will be directly used to influence the outcome of Canadian elections.Can the minister explain how this is not just the Liberals acting in their own self-interest once again instead of protecting Canada's democracy from foreign interference?
Mr. Speaker, Bertrand Charest, a former national ski coach, was convicted in 2017 of sexually assaulting a number of his athletes.Four courageous women who suffered due to his negligent actions, or criminal actions, we would call them, are requesting all sport federations to implement athlete safety programs. They are calling for the universal adoption of the rule of two to ensure that no young athlete is left alone with his or her coach.In response to these courageous women, what actions will the Minister of Sport commit to taking to stand up for young athletes in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are outraged over the Canadian government's handling of the Trans Mountain project. The Liberals have decided to nationalize a pipeline, resulting in $4.5 billion in taxpayers' money leaving Canada and going directly to Texans' pockets.What we did not know was that two of the company's executives received a generous $1.5-million bonus each. Can the Prime Minister tell us with a straight face that he thinks it is a smart move to take Canadians' money and give it to U.S. corporate executives?
Mr. Speaker, we all know that G7 protests are inevitable, but we hope that they will be peaceful.We also all know that vandalism could occur, but the government has not made any plans in that regard. The government expects residents and businesses to get their insurance to cover the cost of any damage. Canadians should not have to foot the bill for G7-related property damage. They should not have to pay deductibles or premium increases.Will the government immediately commit to compensating any victims of G7-related vandalism?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about foreign interference in elections through third party spending, and rightfully so.Right now in the Ontario election, Leadnow, a shadowy, foreign-funded group, is paying thousands of dollars to try to affect the outcome of that election. This is a problem federally, too. The Liberals are allowing foreign groups to flow unlimited amounts of money to influence Canadian elections through third parties. Will the Liberals actually protect our elections from foreign influence, or perhaps they are trying to benefit from it?
Mr. Speaker, for those families who are relying on a strong energy sector, we are doing exactly what we should do: a project in the national interest that will secure the industry and at the same time create thousands of new jobs. For Alberta workers, for British Columbia workers, I am so pleased we have Liberal members who are supporting what we are doing on behalf of those workers, and I am disappointed that the members across the way are not supporting those workers.
Mr. Speaker, cannabis consumption rates by our youth are among the highest in the developed world. Education aimed at teenagers about the dangers of cannabis use is essential. As a hockey dad, I have taken my son William to many Oakville Blades hockey games. I know how influential professional hockey players can be as role models, so I am excited about our government's recent partnership to educate teenagers about the risk of cannabis.Can the Minister of Health please update the House on her public awareness campaign?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report, which proposes solutions for the future of our culture. It describes the current system as untenable. The cultural community said that it had finally been heard and that it hoped that the government would do something.The government has been talking about this for three years and meanwhile, every day, Canadians are turning to new media with no Canadian content and no taxes. This is not the wild west.Will the minister of culture commit to announcing, in the coming days, the main thrusts of a reform, rather than a new one-year consultation process?
Mr. Speaker, I am shocked that today the government has chosen to completely disregard its obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Last week, the Prime Minister voted in favour of developing a recognition and implementation of rights framework in partnership with indigenous peoples, and five days later he has failed his first test.Does the Prime Minister understand that respecting the rights of first nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples means respecting even those who do not agree with him? The Prime Minister cannot tell me that I do not understand.
Mr. Speaker, last week, Conservatives supported the government in opposition to unacceptable tariffs levied against Canadian steel and aluminum workers. We supported the government's efforts to retaliate against this unilateral decision by the United States. However, while the U.S. tariffs came into force immediately, last Thursday, Canadian tariffs will not come into effect until July 1. Why?
Mr. Speaker, this Friday and Saturday, the people of BeauportLimoilou will be in the thick of the G7 action, for good reasons or for bad, because we live between downtown Quebec and Charlevoix. An anti-G7 protest in Beauport, near the highway to La Malbaie, is already scheduled. Residents and business owners are increasingly worried. Uncertainty prevails, especially about the compensation procedures; in truth, people are wondering if they will get any compensation at all.In case of damage due to vandalism or demonstrations getting out of hand, will the residents and business owners of BeauportLimoilou receive compensation?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.As I have said, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have an anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policy in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen that policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we can fight climate change and grow our economy at the same time. That is what our plan is doing, and it is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, while the economy grows. In the past two years, there have been 600,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate is at the lowest level in decades. Since 2016, Canada has led other G7 countries in economic growth. Putting a price on pollution will make Canada's economy stronger over time. It will create good economic progress. It will create good middle-class jobs. It will do the right thing for our children and for the future of the planet.
Mr. Speaker, over 20,000 people entered Canada illegally in 2017. The figure so far for 2018 is already in excess of 8,000. The safe third country agreement has been in place since 2004, but it is no longer appropriate for the reality on the ground. On the contrary, it is encouraging mass illegal immigration at our borders. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has talked about renegotiating the agreement, but no concrete action has been taken, apart from a partial reimbursement to the Quebec government. The Prime Minister needs to show leadership on this issue and come up with concrete solutions for protecting our borders.When are we going to see a plan?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is real. They expect us to take strong action to address climate change, and that is exactly what we are doing. We have taken action through the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to accelerate the phase-out of coal, to put methane regulations in place, to promote green infrastructure, and to do a whole range of things that will allow us to stimulate the economy, grow the economy of the future, and fundamentally address the critical issue of climate change going forward.Unfortunately, the opposition members are making this a partisan issue. Climate change is something that is in the interest of every Canadian and every human being on this planet, and is something that they should not play
Mr. Speaker, one of the fundamental realities is that nobody wins in trade wars. We are continuing to impress upon our American partners and American citizens to understand that we do not want to harm jobs in the United States. We do not want to see job losses in Canada. We continue to believe that by working thoughtfully and firmly with the American administration, we are going to be able to move forward in a positive direction. That is what we are continuing to do. In the meantime, we will consult with Canadians on this important retaliatory measure.
Mr. Speaker, as I have risen to state in the House many times, many of these allegations are unsubstantiated. Our government believes that increasing indigenous participation in offshore fisheries offers a powerful opportunity to advance reconciliation. That is why we created a process that we are proud of to consult industry and indigenous communities on potential participation in the surf clam fishery. This process was similar to the one undertaken by the previous Conservative government, except they forgot to include indigenous people. We did not forget. We are focused on how this is benefiting the highest number of Atlantic Canadians and first nations in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, our government enhanced the Canada pension plan, restored the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, and implemented automatic registration for the GIS. That is how we are addressing the problems Canadian seniors are worried about. Last week, the minister responsible for seniors met with the National Seniors Council.Can the minister tell us about the council's mandate and how its work will help the government continue to meet seniors' needs?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers are under attack, with Trump tariffs from abroad and Liberal taxes here at home, higher taxes on middle-class Canadians and higher taxes on the businesses that employ them. Ironically, the same companies south of the border that are pushing for this protectionism will also benefit from the carbon tax here in Canada, which would drive money, jobs, and income into that country.How much will the carbon tax cost the average Canadian steel and aluminum worker?
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to support and defend Canadian workers and producers. That is our government's priority.That is why we are very proud of our world-class producers. That is why we completely agree with the members opposite that it is absolutely unacceptable that these tariffs were imposed. That is why we will defend them and are engaging with them to see what the next steps and options are. Make no mistake: our government will continue to support aluminum workers and steelworkers across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Conservatives tried and failed to get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. They could not get it done. We have actually moved forward in securing a pipeline to new markets across the Pacific, something they were unable to do. Yes, I know it is a shock to the Conservatives, but public investment has often been part of developing our natural resources, going back decades. They, however, are trapped in their ideology and continue to play politics with thousands of good jobs for Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, we are four days into the U.S. unfair steel and aluminum tariffs, and Canadian workers in the manufacturing sector spent the weekend worried about their jobs. Canadians are asking why the government was waiting 30 days to bring in our own tariffs. These tariffs are a Band-Aid solution, and the government must work toward a permanent exemption. The clock is already ticking on a similar decision on tariffs to our auto sector. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are literally on the line. How is the government going to ensure Canadian workers in our largest industries are protected against destructive tactics from south of the border?
Mr. Speaker, the workers in Canada are being affected right away. The effect on jobs and the Canadian economy is happening in real time. The American tariffs went into effect immediately, and Canadian shipments of steel are already being turned back from the border. Why is the Prime Minister waiting three weeks to impose these counter-measures, specifically on steel and aluminum, when the U.S. tariffs came into effect right away?
Mr. Speaker, we are currently losing $15 billion per year because we cannot export our oil resources to countries other than the United States.One thing that has become crystal clear in recent days is how important access to new markets is. To that end, we need reliable, responsible access, which we can achieve with the pipeline we approved in accordance with a system that included more consultation with indigenous peoples. We will continue to make investments that are in the national interest, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, first, we would like to thank the chair of the CRTC, Ian Scott, and his team for their report, as well as all of the businesses and stakeholders who contributed to it.Our objective is to modernize our laws to protect and promote our 21st century culture. We will soon have news regarding the review of our laws. Unlike Mr. Harper's Conservatives, who made draconian cuts and waged a war against the cultural sector, we are taking action to help this sector and our artists.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada Post retail outlet in Bentley, Alberta is closing and residents will be forced to travel more than 22 kilometres each way to access postal services. Not only is this absolutely unacceptable, but it is also a direct violation of Canada Post's own charter. Canada Post has apologized for the inconvenience, but apologies just do not cut it. What will the government do to ensure that communities like Bentley have access to full postal services?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advocacy on this issue. I am happy to report to the House that as of today we have lifted 62 long-term drinking water advisories for public systems on reserves. Canadians really care about this, and finally we have a government that has the political will, the long-term investments, and the meticulous organization to work with communities to make sure that water operators are trained. We will continue to do this work with communities and make sure that all long-term drinking water advisories for public systems
Mr. Speaker, as I have said from the very beginning, it is one of Canada's strengths that on an issue as important as dealing with the Canada-U.S. relationship, Canadians have been broadly united, and I know that has made a difference in our ability to engage firmly and strongly with the United States. On the question of the tariffs, we think it is important that before we bring in tariffs, we consult with Canadians to make sure that we are doing the right things for Canadians. We know these American motions are going to hurt workers in the United States. We would not want our decisions to hurt workers in Canada.
Madam Speaker, today, four victims of former national ski coach Bertrand Charest spoke publicly about their abuse. My thoughts are with Geneviève Simard, Anna Prchal, Gail Kelly, and Amélie-Frédérique Gagnon, who are only asking that young athletes be protected.What is the minister going to do?
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that Canadian farmers are great stewards of the land who know the importance of protecting the environment, and they are making vital contributions to fighting climate change.We know that farmers had some concerns, and that is why gasoline and diesel fuel for on-farm use are exempt under the federal backstop. Unlike the previous Conservative government, we have invested in agriculture research and science. In fact, it was the Conservative government that cut
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by assuring my colleague across the aisle that the compensation policies for affected businesses are the same as when Canada was hosting the G7 in 2010, when his party was in government. In addition, we actively collaborated with all regional partners, local communities, first nations, the Quebec government, and the City of Quebec. We also held a public meeting to gather feedback from local residents. This event will generate major economic benefits throughout the region.
Mr. Speaker, $15 billion a year is what it costs us when we cannot export our oil resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives, who pretended they were great friends of the oil industry, were not able to achieve that in 10 years of trying, and we are now able to secure a pipeline that gets our oil resources to new markets. On top of that, it goes within a pan-Canadian framework on climate change, which includes a national price on carbon pollution right across the country and a historic oceans protection plan.
Mr. Speaker, it is very evident that the Conservatives do not have a plan to address climate change. They are missing the boat on the future economic opportunities enabled by addressing climate change in a thoughtful and substantive way. According to the World Bank, the Paris Agreement will open up $23 trillion in opportunities. We are focused on ensuring that we are driving clean technology, that we are moving forward with an agenda that will address environmental imperatives, and that we do so in a way that will create a stronger economy for Canada in years to come.
Mr. Speaker, our government doubled the funding for the Canada summer jobs program in order to offer nearly 70,000 students paid work experience.All organizations approved for Canada summer jobs funding must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If an organization does not respect these terms and conditions, it will not be reimbursed for the salaries of the students it has hired.I have asked my department to look into these organizations, and we will continue from there.
Mr. Speaker, once again, Canada will be hosting a world-class event this weekend when we welcome the world for the G7. We are proud, as is everyone in the Charlevoix region, to be hosting this important event. It is an opportunity to talk about issues that are important to the entire world, such as human rights, democracy, and peaceful pluralism, things that Canada strongly advocates for in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I know my hon. colleague is well aware and understands that farmers are great stewards of the land. They understand how important it is to take care of our environment. Farmers have great concerns, and that is why diesel fuel and gasoline are exempt under our federal backstop.Through the federal government's investments, we are continuing to build a strong economy for our farmers while putting environmental protections in place. What we have done, as I indicated, is put more money into research and science in agriculture, which is vitally important.
Mr. Speaker, with the U.S. imposing tariffs on steel, one way to offset lost exports is to ensure public infrastructure is built with Canadian steel. Last week I asked about Regina steel for Trans Mountain. Two years ago I asked why less than 20% of the steel in the new Champlain Bridge would be made in Canada. In response to Trump's tariffs, will the government finally increase the amount of Canadian steel used in federal infrastructure projects?
Mr. Speaker, we are making investments to protect thousands of jobs in Alberta and across the country.When I went to Fort McMurray to meet with energy sector workers, I told them that the government has their backs. From the beginning, this government has supported the thousands of energy sector workers across the country, and we will continue to work to protect Canadian jobs. We cannot comment on internal decisions that are part of private negotiations.
Mr. Speaker, the security agencies of the country, particularly CBSA, have made the appropriate arrangements internally to make sure they have the resources and facilities at the border to deal with all circumstances, usual and unusual. In the last budget, the Minister of Finance made $173 million available to the various agencies dealing with thisthe CBSA, the RCMP, and the immigration and refugees departmentto make sure that we can enforce all Canadian laws and honour all Canadian international obligations.
Mr. Speaker, we would like to focus on the good news for Canadians. The good news is that we found a way to make sure that we can complete a pipeline that will allow us to get to international markets, creating enormous value of up to $15 billion a year for the industry, but, most importantly, creating thousands of jobs across our country, jobs in British Columbia and jobs in Alberta and jobs across the country. We are going to stand up for those workers and we are going to stand up for the Canadian economy for future workers.
Mr. Speaker, our government is acutely aware that irregular migrants place new pressures on certain provinces, that need to find temporary accommodations for these asylum seekers. Since my colleague mentioned funding, I am pleased to announce that we have invested $50 million in Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, the three provinces most affected by accommodation costs. We recognize that these provinces and the municipalities have worked hard to provide housing and other services. We commend them on their outstanding collaboration. We are going to keep working very hard to address this issue with the provinces on the task force.
Mr. Speaker, first we would like to thank CRTC chair Ian Scott and his team for the report, and thank the many companies and creative industry players who contributed to it.Ultimately, our objective will be to modernize our laws for the 21st century in order to protect and promote our culture. We will have more to say on a review of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act very shortly. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who ignored these issues and did nothing but cut funding to culture for a decade, we are taking action and delivering for creators and Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I respectfully suggest that, indeed, during consultations, listening and working to build reconciliation with indigenous peoples means listening to all voices of the indigenous community, including those who disagree with us. We have a tremendous depth of respect for all indigenous voices, both from those who oppose the pipeline and from those who wish the pipeline to move forward. Working with them to allay fears and create opportunities is something all Canadians expect of our government on the path to reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced a new vision for Canada Post that puts service front and centre and fulfills its platform commitments. Part of that vision includes reinvesting profits in Canada Post service and innovation. We certainly encourage Canada Post to expand its partnerships for the benefit of Canadians. We have heard loud and clear from the Canada Post review that it should focus its efforts on excellence in service and its core functions, and we agree with this view.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate what I just said about how proud we are to welcome world leaders to the beautiful Charlevoix region for the G7 summit this week.The Prime Minister met with local leaders, first nations communities, and local residents to ensure that the meeting this weekend goes well. We know that residents of Charlevoix are proud to host this meeting. What is more, policies have been in place for a long time regarding compensation for local businesses related to this event.
Mr. Speaker, working for Canadians is what is important to us. The economy is also very important.Thanks to our investment, we will have a pipeline to access international markets. This is very important, and it is why we made the decision. We would also like to create a better economy for the future and maintain good jobs in Alberta and British Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, while new dedicated funds to research post-traumatic stress injury disorder is welcome, research is just one element in this crucial fight.We cannot have a conversation about PTSD without a conversation about treatment. Many were hoping that dedicated resources for treatment facilities would also be announced. We know that a lack of PTSD treatment is a significant contributing factor to the recent deaths by suicide of our veterans.Will the government work with us and veterans to make sure that necessary treatment is widely available?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will recall that we are delivering a historic infrastructure plan of $180 billion over the next 10 years.As part of our procurement process, the hon. member will note that we are a free trade country. We must respect our engagements to be open and free with the world, and that goes the same for our procurement process, which will remain open, transparent, and free, as part of a free trading nation.
Mr. Speaker, all members in the House know just how important the EI system is to providing income security and job transition opportunities to all families and workers, and in particular seasonal workers.We have listened to our provincial and territorial partners, and in recent weeks and months we implemented important measures to provide appropriate support in the coming months and years. This support will provide hope and opportunities to all of our communities, workers, and businesses.
Mr. Speaker, we know that it is very important to Canada's economy to invest in the pipeline in order to reach international markets. It is also very important for families, because of the number of associated jobs across the country. At the same time, we can boost our economy because this represents approximately $15 billion a year for our resource sector. It is very important and we will do it.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the amazing work she is doing to support our seniors.The National Seniors Council is a major partner whose experience and expertise are vital to helping us provide quality services and benefits to all our seniors. That is why we are fortunate to be working with the council's new chairperson, Dr. Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, who has 25 years of experience in gerontology and community health and who will be helping us as we continue to work very hard for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is committed to the supply management system in this country. I myself, as well as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, cabinet ministers and caucus, and, indeed, the trade negotiators of NAFTA, have clearly indicated the Canadian direction.The Liberal government is the government that put supply management in place, and it is the Liberal government that will protect supply management.
Mr. Speaker, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, tweeted that Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor in the West Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated. This is nothing less than an incitement to genocide, and Conservatives condemn it in the strongest possible language. The Iranian regime is a state sponsor of terror that supports Hamas. This is another reason why it is important for Canada to stand with Israel when it comes under attack, but this also highlights the fact that Canada cannot tolerate this hatred. Will the Prime Minister commit now to ending all efforts to normalize relations with Iran?
Mr. Speaker, a couple of Kinder Morgan executives must be laughing today.The two top executives responsible for the Trans Mountain expansion each pocketed $1.5 million in bonuses. That adds up to $3 million in bonuses alone. That is absolutely ridiculous.Even now, the Prime Minister is breaking his promise to end oil industry subsidies and helping the rich get richer. Great job.Does the Prime Minister think it is okay
Mr. Speaker, we were shocked to discover on the Government of Canada website that Liberal ministers and MPs supposedly funded organizations in several ridings that support terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are associated with anti-Semitism and violent homophobia. The religious leader for one of these organizations was recently criticized for his appalling anti-Semitism.Now that the Liberals have specifically introduced an attestation on respect for human rights, how can the Prime Minister justify the unjustifiable and unacceptable?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers are dealing with a two-faced Liberal government that claims here in the House to be protecting supply management, while it negotiates supply management market share with the Americans behind closed doors. That is exactly what the Prime Minister admitted in an interview on NBC: Canada will be flexible on access to the agricultural market to ease negotiations on NAFTA. How hypocritical.I am calling for an honest answer. Have the Liberals proposed an agreement to the Americans that would sacrifice market share in supply management, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the position of Iran is unacceptable, and our position on Iran is clear: We oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the Assad regime.Canada is a steadfast friend of Israel and a friend to the Palestinian people. We are committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We continue to support the building of conditions necessary for both parties to find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has killed thousands of jobs in the energy sector by killing northern gateway and cancelling energy east. Last week, he announced that he is forcing Canadians to pay $4.5 billion for his failure to get Trans Mountain built. It is bad enough that the Prime Minister is sending taxpayers' money to Texas to be invested in American projects, but now we learn that he is paying two executives over $3 million in bonuses. Why is it that every time the Prime Minister bails out a big company, executives get paid off?
Mr. Speaker, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. All Canadians deserve the opportunity to participate in a sport environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and abuse.We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment, discrimination, and abuse in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policies in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen our policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, for a government that claims that no relationship is as important as its relationship with indigenous peoples, I suspect it might be embarrassing to purchase a pipeline and force it on the people despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous communities. In fact, it should be ashamed.Does the government think that imposing this pipeline expansion at all costs after a botched, flawed process really respects the Constitution and honours the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that one suicide is one too many.I am continuing to work with the Minister of National Defence on this as a priority of our government. To this end, we have hired 460 new front-line staff, and 4,000 mental health professionals that we work with. We have opened 11 operational stress injury clinics that deal with PTSD. We announced the opening of a new centre of excellence on PTSD just recently. In fact our newly proposed pension for life is centred around the flexibility required for the treatment of PTSD.
Mr. Speaker, Global Affairs Canada has told farmers not to spread manure during the G7. Once again, Ottawa does not understand the regions.Here is how it works. Farmers have only until June 15 to finish planting their crops, but they have to spread manure before planting. These farms produce the food that the ministers from the big city will find on their expensive menus at the G7. That is what happens when events take place in rural areas. The scenery is beautiful, but people are hard at work.Does the government realize that its directive is unrealistic?
Mr. Speaker, even today, there are indigenous children living on reserves in Canada who cannot safely drink, bathe in, or even play in the water that comes out of their taps. This is why we committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserves by March 2021. Could the hon. Minister of Indigenous Services please update the House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are in favour of Trans Mountain. They want the project to move forward, but they do not want their money to be used to make Americans richer. The government is sending $4.5 billion straight to Texas, not to mention all the executive bonuses. Come on. This makes no sense.Why does the government keep pushing this? It could have done something in the past year and a half, but it did nothing, and now the pipeline is being nationalized.Does the minister truly think it is a good idea to take $4.5 billion of taxpayer money and send it to Texas?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal attack on agriculture is devastating: front-of-pack labelling, food guide, grain backlog, bungled trade agreements, and tax hikes. Now the agriculture minister is claiming that farmers support the Liberal carbon tax. Has he even spoken to Canadian farmers?The chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association said, Im not sure who has been briefing [the minister], but he is dead wrong if he thinks that most farmers support a carbon tax.How can the minister speak for agriculture if he is so out of touch with Canadian farmers?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals paid $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to purchase the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, while Kinder Morgan is taking $7.4 billion of private investment planned for its expansion out of Canada. Apparently the gift of tax dollars will also pay $1.5-million bonuses each to two Kinder Morgan executives, which is good news for the rich executives and bad news for Canadian energy workers. Why is the Prime Minister paying mega-bonuses to millionaires with taxpayer dollars while middle-class Canadians in the same industry struggle to find work?
Mr. Speaker, Kinder Morgan did not actually need one cent of taxpayer money. The Liberals just had to enforce federal jurisdiction, which they did promise to legislate, but they nationalized the old pipeline instead. It is a bad signal for future private sector investment in pipelines and Canadian oil and gas. Since 2015, the Liberals have jeopardized Canada's energy sector, killed hundreds of billions of dollars in major energy projects, and sacrificed hundreds of thousands of jobs. Why is the Prime Minister giving money to rich millionaires while families in the energy sector are struggling to make ends meet because of him?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were stunned to watch this climate-fighting Prime Minister promise to end fossil fuel subsidies and then go out and buy himself a used pipeline, a 65-year-old pipeline, with our money. These geniuses paid eight times the price that it was bought for just a few years ago. Adding insult to injury in this public bailout, it includes a $3-million bonus to Kinder Morgan executives. Sorry, not sorry is not going to cut it this time.Will the Liberals come clean and table the deal on the Kinder Morgan bailout so all Canadians can see how they ripped us off?
Mr. Speaker, we fully support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to work in partnership with them.On this side of the House, we will listen to all indigenous voices. We will not ignore those who stay silent or who say things we do not want to hear. It would be nice if all parties of the House could see both sides of the issue. We are listening to people who adamantly oppose pipelines, as well as those who see the economic benefit for them and their communities. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel and aluminum workers are facing considerable uncertainty. The decision to hit our industries with these punitive tariffs is completely scandalous. The Trump administration has gone too far, and the Canadian steel and aluminum industries are going to pay the price.We are glad that the government is meeting with industry to discuss a solution, but it has to meet the needs of the workers. That is important.Will the Prime Minister put in place a support program to protect workers, like Quebec is preparing to do?
Mr. Speaker, last week, because of another failure of the Prime Minister, Canadians involuntarily became shareholders in the Trans Mountain pipeline.As if the initial expenditure of $4.5 billion was not enough, we now know that some of that money was used to give very generous bonuses of over $1 billion to Kinder Morgan executives.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he knew that Canadians' money was going to be used like that? Why does he think that is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report to the heritage minister, indicating that urgent reforms are needed to sustain Canadian culture in television, film, and music and that the current system is simply unsustainable. It is critical that large corporations and web giants chip in their fair share to preserve Canadian content on our screens. We do not need another study or yet another consultation; we need action now.Will the Liberal government stop dragging its feet and commit to reforms today?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Canadian farmers do not support a carbon tax. The ag minister is clearly dead wrong on that. In fact, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers said that the carbon tax is bad for farmers. It is going to put them at a huge disadvantage on the world stage.Will the ag minister finally admit that the carbon tax is bad for farm families, and maybe while he is at it, tell those families how much the carbon tax is going to cost them?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. These tariffs are completely unacceptable. Our government will and has taken responsive measures to defend Canada's interests after consulting with Canadians to make sure that no Canadians are adversely impacted on the detailed target list that we promulgated on our websites. These tariffs are not acceptable. They will harm U.S. workers and their industry, as well as Canadians. In fact, the U.S. has a surplus in trade with Canada vis-à-vis steel. Canada is also a safe and secure supplier of fairly traded steel and aluminum to the U.S. Members can rest assured that Canadian workers can absolutely count
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Oakville for his hard work on the health committee.As mentioned, the Harper Conservatives' approach to cannabis did not work and does not work. It has allowed criminals and organized crime to profit while it has failed to keep it out of the hands of our youth. However, since forming government, we have taken a public health approach, one that maximizes education and minimizes the harm. Last week, I was extremely pleased to announce that we are partnering with the Canadian Hockey League to allow youth to hear from players about how making healthy choices can help them achieve their life goals.
Mr. Speaker, for several years, the Liberals have been proudly saying to anyone who will listen that the EI gap is fixed. Oddly enough, seasonal workers in the Atlantic provinces have a completely different experience. The training program does not fix the EI gap. In a few months, their nightmare will begin anew. Putting money into half measures is not enough. Seasonal workers want EI reform, as promised.When will this reform happen?
Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely aghast that the member opposite is fearmongering in this way. We take foreign influence in our elections extraordinarily seriously, including with regard to foreign funds, which is what we are doing in this legislation to ensure that it will be limited not just with the six months prior to an election as the previous Conservative government did, but also, in fact, requiring that third parties report all the time the funding they have, and open a bank account to assert that the only money used is Canadian. Furthermore, we are also taking actions with regard to the cybersphere and foreign influence. We are going to protect our next election.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, this was a small reimbursement that was clearly welcomed by Quebec. However, the Prime Minister accuses us of sowing fear and division whenever we remind him of his responsibility to enforce our border and immigration laws. Meanwhile, 800 employees from all over Canada have been reassigned to Quebec, the biometric collection system for asylum seekers has broken down, security screening interviews have been cut down from eight hours to two, and just 135 of the more than 30,000 people who have entered Canada illegally have been deported. This is not about fear. It is about enforcing Canada's sovereignty.Where is the plan?
Mr. Speaker, everybody knows that Donald Trump wants to take our money and our jobs. What we cannot understand is why the Government of Canada is helping him. Higher taxes here at home make it very difficult for Canadian businesses to compete south of the border. In fact, Canadian investment in the United States is up two-thirds since the current Prime Minister took office, and American investment in Canada is down by half. Money is going that way, and jobs will soon follow. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning, the minister has prioritized his Liberal family and friends over the hard-working, good people of Grand Bank. He compromised a 25-year surf clam success story for partisan gain. In the words of the Fisheries Council of Canada, he has undermined Canada's fisheries sector. With all the controversy, it now appears the minister has been informed that Five Nations cannot even secure financing.When will the minister admit he has created a disaster, start a new, fair, and open and transparent process, and recuse himself from the file?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite's assertion is absolutely false. We are doing everything we can to ensure that we do not have foreign funding within our elections here in Canada. In fact, it is already illegal for foreign entities or individuals to contribute to political parties or campaigns. We are ensuring that we are tightening loopholes with regard to third parties. Third parties, in the next election, should this legislation pass, would be required to open a bank account. They would be required to report all the time the contributions they receive, and they would have a limit on their spending during an election and during the pre-writ period.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are saying they are trying to put a price on something. What they are doing is putting a price on hiring Canadian workers. Those same workers will bring with them higher payroll taxes, and now higher carbon taxes, taxes that those companies will not have to pay south of the border. While the Government of Canada is now sending $4.5 billion to a Texas company to build pipelines in a jurisdiction that competes with Canada, it is raising taxes here at home to drive jobs outside of our country. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, I am totally aghast that the Liberals are continually trying to sweep this problem under the rug. Is it that the Liberals know that they benefit from this shady third party foreign spending? I say this because under this new legislation, third parties would still be able to take unlimited amounts of foreign cash as long as they do so before June 30. That money will be directly used to influence the outcome of Canadian elections.Can the minister explain how this is not just the Liberals acting in their own self-interest once again instead of protecting Canada's democracy from foreign interference?
Mr. Speaker, Bertrand Charest, a former national ski coach, was convicted in 2017 of sexually assaulting a number of his athletes.Four courageous women who suffered due to his negligent actions, or criminal actions, we would call them, are requesting all sport federations to implement athlete safety programs. They are calling for the universal adoption of the rule of two to ensure that no young athlete is left alone with his or her coach.In response to these courageous women, what actions will the Minister of Sport commit to taking to stand up for young athletes in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are outraged over the Canadian government's handling of the Trans Mountain project. The Liberals have decided to nationalize a pipeline, resulting in $4.5 billion in taxpayers' money leaving Canada and going directly to Texans' pockets.What we did not know was that two of the company's executives received a generous $1.5-million bonus each. Can the Prime Minister tell us with a straight face that he thinks it is a smart move to take Canadians' money and give it to U.S. corporate executives?
Mr. Speaker, we all know that G7 protests are inevitable, but we hope that they will be peaceful.We also all know that vandalism could occur, but the government has not made any plans in that regard. The government expects residents and businesses to get their insurance to cover the cost of any damage. Canadians should not have to foot the bill for G7-related property damage. They should not have to pay deductibles or premium increases.Will the government immediately commit to compensating any victims of G7-related vandalism?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about foreign interference in elections through third party spending, and rightfully so.Right now in the Ontario election, Leadnow, a shadowy, foreign-funded group, is paying thousands of dollars to try to affect the outcome of that election. This is a problem federally, too. The Liberals are allowing foreign groups to flow unlimited amounts of money to influence Canadian elections through third parties. Will the Liberals actually protect our elections from foreign influence, or perhaps they are trying to benefit from it?
Mr. Speaker, for those families who are relying on a strong energy sector, we are doing exactly what we should do: a project in the national interest that will secure the industry and at the same time create thousands of new jobs. For Alberta workers, for British Columbia workers, I am so pleased we have Liberal members who are supporting what we are doing on behalf of those workers, and I am disappointed that the members across the way are not supporting those workers.
Mr. Speaker, cannabis consumption rates by our youth are among the highest in the developed world. Education aimed at teenagers about the dangers of cannabis use is essential. As a hockey dad, I have taken my son William to many Oakville Blades hockey games. I know how influential professional hockey players can be as role models, so I am excited about our government's recent partnership to educate teenagers about the risk of cannabis.Can the Minister of Health please update the House on her public awareness campaign?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report, which proposes solutions for the future of our culture. It describes the current system as untenable. The cultural community said that it had finally been heard and that it hoped that the government would do something.The government has been talking about this for three years and meanwhile, every day, Canadians are turning to new media with no Canadian content and no taxes. This is not the wild west.Will the minister of culture commit to announcing, in the coming days, the main thrusts of a reform, rather than a new one-year consultation process?
Mr. Speaker, I am shocked that today the government has chosen to completely disregard its obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Last week, the Prime Minister voted in favour of developing a recognition and implementation of rights framework in partnership with indigenous peoples, and five days later he has failed his first test.Does the Prime Minister understand that respecting the rights of first nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples means respecting even those who do not agree with him? The Prime Minister cannot tell me that I do not understand.
Mr. Speaker, last week, Conservatives supported the government in opposition to unacceptable tariffs levied against Canadian steel and aluminum workers. We supported the government's efforts to retaliate against this unilateral decision by the United States. However, while the U.S. tariffs came into force immediately, last Thursday, Canadian tariffs will not come into effect until July 1. Why?
Mr. Speaker, this Friday and Saturday, the people of BeauportLimoilou will be in the thick of the G7 action, for good reasons or for bad, because we live between downtown Quebec and Charlevoix. An anti-G7 protest in Beauport, near the highway to La Malbaie, is already scheduled. Residents and business owners are increasingly worried. Uncertainty prevails, especially about the compensation procedures; in truth, people are wondering if they will get any compensation at all.In case of damage due to vandalism or demonstrations getting out of hand, will the residents and business owners of BeauportLimoilou receive compensation?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.As I have said, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have an anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policy in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen that policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we can fight climate change and grow our economy at the same time. That is what our plan is doing, and it is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, while the economy grows. In the past two years, there have been 600,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate is at the lowest level in decades. Since 2016, Canada has led other G7 countries in economic growth. Putting a price on pollution will make Canada's economy stronger over time. It will create good economic progress. It will create good middle-class jobs. It will do the right thing for our children and for the future of the planet.
Mr. Speaker, over 20,000 people entered Canada illegally in 2017. The figure so far for 2018 is already in excess of 8,000. The safe third country agreement has been in place since 2004, but it is no longer appropriate for the reality on the ground. On the contrary, it is encouraging mass illegal immigration at our borders. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has talked about renegotiating the agreement, but no concrete action has been taken, apart from a partial reimbursement to the Quebec government. The Prime Minister needs to show leadership on this issue and come up with concrete solutions for protecting our borders.When are we going to see a plan?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is real. They expect us to take strong action to address climate change, and that is exactly what we are doing. We have taken action through the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to accelerate the phase-out of coal, to put methane regulations in place, to promote green infrastructure, and to do a whole range of things that will allow us to stimulate the economy, grow the economy of the future, and fundamentally address the critical issue of climate change going forward.Unfortunately, the opposition members are making this a partisan issue. Climate change is something that is in the interest of every Canadian and every human being on this planet, and is something that they should not play
Mr. Speaker, one of the fundamental realities is that nobody wins in trade wars. We are continuing to impress upon our American partners and American citizens to understand that we do not want to harm jobs in the United States. We do not want to see job losses in Canada. We continue to believe that by working thoughtfully and firmly with the American administration, we are going to be able to move forward in a positive direction. That is what we are continuing to do. In the meantime, we will consult with Canadians on this important retaliatory measure.
Mr. Speaker, as I have risen to state in the House many times, many of these allegations are unsubstantiated. Our government believes that increasing indigenous participation in offshore fisheries offers a powerful opportunity to advance reconciliation. That is why we created a process that we are proud of to consult industry and indigenous communities on potential participation in the surf clam fishery. This process was similar to the one undertaken by the previous Conservative government, except they forgot to include indigenous people. We did not forget. We are focused on how this is benefiting the highest number of Atlantic Canadians and first nations in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, our government enhanced the Canada pension plan, restored the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, and implemented automatic registration for the GIS. That is how we are addressing the problems Canadian seniors are worried about. Last week, the minister responsible for seniors met with the National Seniors Council.Can the minister tell us about the council's mandate and how its work will help the government continue to meet seniors' needs?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers are under attack, with Trump tariffs from abroad and Liberal taxes here at home, higher taxes on middle-class Canadians and higher taxes on the businesses that employ them. Ironically, the same companies south of the border that are pushing for this protectionism will also benefit from the carbon tax here in Canada, which would drive money, jobs, and income into that country.How much will the carbon tax cost the average Canadian steel and aluminum worker?
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to support and defend Canadian workers and producers. That is our government's priority.That is why we are very proud of our world-class producers. That is why we completely agree with the members opposite that it is absolutely unacceptable that these tariffs were imposed. That is why we will defend them and are engaging with them to see what the next steps and options are. Make no mistake: our government will continue to support aluminum workers and steelworkers across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Conservatives tried and failed to get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. They could not get it done. We have actually moved forward in securing a pipeline to new markets across the Pacific, something they were unable to do. Yes, I know it is a shock to the Conservatives, but public investment has often been part of developing our natural resources, going back decades. They, however, are trapped in their ideology and continue to play politics with thousands of good jobs for Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, we are four days into the U.S. unfair steel and aluminum tariffs, and Canadian workers in the manufacturing sector spent the weekend worried about their jobs. Canadians are asking why the government was waiting 30 days to bring in our own tariffs. These tariffs are a Band-Aid solution, and the government must work toward a permanent exemption. The clock is already ticking on a similar decision on tariffs to our auto sector. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are literally on the line. How is the government going to ensure Canadian workers in our largest industries are protected against destructive tactics from south of the border?
Mr. Speaker, the workers in Canada are being affected right away. The effect on jobs and the Canadian economy is happening in real time. The American tariffs went into effect immediately, and Canadian shipments of steel are already being turned back from the border. Why is the Prime Minister waiting three weeks to impose these counter-measures, specifically on steel and aluminum, when the U.S. tariffs came into effect right away?
Mr. Speaker, we are currently losing $15 billion per year because we cannot export our oil resources to countries other than the United States.One thing that has become crystal clear in recent days is how important access to new markets is. To that end, we need reliable, responsible access, which we can achieve with the pipeline we approved in accordance with a system that included more consultation with indigenous peoples. We will continue to make investments that are in the national interest, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, first, we would like to thank the chair of the CRTC, Ian Scott, and his team for their report, as well as all of the businesses and stakeholders who contributed to it.Our objective is to modernize our laws to protect and promote our 21st century culture. We will soon have news regarding the review of our laws. Unlike Mr. Harper's Conservatives, who made draconian cuts and waged a war against the cultural sector, we are taking action to help this sector and our artists.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada Post retail outlet in Bentley, Alberta is closing and residents will be forced to travel more than 22 kilometres each way to access postal services. Not only is this absolutely unacceptable, but it is also a direct violation of Canada Post's own charter. Canada Post has apologized for the inconvenience, but apologies just do not cut it. What will the government do to ensure that communities like Bentley have access to full postal services?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advocacy on this issue. I am happy to report to the House that as of today we have lifted 62 long-term drinking water advisories for public systems on reserves. Canadians really care about this, and finally we have a government that has the political will, the long-term investments, and the meticulous organization to work with communities to make sure that water operators are trained. We will continue to do this work with communities and make sure that all long-term drinking water advisories for public systems
Mr. Speaker, as I have said from the very beginning, it is one of Canada's strengths that on an issue as important as dealing with the Canada-U.S. relationship, Canadians have been broadly united, and I know that has made a difference in our ability to engage firmly and strongly with the United States. On the question of the tariffs, we think it is important that before we bring in tariffs, we consult with Canadians to make sure that we are doing the right things for Canadians. We know these American motions are going to hurt workers in the United States. We would not want our decisions to hurt workers in Canada.
Madam Speaker, today, four victims of former national ski coach Bertrand Charest spoke publicly about their abuse. My thoughts are with Geneviève Simard, Anna Prchal, Gail Kelly, and Amélie-Frédérique Gagnon, who are only asking that young athletes be protected.What is the minister going to do?
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that Canadian farmers are great stewards of the land who know the importance of protecting the environment, and they are making vital contributions to fighting climate change.We know that farmers had some concerns, and that is why gasoline and diesel fuel for on-farm use are exempt under the federal backstop. Unlike the previous Conservative government, we have invested in agriculture research and science. In fact, it was the Conservative government that cut
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by assuring my colleague across the aisle that the compensation policies for affected businesses are the same as when Canada was hosting the G7 in 2010, when his party was in government. In addition, we actively collaborated with all regional partners, local communities, first nations, the Quebec government, and the City of Quebec. We also held a public meeting to gather feedback from local residents. This event will generate major economic benefits throughout the region.
Mr. Speaker, $15 billion a year is what it costs us when we cannot export our oil resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives, who pretended they were great friends of the oil industry, were not able to achieve that in 10 years of trying, and we are now able to secure a pipeline that gets our oil resources to new markets. On top of that, it goes within a pan-Canadian framework on climate change, which includes a national price on carbon pollution right across the country and a historic oceans protection plan.
Mr. Speaker, it is very evident that the Conservatives do not have a plan to address climate change. They are missing the boat on the future economic opportunities enabled by addressing climate change in a thoughtful and substantive way. According to the World Bank, the Paris Agreement will open up $23 trillion in opportunities. We are focused on ensuring that we are driving clean technology, that we are moving forward with an agenda that will address environmental imperatives, and that we do so in a way that will create a stronger economy for Canada in years to come.
Mr. Speaker, our government doubled the funding for the Canada summer jobs program in order to offer nearly 70,000 students paid work experience.All organizations approved for Canada summer jobs funding must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If an organization does not respect these terms and conditions, it will not be reimbursed for the salaries of the students it has hired.I have asked my department to look into these organizations, and we will continue from there.
Mr. Speaker, once again, Canada will be hosting a world-class event this weekend when we welcome the world for the G7. We are proud, as is everyone in the Charlevoix region, to be hosting this important event. It is an opportunity to talk about issues that are important to the entire world, such as human rights, democracy, and peaceful pluralism, things that Canada strongly advocates for in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I know my hon. colleague is well aware and understands that farmers are great stewards of the land. They understand how important it is to take care of our environment. Farmers have great concerns, and that is why diesel fuel and gasoline are exempt under our federal backstop.Through the federal government's investments, we are continuing to build a strong economy for our farmers while putting environmental protections in place. What we have done, as I indicated, is put more money into research and science in agriculture, which is vitally important.
Mr. Speaker, with the U.S. imposing tariffs on steel, one way to offset lost exports is to ensure public infrastructure is built with Canadian steel. Last week I asked about Regina steel for Trans Mountain. Two years ago I asked why less than 20% of the steel in the new Champlain Bridge would be made in Canada. In response to Trump's tariffs, will the government finally increase the amount of Canadian steel used in federal infrastructure projects?
Mr. Speaker, we are making investments to protect thousands of jobs in Alberta and across the country.When I went to Fort McMurray to meet with energy sector workers, I told them that the government has their backs. From the beginning, this government has supported the thousands of energy sector workers across the country, and we will continue to work to protect Canadian jobs. We cannot comment on internal decisions that are part of private negotiations.
Mr. Speaker, the security agencies of the country, particularly CBSA, have made the appropriate arrangements internally to make sure they have the resources and facilities at the border to deal with all circumstances, usual and unusual. In the last budget, the Minister of Finance made $173 million available to the various agencies dealing with thisthe CBSA, the RCMP, and the immigration and refugees departmentto make sure that we can enforce all Canadian laws and honour all Canadian international obligations.
Mr. Speaker, we would like to focus on the good news for Canadians. The good news is that we found a way to make sure that we can complete a pipeline that will allow us to get to international markets, creating enormous value of up to $15 billion a year for the industry, but, most importantly, creating thousands of jobs across our country, jobs in British Columbia and jobs in Alberta and jobs across the country. We are going to stand up for those workers and we are going to stand up for the Canadian economy for future workers.
Mr. Speaker, our government is acutely aware that irregular migrants place new pressures on certain provinces, that need to find temporary accommodations for these asylum seekers. Since my colleague mentioned funding, I am pleased to announce that we have invested $50 million in Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, the three provinces most affected by accommodation costs. We recognize that these provinces and the municipalities have worked hard to provide housing and other services. We commend them on their outstanding collaboration. We are going to keep working very hard to address this issue with the provinces on the task force.
Mr. Speaker, first we would like to thank CRTC chair Ian Scott and his team for the report, and thank the many companies and creative industry players who contributed to it.Ultimately, our objective will be to modernize our laws for the 21st century in order to protect and promote our culture. We will have more to say on a review of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act very shortly. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who ignored these issues and did nothing but cut funding to culture for a decade, we are taking action and delivering for creators and Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I respectfully suggest that, indeed, during consultations, listening and working to build reconciliation with indigenous peoples means listening to all voices of the indigenous community, including those who disagree with us. We have a tremendous depth of respect for all indigenous voices, both from those who oppose the pipeline and from those who wish the pipeline to move forward. Working with them to allay fears and create opportunities is something all Canadians expect of our government on the path to reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced a new vision for Canada Post that puts service front and centre and fulfills its platform commitments. Part of that vision includes reinvesting profits in Canada Post service and innovation. We certainly encourage Canada Post to expand its partnerships for the benefit of Canadians. We have heard loud and clear from the Canada Post review that it should focus its efforts on excellence in service and its core functions, and we agree with this view.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate what I just said about how proud we are to welcome world leaders to the beautiful Charlevoix region for the G7 summit this week.The Prime Minister met with local leaders, first nations communities, and local residents to ensure that the meeting this weekend goes well. We know that residents of Charlevoix are proud to host this meeting. What is more, policies have been in place for a long time regarding compensation for local businesses related to this event.
Mr. Speaker, working for Canadians is what is important to us. The economy is also very important.Thanks to our investment, we will have a pipeline to access international markets. This is very important, and it is why we made the decision. We would also like to create a better economy for the future and maintain good jobs in Alberta and British Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, while new dedicated funds to research post-traumatic stress injury disorder is welcome, research is just one element in this crucial fight.We cannot have a conversation about PTSD without a conversation about treatment. Many were hoping that dedicated resources for treatment facilities would also be announced. We know that a lack of PTSD treatment is a significant contributing factor to the recent deaths by suicide of our veterans.Will the government work with us and veterans to make sure that necessary treatment is widely available?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will recall that we are delivering a historic infrastructure plan of $180 billion over the next 10 years.As part of our procurement process, the hon. member will note that we are a free trade country. We must respect our engagements to be open and free with the world, and that goes the same for our procurement process, which will remain open, transparent, and free, as part of a free trading nation.
Mr. Speaker, all members in the House know just how important the EI system is to providing income security and job transition opportunities to all families and workers, and in particular seasonal workers.We have listened to our provincial and territorial partners, and in recent weeks and months we implemented important measures to provide appropriate support in the coming months and years. This support will provide hope and opportunities to all of our communities, workers, and businesses.
Mr. Speaker, we know that it is very important to Canada's economy to invest in the pipeline in order to reach international markets. It is also very important for families, because of the number of associated jobs across the country. At the same time, we can boost our economy because this represents approximately $15 billion a year for our resource sector. It is very important and we will do it.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the amazing work she is doing to support our seniors.The National Seniors Council is a major partner whose experience and expertise are vital to helping us provide quality services and benefits to all our seniors. That is why we are fortunate to be working with the council's new chairperson, Dr. Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, who has 25 years of experience in gerontology and community health and who will be helping us as we continue to work very hard for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is committed to the supply management system in this country. I myself, as well as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, cabinet ministers and caucus, and, indeed, the trade negotiators of NAFTA, have clearly indicated the Canadian direction.The Liberal government is the government that put supply management in place, and it is the Liberal government that will protect supply management.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, we were shocked to discover on the Government of Canada website that Liberal ministers and MPs supposedly funded organizations in several ridings that support terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are associated with anti-Semitism and violent homophobia. The religious leader for one of these organizations was recently criticized for his appalling anti-Semitism.Now that the Liberals have specifically introduced an attestation on respect for human rights, how can the Prime Minister justify the unjustifiable and unacceptable?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal attack on agriculture is devastating: front-of-pack labelling, food guide, grain backlog, bungled trade agreements, and tax hikes. Now the agriculture minister is claiming that farmers support the Liberal carbon tax. Has he even spoken to Canadian farmers?The chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association said, Im not sure who has been briefing [the minister], but he is dead wrong if he thinks that most farmers support a carbon tax.How can the minister speak for agriculture if he is so out of touch with Canadian farmers?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has killed thousands of jobs in the energy sector by killing northern gateway and cancelling energy east. Last week, he announced that he is forcing Canadians to pay $4.5 billion for his failure to get Trans Mountain built. It is bad enough that the Prime Minister is sending taxpayers' money to Texas to be invested in American projects, but now we learn that he is paying two executives over $3 million in bonuses. Why is it that every time the Prime Minister bails out a big company, executives get paid off?
Mr. Speaker, last week, Conservatives supported the government in opposition to unacceptable tariffs levied against Canadian steel and aluminum workers. We supported the government's efforts to retaliate against this unilateral decision by the United States. However, while the U.S. tariffs came into force immediately, last Thursday, Canadian tariffs will not come into effect until July 1. Why?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Canadian farmers do not support a carbon tax. The ag minister is clearly dead wrong on that. In fact, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers said that the carbon tax is bad for farmers. It is going to put them at a huge disadvantage on the world stage.Will the ag minister finally admit that the carbon tax is bad for farm families, and maybe while he is at it, tell those families how much the carbon tax is going to cost them?
Mr. Speaker, we are four days into the U.S. unfair steel and aluminum tariffs, and Canadian workers in the manufacturing sector spent the weekend worried about their jobs. Canadians are asking why the government was waiting 30 days to bring in our own tariffs. These tariffs are a Band-Aid solution, and the government must work toward a permanent exemption. The clock is already ticking on a similar decision on tariffs to our auto sector. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are literally on the line. How is the government going to ensure Canadian workers in our largest industries are protected against destructive tactics from south of the border?
Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely aghast that the member opposite is fearmongering in this way. We take foreign influence in our elections extraordinarily seriously, including with regard to foreign funds, which is what we are doing in this legislation to ensure that it will be limited not just with the six months prior to an election as the previous Conservative government did, but also, in fact, requiring that third parties report all the time the funding they have, and open a bank account to assert that the only money used is Canadian. Furthermore, we are also taking actions with regard to the cybersphere and foreign influence. We are going to protect our next election.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite's assertion is absolutely false. We are doing everything we can to ensure that we do not have foreign funding within our elections here in Canada. In fact, it is already illegal for foreign entities or individuals to contribute to political parties or campaigns. We are ensuring that we are tightening loopholes with regard to third parties. Third parties, in the next election, should this legislation pass, would be required to open a bank account. They would be required to report all the time the contributions they receive, and they would have a limit on their spending during an election and during the pre-writ period.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, this was a small reimbursement that was clearly welcomed by Quebec. However, the Prime Minister accuses us of sowing fear and division whenever we remind him of his responsibility to enforce our border and immigration laws. Meanwhile, 800 employees from all over Canada have been reassigned to Quebec, the biometric collection system for asylum seekers has broken down, security screening interviews have been cut down from eight hours to two, and just 135 of the more than 30,000 people who have entered Canada illegally have been deported. This is not about fear. It is about enforcing Canada's sovereignty.Where is the plan?
Mr. Speaker, I am shocked that today the government has chosen to completely disregard its obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Last week, the Prime Minister voted in favour of developing a recognition and implementation of rights framework in partnership with indigenous peoples, and five days later he has failed his first test.Does the Prime Minister understand that respecting the rights of first nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples means respecting even those who do not agree with him? The Prime Minister cannot tell me that I do not understand.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are outraged over the Canadian government's handling of the Trans Mountain project. The Liberals have decided to nationalize a pipeline, resulting in $4.5 billion in taxpayers' money leaving Canada and going directly to Texans' pockets.What we did not know was that two of the company's executives received a generous $1.5-million bonus each. Can the Prime Minister tell us with a straight face that he thinks it is a smart move to take Canadians' money and give it to U.S. corporate executives?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about foreign interference in elections through third party spending, and rightfully so.Right now in the Ontario election, Leadnow, a shadowy, foreign-funded group, is paying thousands of dollars to try to affect the outcome of that election. This is a problem federally, too. The Liberals are allowing foreign groups to flow unlimited amounts of money to influence Canadian elections through third parties. Will the Liberals actually protect our elections from foreign influence, or perhaps they are trying to benefit from it?
Mr. Speaker, Global Affairs Canada has told farmers not to spread manure during the G7. Once again, Ottawa does not understand the regions.Here is how it works. Farmers have only until June 15 to finish planting their crops, but they have to spread manure before planting. These farms produce the food that the ministers from the big city will find on their expensive menus at the G7. That is what happens when events take place in rural areas. The scenery is beautiful, but people are hard at work.Does the government realize that its directive is unrealistic?
Mr. Speaker, everybody knows that Donald Trump wants to take our money and our jobs. What we cannot understand is why the Government of Canada is helping him. Higher taxes here at home make it very difficult for Canadian businesses to compete south of the border. In fact, Canadian investment in the United States is up two-thirds since the current Prime Minister took office, and American investment in Canada is down by half. Money is going that way, and jobs will soon follow. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, Kinder Morgan did not actually need one cent of taxpayer money. The Liberals just had to enforce federal jurisdiction, which they did promise to legislate, but they nationalized the old pipeline instead. It is a bad signal for future private sector investment in pipelines and Canadian oil and gas. Since 2015, the Liberals have jeopardized Canada's energy sector, killed hundreds of billions of dollars in major energy projects, and sacrificed hundreds of thousands of jobs. Why is the Prime Minister giving money to rich millionaires while families in the energy sector are struggling to make ends meet because of him?
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Conservatives tried and failed to get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. They could not get it done. We have actually moved forward in securing a pipeline to new markets across the Pacific, something they were unable to do. Yes, I know it is a shock to the Conservatives, but public investment has often been part of developing our natural resources, going back decades. They, however, are trapped in their ideology and continue to play politics with thousands of good jobs for Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, last week, because of another failure of the Prime Minister, Canadians involuntarily became shareholders in the Trans Mountain pipeline.As if the initial expenditure of $4.5 billion was not enough, we now know that some of that money was used to give very generous bonuses of over $1 billion to Kinder Morgan executives.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he knew that Canadians' money was going to be used like that? Why does he think that is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were stunned to watch this climate-fighting Prime Minister promise to end fossil fuel subsidies and then go out and buy himself a used pipeline, a 65-year-old pipeline, with our money. These geniuses paid eight times the price that it was bought for just a few years ago. Adding insult to injury in this public bailout, it includes a $3-million bonus to Kinder Morgan executives. Sorry, not sorry is not going to cut it this time.Will the Liberals come clean and table the deal on the Kinder Morgan bailout so all Canadians can see how they ripped us off?
Mr. Speaker, this Friday and Saturday, the people of BeauportLimoilou will be in the thick of the G7 action, for good reasons or for bad, because we live between downtown Quebec and Charlevoix. An anti-G7 protest in Beauport, near the highway to La Malbaie, is already scheduled. Residents and business owners are increasingly worried. Uncertainty prevails, especially about the compensation procedures; in truth, people are wondering if they will get any compensation at all.In case of damage due to vandalism or demonstrations getting out of hand, will the residents and business owners of BeauportLimoilou receive compensation?
Mr. Speaker, with the U.S. imposing tariffs on steel, one way to offset lost exports is to ensure public infrastructure is built with Canadian steel. Last week I asked about Regina steel for Trans Mountain. Two years ago I asked why less than 20% of the steel in the new Champlain Bridge would be made in Canada. In response to Trump's tariffs, will the government finally increase the amount of Canadian steel used in federal infrastructure projects?
Mr. Speaker, we are making investments to protect thousands of jobs in Alberta and across the country.When I went to Fort McMurray to meet with energy sector workers, I told them that the government has their backs. From the beginning, this government has supported the thousands of energy sector workers across the country, and we will continue to work to protect Canadian jobs. We cannot comment on internal decisions that are part of private negotiations.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that G7 protests are inevitable, but we hope that they will be peaceful.We also all know that vandalism could occur, but the government has not made any plans in that regard. The government expects residents and businesses to get their insurance to cover the cost of any damage. Canadians should not have to foot the bill for G7-related property damage. They should not have to pay deductibles or premium increases.Will the government immediately commit to compensating any victims of G7-related vandalism?
Mr. Speaker, Bertrand Charest, a former national ski coach, was convicted in 2017 of sexually assaulting a number of his athletes.Four courageous women who suffered due to his negligent actions, or criminal actions, we would call them, are requesting all sport federations to implement athlete safety programs. They are calling for the universal adoption of the rule of two to ensure that no young athlete is left alone with his or her coach.In response to these courageous women, what actions will the Minister of Sport commit to taking to stand up for young athletes in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I am totally aghast that the Liberals are continually trying to sweep this problem under the rug. Is it that the Liberals know that they benefit from this shady third party foreign spending? I say this because under this new legislation, third parties would still be able to take unlimited amounts of foreign cash as long as they do so before June 30. That money will be directly used to influence the outcome of Canadian elections.Can the minister explain how this is not just the Liberals acting in their own self-interest once again instead of protecting Canada's democracy from foreign interference?
Mr. Speaker, over 20,000 people entered Canada illegally in 2017. The figure so far for 2018 is already in excess of 8,000. The safe third country agreement has been in place since 2004, but it is no longer appropriate for the reality on the ground. On the contrary, it is encouraging mass illegal immigration at our borders. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has talked about renegotiating the agreement, but no concrete action has been taken, apart from a partial reimbursement to the Quebec government. The Prime Minister needs to show leadership on this issue and come up with concrete solutions for protecting our borders.When are we going to see a plan?
Madam Speaker, today, four victims of former national ski coach Bertrand Charest spoke publicly about their abuse. My thoughts are with Geneviève Simard, Anna Prchal, Gail Kelly, and Amélie-Frédérique Gagnon, who are only asking that young athletes be protected.What is the minister going to do?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Oakville for his hard work on the health committee.As mentioned, the Harper Conservatives' approach to cannabis did not work and does not work. It has allowed criminals and organized crime to profit while it has failed to keep it out of the hands of our youth. However, since forming government, we have taken a public health approach, one that maximizes education and minimizes the harm. Last week, I was extremely pleased to announce that we are partnering with the Canadian Hockey League to allow youth to hear from players about how making healthy choices can help them achieve their life goals.
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by assuring my colleague across the aisle that the compensation policies for affected businesses are the same as when Canada was hosting the G7 in 2010, when his party was in government. In addition, we actively collaborated with all regional partners, local communities, first nations, the Quebec government, and the City of Quebec. We also held a public meeting to gather feedback from local residents. This event will generate major economic benefits throughout the region.
Mr. Speaker, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, tweeted that Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor in the West Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated. This is nothing less than an incitement to genocide, and Conservatives condemn it in the strongest possible language. The Iranian regime is a state sponsor of terror that supports Hamas. This is another reason why it is important for Canada to stand with Israel when it comes under attack, but this also highlights the fact that Canada cannot tolerate this hatred. Will the Prime Minister commit now to ending all efforts to normalize relations with Iran?
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that one suicide is one too many.I am continuing to work with the Minister of National Defence on this as a priority of our government. To this end, we have hired 460 new front-line staff, and 4,000 mental health professionals that we work with. We have opened 11 operational stress injury clinics that deal with PTSD. We announced the opening of a new centre of excellence on PTSD just recently. In fact our newly proposed pension for life is centred around the flexibility required for the treatment of PTSD.
Mr. Speaker, for several years, the Liberals have been proudly saying to anyone who will listen that the EI gap is fixed. Oddly enough, seasonal workers in the Atlantic provinces have a completely different experience. The training program does not fix the EI gap. In a few months, their nightmare will begin anew. Putting money into half measures is not enough. Seasonal workers want EI reform, as promised.When will this reform happen?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals paid $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to purchase the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, while Kinder Morgan is taking $7.4 billion of private investment planned for its expansion out of Canada. Apparently the gift of tax dollars will also pay $1.5-million bonuses each to two Kinder Morgan executives, which is good news for the rich executives and bad news for Canadian energy workers. Why is the Prime Minister paying mega-bonuses to millionaires with taxpayer dollars while middle-class Canadians in the same industry struggle to find work?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report, which proposes solutions for the future of our culture. It describes the current system as untenable. The cultural community said that it had finally been heard and that it hoped that the government would do something.The government has been talking about this for three years and meanwhile, every day, Canadians are turning to new media with no Canadian content and no taxes. This is not the wild west.Will the minister of culture commit to announcing, in the coming days, the main thrusts of a reform, rather than a new one-year consultation process?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers are dealing with a two-faced Liberal government that claims here in the House to be protecting supply management, while it negotiates supply management market share with the Americans behind closed doors. That is exactly what the Prime Minister admitted in an interview on NBC: Canada will be flexible on access to the agricultural market to ease negotiations on NAFTA. How hypocritical.I am calling for an honest answer. Have the Liberals proposed an agreement to the Americans that would sacrifice market share in supply management, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, first, we would like to thank the chair of the CRTC, Ian Scott, and his team for their report, as well as all of the businesses and stakeholders who contributed to it.Our objective is to modernize our laws to protect and promote our 21st century culture. We will soon have news regarding the review of our laws. Unlike Mr. Harper's Conservatives, who made draconian cuts and waged a war against the cultural sector, we are taking action to help this sector and our artists.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are saying they are trying to put a price on something. What they are doing is putting a price on hiring Canadian workers. Those same workers will bring with them higher payroll taxes, and now higher carbon taxes, taxes that those companies will not have to pay south of the border. While the Government of Canada is now sending $4.5 billion to a Texas company to build pipelines in a jurisdiction that competes with Canada, it is raising taxes here at home to drive jobs outside of our country. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, the position of Iran is unacceptable, and our position on Iran is clear: We oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the Assad regime.Canada is a steadfast friend of Israel and a friend to the Palestinian people. We are committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We continue to support the building of conditions necessary for both parties to find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, our government enhanced the Canada pension plan, restored the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, and implemented automatic registration for the GIS. That is how we are addressing the problems Canadian seniors are worried about. Last week, the minister responsible for seniors met with the National Seniors Council.Can the minister tell us about the council's mandate and how its work will help the government continue to meet seniors' needs?
Mr. Speaker, our government doubled the funding for the Canada summer jobs program in order to offer nearly 70,000 students paid work experience.All organizations approved for Canada summer jobs funding must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If an organization does not respect these terms and conditions, it will not be reimbursed for the salaries of the students it has hired.I have asked my department to look into these organizations, and we will continue from there.
Mr. Speaker, for those families who are relying on a strong energy sector, we are doing exactly what we should do: a project in the national interest that will secure the industry and at the same time create thousands of new jobs. For Alberta workers, for British Columbia workers, I am so pleased we have Liberal members who are supporting what we are doing on behalf of those workers, and I am disappointed that the members across the way are not supporting those workers.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers are under attack, with Trump tariffs from abroad and Liberal taxes here at home, higher taxes on middle-class Canadians and higher taxes on the businesses that employ them. Ironically, the same companies south of the border that are pushing for this protectionism will also benefit from the carbon tax here in Canada, which would drive money, jobs, and income into that country.How much will the carbon tax cost the average Canadian steel and aluminum worker?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are in favour of Trans Mountain. They want the project to move forward, but they do not want their money to be used to make Americans richer. The government is sending $4.5 billion straight to Texas, not to mention all the executive bonuses. Come on. This makes no sense.Why does the government keep pushing this? It could have done something in the past year and a half, but it did nothing, and now the pipeline is being nationalized.Does the minister truly think it is a good idea to take $4.5 billion of taxpayer money and send it to Texas?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is real. They expect us to take strong action to address climate change, and that is exactly what we are doing. We have taken action through the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to accelerate the phase-out of coal, to put methane regulations in place, to promote green infrastructure, and to do a whole range of things that will allow us to stimulate the economy, grow the economy of the future, and fundamentally address the critical issue of climate change going forward.Unfortunately, the opposition members are making this a partisan issue. Climate change is something that is in the interest of every Canadian and every human being on this planet, and is something that they should not play
Mr. Speaker, for a government that claims that no relationship is as important as its relationship with indigenous peoples, I suspect it might be embarrassing to purchase a pipeline and force it on the people despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous communities. In fact, it should be ashamed.Does the government think that imposing this pipeline expansion at all costs after a botched, flawed process really respects the Constitution and honours the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced a new vision for Canada Post that puts service front and centre and fulfills its platform commitments. Part of that vision includes reinvesting profits in Canada Post service and innovation. We certainly encourage Canada Post to expand its partnerships for the benefit of Canadians. We have heard loud and clear from the Canada Post review that it should focus its efforts on excellence in service and its core functions, and we agree with this view.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report to the heritage minister, indicating that urgent reforms are needed to sustain Canadian culture in television, film, and music and that the current system is simply unsustainable. It is critical that large corporations and web giants chip in their fair share to preserve Canadian content on our screens. We do not need another study or yet another consultation; we need action now.Will the Liberal government stop dragging its feet and commit to reforms today?
Mr. Speaker, our government is acutely aware that irregular migrants place new pressures on certain provinces, that need to find temporary accommodations for these asylum seekers. Since my colleague mentioned funding, I am pleased to announce that we have invested $50 million in Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, the three provinces most affected by accommodation costs. We recognize that these provinces and the municipalities have worked hard to provide housing and other services. We commend them on their outstanding collaboration. We are going to keep working very hard to address this issue with the provinces on the task force.
Mr. Speaker, we are currently losing $15 billion per year because we cannot export our oil resources to countries other than the United States.One thing that has become crystal clear in recent days is how important access to new markets is. To that end, we need reliable, responsible access, which we can achieve with the pipeline we approved in accordance with a system that included more consultation with indigenous peoples. We will continue to make investments that are in the national interest, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the amazing work she is doing to support our seniors.The National Seniors Council is a major partner whose experience and expertise are vital to helping us provide quality services and benefits to all our seniors. That is why we are fortunate to be working with the council's new chairperson, Dr. Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, who has 25 years of experience in gerontology and community health and who will be helping us as we continue to work very hard for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, cannabis consumption rates by our youth are among the highest in the developed world. Education aimed at teenagers about the dangers of cannabis use is essential. As a hockey dad, I have taken my son William to many Oakville Blades hockey games. I know how influential professional hockey players can be as role models, so I am excited about our government's recent partnership to educate teenagers about the risk of cannabis.Can the Minister of Health please update the House on her public awareness campaign?
Mr. Speaker, the workers in Canada are being affected right away. The effect on jobs and the Canadian economy is happening in real time. The American tariffs went into effect immediately, and Canadian shipments of steel are already being turned back from the border. Why is the Prime Minister waiting three weeks to impose these counter-measures, specifically on steel and aluminum, when the U.S. tariffs came into effect right away?
Mr. Speaker, it is very evident that the Conservatives do not have a plan to address climate change. They are missing the boat on the future economic opportunities enabled by addressing climate change in a thoughtful and substantive way. According to the World Bank, the Paris Agreement will open up $23 trillion in opportunities. We are focused on ensuring that we are driving clean technology, that we are moving forward with an agenda that will address environmental imperatives, and that we do so in a way that will create a stronger economy for Canada in years to come.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will recall that we are delivering a historic infrastructure plan of $180 billion over the next 10 years.As part of our procurement process, the hon. member will note that we are a free trade country. We must respect our engagements to be open and free with the world, and that goes the same for our procurement process, which will remain open, transparent, and free, as part of a free trading nation.
Mr. Speaker, one of the fundamental realities is that nobody wins in trade wars. We are continuing to impress upon our American partners and American citizens to understand that we do not want to harm jobs in the United States. We do not want to see job losses in Canada. We continue to believe that by working thoughtfully and firmly with the American administration, we are going to be able to move forward in a positive direction. That is what we are continuing to do. In the meantime, we will consult with Canadians on this important retaliatory measure.
Mr. Speaker, the security agencies of the country, particularly CBSA, have made the appropriate arrangements internally to make sure they have the resources and facilities at the border to deal with all circumstances, usual and unusual. In the last budget, the Minister of Finance made $173 million available to the various agencies dealing with thisthe CBSA, the RCMP, and the immigration and refugees departmentto make sure that we can enforce all Canadian laws and honour all Canadian international obligations.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we can fight climate change and grow our economy at the same time. That is what our plan is doing, and it is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, while the economy grows. In the past two years, there have been 600,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate is at the lowest level in decades. Since 2016, Canada has led other G7 countries in economic growth. Putting a price on pollution will make Canada's economy stronger over time. It will create good economic progress. It will create good middle-class jobs. It will do the right thing for our children and for the future of the planet.
Mr. Speaker, we know that it is very important to Canada's economy to invest in the pipeline in order to reach international markets. It is also very important for families, because of the number of associated jobs across the country. At the same time, we can boost our economy because this represents approximately $15 billion a year for our resource sector. It is very important and we will do it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel and aluminum workers are facing considerable uncertainty. The decision to hit our industries with these punitive tariffs is completely scandalous. The Trump administration has gone too far, and the Canadian steel and aluminum industries are going to pay the price.We are glad that the government is meeting with industry to discuss a solution, but it has to meet the needs of the workers. That is important.Will the Prime Minister put in place a support program to protect workers, like Quebec is preparing to do?
Mr. Speaker, the Canada Post retail outlet in Bentley, Alberta is closing and residents will be forced to travel more than 22 kilometres each way to access postal services. Not only is this absolutely unacceptable, but it is also a direct violation of Canada Post's own charter. Canada Post has apologized for the inconvenience, but apologies just do not cut it. What will the government do to ensure that communities like Bentley have access to full postal services?
Mr. Speaker, we fully support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to work in partnership with them.On this side of the House, we will listen to all indigenous voices. We will not ignore those who stay silent or who say things we do not want to hear. It would be nice if all parties of the House could see both sides of the issue. We are listening to people who adamantly oppose pipelines, as well as those who see the economic benefit for them and their communities. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is committed to the supply management system in this country. I myself, as well as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, cabinet ministers and caucus, and, indeed, the trade negotiators of NAFTA, have clearly indicated the Canadian direction.The Liberal government is the government that put supply management in place, and it is the Liberal government that will protect supply management.
Mr. Speaker, first we would like to thank CRTC chair Ian Scott and his team for the report, and thank the many companies and creative industry players who contributed to it.Ultimately, our objective will be to modernize our laws for the 21st century in order to protect and promote our culture. We will have more to say on a review of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act very shortly. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who ignored these issues and did nothing but cut funding to culture for a decade, we are taking action and delivering for creators and Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said from the very beginning, it is one of Canada's strengths that on an issue as important as dealing with the Canada-U.S. relationship, Canadians have been broadly united, and I know that has made a difference in our ability to engage firmly and strongly with the United States. On the question of the tariffs, we think it is important that before we bring in tariffs, we consult with Canadians to make sure that we are doing the right things for Canadians. We know these American motions are going to hurt workers in the United States. We would not want our decisions to hurt workers in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that Canadian farmers are great stewards of the land who know the importance of protecting the environment, and they are making vital contributions to fighting climate change.We know that farmers had some concerns, and that is why gasoline and diesel fuel for on-farm use are exempt under the federal backstop. Unlike the previous Conservative government, we have invested in agriculture research and science. In fact, it was the Conservative government that cut
Mr. Speaker, $15 billion a year is what it costs us when we cannot export our oil resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives, who pretended they were great friends of the oil industry, were not able to achieve that in 10 years of trying, and we are now able to secure a pipeline that gets our oil resources to new markets. On top of that, it goes within a pan-Canadian framework on climate change, which includes a national price on carbon pollution right across the country and a historic oceans protection plan.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advocacy on this issue. I am happy to report to the House that as of today we have lifted 62 long-term drinking water advisories for public systems on reserves. Canadians really care about this, and finally we have a government that has the political will, the long-term investments, and the meticulous organization to work with communities to make sure that water operators are trained. We will continue to do this work with communities and make sure that all long-term drinking water advisories for public systems
Mr. Speaker, as I have risen to state in the House many times, many of these allegations are unsubstantiated. Our government believes that increasing indigenous participation in offshore fisheries offers a powerful opportunity to advance reconciliation. That is why we created a process that we are proud of to consult industry and indigenous communities on potential participation in the surf clam fishery. This process was similar to the one undertaken by the previous Conservative government, except they forgot to include indigenous people. We did not forget. We are focused on how this is benefiting the highest number of Atlantic Canadians and first nations in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to support and defend Canadian workers and producers. That is our government's priority.That is why we are very proud of our world-class producers. That is why we completely agree with the members opposite that it is absolutely unacceptable that these tariffs were imposed. That is why we will defend them and are engaging with them to see what the next steps and options are. Make no mistake: our government will continue to support aluminum workers and steelworkers across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, even today, there are indigenous children living on reserves in Canada who cannot safely drink, bathe in, or even play in the water that comes out of their taps. This is why we committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserves by March 2021. Could the hon. Minister of Indigenous Services please update the House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves.
Mr. Speaker, we would like to focus on the good news for Canadians. The good news is that we found a way to make sure that we can complete a pipeline that will allow us to get to international markets, creating enormous value of up to $15 billion a year for the industry, but, most importantly, creating thousands of jobs across our country, jobs in British Columbia and jobs in Alberta and jobs across the country. We are going to stand up for those workers and we are going to stand up for the Canadian economy for future workers.
Mr. Speaker, working for Canadians is what is important to us. The economy is also very important.Thanks to our investment, we will have a pipeline to access international markets. This is very important, and it is why we made the decision. We would also like to create a better economy for the future and maintain good jobs in Alberta and British Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, all members in the House know just how important the EI system is to providing income security and job transition opportunities to all families and workers, and in particular seasonal workers.We have listened to our provincial and territorial partners, and in recent weeks and months we implemented important measures to provide appropriate support in the coming months and years. This support will provide hope and opportunities to all of our communities, workers, and businesses.
Mr. Speaker, while new dedicated funds to research post-traumatic stress injury disorder is welcome, research is just one element in this crucial fight.We cannot have a conversation about PTSD without a conversation about treatment. Many were hoping that dedicated resources for treatment facilities would also be announced. We know that a lack of PTSD treatment is a significant contributing factor to the recent deaths by suicide of our veterans.Will the government work with us and veterans to make sure that necessary treatment is widely available?
Mr. Speaker, once again, Canada will be hosting a world-class event this weekend when we welcome the world for the G7. We are proud, as is everyone in the Charlevoix region, to be hosting this important event. It is an opportunity to talk about issues that are important to the entire world, such as human rights, democracy, and peaceful pluralism, things that Canada strongly advocates for in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate what I just said about how proud we are to welcome world leaders to the beautiful Charlevoix region for the G7 summit this week.The Prime Minister met with local leaders, first nations communities, and local residents to ensure that the meeting this weekend goes well. We know that residents of Charlevoix are proud to host this meeting. What is more, policies have been in place for a long time regarding compensation for local businesses related to this event.
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. These tariffs are completely unacceptable. Our government will and has taken responsive measures to defend Canada's interests after consulting with Canadians to make sure that no Canadians are adversely impacted on the detailed target list that we promulgated on our websites. These tariffs are not acceptable. They will harm U.S. workers and their industry, as well as Canadians. In fact, the U.S. has a surplus in trade with Canada vis-à-vis steel. Canada is also a safe and secure supplier of fairly traded steel and aluminum to the U.S. Members can rest assured that Canadian workers can absolutely count
Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning, the minister has prioritized his Liberal family and friends over the hard-working, good people of Grand Bank. He compromised a 25-year surf clam success story for partisan gain. In the words of the Fisheries Council of Canada, he has undermined Canada's fisheries sector. With all the controversy, it now appears the minister has been informed that Five Nations cannot even secure financing.When will the minister admit he has created a disaster, start a new, fair, and open and transparent process, and recuse himself from the file?
Mr. Speaker, a couple of Kinder Morgan executives must be laughing today.The two top executives responsible for the Trans Mountain expansion each pocketed $1.5 million in bonuses. That adds up to $3 million in bonuses alone. That is absolutely ridiculous.Even now, the Prime Minister is breaking his promise to end oil industry subsidies and helping the rich get richer. Great job.Does the Prime Minister think it is okay
Mr. Speaker, I respectfully suggest that, indeed, during consultations, listening and working to build reconciliation with indigenous peoples means listening to all voices of the indigenous community, including those who disagree with us. We have a tremendous depth of respect for all indigenous voices, both from those who oppose the pipeline and from those who wish the pipeline to move forward. Working with them to allay fears and create opportunities is something all Canadians expect of our government on the path to reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. All Canadians deserve the opportunity to participate in a sport environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and abuse.We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment, discrimination, and abuse in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policies in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen our policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, I know my hon. colleague is well aware and understands that farmers are great stewards of the land. They understand how important it is to take care of our environment. Farmers have great concerns, and that is why diesel fuel and gasoline are exempt under our federal backstop.Through the federal government's investments, we are continuing to build a strong economy for our farmers while putting environmental protections in place. What we have done, as I indicated, is put more money into research and science in agriculture, which is vitally important.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.As I have said, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have an anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policy in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen that policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, we were shocked to discover on the Government of Canada website that Liberal ministers and MPs supposedly funded organizations in several ridings that support terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are associated with anti-Semitism and violent homophobia. The religious leader for one of these organizations was recently criticized for his appalling anti-Semitism.Now that the Liberals have specifically introduced an attestation on respect for human rights, how can the Prime Minister justify the unjustifiable and unacceptable?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal attack on agriculture is devastating: front-of-pack labelling, food guide, grain backlog, bungled trade agreements, and tax hikes. Now the agriculture minister is claiming that farmers support the Liberal carbon tax. Has he even spoken to Canadian farmers?The chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association said, Im not sure who has been briefing [the minister], but he is dead wrong if he thinks that most farmers support a carbon tax.How can the minister speak for agriculture if he is so out of touch with Canadian farmers?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has killed thousands of jobs in the energy sector by killing northern gateway and cancelling energy east. Last week, he announced that he is forcing Canadians to pay $4.5 billion for his failure to get Trans Mountain built. It is bad enough that the Prime Minister is sending taxpayers' money to Texas to be invested in American projects, but now we learn that he is paying two executives over $3 million in bonuses. Why is it that every time the Prime Minister bails out a big company, executives get paid off?
Mr. Speaker, last week, Conservatives supported the government in opposition to unacceptable tariffs levied against Canadian steel and aluminum workers. We supported the government's efforts to retaliate against this unilateral decision by the United States. However, while the U.S. tariffs came into force immediately, last Thursday, Canadian tariffs will not come into effect until July 1. Why?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Canadian farmers do not support a carbon tax. The ag minister is clearly dead wrong on that. In fact, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers said that the carbon tax is bad for farmers. It is going to put them at a huge disadvantage on the world stage.Will the ag minister finally admit that the carbon tax is bad for farm families, and maybe while he is at it, tell those families how much the carbon tax is going to cost them?
Mr. Speaker, we are four days into the U.S. unfair steel and aluminum tariffs, and Canadian workers in the manufacturing sector spent the weekend worried about their jobs. Canadians are asking why the government was waiting 30 days to bring in our own tariffs. These tariffs are a Band-Aid solution, and the government must work toward a permanent exemption. The clock is already ticking on a similar decision on tariffs to our auto sector. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are literally on the line. How is the government going to ensure Canadian workers in our largest industries are protected against destructive tactics from south of the border?
Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely aghast that the member opposite is fearmongering in this way. We take foreign influence in our elections extraordinarily seriously, including with regard to foreign funds, which is what we are doing in this legislation to ensure that it will be limited not just with the six months prior to an election as the previous Conservative government did, but also, in fact, requiring that third parties report all the time the funding they have, and open a bank account to assert that the only money used is Canadian. Furthermore, we are also taking actions with regard to the cybersphere and foreign influence. We are going to protect our next election.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite's assertion is absolutely false. We are doing everything we can to ensure that we do not have foreign funding within our elections here in Canada. In fact, it is already illegal for foreign entities or individuals to contribute to political parties or campaigns. We are ensuring that we are tightening loopholes with regard to third parties. Third parties, in the next election, should this legislation pass, would be required to open a bank account. They would be required to report all the time the contributions they receive, and they would have a limit on their spending during an election and during the pre-writ period.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, this was a small reimbursement that was clearly welcomed by Quebec. However, the Prime Minister accuses us of sowing fear and division whenever we remind him of his responsibility to enforce our border and immigration laws. Meanwhile, 800 employees from all over Canada have been reassigned to Quebec, the biometric collection system for asylum seekers has broken down, security screening interviews have been cut down from eight hours to two, and just 135 of the more than 30,000 people who have entered Canada illegally have been deported. This is not about fear. It is about enforcing Canada's sovereignty.Where is the plan?
Mr. Speaker, I am shocked that today the government has chosen to completely disregard its obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Last week, the Prime Minister voted in favour of developing a recognition and implementation of rights framework in partnership with indigenous peoples, and five days later he has failed his first test.Does the Prime Minister understand that respecting the rights of first nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples means respecting even those who do not agree with him? The Prime Minister cannot tell me that I do not understand.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are outraged over the Canadian government's handling of the Trans Mountain project. The Liberals have decided to nationalize a pipeline, resulting in $4.5 billion in taxpayers' money leaving Canada and going directly to Texans' pockets.What we did not know was that two of the company's executives received a generous $1.5-million bonus each. Can the Prime Minister tell us with a straight face that he thinks it is a smart move to take Canadians' money and give it to U.S. corporate executives?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about foreign interference in elections through third party spending, and rightfully so.Right now in the Ontario election, Leadnow, a shadowy, foreign-funded group, is paying thousands of dollars to try to affect the outcome of that election. This is a problem federally, too. The Liberals are allowing foreign groups to flow unlimited amounts of money to influence Canadian elections through third parties. Will the Liberals actually protect our elections from foreign influence, or perhaps they are trying to benefit from it?
Mr. Speaker, Global Affairs Canada has told farmers not to spread manure during the G7. Once again, Ottawa does not understand the regions.Here is how it works. Farmers have only until June 15 to finish planting their crops, but they have to spread manure before planting. These farms produce the food that the ministers from the big city will find on their expensive menus at the G7. That is what happens when events take place in rural areas. The scenery is beautiful, but people are hard at work.Does the government realize that its directive is unrealistic?
Mr. Speaker, everybody knows that Donald Trump wants to take our money and our jobs. What we cannot understand is why the Government of Canada is helping him. Higher taxes here at home make it very difficult for Canadian businesses to compete south of the border. In fact, Canadian investment in the United States is up two-thirds since the current Prime Minister took office, and American investment in Canada is down by half. Money is going that way, and jobs will soon follow. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, Kinder Morgan did not actually need one cent of taxpayer money. The Liberals just had to enforce federal jurisdiction, which they did promise to legislate, but they nationalized the old pipeline instead. It is a bad signal for future private sector investment in pipelines and Canadian oil and gas. Since 2015, the Liberals have jeopardized Canada's energy sector, killed hundreds of billions of dollars in major energy projects, and sacrificed hundreds of thousands of jobs. Why is the Prime Minister giving money to rich millionaires while families in the energy sector are struggling to make ends meet because of him?
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Conservatives tried and failed to get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. They could not get it done. We have actually moved forward in securing a pipeline to new markets across the Pacific, something they were unable to do. Yes, I know it is a shock to the Conservatives, but public investment has often been part of developing our natural resources, going back decades. They, however, are trapped in their ideology and continue to play politics with thousands of good jobs for Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, last week, because of another failure of the Prime Minister, Canadians involuntarily became shareholders in the Trans Mountain pipeline.As if the initial expenditure of $4.5 billion was not enough, we now know that some of that money was used to give very generous bonuses of over $1 billion to Kinder Morgan executives.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he knew that Canadians' money was going to be used like that? Why does he think that is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were stunned to watch this climate-fighting Prime Minister promise to end fossil fuel subsidies and then go out and buy himself a used pipeline, a 65-year-old pipeline, with our money. These geniuses paid eight times the price that it was bought for just a few years ago. Adding insult to injury in this public bailout, it includes a $3-million bonus to Kinder Morgan executives. Sorry, not sorry is not going to cut it this time.Will the Liberals come clean and table the deal on the Kinder Morgan bailout so all Canadians can see how they ripped us off?
Mr. Speaker, this Friday and Saturday, the people of BeauportLimoilou will be in the thick of the G7 action, for good reasons or for bad, because we live between downtown Quebec and Charlevoix. An anti-G7 protest in Beauport, near the highway to La Malbaie, is already scheduled. Residents and business owners are increasingly worried. Uncertainty prevails, especially about the compensation procedures; in truth, people are wondering if they will get any compensation at all.In case of damage due to vandalism or demonstrations getting out of hand, will the residents and business owners of BeauportLimoilou receive compensation?
Mr. Speaker, with the U.S. imposing tariffs on steel, one way to offset lost exports is to ensure public infrastructure is built with Canadian steel. Last week I asked about Regina steel for Trans Mountain. Two years ago I asked why less than 20% of the steel in the new Champlain Bridge would be made in Canada. In response to Trump's tariffs, will the government finally increase the amount of Canadian steel used in federal infrastructure projects?
Mr. Speaker, we are making investments to protect thousands of jobs in Alberta and across the country.When I went to Fort McMurray to meet with energy sector workers, I told them that the government has their backs. From the beginning, this government has supported the thousands of energy sector workers across the country, and we will continue to work to protect Canadian jobs. We cannot comment on internal decisions that are part of private negotiations.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that G7 protests are inevitable, but we hope that they will be peaceful.We also all know that vandalism could occur, but the government has not made any plans in that regard. The government expects residents and businesses to get their insurance to cover the cost of any damage. Canadians should not have to foot the bill for G7-related property damage. They should not have to pay deductibles or premium increases.Will the government immediately commit to compensating any victims of G7-related vandalism?
Mr. Speaker, Bertrand Charest, a former national ski coach, was convicted in 2017 of sexually assaulting a number of his athletes.Four courageous women who suffered due to his negligent actions, or criminal actions, we would call them, are requesting all sport federations to implement athlete safety programs. They are calling for the universal adoption of the rule of two to ensure that no young athlete is left alone with his or her coach.In response to these courageous women, what actions will the Minister of Sport commit to taking to stand up for young athletes in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I am totally aghast that the Liberals are continually trying to sweep this problem under the rug. Is it that the Liberals know that they benefit from this shady third party foreign spending? I say this because under this new legislation, third parties would still be able to take unlimited amounts of foreign cash as long as they do so before June 30. That money will be directly used to influence the outcome of Canadian elections.Can the minister explain how this is not just the Liberals acting in their own self-interest once again instead of protecting Canada's democracy from foreign interference?
Mr. Speaker, over 20,000 people entered Canada illegally in 2017. The figure so far for 2018 is already in excess of 8,000. The safe third country agreement has been in place since 2004, but it is no longer appropriate for the reality on the ground. On the contrary, it is encouraging mass illegal immigration at our borders. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has talked about renegotiating the agreement, but no concrete action has been taken, apart from a partial reimbursement to the Quebec government. The Prime Minister needs to show leadership on this issue and come up with concrete solutions for protecting our borders.When are we going to see a plan?
Madam Speaker, today, four victims of former national ski coach Bertrand Charest spoke publicly about their abuse. My thoughts are with Geneviève Simard, Anna Prchal, Gail Kelly, and Amélie-Frédérique Gagnon, who are only asking that young athletes be protected.What is the minister going to do?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Oakville for his hard work on the health committee.As mentioned, the Harper Conservatives' approach to cannabis did not work and does not work. It has allowed criminals and organized crime to profit while it has failed to keep it out of the hands of our youth. However, since forming government, we have taken a public health approach, one that maximizes education and minimizes the harm. Last week, I was extremely pleased to announce that we are partnering with the Canadian Hockey League to allow youth to hear from players about how making healthy choices can help them achieve their life goals.
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by assuring my colleague across the aisle that the compensation policies for affected businesses are the same as when Canada was hosting the G7 in 2010, when his party was in government. In addition, we actively collaborated with all regional partners, local communities, first nations, the Quebec government, and the City of Quebec. We also held a public meeting to gather feedback from local residents. This event will generate major economic benefits throughout the region.
Mr. Speaker, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, tweeted that Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor in the West Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated. This is nothing less than an incitement to genocide, and Conservatives condemn it in the strongest possible language. The Iranian regime is a state sponsor of terror that supports Hamas. This is another reason why it is important for Canada to stand with Israel when it comes under attack, but this also highlights the fact that Canada cannot tolerate this hatred. Will the Prime Minister commit now to ending all efforts to normalize relations with Iran?
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that one suicide is one too many.I am continuing to work with the Minister of National Defence on this as a priority of our government. To this end, we have hired 460 new front-line staff, and 4,000 mental health professionals that we work with. We have opened 11 operational stress injury clinics that deal with PTSD. We announced the opening of a new centre of excellence on PTSD just recently. In fact our newly proposed pension for life is centred around the flexibility required for the treatment of PTSD.
Mr. Speaker, for several years, the Liberals have been proudly saying to anyone who will listen that the EI gap is fixed. Oddly enough, seasonal workers in the Atlantic provinces have a completely different experience. The training program does not fix the EI gap. In a few months, their nightmare will begin anew. Putting money into half measures is not enough. Seasonal workers want EI reform, as promised.When will this reform happen?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals paid $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to purchase the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, while Kinder Morgan is taking $7.4 billion of private investment planned for its expansion out of Canada. Apparently the gift of tax dollars will also pay $1.5-million bonuses each to two Kinder Morgan executives, which is good news for the rich executives and bad news for Canadian energy workers. Why is the Prime Minister paying mega-bonuses to millionaires with taxpayer dollars while middle-class Canadians in the same industry struggle to find work?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report, which proposes solutions for the future of our culture. It describes the current system as untenable. The cultural community said that it had finally been heard and that it hoped that the government would do something.The government has been talking about this for three years and meanwhile, every day, Canadians are turning to new media with no Canadian content and no taxes. This is not the wild west.Will the minister of culture commit to announcing, in the coming days, the main thrusts of a reform, rather than a new one-year consultation process?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers are dealing with a two-faced Liberal government that claims here in the House to be protecting supply management, while it negotiates supply management market share with the Americans behind closed doors. That is exactly what the Prime Minister admitted in an interview on NBC: Canada will be flexible on access to the agricultural market to ease negotiations on NAFTA. How hypocritical.I am calling for an honest answer. Have the Liberals proposed an agreement to the Americans that would sacrifice market share in supply management, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, first, we would like to thank the chair of the CRTC, Ian Scott, and his team for their report, as well as all of the businesses and stakeholders who contributed to it.Our objective is to modernize our laws to protect and promote our 21st century culture. We will soon have news regarding the review of our laws. Unlike Mr. Harper's Conservatives, who made draconian cuts and waged a war against the cultural sector, we are taking action to help this sector and our artists.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are saying they are trying to put a price on something. What they are doing is putting a price on hiring Canadian workers. Those same workers will bring with them higher payroll taxes, and now higher carbon taxes, taxes that those companies will not have to pay south of the border. While the Government of Canada is now sending $4.5 billion to a Texas company to build pipelines in a jurisdiction that competes with Canada, it is raising taxes here at home to drive jobs outside of our country. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, the position of Iran is unacceptable, and our position on Iran is clear: We oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the Assad regime.Canada is a steadfast friend of Israel and a friend to the Palestinian people. We are committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We continue to support the building of conditions necessary for both parties to find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, our government enhanced the Canada pension plan, restored the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, and implemented automatic registration for the GIS. That is how we are addressing the problems Canadian seniors are worried about. Last week, the minister responsible for seniors met with the National Seniors Council.Can the minister tell us about the council's mandate and how its work will help the government continue to meet seniors' needs?
Mr. Speaker, our government doubled the funding for the Canada summer jobs program in order to offer nearly 70,000 students paid work experience.All organizations approved for Canada summer jobs funding must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If an organization does not respect these terms and conditions, it will not be reimbursed for the salaries of the students it has hired.I have asked my department to look into these organizations, and we will continue from there.
Mr. Speaker, for those families who are relying on a strong energy sector, we are doing exactly what we should do: a project in the national interest that will secure the industry and at the same time create thousands of new jobs. For Alberta workers, for British Columbia workers, I am so pleased we have Liberal members who are supporting what we are doing on behalf of those workers, and I am disappointed that the members across the way are not supporting those workers.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers are under attack, with Trump tariffs from abroad and Liberal taxes here at home, higher taxes on middle-class Canadians and higher taxes on the businesses that employ them. Ironically, the same companies south of the border that are pushing for this protectionism will also benefit from the carbon tax here in Canada, which would drive money, jobs, and income into that country.How much will the carbon tax cost the average Canadian steel and aluminum worker?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are in favour of Trans Mountain. They want the project to move forward, but they do not want their money to be used to make Americans richer. The government is sending $4.5 billion straight to Texas, not to mention all the executive bonuses. Come on. This makes no sense.Why does the government keep pushing this? It could have done something in the past year and a half, but it did nothing, and now the pipeline is being nationalized.Does the minister truly think it is a good idea to take $4.5 billion of taxpayer money and send it to Texas?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is real. They expect us to take strong action to address climate change, and that is exactly what we are doing. We have taken action through the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to accelerate the phase-out of coal, to put methane regulations in place, to promote green infrastructure, and to do a whole range of things that will allow us to stimulate the economy, grow the economy of the future, and fundamentally address the critical issue of climate change going forward.Unfortunately, the opposition members are making this a partisan issue. Climate change is something that is in the interest of every Canadian and every human being on this planet, and is something that they should not play
Mr. Speaker, for a government that claims that no relationship is as important as its relationship with indigenous peoples, I suspect it might be embarrassing to purchase a pipeline and force it on the people despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous communities. In fact, it should be ashamed.Does the government think that imposing this pipeline expansion at all costs after a botched, flawed process really respects the Constitution and honours the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced a new vision for Canada Post that puts service front and centre and fulfills its platform commitments. Part of that vision includes reinvesting profits in Canada Post service and innovation. We certainly encourage Canada Post to expand its partnerships for the benefit of Canadians. We have heard loud and clear from the Canada Post review that it should focus its efforts on excellence in service and its core functions, and we agree with this view.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report to the heritage minister, indicating that urgent reforms are needed to sustain Canadian culture in television, film, and music and that the current system is simply unsustainable. It is critical that large corporations and web giants chip in their fair share to preserve Canadian content on our screens. We do not need another study or yet another consultation; we need action now.Will the Liberal government stop dragging its feet and commit to reforms today?
Mr. Speaker, our government is acutely aware that irregular migrants place new pressures on certain provinces, that need to find temporary accommodations for these asylum seekers. Since my colleague mentioned funding, I am pleased to announce that we have invested $50 million in Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, the three provinces most affected by accommodation costs. We recognize that these provinces and the municipalities have worked hard to provide housing and other services. We commend them on their outstanding collaboration. We are going to keep working very hard to address this issue with the provinces on the task force.
Mr. Speaker, we are currently losing $15 billion per year because we cannot export our oil resources to countries other than the United States.One thing that has become crystal clear in recent days is how important access to new markets is. To that end, we need reliable, responsible access, which we can achieve with the pipeline we approved in accordance with a system that included more consultation with indigenous peoples. We will continue to make investments that are in the national interest, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the amazing work she is doing to support our seniors.The National Seniors Council is a major partner whose experience and expertise are vital to helping us provide quality services and benefits to all our seniors. That is why we are fortunate to be working with the council's new chairperson, Dr. Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, who has 25 years of experience in gerontology and community health and who will be helping us as we continue to work very hard for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, cannabis consumption rates by our youth are among the highest in the developed world. Education aimed at teenagers about the dangers of cannabis use is essential. As a hockey dad, I have taken my son William to many Oakville Blades hockey games. I know how influential professional hockey players can be as role models, so I am excited about our government's recent partnership to educate teenagers about the risk of cannabis.Can the Minister of Health please update the House on her public awareness campaign?
Mr. Speaker, the workers in Canada are being affected right away. The effect on jobs and the Canadian economy is happening in real time. The American tariffs went into effect immediately, and Canadian shipments of steel are already being turned back from the border. Why is the Prime Minister waiting three weeks to impose these counter-measures, specifically on steel and aluminum, when the U.S. tariffs came into effect right away?
Mr. Speaker, it is very evident that the Conservatives do not have a plan to address climate change. They are missing the boat on the future economic opportunities enabled by addressing climate change in a thoughtful and substantive way. According to the World Bank, the Paris Agreement will open up $23 trillion in opportunities. We are focused on ensuring that we are driving clean technology, that we are moving forward with an agenda that will address environmental imperatives, and that we do so in a way that will create a stronger economy for Canada in years to come.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will recall that we are delivering a historic infrastructure plan of $180 billion over the next 10 years.As part of our procurement process, the hon. member will note that we are a free trade country. We must respect our engagements to be open and free with the world, and that goes the same for our procurement process, which will remain open, transparent, and free, as part of a free trading nation.
Mr. Speaker, one of the fundamental realities is that nobody wins in trade wars. We are continuing to impress upon our American partners and American citizens to understand that we do not want to harm jobs in the United States. We do not want to see job losses in Canada. We continue to believe that by working thoughtfully and firmly with the American administration, we are going to be able to move forward in a positive direction. That is what we are continuing to do. In the meantime, we will consult with Canadians on this important retaliatory measure.
Mr. Speaker, the security agencies of the country, particularly CBSA, have made the appropriate arrangements internally to make sure they have the resources and facilities at the border to deal with all circumstances, usual and unusual. In the last budget, the Minister of Finance made $173 million available to the various agencies dealing with thisthe CBSA, the RCMP, and the immigration and refugees departmentto make sure that we can enforce all Canadian laws and honour all Canadian international obligations.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we can fight climate change and grow our economy at the same time. That is what our plan is doing, and it is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, while the economy grows. In the past two years, there have been 600,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate is at the lowest level in decades. Since 2016, Canada has led other G7 countries in economic growth. Putting a price on pollution will make Canada's economy stronger over time. It will create good economic progress. It will create good middle-class jobs. It will do the right thing for our children and for the future of the planet.
Mr. Speaker, we know that it is very important to Canada's economy to invest in the pipeline in order to reach international markets. It is also very important for families, because of the number of associated jobs across the country. At the same time, we can boost our economy because this represents approximately $15 billion a year for our resource sector. It is very important and we will do it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel and aluminum workers are facing considerable uncertainty. The decision to hit our industries with these punitive tariffs is completely scandalous. The Trump administration has gone too far, and the Canadian steel and aluminum industries are going to pay the price.We are glad that the government is meeting with industry to discuss a solution, but it has to meet the needs of the workers. That is important.Will the Prime Minister put in place a support program to protect workers, like Quebec is preparing to do?
Mr. Speaker, the Canada Post retail outlet in Bentley, Alberta is closing and residents will be forced to travel more than 22 kilometres each way to access postal services. Not only is this absolutely unacceptable, but it is also a direct violation of Canada Post's own charter. Canada Post has apologized for the inconvenience, but apologies just do not cut it. What will the government do to ensure that communities like Bentley have access to full postal services?
Mr. Speaker, we fully support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to work in partnership with them.On this side of the House, we will listen to all indigenous voices. We will not ignore those who stay silent or who say things we do not want to hear. It would be nice if all parties of the House could see both sides of the issue. We are listening to people who adamantly oppose pipelines, as well as those who see the economic benefit for them and their communities. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is committed to the supply management system in this country. I myself, as well as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, cabinet ministers and caucus, and, indeed, the trade negotiators of NAFTA, have clearly indicated the Canadian direction.The Liberal government is the government that put supply management in place, and it is the Liberal government that will protect supply management.
Mr. Speaker, first we would like to thank CRTC chair Ian Scott and his team for the report, and thank the many companies and creative industry players who contributed to it.Ultimately, our objective will be to modernize our laws for the 21st century in order to protect and promote our culture. We will have more to say on a review of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act very shortly. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who ignored these issues and did nothing but cut funding to culture for a decade, we are taking action and delivering for creators and Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said from the very beginning, it is one of Canada's strengths that on an issue as important as dealing with the Canada-U.S. relationship, Canadians have been broadly united, and I know that has made a difference in our ability to engage firmly and strongly with the United States. On the question of the tariffs, we think it is important that before we bring in tariffs, we consult with Canadians to make sure that we are doing the right things for Canadians. We know these American motions are going to hurt workers in the United States. We would not want our decisions to hurt workers in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that Canadian farmers are great stewards of the land who know the importance of protecting the environment, and they are making vital contributions to fighting climate change.We know that farmers had some concerns, and that is why gasoline and diesel fuel for on-farm use are exempt under the federal backstop. Unlike the previous Conservative government, we have invested in agriculture research and science. In fact, it was the Conservative government that cut
Mr. Speaker, $15 billion a year is what it costs us when we cannot export our oil resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives, who pretended they were great friends of the oil industry, were not able to achieve that in 10 years of trying, and we are now able to secure a pipeline that gets our oil resources to new markets. On top of that, it goes within a pan-Canadian framework on climate change, which includes a national price on carbon pollution right across the country and a historic oceans protection plan.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advocacy on this issue. I am happy to report to the House that as of today we have lifted 62 long-term drinking water advisories for public systems on reserves. Canadians really care about this, and finally we have a government that has the political will, the long-term investments, and the meticulous organization to work with communities to make sure that water operators are trained. We will continue to do this work with communities and make sure that all long-term drinking water advisories for public systems
Mr. Speaker, as I have risen to state in the House many times, many of these allegations are unsubstantiated. Our government believes that increasing indigenous participation in offshore fisheries offers a powerful opportunity to advance reconciliation. That is why we created a process that we are proud of to consult industry and indigenous communities on potential participation in the surf clam fishery. This process was similar to the one undertaken by the previous Conservative government, except they forgot to include indigenous people. We did not forget. We are focused on how this is benefiting the highest number of Atlantic Canadians and first nations in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to support and defend Canadian workers and producers. That is our government's priority.That is why we are very proud of our world-class producers. That is why we completely agree with the members opposite that it is absolutely unacceptable that these tariffs were imposed. That is why we will defend them and are engaging with them to see what the next steps and options are. Make no mistake: our government will continue to support aluminum workers and steelworkers across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, even today, there are indigenous children living on reserves in Canada who cannot safely drink, bathe in, or even play in the water that comes out of their taps. This is why we committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserves by March 2021. Could the hon. Minister of Indigenous Services please update the House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves.
Mr. Speaker, we would like to focus on the good news for Canadians. The good news is that we found a way to make sure that we can complete a pipeline that will allow us to get to international markets, creating enormous value of up to $15 billion a year for the industry, but, most importantly, creating thousands of jobs across our country, jobs in British Columbia and jobs in Alberta and jobs across the country. We are going to stand up for those workers and we are going to stand up for the Canadian economy for future workers.
Mr. Speaker, working for Canadians is what is important to us. The economy is also very important.Thanks to our investment, we will have a pipeline to access international markets. This is very important, and it is why we made the decision. We would also like to create a better economy for the future and maintain good jobs in Alberta and British Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, all members in the House know just how important the EI system is to providing income security and job transition opportunities to all families and workers, and in particular seasonal workers.We have listened to our provincial and territorial partners, and in recent weeks and months we implemented important measures to provide appropriate support in the coming months and years. This support will provide hope and opportunities to all of our communities, workers, and businesses.
Mr. Speaker, while new dedicated funds to research post-traumatic stress injury disorder is welcome, research is just one element in this crucial fight.We cannot have a conversation about PTSD without a conversation about treatment. Many were hoping that dedicated resources for treatment facilities would also be announced. We know that a lack of PTSD treatment is a significant contributing factor to the recent deaths by suicide of our veterans.Will the government work with us and veterans to make sure that necessary treatment is widely available?
Mr. Speaker, once again, Canada will be hosting a world-class event this weekend when we welcome the world for the G7. We are proud, as is everyone in the Charlevoix region, to be hosting this important event. It is an opportunity to talk about issues that are important to the entire world, such as human rights, democracy, and peaceful pluralism, things that Canada strongly advocates for in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate what I just said about how proud we are to welcome world leaders to the beautiful Charlevoix region for the G7 summit this week.The Prime Minister met with local leaders, first nations communities, and local residents to ensure that the meeting this weekend goes well. We know that residents of Charlevoix are proud to host this meeting. What is more, policies have been in place for a long time regarding compensation for local businesses related to this event.
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. These tariffs are completely unacceptable. Our government will and has taken responsive measures to defend Canada's interests after consulting with Canadians to make sure that no Canadians are adversely impacted on the detailed target list that we promulgated on our websites. These tariffs are not acceptable. They will harm U.S. workers and their industry, as well as Canadians. In fact, the U.S. has a surplus in trade with Canada vis-à-vis steel. Canada is also a safe and secure supplier of fairly traded steel and aluminum to the U.S. Members can rest assured that Canadian workers can absolutely count
Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning, the minister has prioritized his Liberal family and friends over the hard-working, good people of Grand Bank. He compromised a 25-year surf clam success story for partisan gain. In the words of the Fisheries Council of Canada, he has undermined Canada's fisheries sector. With all the controversy, it now appears the minister has been informed that Five Nations cannot even secure financing.When will the minister admit he has created a disaster, start a new, fair, and open and transparent process, and recuse himself from the file?
Mr. Speaker, a couple of Kinder Morgan executives must be laughing today.The two top executives responsible for the Trans Mountain expansion each pocketed $1.5 million in bonuses. That adds up to $3 million in bonuses alone. That is absolutely ridiculous.Even now, the Prime Minister is breaking his promise to end oil industry subsidies and helping the rich get richer. Great job.Does the Prime Minister think it is okay
Mr. Speaker, I respectfully suggest that, indeed, during consultations, listening and working to build reconciliation with indigenous peoples means listening to all voices of the indigenous community, including those who disagree with us. We have a tremendous depth of respect for all indigenous voices, both from those who oppose the pipeline and from those who wish the pipeline to move forward. Working with them to allay fears and create opportunities is something all Canadians expect of our government on the path to reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. All Canadians deserve the opportunity to participate in a sport environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and abuse.We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment, discrimination, and abuse in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policies in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen our policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, I know my hon. colleague is well aware and understands that farmers are great stewards of the land. They understand how important it is to take care of our environment. Farmers have great concerns, and that is why diesel fuel and gasoline are exempt under our federal backstop.Through the federal government's investments, we are continuing to build a strong economy for our farmers while putting environmental protections in place. What we have done, as I indicated, is put more money into research and science in agriculture, which is vitally important.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.As I have said, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have an anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policy in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen that policy in the coming weeks.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.As I have said, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have an anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policy in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen that policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, I know my hon. colleague is well aware and understands that farmers are great stewards of the land. They understand how important it is to take care of our environment. Farmers have great concerns, and that is why diesel fuel and gasoline are exempt under our federal backstop.Through the federal government's investments, we are continuing to build a strong economy for our farmers while putting environmental protections in place. What we have done, as I indicated, is put more money into research and science in agriculture, which is vitally important.
Mr. Speaker, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. All Canadians deserve the opportunity to participate in a sport environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and abuse.We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment, discrimination, and abuse in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policies in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen our policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, I respectfully suggest that, indeed, during consultations, listening and working to build reconciliation with indigenous peoples means listening to all voices of the indigenous community, including those who disagree with us. We have a tremendous depth of respect for all indigenous voices, both from those who oppose the pipeline and from those who wish the pipeline to move forward. Working with them to allay fears and create opportunities is something all Canadians expect of our government on the path to reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, a couple of Kinder Morgan executives must be laughing today.The two top executives responsible for the Trans Mountain expansion each pocketed $1.5 million in bonuses. That adds up to $3 million in bonuses alone. That is absolutely ridiculous.Even now, the Prime Minister is breaking his promise to end oil industry subsidies and helping the rich get richer. Great job.Does the Prime Minister think it is okay
Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning, the minister has prioritized his Liberal family and friends over the hard-working, good people of Grand Bank. He compromised a 25-year surf clam success story for partisan gain. In the words of the Fisheries Council of Canada, he has undermined Canada's fisheries sector. With all the controversy, it now appears the minister has been informed that Five Nations cannot even secure financing.When will the minister admit he has created a disaster, start a new, fair, and open and transparent process, and recuse himself from the file?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. These tariffs are completely unacceptable. Our government will and has taken responsive measures to defend Canada's interests after consulting with Canadians to make sure that no Canadians are adversely impacted on the detailed target list that we promulgated on our websites. These tariffs are not acceptable. They will harm U.S. workers and their industry, as well as Canadians. In fact, the U.S. has a surplus in trade with Canada vis-à-vis steel. Canada is also a safe and secure supplier of fairly traded steel and aluminum to the U.S. Members can rest assured that Canadian workers can absolutely count
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate what I just said about how proud we are to welcome world leaders to the beautiful Charlevoix region for the G7 summit this week.The Prime Minister met with local leaders, first nations communities, and local residents to ensure that the meeting this weekend goes well. We know that residents of Charlevoix are proud to host this meeting. What is more, policies have been in place for a long time regarding compensation for local businesses related to this event.
Mr. Speaker, once again, Canada will be hosting a world-class event this weekend when we welcome the world for the G7. We are proud, as is everyone in the Charlevoix region, to be hosting this important event. It is an opportunity to talk about issues that are important to the entire world, such as human rights, democracy, and peaceful pluralism, things that Canada strongly advocates for in the world.
Mr. Speaker, while new dedicated funds to research post-traumatic stress injury disorder is welcome, research is just one element in this crucial fight.We cannot have a conversation about PTSD without a conversation about treatment. Many were hoping that dedicated resources for treatment facilities would also be announced. We know that a lack of PTSD treatment is a significant contributing factor to the recent deaths by suicide of our veterans.Will the government work with us and veterans to make sure that necessary treatment is widely available?
Mr. Speaker, all members in the House know just how important the EI system is to providing income security and job transition opportunities to all families and workers, and in particular seasonal workers.We have listened to our provincial and territorial partners, and in recent weeks and months we implemented important measures to provide appropriate support in the coming months and years. This support will provide hope and opportunities to all of our communities, workers, and businesses.
Mr. Speaker, we would like to focus on the good news for Canadians. The good news is that we found a way to make sure that we can complete a pipeline that will allow us to get to international markets, creating enormous value of up to $15 billion a year for the industry, but, most importantly, creating thousands of jobs across our country, jobs in British Columbia and jobs in Alberta and jobs across the country. We are going to stand up for those workers and we are going to stand up for the Canadian economy for future workers.
Mr. Speaker, working for Canadians is what is important to us. The economy is also very important.Thanks to our investment, we will have a pipeline to access international markets. This is very important, and it is why we made the decision. We would also like to create a better economy for the future and maintain good jobs in Alberta and British Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, even today, there are indigenous children living on reserves in Canada who cannot safely drink, bathe in, or even play in the water that comes out of their taps. This is why we committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserves by March 2021. Could the hon. Minister of Indigenous Services please update the House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to support and defend Canadian workers and producers. That is our government's priority.That is why we are very proud of our world-class producers. That is why we completely agree with the members opposite that it is absolutely unacceptable that these tariffs were imposed. That is why we will defend them and are engaging with them to see what the next steps and options are. Make no mistake: our government will continue to support aluminum workers and steelworkers across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, as I have risen to state in the House many times, many of these allegations are unsubstantiated. Our government believes that increasing indigenous participation in offshore fisheries offers a powerful opportunity to advance reconciliation. That is why we created a process that we are proud of to consult industry and indigenous communities on potential participation in the surf clam fishery. This process was similar to the one undertaken by the previous Conservative government, except they forgot to include indigenous people. We did not forget. We are focused on how this is benefiting the highest number of Atlantic Canadians and first nations in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advocacy on this issue. I am happy to report to the House that as of today we have lifted 62 long-term drinking water advisories for public systems on reserves. Canadians really care about this, and finally we have a government that has the political will, the long-term investments, and the meticulous organization to work with communities to make sure that water operators are trained. We will continue to do this work with communities and make sure that all long-term drinking water advisories for public systems
Mr. Speaker, $15 billion a year is what it costs us when we cannot export our oil resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives, who pretended they were great friends of the oil industry, were not able to achieve that in 10 years of trying, and we are now able to secure a pipeline that gets our oil resources to new markets. On top of that, it goes within a pan-Canadian framework on climate change, which includes a national price on carbon pollution right across the country and a historic oceans protection plan.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that Canadian farmers are great stewards of the land who know the importance of protecting the environment, and they are making vital contributions to fighting climate change.We know that farmers had some concerns, and that is why gasoline and diesel fuel for on-farm use are exempt under the federal backstop. Unlike the previous Conservative government, we have invested in agriculture research and science. In fact, it was the Conservative government that cut
Mr. Speaker, as I have said from the very beginning, it is one of Canada's strengths that on an issue as important as dealing with the Canada-U.S. relationship, Canadians have been broadly united, and I know that has made a difference in our ability to engage firmly and strongly with the United States. On the question of the tariffs, we think it is important that before we bring in tariffs, we consult with Canadians to make sure that we are doing the right things for Canadians. We know these American motions are going to hurt workers in the United States. We would not want our decisions to hurt workers in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, first we would like to thank CRTC chair Ian Scott and his team for the report, and thank the many companies and creative industry players who contributed to it.Ultimately, our objective will be to modernize our laws for the 21st century in order to protect and promote our culture. We will have more to say on a review of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act very shortly. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who ignored these issues and did nothing but cut funding to culture for a decade, we are taking action and delivering for creators and Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is committed to the supply management system in this country. I myself, as well as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, cabinet ministers and caucus, and, indeed, the trade negotiators of NAFTA, have clearly indicated the Canadian direction.The Liberal government is the government that put supply management in place, and it is the Liberal government that will protect supply management.
Mr. Speaker, we fully support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to work in partnership with them.On this side of the House, we will listen to all indigenous voices. We will not ignore those who stay silent or who say things we do not want to hear. It would be nice if all parties of the House could see both sides of the issue. We are listening to people who adamantly oppose pipelines, as well as those who see the economic benefit for them and their communities. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada Post retail outlet in Bentley, Alberta is closing and residents will be forced to travel more than 22 kilometres each way to access postal services. Not only is this absolutely unacceptable, but it is also a direct violation of Canada Post's own charter. Canada Post has apologized for the inconvenience, but apologies just do not cut it. What will the government do to ensure that communities like Bentley have access to full postal services?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel and aluminum workers are facing considerable uncertainty. The decision to hit our industries with these punitive tariffs is completely scandalous. The Trump administration has gone too far, and the Canadian steel and aluminum industries are going to pay the price.We are glad that the government is meeting with industry to discuss a solution, but it has to meet the needs of the workers. That is important.Will the Prime Minister put in place a support program to protect workers, like Quebec is preparing to do?
Mr. Speaker, we know that it is very important to Canada's economy to invest in the pipeline in order to reach international markets. It is also very important for families, because of the number of associated jobs across the country. At the same time, we can boost our economy because this represents approximately $15 billion a year for our resource sector. It is very important and we will do it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we can fight climate change and grow our economy at the same time. That is what our plan is doing, and it is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, while the economy grows. In the past two years, there have been 600,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate is at the lowest level in decades. Since 2016, Canada has led other G7 countries in economic growth. Putting a price on pollution will make Canada's economy stronger over time. It will create good economic progress. It will create good middle-class jobs. It will do the right thing for our children and for the future of the planet.
Mr. Speaker, the security agencies of the country, particularly CBSA, have made the appropriate arrangements internally to make sure they have the resources and facilities at the border to deal with all circumstances, usual and unusual. In the last budget, the Minister of Finance made $173 million available to the various agencies dealing with thisthe CBSA, the RCMP, and the immigration and refugees departmentto make sure that we can enforce all Canadian laws and honour all Canadian international obligations.
Mr. Speaker, one of the fundamental realities is that nobody wins in trade wars. We are continuing to impress upon our American partners and American citizens to understand that we do not want to harm jobs in the United States. We do not want to see job losses in Canada. We continue to believe that by working thoughtfully and firmly with the American administration, we are going to be able to move forward in a positive direction. That is what we are continuing to do. In the meantime, we will consult with Canadians on this important retaliatory measure.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will recall that we are delivering a historic infrastructure plan of $180 billion over the next 10 years.As part of our procurement process, the hon. member will note that we are a free trade country. We must respect our engagements to be open and free with the world, and that goes the same for our procurement process, which will remain open, transparent, and free, as part of a free trading nation.
Mr. Speaker, it is very evident that the Conservatives do not have a plan to address climate change. They are missing the boat on the future economic opportunities enabled by addressing climate change in a thoughtful and substantive way. According to the World Bank, the Paris Agreement will open up $23 trillion in opportunities. We are focused on ensuring that we are driving clean technology, that we are moving forward with an agenda that will address environmental imperatives, and that we do so in a way that will create a stronger economy for Canada in years to come.
Mr. Speaker, the workers in Canada are being affected right away. The effect on jobs and the Canadian economy is happening in real time. The American tariffs went into effect immediately, and Canadian shipments of steel are already being turned back from the border. Why is the Prime Minister waiting three weeks to impose these counter-measures, specifically on steel and aluminum, when the U.S. tariffs came into effect right away?
Mr. Speaker, cannabis consumption rates by our youth are among the highest in the developed world. Education aimed at teenagers about the dangers of cannabis use is essential. As a hockey dad, I have taken my son William to many Oakville Blades hockey games. I know how influential professional hockey players can be as role models, so I am excited about our government's recent partnership to educate teenagers about the risk of cannabis.Can the Minister of Health please update the House on her public awareness campaign?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the amazing work she is doing to support our seniors.The National Seniors Council is a major partner whose experience and expertise are vital to helping us provide quality services and benefits to all our seniors. That is why we are fortunate to be working with the council's new chairperson, Dr. Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, who has 25 years of experience in gerontology and community health and who will be helping us as we continue to work very hard for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, we are currently losing $15 billion per year because we cannot export our oil resources to countries other than the United States.One thing that has become crystal clear in recent days is how important access to new markets is. To that end, we need reliable, responsible access, which we can achieve with the pipeline we approved in accordance with a system that included more consultation with indigenous peoples. We will continue to make investments that are in the national interest, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, our government is acutely aware that irregular migrants place new pressures on certain provinces, that need to find temporary accommodations for these asylum seekers. Since my colleague mentioned funding, I am pleased to announce that we have invested $50 million in Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, the three provinces most affected by accommodation costs. We recognize that these provinces and the municipalities have worked hard to provide housing and other services. We commend them on their outstanding collaboration. We are going to keep working very hard to address this issue with the provinces on the task force.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report to the heritage minister, indicating that urgent reforms are needed to sustain Canadian culture in television, film, and music and that the current system is simply unsustainable. It is critical that large corporations and web giants chip in their fair share to preserve Canadian content on our screens. We do not need another study or yet another consultation; we need action now.Will the Liberal government stop dragging its feet and commit to reforms today?
Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced a new vision for Canada Post that puts service front and centre and fulfills its platform commitments. Part of that vision includes reinvesting profits in Canada Post service and innovation. We certainly encourage Canada Post to expand its partnerships for the benefit of Canadians. We have heard loud and clear from the Canada Post review that it should focus its efforts on excellence in service and its core functions, and we agree with this view.
Mr. Speaker, for a government that claims that no relationship is as important as its relationship with indigenous peoples, I suspect it might be embarrassing to purchase a pipeline and force it on the people despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous communities. In fact, it should be ashamed.Does the government think that imposing this pipeline expansion at all costs after a botched, flawed process really respects the Constitution and honours the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is real. They expect us to take strong action to address climate change, and that is exactly what we are doing. We have taken action through the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to accelerate the phase-out of coal, to put methane regulations in place, to promote green infrastructure, and to do a whole range of things that will allow us to stimulate the economy, grow the economy of the future, and fundamentally address the critical issue of climate change going forward.Unfortunately, the opposition members are making this a partisan issue. Climate change is something that is in the interest of every Canadian and every human being on this planet, and is something that they should not play
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are in favour of Trans Mountain. They want the project to move forward, but they do not want their money to be used to make Americans richer. The government is sending $4.5 billion straight to Texas, not to mention all the executive bonuses. Come on. This makes no sense.Why does the government keep pushing this? It could have done something in the past year and a half, but it did nothing, and now the pipeline is being nationalized.Does the minister truly think it is a good idea to take $4.5 billion of taxpayer money and send it to Texas?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers are under attack, with Trump tariffs from abroad and Liberal taxes here at home, higher taxes on middle-class Canadians and higher taxes on the businesses that employ them. Ironically, the same companies south of the border that are pushing for this protectionism will also benefit from the carbon tax here in Canada, which would drive money, jobs, and income into that country.How much will the carbon tax cost the average Canadian steel and aluminum worker?
Mr. Speaker, for those families who are relying on a strong energy sector, we are doing exactly what we should do: a project in the national interest that will secure the industry and at the same time create thousands of new jobs. For Alberta workers, for British Columbia workers, I am so pleased we have Liberal members who are supporting what we are doing on behalf of those workers, and I am disappointed that the members across the way are not supporting those workers.
Mr. Speaker, the position of Iran is unacceptable, and our position on Iran is clear: We oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the Assad regime.Canada is a steadfast friend of Israel and a friend to the Palestinian people. We are committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We continue to support the building of conditions necessary for both parties to find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, our government enhanced the Canada pension plan, restored the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, and implemented automatic registration for the GIS. That is how we are addressing the problems Canadian seniors are worried about. Last week, the minister responsible for seniors met with the National Seniors Council.Can the minister tell us about the council's mandate and how its work will help the government continue to meet seniors' needs?
Mr. Speaker, our government doubled the funding for the Canada summer jobs program in order to offer nearly 70,000 students paid work experience.All organizations approved for Canada summer jobs funding must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If an organization does not respect these terms and conditions, it will not be reimbursed for the salaries of the students it has hired.I have asked my department to look into these organizations, and we will continue from there.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are saying they are trying to put a price on something. What they are doing is putting a price on hiring Canadian workers. Those same workers will bring with them higher payroll taxes, and now higher carbon taxes, taxes that those companies will not have to pay south of the border. While the Government of Canada is now sending $4.5 billion to a Texas company to build pipelines in a jurisdiction that competes with Canada, it is raising taxes here at home to drive jobs outside of our country. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, first, we would like to thank the chair of the CRTC, Ian Scott, and his team for their report, as well as all of the businesses and stakeholders who contributed to it.Our objective is to modernize our laws to protect and promote our 21st century culture. We will soon have news regarding the review of our laws. Unlike Mr. Harper's Conservatives, who made draconian cuts and waged a war against the cultural sector, we are taking action to help this sector and our artists.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers are dealing with a two-faced Liberal government that claims here in the House to be protecting supply management, while it negotiates supply management market share with the Americans behind closed doors. That is exactly what the Prime Minister admitted in an interview on NBC: Canada will be flexible on access to the agricultural market to ease negotiations on NAFTA. How hypocritical.I am calling for an honest answer. Have the Liberals proposed an agreement to the Americans that would sacrifice market share in supply management, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report, which proposes solutions for the future of our culture. It describes the current system as untenable. The cultural community said that it had finally been heard and that it hoped that the government would do something.The government has been talking about this for three years and meanwhile, every day, Canadians are turning to new media with no Canadian content and no taxes. This is not the wild west.Will the minister of culture commit to announcing, in the coming days, the main thrusts of a reform, rather than a new one-year consultation process?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals paid $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to purchase the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, while Kinder Morgan is taking $7.4 billion of private investment planned for its expansion out of Canada. Apparently the gift of tax dollars will also pay $1.5-million bonuses each to two Kinder Morgan executives, which is good news for the rich executives and bad news for Canadian energy workers. Why is the Prime Minister paying mega-bonuses to millionaires with taxpayer dollars while middle-class Canadians in the same industry struggle to find work?
Mr. Speaker, for several years, the Liberals have been proudly saying to anyone who will listen that the EI gap is fixed. Oddly enough, seasonal workers in the Atlantic provinces have a completely different experience. The training program does not fix the EI gap. In a few months, their nightmare will begin anew. Putting money into half measures is not enough. Seasonal workers want EI reform, as promised.When will this reform happen?
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that one suicide is one too many.I am continuing to work with the Minister of National Defence on this as a priority of our government. To this end, we have hired 460 new front-line staff, and 4,000 mental health professionals that we work with. We have opened 11 operational stress injury clinics that deal with PTSD. We announced the opening of a new centre of excellence on PTSD just recently. In fact our newly proposed pension for life is centred around the flexibility required for the treatment of PTSD.
Mr. Speaker, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, tweeted that Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor in the West Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated. This is nothing less than an incitement to genocide, and Conservatives condemn it in the strongest possible language. The Iranian regime is a state sponsor of terror that supports Hamas. This is another reason why it is important for Canada to stand with Israel when it comes under attack, but this also highlights the fact that Canada cannot tolerate this hatred. Will the Prime Minister commit now to ending all efforts to normalize relations with Iran?
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by assuring my colleague across the aisle that the compensation policies for affected businesses are the same as when Canada was hosting the G7 in 2010, when his party was in government. In addition, we actively collaborated with all regional partners, local communities, first nations, the Quebec government, and the City of Quebec. We also held a public meeting to gather feedback from local residents. This event will generate major economic benefits throughout the region.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Oakville for his hard work on the health committee.As mentioned, the Harper Conservatives' approach to cannabis did not work and does not work. It has allowed criminals and organized crime to profit while it has failed to keep it out of the hands of our youth. However, since forming government, we have taken a public health approach, one that maximizes education and minimizes the harm. Last week, I was extremely pleased to announce that we are partnering with the Canadian Hockey League to allow youth to hear from players about how making healthy choices can help them achieve their life goals.
Madam Speaker, today, four victims of former national ski coach Bertrand Charest spoke publicly about their abuse. My thoughts are with Geneviève Simard, Anna Prchal, Gail Kelly, and Amélie-Frédérique Gagnon, who are only asking that young athletes be protected.What is the minister going to do?
Mr. Speaker, over 20,000 people entered Canada illegally in 2017. The figure so far for 2018 is already in excess of 8,000. The safe third country agreement has been in place since 2004, but it is no longer appropriate for the reality on the ground. On the contrary, it is encouraging mass illegal immigration at our borders. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has talked about renegotiating the agreement, but no concrete action has been taken, apart from a partial reimbursement to the Quebec government. The Prime Minister needs to show leadership on this issue and come up with concrete solutions for protecting our borders.When are we going to see a plan?
Mr. Speaker, I am totally aghast that the Liberals are continually trying to sweep this problem under the rug. Is it that the Liberals know that they benefit from this shady third party foreign spending? I say this because under this new legislation, third parties would still be able to take unlimited amounts of foreign cash as long as they do so before June 30. That money will be directly used to influence the outcome of Canadian elections.Can the minister explain how this is not just the Liberals acting in their own self-interest once again instead of protecting Canada's democracy from foreign interference?
Mr. Speaker, Bertrand Charest, a former national ski coach, was convicted in 2017 of sexually assaulting a number of his athletes.Four courageous women who suffered due to his negligent actions, or criminal actions, we would call them, are requesting all sport federations to implement athlete safety programs. They are calling for the universal adoption of the rule of two to ensure that no young athlete is left alone with his or her coach.In response to these courageous women, what actions will the Minister of Sport commit to taking to stand up for young athletes in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we are making investments to protect thousands of jobs in Alberta and across the country.When I went to Fort McMurray to meet with energy sector workers, I told them that the government has their backs. From the beginning, this government has supported the thousands of energy sector workers across the country, and we will continue to work to protect Canadian jobs. We cannot comment on internal decisions that are part of private negotiations.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that G7 protests are inevitable, but we hope that they will be peaceful.We also all know that vandalism could occur, but the government has not made any plans in that regard. The government expects residents and businesses to get their insurance to cover the cost of any damage. Canadians should not have to foot the bill for G7-related property damage. They should not have to pay deductibles or premium increases.Will the government immediately commit to compensating any victims of G7-related vandalism?
Mr. Speaker, with the U.S. imposing tariffs on steel, one way to offset lost exports is to ensure public infrastructure is built with Canadian steel. Last week I asked about Regina steel for Trans Mountain. Two years ago I asked why less than 20% of the steel in the new Champlain Bridge would be made in Canada. In response to Trump's tariffs, will the government finally increase the amount of Canadian steel used in federal infrastructure projects?
Mr. Speaker, this Friday and Saturday, the people of BeauportLimoilou will be in the thick of the G7 action, for good reasons or for bad, because we live between downtown Quebec and Charlevoix. An anti-G7 protest in Beauport, near the highway to La Malbaie, is already scheduled. Residents and business owners are increasingly worried. Uncertainty prevails, especially about the compensation procedures; in truth, people are wondering if they will get any compensation at all.In case of damage due to vandalism or demonstrations getting out of hand, will the residents and business owners of BeauportLimoilou receive compensation?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were stunned to watch this climate-fighting Prime Minister promise to end fossil fuel subsidies and then go out and buy himself a used pipeline, a 65-year-old pipeline, with our money. These geniuses paid eight times the price that it was bought for just a few years ago. Adding insult to injury in this public bailout, it includes a $3-million bonus to Kinder Morgan executives. Sorry, not sorry is not going to cut it this time.Will the Liberals come clean and table the deal on the Kinder Morgan bailout so all Canadians can see how they ripped us off?
Mr. Speaker, last week, because of another failure of the Prime Minister, Canadians involuntarily became shareholders in the Trans Mountain pipeline.As if the initial expenditure of $4.5 billion was not enough, we now know that some of that money was used to give very generous bonuses of over $1 billion to Kinder Morgan executives.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he knew that Canadians' money was going to be used like that? Why does he think that is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Conservatives tried and failed to get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. They could not get it done. We have actually moved forward in securing a pipeline to new markets across the Pacific, something they were unable to do. Yes, I know it is a shock to the Conservatives, but public investment has often been part of developing our natural resources, going back decades. They, however, are trapped in their ideology and continue to play politics with thousands of good jobs for Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, Kinder Morgan did not actually need one cent of taxpayer money. The Liberals just had to enforce federal jurisdiction, which they did promise to legislate, but they nationalized the old pipeline instead. It is a bad signal for future private sector investment in pipelines and Canadian oil and gas. Since 2015, the Liberals have jeopardized Canada's energy sector, killed hundreds of billions of dollars in major energy projects, and sacrificed hundreds of thousands of jobs. Why is the Prime Minister giving money to rich millionaires while families in the energy sector are struggling to make ends meet because of him?
Mr. Speaker, everybody knows that Donald Trump wants to take our money and our jobs. What we cannot understand is why the Government of Canada is helping him. Higher taxes here at home make it very difficult for Canadian businesses to compete south of the border. In fact, Canadian investment in the United States is up two-thirds since the current Prime Minister took office, and American investment in Canada is down by half. Money is going that way, and jobs will soon follow. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, Global Affairs Canada has told farmers not to spread manure during the G7. Once again, Ottawa does not understand the regions.Here is how it works. Farmers have only until June 15 to finish planting their crops, but they have to spread manure before planting. These farms produce the food that the ministers from the big city will find on their expensive menus at the G7. That is what happens when events take place in rural areas. The scenery is beautiful, but people are hard at work.Does the government realize that its directive is unrealistic?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about foreign interference in elections through third party spending, and rightfully so.Right now in the Ontario election, Leadnow, a shadowy, foreign-funded group, is paying thousands of dollars to try to affect the outcome of that election. This is a problem federally, too. The Liberals are allowing foreign groups to flow unlimited amounts of money to influence Canadian elections through third parties. Will the Liberals actually protect our elections from foreign influence, or perhaps they are trying to benefit from it?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are outraged over the Canadian government's handling of the Trans Mountain project. The Liberals have decided to nationalize a pipeline, resulting in $4.5 billion in taxpayers' money leaving Canada and going directly to Texans' pockets.What we did not know was that two of the company's executives received a generous $1.5-million bonus each. Can the Prime Minister tell us with a straight face that he thinks it is a smart move to take Canadians' money and give it to U.S. corporate executives?
Mr. Speaker, I am shocked that today the government has chosen to completely disregard its obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Last week, the Prime Minister voted in favour of developing a recognition and implementation of rights framework in partnership with indigenous peoples, and five days later he has failed his first test.Does the Prime Minister understand that respecting the rights of first nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples means respecting even those who do not agree with him? The Prime Minister cannot tell me that I do not understand.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, this was a small reimbursement that was clearly welcomed by Quebec. However, the Prime Minister accuses us of sowing fear and division whenever we remind him of his responsibility to enforce our border and immigration laws. Meanwhile, 800 employees from all over Canada have been reassigned to Quebec, the biometric collection system for asylum seekers has broken down, security screening interviews have been cut down from eight hours to two, and just 135 of the more than 30,000 people who have entered Canada illegally have been deported. This is not about fear. It is about enforcing Canada's sovereignty.Where is the plan?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite's assertion is absolutely false. We are doing everything we can to ensure that we do not have foreign funding within our elections here in Canada. In fact, it is already illegal for foreign entities or individuals to contribute to political parties or campaigns. We are ensuring that we are tightening loopholes with regard to third parties. Third parties, in the next election, should this legislation pass, would be required to open a bank account. They would be required to report all the time the contributions they receive, and they would have a limit on their spending during an election and during the pre-writ period.
Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely aghast that the member opposite is fearmongering in this way. We take foreign influence in our elections extraordinarily seriously, including with regard to foreign funds, which is what we are doing in this legislation to ensure that it will be limited not just with the six months prior to an election as the previous Conservative government did, but also, in fact, requiring that third parties report all the time the funding they have, and open a bank account to assert that the only money used is Canadian. Furthermore, we are also taking actions with regard to the cybersphere and foreign influence. We are going to protect our next election.
Mr. Speaker, we are four days into the U.S. unfair steel and aluminum tariffs, and Canadian workers in the manufacturing sector spent the weekend worried about their jobs. Canadians are asking why the government was waiting 30 days to bring in our own tariffs. These tariffs are a Band-Aid solution, and the government must work toward a permanent exemption. The clock is already ticking on a similar decision on tariffs to our auto sector. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are literally on the line. How is the government going to ensure Canadian workers in our largest industries are protected against destructive tactics from south of the border?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Canadian farmers do not support a carbon tax. The ag minister is clearly dead wrong on that. In fact, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers said that the carbon tax is bad for farmers. It is going to put them at a huge disadvantage on the world stage.Will the ag minister finally admit that the carbon tax is bad for farm families, and maybe while he is at it, tell those families how much the carbon tax is going to cost them?
Mr. Speaker, last week, Conservatives supported the government in opposition to unacceptable tariffs levied against Canadian steel and aluminum workers. We supported the government's efforts to retaliate against this unilateral decision by the United States. However, while the U.S. tariffs came into force immediately, last Thursday, Canadian tariffs will not come into effect until July 1. Why?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has killed thousands of jobs in the energy sector by killing northern gateway and cancelling energy east. Last week, he announced that he is forcing Canadians to pay $4.5 billion for his failure to get Trans Mountain built. It is bad enough that the Prime Minister is sending taxpayers' money to Texas to be invested in American projects, but now we learn that he is paying two executives over $3 million in bonuses. Why is it that every time the Prime Minister bails out a big company, executives get paid off?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal attack on agriculture is devastating: front-of-pack labelling, food guide, grain backlog, bungled trade agreements, and tax hikes. Now the agriculture minister is claiming that farmers support the Liberal carbon tax. Has he even spoken to Canadian farmers?The chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association said, Im not sure who has been briefing [the minister], but he is dead wrong if he thinks that most farmers support a carbon tax.How can the minister speak for agriculture if he is so out of touch with Canadian farmers?
Mr. Speaker, we were shocked to discover on the Government of Canada website that Liberal ministers and MPs supposedly funded organizations in several ridings that support terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are associated with anti-Semitism and violent homophobia. The religious leader for one of these organizations was recently criticized for his appalling anti-Semitism.Now that the Liberals have specifically introduced an attestation on respect for human rights, how can the Prime Minister justify the unjustifiable and unacceptable?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.As I have said, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have an anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policy in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen that policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, I know my hon. colleague is well aware and understands that farmers are great stewards of the land. They understand how important it is to take care of our environment. Farmers have great concerns, and that is why diesel fuel and gasoline are exempt under our federal backstop.Through the federal government's investments, we are continuing to build a strong economy for our farmers while putting environmental protections in place. What we have done, as I indicated, is put more money into research and science in agriculture, which is vitally important.
Mr. Speaker, there is no tolerance of harassment of any kind. All Canadians deserve the opportunity to participate in a sport environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and abuse.We have established a working group on gender equity in sport, which will examine a number of issues, including harassment, discrimination, and abuse in sport. All federally funded sport organizations must have anti-discrimination, harassment, and abuse policies in place to be eligible for funding. We will be announcing changes to strengthen our policy in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, I respectfully suggest that, indeed, during consultations, listening and working to build reconciliation with indigenous peoples means listening to all voices of the indigenous community, including those who disagree with us. We have a tremendous depth of respect for all indigenous voices, both from those who oppose the pipeline and from those who wish the pipeline to move forward. Working with them to allay fears and create opportunities is something all Canadians expect of our government on the path to reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, a couple of Kinder Morgan executives must be laughing today.The two top executives responsible for the Trans Mountain expansion each pocketed $1.5 million in bonuses. That adds up to $3 million in bonuses alone. That is absolutely ridiculous.Even now, the Prime Minister is breaking his promise to end oil industry subsidies and helping the rich get richer. Great job.Does the Prime Minister think it is okay
Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning, the minister has prioritized his Liberal family and friends over the hard-working, good people of Grand Bank. He compromised a 25-year surf clam success story for partisan gain. In the words of the Fisheries Council of Canada, he has undermined Canada's fisheries sector. With all the controversy, it now appears the minister has been informed that Five Nations cannot even secure financing.When will the minister admit he has created a disaster, start a new, fair, and open and transparent process, and recuse himself from the file?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. These tariffs are completely unacceptable. Our government will and has taken responsive measures to defend Canada's interests after consulting with Canadians to make sure that no Canadians are adversely impacted on the detailed target list that we promulgated on our websites. These tariffs are not acceptable. They will harm U.S. workers and their industry, as well as Canadians. In fact, the U.S. has a surplus in trade with Canada vis-à-vis steel. Canada is also a safe and secure supplier of fairly traded steel and aluminum to the U.S. Members can rest assured that Canadian workers can absolutely count
Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate what I just said about how proud we are to welcome world leaders to the beautiful Charlevoix region for the G7 summit this week.The Prime Minister met with local leaders, first nations communities, and local residents to ensure that the meeting this weekend goes well. We know that residents of Charlevoix are proud to host this meeting. What is more, policies have been in place for a long time regarding compensation for local businesses related to this event.
Mr. Speaker, once again, Canada will be hosting a world-class event this weekend when we welcome the world for the G7. We are proud, as is everyone in the Charlevoix region, to be hosting this important event. It is an opportunity to talk about issues that are important to the entire world, such as human rights, democracy, and peaceful pluralism, things that Canada strongly advocates for in the world.
Mr. Speaker, while new dedicated funds to research post-traumatic stress injury disorder is welcome, research is just one element in this crucial fight.We cannot have a conversation about PTSD without a conversation about treatment. Many were hoping that dedicated resources for treatment facilities would also be announced. We know that a lack of PTSD treatment is a significant contributing factor to the recent deaths by suicide of our veterans.Will the government work with us and veterans to make sure that necessary treatment is widely available?
Mr. Speaker, all members in the House know just how important the EI system is to providing income security and job transition opportunities to all families and workers, and in particular seasonal workers.We have listened to our provincial and territorial partners, and in recent weeks and months we implemented important measures to provide appropriate support in the coming months and years. This support will provide hope and opportunities to all of our communities, workers, and businesses.
Mr. Speaker, we would like to focus on the good news for Canadians. The good news is that we found a way to make sure that we can complete a pipeline that will allow us to get to international markets, creating enormous value of up to $15 billion a year for the industry, but, most importantly, creating thousands of jobs across our country, jobs in British Columbia and jobs in Alberta and jobs across the country. We are going to stand up for those workers and we are going to stand up for the Canadian economy for future workers.
Mr. Speaker, working for Canadians is what is important to us. The economy is also very important.Thanks to our investment, we will have a pipeline to access international markets. This is very important, and it is why we made the decision. We would also like to create a better economy for the future and maintain good jobs in Alberta and British Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, even today, there are indigenous children living on reserves in Canada who cannot safely drink, bathe in, or even play in the water that comes out of their taps. This is why we committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserves by March 2021. Could the hon. Minister of Indigenous Services please update the House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to support and defend Canadian workers and producers. That is our government's priority.That is why we are very proud of our world-class producers. That is why we completely agree with the members opposite that it is absolutely unacceptable that these tariffs were imposed. That is why we will defend them and are engaging with them to see what the next steps and options are. Make no mistake: our government will continue to support aluminum workers and steelworkers across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, as I have risen to state in the House many times, many of these allegations are unsubstantiated. Our government believes that increasing indigenous participation in offshore fisheries offers a powerful opportunity to advance reconciliation. That is why we created a process that we are proud of to consult industry and indigenous communities on potential participation in the surf clam fishery. This process was similar to the one undertaken by the previous Conservative government, except they forgot to include indigenous people. We did not forget. We are focused on how this is benefiting the highest number of Atlantic Canadians and first nations in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advocacy on this issue. I am happy to report to the House that as of today we have lifted 62 long-term drinking water advisories for public systems on reserves. Canadians really care about this, and finally we have a government that has the political will, the long-term investments, and the meticulous organization to work with communities to make sure that water operators are trained. We will continue to do this work with communities and make sure that all long-term drinking water advisories for public systems
Mr. Speaker, $15 billion a year is what it costs us when we cannot export our oil resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives, who pretended they were great friends of the oil industry, were not able to achieve that in 10 years of trying, and we are now able to secure a pipeline that gets our oil resources to new markets. On top of that, it goes within a pan-Canadian framework on climate change, which includes a national price on carbon pollution right across the country and a historic oceans protection plan.
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that Canadian farmers are great stewards of the land who know the importance of protecting the environment, and they are making vital contributions to fighting climate change.We know that farmers had some concerns, and that is why gasoline and diesel fuel for on-farm use are exempt under the federal backstop. Unlike the previous Conservative government, we have invested in agriculture research and science. In fact, it was the Conservative government that cut
Mr. Speaker, as I have said from the very beginning, it is one of Canada's strengths that on an issue as important as dealing with the Canada-U.S. relationship, Canadians have been broadly united, and I know that has made a difference in our ability to engage firmly and strongly with the United States. On the question of the tariffs, we think it is important that before we bring in tariffs, we consult with Canadians to make sure that we are doing the right things for Canadians. We know these American motions are going to hurt workers in the United States. We would not want our decisions to hurt workers in Canada.
Mr. Speaker, first we would like to thank CRTC chair Ian Scott and his team for the report, and thank the many companies and creative industry players who contributed to it.Ultimately, our objective will be to modernize our laws for the 21st century in order to protect and promote our culture. We will have more to say on a review of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act very shortly. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who ignored these issues and did nothing but cut funding to culture for a decade, we are taking action and delivering for creators and Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is committed to the supply management system in this country. I myself, as well as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, cabinet ministers and caucus, and, indeed, the trade negotiators of NAFTA, have clearly indicated the Canadian direction.The Liberal government is the government that put supply management in place, and it is the Liberal government that will protect supply management.
Mr. Speaker, we fully support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to work in partnership with them.On this side of the House, we will listen to all indigenous voices. We will not ignore those who stay silent or who say things we do not want to hear. It would be nice if all parties of the House could see both sides of the issue. We are listening to people who adamantly oppose pipelines, as well as those who see the economic benefit for them and their communities. That is what Canadians expect of us.
Mr. Speaker, the Canada Post retail outlet in Bentley, Alberta is closing and residents will be forced to travel more than 22 kilometres each way to access postal services. Not only is this absolutely unacceptable, but it is also a direct violation of Canada Post's own charter. Canada Post has apologized for the inconvenience, but apologies just do not cut it. What will the government do to ensure that communities like Bentley have access to full postal services?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel and aluminum workers are facing considerable uncertainty. The decision to hit our industries with these punitive tariffs is completely scandalous. The Trump administration has gone too far, and the Canadian steel and aluminum industries are going to pay the price.We are glad that the government is meeting with industry to discuss a solution, but it has to meet the needs of the workers. That is important.Will the Prime Minister put in place a support program to protect workers, like Quebec is preparing to do?
Mr. Speaker, we know that it is very important to Canada's economy to invest in the pipeline in order to reach international markets. It is also very important for families, because of the number of associated jobs across the country. At the same time, we can boost our economy because this represents approximately $15 billion a year for our resource sector. It is very important and we will do it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that we can fight climate change and grow our economy at the same time. That is what our plan is doing, and it is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, while the economy grows. In the past two years, there have been 600,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate is at the lowest level in decades. Since 2016, Canada has led other G7 countries in economic growth. Putting a price on pollution will make Canada's economy stronger over time. It will create good economic progress. It will create good middle-class jobs. It will do the right thing for our children and for the future of the planet.
Mr. Speaker, the security agencies of the country, particularly CBSA, have made the appropriate arrangements internally to make sure they have the resources and facilities at the border to deal with all circumstances, usual and unusual. In the last budget, the Minister of Finance made $173 million available to the various agencies dealing with thisthe CBSA, the RCMP, and the immigration and refugees departmentto make sure that we can enforce all Canadian laws and honour all Canadian international obligations.
Mr. Speaker, one of the fundamental realities is that nobody wins in trade wars. We are continuing to impress upon our American partners and American citizens to understand that we do not want to harm jobs in the United States. We do not want to see job losses in Canada. We continue to believe that by working thoughtfully and firmly with the American administration, we are going to be able to move forward in a positive direction. That is what we are continuing to do. In the meantime, we will consult with Canadians on this important retaliatory measure.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will recall that we are delivering a historic infrastructure plan of $180 billion over the next 10 years.As part of our procurement process, the hon. member will note that we are a free trade country. We must respect our engagements to be open and free with the world, and that goes the same for our procurement process, which will remain open, transparent, and free, as part of a free trading nation.
Mr. Speaker, it is very evident that the Conservatives do not have a plan to address climate change. They are missing the boat on the future economic opportunities enabled by addressing climate change in a thoughtful and substantive way. According to the World Bank, the Paris Agreement will open up $23 trillion in opportunities. We are focused on ensuring that we are driving clean technology, that we are moving forward with an agenda that will address environmental imperatives, and that we do so in a way that will create a stronger economy for Canada in years to come.
Mr. Speaker, the workers in Canada are being affected right away. The effect on jobs and the Canadian economy is happening in real time. The American tariffs went into effect immediately, and Canadian shipments of steel are already being turned back from the border. Why is the Prime Minister waiting three weeks to impose these counter-measures, specifically on steel and aluminum, when the U.S. tariffs came into effect right away?
Mr. Speaker, cannabis consumption rates by our youth are among the highest in the developed world. Education aimed at teenagers about the dangers of cannabis use is essential. As a hockey dad, I have taken my son William to many Oakville Blades hockey games. I know how influential professional hockey players can be as role models, so I am excited about our government's recent partnership to educate teenagers about the risk of cannabis.Can the Minister of Health please update the House on her public awareness campaign?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking my colleague from BrossardSaint-Lambert for the amazing work she is doing to support our seniors.The National Seniors Council is a major partner whose experience and expertise are vital to helping us provide quality services and benefits to all our seniors. That is why we are fortunate to be working with the council's new chairperson, Dr. Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, who has 25 years of experience in gerontology and community health and who will be helping us as we continue to work very hard for our seniors.
Mr. Speaker, we are currently losing $15 billion per year because we cannot export our oil resources to countries other than the United States.One thing that has become crystal clear in recent days is how important access to new markets is. To that end, we need reliable, responsible access, which we can achieve with the pipeline we approved in accordance with a system that included more consultation with indigenous peoples. We will continue to make investments that are in the national interest, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, our government is acutely aware that irregular migrants place new pressures on certain provinces, that need to find temporary accommodations for these asylum seekers. Since my colleague mentioned funding, I am pleased to announce that we have invested $50 million in Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba, the three provinces most affected by accommodation costs. We recognize that these provinces and the municipalities have worked hard to provide housing and other services. We commend them on their outstanding collaboration. We are going to keep working very hard to address this issue with the provinces on the task force.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report to the heritage minister, indicating that urgent reforms are needed to sustain Canadian culture in television, film, and music and that the current system is simply unsustainable. It is critical that large corporations and web giants chip in their fair share to preserve Canadian content on our screens. We do not need another study or yet another consultation; we need action now.Will the Liberal government stop dragging its feet and commit to reforms today?
Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced a new vision for Canada Post that puts service front and centre and fulfills its platform commitments. Part of that vision includes reinvesting profits in Canada Post service and innovation. We certainly encourage Canada Post to expand its partnerships for the benefit of Canadians. We have heard loud and clear from the Canada Post review that it should focus its efforts on excellence in service and its core functions, and we agree with this view.
Mr. Speaker, for a government that claims that no relationship is as important as its relationship with indigenous peoples, I suspect it might be embarrassing to purchase a pipeline and force it on the people despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous communities. In fact, it should be ashamed.Does the government think that imposing this pipeline expansion at all costs after a botched, flawed process really respects the Constitution and honours the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is real. They expect us to take strong action to address climate change, and that is exactly what we are doing. We have taken action through the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change to accelerate the phase-out of coal, to put methane regulations in place, to promote green infrastructure, and to do a whole range of things that will allow us to stimulate the economy, grow the economy of the future, and fundamentally address the critical issue of climate change going forward.Unfortunately, the opposition members are making this a partisan issue. Climate change is something that is in the interest of every Canadian and every human being on this planet, and is something that they should not play
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are in favour of Trans Mountain. They want the project to move forward, but they do not want their money to be used to make Americans richer. The government is sending $4.5 billion straight to Texas, not to mention all the executive bonuses. Come on. This makes no sense.Why does the government keep pushing this? It could have done something in the past year and a half, but it did nothing, and now the pipeline is being nationalized.Does the minister truly think it is a good idea to take $4.5 billion of taxpayer money and send it to Texas?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers are under attack, with Trump tariffs from abroad and Liberal taxes here at home, higher taxes on middle-class Canadians and higher taxes on the businesses that employ them. Ironically, the same companies south of the border that are pushing for this protectionism will also benefit from the carbon tax here in Canada, which would drive money, jobs, and income into that country.How much will the carbon tax cost the average Canadian steel and aluminum worker?
Mr. Speaker, for those families who are relying on a strong energy sector, we are doing exactly what we should do: a project in the national interest that will secure the industry and at the same time create thousands of new jobs. For Alberta workers, for British Columbia workers, I am so pleased we have Liberal members who are supporting what we are doing on behalf of those workers, and I am disappointed that the members across the way are not supporting those workers.
Mr. Speaker, the position of Iran is unacceptable, and our position on Iran is clear: We oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the Assad regime.Canada is a steadfast friend of Israel and a friend to the Palestinian people. We are committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We continue to support the building of conditions necessary for both parties to find a solution.
Mr. Speaker, our government enhanced the Canada pension plan, restored the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, and implemented automatic registration for the GIS. That is how we are addressing the problems Canadian seniors are worried about. Last week, the minister responsible for seniors met with the National Seniors Council.Can the minister tell us about the council's mandate and how its work will help the government continue to meet seniors' needs?
Mr. Speaker, our government doubled the funding for the Canada summer jobs program in order to offer nearly 70,000 students paid work experience.All organizations approved for Canada summer jobs funding must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If an organization does not respect these terms and conditions, it will not be reimbursed for the salaries of the students it has hired.I have asked my department to look into these organizations, and we will continue from there.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are saying they are trying to put a price on something. What they are doing is putting a price on hiring Canadian workers. Those same workers will bring with them higher payroll taxes, and now higher carbon taxes, taxes that those companies will not have to pay south of the border. While the Government of Canada is now sending $4.5 billion to a Texas company to build pipelines in a jurisdiction that competes with Canada, it is raising taxes here at home to drive jobs outside of our country. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, first, we would like to thank the chair of the CRTC, Ian Scott, and his team for their report, as well as all of the businesses and stakeholders who contributed to it.Our objective is to modernize our laws to protect and promote our 21st century culture. We will soon have news regarding the review of our laws. Unlike Mr. Harper's Conservatives, who made draconian cuts and waged a war against the cultural sector, we are taking action to help this sector and our artists.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers are dealing with a two-faced Liberal government that claims here in the House to be protecting supply management, while it negotiates supply management market share with the Americans behind closed doors. That is exactly what the Prime Minister admitted in an interview on NBC: Canada will be flexible on access to the agricultural market to ease negotiations on NAFTA. How hypocritical.I am calling for an honest answer. Have the Liberals proposed an agreement to the Americans that would sacrifice market share in supply management, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the CRTC submitted its report, which proposes solutions for the future of our culture. It describes the current system as untenable. The cultural community said that it had finally been heard and that it hoped that the government would do something.The government has been talking about this for three years and meanwhile, every day, Canadians are turning to new media with no Canadian content and no taxes. This is not the wild west.Will the minister of culture commit to announcing, in the coming days, the main thrusts of a reform, rather than a new one-year consultation process?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals paid $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to purchase the existing Trans Mountain pipeline, while Kinder Morgan is taking $7.4 billion of private investment planned for its expansion out of Canada. Apparently the gift of tax dollars will also pay $1.5-million bonuses each to two Kinder Morgan executives, which is good news for the rich executives and bad news for Canadian energy workers. Why is the Prime Minister paying mega-bonuses to millionaires with taxpayer dollars while middle-class Canadians in the same industry struggle to find work?
Mr. Speaker, for several years, the Liberals have been proudly saying to anyone who will listen that the EI gap is fixed. Oddly enough, seasonal workers in the Atlantic provinces have a completely different experience. The training program does not fix the EI gap. In a few months, their nightmare will begin anew. Putting money into half measures is not enough. Seasonal workers want EI reform, as promised.When will this reform happen?
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that one suicide is one too many.I am continuing to work with the Minister of National Defence on this as a priority of our government. To this end, we have hired 460 new front-line staff, and 4,000 mental health professionals that we work with. We have opened 11 operational stress injury clinics that deal with PTSD. We announced the opening of a new centre of excellence on PTSD just recently. In fact our newly proposed pension for life is centred around the flexibility required for the treatment of PTSD.
Mr. Speaker, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, tweeted that Israel is a malignant cancerous tumor in the West Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated. This is nothing less than an incitement to genocide, and Conservatives condemn it in the strongest possible language. The Iranian regime is a state sponsor of terror that supports Hamas. This is another reason why it is important for Canada to stand with Israel when it comes under attack, but this also highlights the fact that Canada cannot tolerate this hatred. Will the Prime Minister commit now to ending all efforts to normalize relations with Iran?
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by assuring my colleague across the aisle that the compensation policies for affected businesses are the same as when Canada was hosting the G7 in 2010, when his party was in government. In addition, we actively collaborated with all regional partners, local communities, first nations, the Quebec government, and the City of Quebec. We also held a public meeting to gather feedback from local residents. This event will generate major economic benefits throughout the region.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Oakville for his hard work on the health committee.As mentioned, the Harper Conservatives' approach to cannabis did not work and does not work. It has allowed criminals and organized crime to profit while it has failed to keep it out of the hands of our youth. However, since forming government, we have taken a public health approach, one that maximizes education and minimizes the harm. Last week, I was extremely pleased to announce that we are partnering with the Canadian Hockey League to allow youth to hear from players about how making healthy choices can help them achieve their life goals.
Madam Speaker, today, four victims of former national ski coach Bertrand Charest spoke publicly about their abuse. My thoughts are with Geneviève Simard, Anna Prchal, Gail Kelly, and Amélie-Frédérique Gagnon, who are only asking that young athletes be protected.What is the minister going to do?
Mr. Speaker, over 20,000 people entered Canada illegally in 2017. The figure so far for 2018 is already in excess of 8,000. The safe third country agreement has been in place since 2004, but it is no longer appropriate for the reality on the ground. On the contrary, it is encouraging mass illegal immigration at our borders. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has talked about renegotiating the agreement, but no concrete action has been taken, apart from a partial reimbursement to the Quebec government. The Prime Minister needs to show leadership on this issue and come up with concrete solutions for protecting our borders.When are we going to see a plan?
Mr. Speaker, I am totally aghast that the Liberals are continually trying to sweep this problem under the rug. Is it that the Liberals know that they benefit from this shady third party foreign spending? I say this because under this new legislation, third parties would still be able to take unlimited amounts of foreign cash as long as they do so before June 30. That money will be directly used to influence the outcome of Canadian elections.Can the minister explain how this is not just the Liberals acting in their own self-interest once again instead of protecting Canada's democracy from foreign interference?
Mr. Speaker, Bertrand Charest, a former national ski coach, was convicted in 2017 of sexually assaulting a number of his athletes.Four courageous women who suffered due to his negligent actions, or criminal actions, we would call them, are requesting all sport federations to implement athlete safety programs. They are calling for the universal adoption of the rule of two to ensure that no young athlete is left alone with his or her coach.In response to these courageous women, what actions will the Minister of Sport commit to taking to stand up for young athletes in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we are making investments to protect thousands of jobs in Alberta and across the country.When I went to Fort McMurray to meet with energy sector workers, I told them that the government has their backs. From the beginning, this government has supported the thousands of energy sector workers across the country, and we will continue to work to protect Canadian jobs. We cannot comment on internal decisions that are part of private negotiations.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that G7 protests are inevitable, but we hope that they will be peaceful.We also all know that vandalism could occur, but the government has not made any plans in that regard. The government expects residents and businesses to get their insurance to cover the cost of any damage. Canadians should not have to foot the bill for G7-related property damage. They should not have to pay deductibles or premium increases.Will the government immediately commit to compensating any victims of G7-related vandalism?
Mr. Speaker, with the U.S. imposing tariffs on steel, one way to offset lost exports is to ensure public infrastructure is built with Canadian steel. Last week I asked about Regina steel for Trans Mountain. Two years ago I asked why less than 20% of the steel in the new Champlain Bridge would be made in Canada. In response to Trump's tariffs, will the government finally increase the amount of Canadian steel used in federal infrastructure projects?
Mr. Speaker, this Friday and Saturday, the people of BeauportLimoilou will be in the thick of the G7 action, for good reasons or for bad, because we live between downtown Quebec and Charlevoix. An anti-G7 protest in Beauport, near the highway to La Malbaie, is already scheduled. Residents and business owners are increasingly worried. Uncertainty prevails, especially about the compensation procedures; in truth, people are wondering if they will get any compensation at all.In case of damage due to vandalism or demonstrations getting out of hand, will the residents and business owners of BeauportLimoilou receive compensation?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were stunned to watch this climate-fighting Prime Minister promise to end fossil fuel subsidies and then go out and buy himself a used pipeline, a 65-year-old pipeline, with our money. These geniuses paid eight times the price that it was bought for just a few years ago. Adding insult to injury in this public bailout, it includes a $3-million bonus to Kinder Morgan executives. Sorry, not sorry is not going to cut it this time.Will the Liberals come clean and table the deal on the Kinder Morgan bailout so all Canadians can see how they ripped us off?
Mr. Speaker, last week, because of another failure of the Prime Minister, Canadians involuntarily became shareholders in the Trans Mountain pipeline.As if the initial expenditure of $4.5 billion was not enough, we now know that some of that money was used to give very generous bonuses of over $1 billion to Kinder Morgan executives.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he knew that Canadians' money was going to be used like that? Why does he think that is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Conservatives tried and failed to get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. They could not get it done. We have actually moved forward in securing a pipeline to new markets across the Pacific, something they were unable to do. Yes, I know it is a shock to the Conservatives, but public investment has often been part of developing our natural resources, going back decades. They, however, are trapped in their ideology and continue to play politics with thousands of good jobs for Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, Kinder Morgan did not actually need one cent of taxpayer money. The Liberals just had to enforce federal jurisdiction, which they did promise to legislate, but they nationalized the old pipeline instead. It is a bad signal for future private sector investment in pipelines and Canadian oil and gas. Since 2015, the Liberals have jeopardized Canada's energy sector, killed hundreds of billions of dollars in major energy projects, and sacrificed hundreds of thousands of jobs. Why is the Prime Minister giving money to rich millionaires while families in the energy sector are struggling to make ends meet because of him?
Mr. Speaker, everybody knows that Donald Trump wants to take our money and our jobs. What we cannot understand is why the Government of Canada is helping him. Higher taxes here at home make it very difficult for Canadian businesses to compete south of the border. In fact, Canadian investment in the United States is up two-thirds since the current Prime Minister took office, and American investment in Canada is down by half. Money is going that way, and jobs will soon follow. How much will this carbon tax cost the average Canadian worker?
Mr. Speaker, Global Affairs Canada has told farmers not to spread manure during the G7. Once again, Ottawa does not understand the regions.Here is how it works. Farmers have only until June 15 to finish planting their crops, but they have to spread manure before planting. These farms produce the food that the ministers from the big city will find on their expensive menus at the G7. That is what happens when events take place in rural areas. The scenery is beautiful, but people are hard at work.Does the government realize that its directive is unrealistic?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about foreign interference in elections through third party spending, and rightfully so.Right now in the Ontario election, Leadnow, a shadowy, foreign-funded group, is paying thousands of dollars to try to affect the outcome of that election. This is a problem federally, too. The Liberals are allowing foreign groups to flow unlimited amounts of money to influence Canadian elections through third parties. Will the Liberals actually protect our elections from foreign influence, or perhaps they are trying to benefit from it?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian families are outraged over the Canadian government's handling of the Trans Mountain project. The Liberals have decided to nationalize a pipeline, resulting in $4.5 billion in taxpayers' money leaving Canada and going directly to Texans' pockets.What we did not know was that two of the company's executives received a generous $1.5-million bonus each. Can the Prime Minister tell us with a straight face that he thinks it is a smart move to take Canadians' money and give it to U.S. corporate executives?
Mr. Speaker, I am shocked that today the government has chosen to completely disregard its obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Last week, the Prime Minister voted in favour of developing a recognition and implementation of rights framework in partnership with indigenous peoples, and five days later he has failed his first test.Does the Prime Minister understand that respecting the rights of first nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples means respecting even those who do not agree with him? The Prime Minister cannot tell me that I do not understand.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, this was a small reimbursement that was clearly welcomed by Quebec. However, the Prime Minister accuses us of sowing fear and division whenever we remind him of his responsibility to enforce our border and immigration laws. Meanwhile, 800 employees from all over Canada have been reassigned to Quebec, the biometric collection system for asylum seekers has broken down, security screening interviews have been cut down from eight hours to two, and just 135 of the more than 30,000 people who have entered Canada illegally have been deported. This is not about fear. It is about enforcing Canada's sovereignty.Where is the plan?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite's assertion is absolutely false. We are doing everything we can to ensure that we do not have foreign funding within our elections here in Canada. In fact, it is already illegal for foreign entities or individuals to contribute to political parties or campaigns. We are ensuring that we are tightening loopholes with regard to third parties. Third parties, in the next election, should this legislation pass, would be required to open a bank account. They would be required to report all the time the contributions they receive, and they would have a limit on their spending during an election and during the pre-writ period.
Mr. Speaker, I am absolutely aghast that the member opposite is fearmongering in this way. We take foreign influence in our elections extraordinarily seriously, including with regard to foreign funds, which is what we are doing in this legislation to ensure that it will be limited not just with the six months prior to an election as the previous Conservative government did, but also, in fact, requiring that third parties report all the time the funding they have, and open a bank account to assert that the only money used is Canadian. Furthermore, we are also taking actions with regard to the cybersphere and foreign influence. We are going to protect our next election.
Mr. Speaker, we are four days into the U.S. unfair steel and aluminum tariffs, and Canadian workers in the manufacturing sector spent the weekend worried about their jobs. Canadians are asking why the government was waiting 30 days to bring in our own tariffs. These tariffs are a Band-Aid solution, and the government must work toward a permanent exemption. The clock is already ticking on a similar decision on tariffs to our auto sector. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are literally on the line. How is the government going to ensure Canadian workers in our largest industries are protected against destructive tactics from south of the border?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Canadian farmers do not support a carbon tax. The ag minister is clearly dead wrong on that. In fact, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers said that the carbon tax is bad for farmers. It is going to put them at a huge disadvantage on the world stage.Will the ag minister finally admit that the carbon tax is bad for farm families, and maybe while he is at it, tell those families how much the carbon tax is going to cost them?
Mr. Speaker, last week, Conservatives supported the government in opposition to unacceptable tariffs levied against Canadian steel and aluminum workers. We supported the government's efforts to retaliate against this unilateral decision by the United States. However, while the U.S. tariffs came into force immediately, last Thursday, Canadian tariffs will not come into effect until July 1. Why?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has killed thousands of jobs in the energy sector by killing northern gateway and cancelling energy east. Last week, he announced that he is forcing Canadians to pay $4.5 billion for his failure to get Trans Mountain built. It is bad enough that the Prime Minister is sending taxpayers' money to Texas to be invested in American projects, but now we learn that he is paying two executives over $3 million in bonuses. Why is it that every time the Prime Minister bails out a big company, executives get paid off?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal attack on agriculture is devastating: front-of-pack labelling, food guide, grain backlog, bungled trade agreements, and tax hikes. Now the agriculture minister is claiming that farmers support the Liberal carbon tax. Has he even spoken to Canadian farmers?The chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association said, Im not sure who has been briefing [the minister], but he is dead wrong if he thinks that most farmers support a carbon tax.How can the minister speak for agriculture if he is so out of touch with Canadian farmers?
Mr. Speaker, we were shocked to discover on the Government of Canada website that Liberal ministers and MPs supposedly funded organizations in several ridings that support terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, which are associated with anti-Semitism and violent homophobia. The religious leader for one of these organizations was recently criticized for his appalling anti-Semitism.Now that the Liberals have specifically introduced an attestation on respect for human rights, how can the Prime Minister justify the unjustifiable and unacceptable?